Making New Friends Through Camping
One of the exciting things about going camping is that you just never know who you are going to meet. It can be a great way for you to introduce yourself to people and to learn about them. You may find that your children go play with theirs on the camp ground play area and you get to visit.
Keep in mind though that not everyone wants to make friends when they are camping. Some people are there to have the solitude so don’t impose yourself on them. Do be friendly to your neighbors in a camping area though. Say hello to them and introduce yourself.
If you aren’t sure that they want to interact more you can tell them they are welcome to join you later for a given activity at your campsite. If they decide to show up fine but if they don’t then you shouldn’t take it personally. Many families are trying to spend more quality time with each other while camping so they don’t mingle much with others.
Sometimes other campers will come to you and try to strike up a conversation. That is fine if you are willing to interact with them. If you aren’t though don’t feel pushed into anything. Politely tell them it was nice meeting them but that you already have plans or you want to spend time alone or just with your family. They should be understanding of that.
Sometimes campers will end up needing help from each other. Be willing to lend a hand when you can. For example if you see someone struggling to light their grill or get their camper trailer hooked up to the car you can offer them a hand. If you see a camper with a flat tire or a medical emergency you can do what you can to assist them. Keep in mind that you would hope others would do the same thing for you if the situation were reversed.
There are people who have really hit it off at camping locations where they were once complete strangers. They have kept in touch and even have gone on other camping trips together. Being able to find others that share your love of the outdoors and that you enjoy being around is a bonus when you go camping. Sometimes it is just socialising for an instant, for the time you go camping, or it can turn into something for a lifetime.
