While modern technology allows travel nurses to maintain friendships and family ties with individuals that live thousands of miles away, face to face contact is something that you may be missing during a long assignment. To combat any loneliness, travel nurses may want to make friends in their community, even if they will only be there for six months or less. Here are a few places to try:
Meetup
This online platform provides you with a list of different events and meetings of people who have similar interests as you. A a user, you can create a profile from scratch, or you can use data from another social network you are part of – such as Facebook – to help build your profile. Once you've made the base profile, start searching for local groups! Meetups can range from hiking and outdoor adventure groups to knitting collectives – if you have an interest, chances are that other individuals are interested as well. Once you have joined a Meetup group, the site allows you to join events hosted by members as well as host your own! If you are interested in traveling to a nearby travel destination, a group may also heading there soon, and you could easily join them.
Community-based classes
From Zumba classes at the local gym to a pottery class at a nearby community college, courses can be a great place to meet people who share a similar interest and also live in the area. While some travel nurse positions are in rural areas, there is often a community center that is within a one-hour radius, and taking the time to head out to this class can really pay off for your social life. However, it's good to remember that not all classes are created equal on the social front – if you're looking to really break the ice with some possible new friends, sign up for an activity which provides time to interact with others and not just focus on the instructor. Take a look at the websites for the nearest centers to get the best details.
VolunteerMatch
If you share a passion for animals or kids, you might want to look into volunteer options in your community. A great site to explore different options is VolunteerMatch, which lets users search for options based on geographic location as well as types of opportunities, including those in advocacy, the arts and community boards. However, if you are living in smaller community, you may want to ask around, since many small towns tend to advertise volunteer via word of mouth. Head to the nearest library and ask the librarian whether or not they have heard of any recent opportunities. You can also go directly to the nearest shelter or elementary school to ask about options. Activities that involve youth often require a background check that can be lengthy, though, so if you are interested in this type of volunteering, it is best to start working on the process early.