For Travel Info from area experts and other travelers:
Fodors: for awesome travel threads full of posts by savvy travelers who can give you the scoop on almost any location in the world. You can either search to find a previous post on the subject or post a question/start a thread of your own to get specific information tailored to you (your style of travel, your preferences, etc). WAY better than reading guide books! I have been using this site to get tips from locals and long term travelers for over 10 years now and I’ve gotten so much out of it.
For Socializing and Touring (or other unique activities) with locals:
Withlocals.com this site connects you with locals who can show you around their city, from unique varied perspectives. Take a city walk, a tour of nearby wineries, or a hiking trip. Plug in your city and see who’s there and what they are offering.
Viator: connects you with local expert tour guides. A bit more official than the other sites I’ve listed here under this heading, Viator promotes only officially certified tour guides (though most are individuals that aren’t part of larger companies and are more entrepreneurial in spirit). There are options ranging from specifically focused tours (architecture, art, museum, food, wine, etc) to more unique offerings like doing a photo-shoot in Cinque Terre with a professional local photographer (I was sooo tempted to do this one!).
Meetup.com I knew Meetup.com was huge in the U.S but it turns out it’s now gone seriously global. More and more meetup groups pop up in European cities every day. Just like in the U.S, this is a great way to connect with people who have similar interests, in a place where you might not know many people yet. From language exchange groups (very popular), to artist and writer and hiker’s groups, Meetup has got something for almost everyone. Most times these get-togethers are free or just the cost of your own food & drink but some groups have started using Meetup as a way to make a side income.
Meetup isn’t as good in small cities, but for major cities (Barcelona, Madrid, Prague, London….) it’s a great place to look if you want to meet up with people who live in these places and do non-touristy things!
Becoming an English Language Immersion Volunteer for Local Professionals
An English Immersion program is basically a program designed to teach English in an environment where participants are fully immersed in the English language (speaking, listening, and socializing). You play an integral role, as a native English speaking volunteer, for the professionals who enroll in these programs in order to take their English to the next level-fast! And you get some perks in exchange! Namely, high-end hotel accommodation and all meals during the five to eight-day programs.
You will talk more to strangers than you ever thought possible in such a short period of time (see my blog post about the experience here), but you will make amazing connections and get to know so much about people’s regions, culture and traditions due to being in such an intimate environment. The students are pretty much all adult professionals with intermediate or higher level of English.
The programs are typically held in small towns far from big cities so that the focus is on being truly removed from daily life and immersed in English. Take a look at how volunteering works and what opportunities are coming up.
Diverbo
Programs are in offered in Spain and Germany and last eight days. Volunteers get their own rooms (unless in extreme circumstance where the hotel is super small and program very full and they will let you know in advance). Three meals a day included and there are several dinners out at local restaurants that are included. Programs are located in charming villages such as La Alberca in Spain or Laubach in Germany.
Vaughan
Vaughan’s English Immersion Program is called ‘Vaughantown’. Programs are located in Spain and last five to six days. Volunteers get their own rooms. All meals (in hotel restaurant) are included. Shorter Term Volunteer Opportunities exist if you’re already in the country (1 Day programs for which they offer various incentives to volunteers for their time).
For Sharing Meals/Dining With Locals:
See my post: Dining With Locals Around the World: Six Websites That Connect You
For Connecting With Your New Community as an Expat:
If you’ve made the move and gone international, it’s important to find people to connect with in your new city. The fastest way to do this is to connect with an expat organization in your city. Here are the two most prominent organizations (my favorite is Internations) I’ve found in Europe.
Internations.org: You can have your whole month booked with networking events, dinner or theater clubs, pub language exchange meetups, professionally focused groups and more as an Internations member. The forums on the website are also invaluable also. Get all your important questions answered by those who have been there/done that/been traumatized by the system. Save yourself time and headaches.
Expat.com: Great site for finding articles about all of the issues expats face in different countries, home listings (for sale and for rent), forums where people buy/sell and also for connecting with other professional expats. I don’t like it as much as Internations for social reasons but it’s got a lot of valuable information (though you won’t be able to read most of it without becoming a member)