Getting Wet Feet :(

[TheWills]

Hey all
Crap its T minus like a million months and counting and already Im getting the jitters, I was supposed to go to Oz with someone in Spetember howeer it looks like I will be alone FOR 6 MONTHS - A YEAR!!!!!!! The thing is you hear people say stuff like well your gonna meet lots of people on your travels, and I like to think of myself as an outgoing person, however each country is diffrent and you meet people fro lots of diffrent countries. How does one approach people in hostels, do you just go up and say hi Im so and so from whereever or is there a certain format one tries to follow, and how open are other people, if you say hi what are the chances of them sayin F*ck off ???? Also when your traveling do you often travel with people you met in the hostel ???
ITS SO CONFUSING I WANNA SCREAM!!!!
im not sure on how it all works, please for the love of god tell me as much about this as you can, for some reason I see myself keeping quiet for a few months, however this is not me I always go up to people and strike it up with them. GAH!!!!!!!!!
Noobs

[Sijuki]

I guess I shouldn't be posting advice on this since I haven't gone overseas yet. But I would say just be yourself. I would imagine you will find people like yourself (first timer) in the hostels. I would see being the same as home. Except I would probably be more outgoing, seeing as how excited I will be. I'm psyched and I still have 18 months to go. I would say a basic entry line would be like, "hey, where are you from?" "where are you going to?" or "Have you been to <insert destination>, is it nice?" Basic convo starters I would assume. If you are confident enough, people may even ask you for help. At least then you can be a bigger group of lost people... that always makes for fun times. I'll stop with my boring yimmer yammer. Hope it helped a bit though.

[Mocassin]

Hey Newbie!!!

I'll just use our Haley as an example...Have you read her thread?! She is in Oz right now and she escaped from family friends and found a job in a bar. She is 19 I think, and she is now travelling alone and having a great time! :D

I think it's pretty easy to find people to hang out with in Hostels (hey, that's what hostels are all about!!!)...And travelling alone is the best way I know to learn to know yourself better! If I were you, I wouldn't hesitate for one second! Go for it! I plan on travelling next year, and I know I will go by myself...You do whatever you feel like every day, if you meet someone you're free to change your plans, you can meet lots of people and travel a while with them...Yes, it's scary, but after you do this, I promess you'll see life differently...But you have to find this out for yourself!

To meet people, I will say like Siju: Just be yourself...It's easier to meet other travelers because everybody is in the same 'travelling mood' and are there to meet people as well!

[Canadian Dude]

Like going to a new school, life as an over seas trav'la is hard at first, but as time goes on you begin to mold into the lifestyle. When you went to high school, did you not make friends? When you went to your first bar, did you not meet friends? When you went to any social event did you not make friends? Newbi, have faith in yourself, you will be fine...The fact that you have even planned this adventure tells me that your a strong enough to make it on your own.

When you feel alone, call home
When you feel alone, email a friend
When you feel alone, come here where you are always among friends and trav'las

Do not let this life altering experience pass you by because of fear, you will not forgive yourself if your not on that plane.....

No sane person is going to tell you to Fuck-Off if you try to strike up a conversation with them, especially when they notice your from out of town...I, in all my travels have never been told to fuc off, and I have freinds all over the world...peoples attitude for the most part will be positive towards you. But like all events in life, bad things can happen...but when they do, you'll get over it...ya know why? Because bad experiences make for the best stories!!!!

No worries newbie, we will be there with ya until you leave, and while you are there if you need us, thats the joy of this site...we watch each others back!!!