Tuesday 27 November 2018

making friends at the dog park

This morning a group of women met for coffee and a chat, sitting outside enjoying the winter sun in Dubai. We meet every Tuesday and the groups is getting bigger, we don't socialise outside of these hours and we're not all connected on social media. We have one thing in common and that is our pet dog(s).

Mums meet for coffee, colleagues meet for coffee, dog owners meet for coffee also.

Whilst our dogs play, swim and run around, we sit and discuss the recent rains, kids, day to day life and upcoming trips and visitors and our plans for the weekend.

We have to deal with the occasional petty squabble between the dogs, but we're not constantly distracted with requests for the toilet, something to eat or drink and endless questions.

It's taken me a long time to settle into life in Dubai. In the UK I had the kids at home, met people through playgroups, activities and in the school playground. I also worked and studied and could always find someone to have a coffee with at any opportunity. In South Africa I started to feel isolated, no more school runs, after school activities or a job in which to meet people so I focused on volunteer work and within 18 months, I'd built up a network of friends.

We've been in Dubai for 4 years now, I was teaching for a year. I joined all sorts of groups and activities but never felt I fitted in. I have a couple of friends who Peter and I meet with regularly as a couple and one friend I meet up with for coffee and shopping, but my network in Dubai is much smaller than it's ever been and when these friends are travelling, I've feel isolated. It also hasn't helped that the last two summers have been spent in the UK and I've not been around much.

How do you make new friends?





5 comments:

  1. It’s tricky for sure. I’ve found it increasingly tricky now that my children are older to make any new friends. I worked full time when my children were at primary school so wasn’t one of those mums that could pick up at 3pm to meet other mums. Once children go to secondary school you don’t see anyone anyway! Meeting with dogs sounds perfect! #pocolo

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    1. I found the same when the kids went to secondary school also, but as I was working then I at least had some adult conversation during the day

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  2. It's good to hear you have made a nice little group. I don't have time to socialise like that. With work and such like taking up all of my time, the only people I chat to regularly are other Mums but I don't like to get too involved there if I can help it. Thanks for sharing with #TriumphantTales.

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    1. mums at the school gate were always best avoided but i still have some friends when my kids were in school, i just live 3000 miles away now

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  3. Making new friends is tricky, making acquaintances is hard enough - the dog owner group sounds a good way to go. Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo

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