Meet Up Social Group

There is an online network one can join called Meet Up. Here in Barcelona there are many Meet Up groups in the network. Once you are on Meet Up you can join as many or as few of the groups as you like. Some groups are for activities and other groups are for socializing. The groups include photography, wine tasting, kiteboarding, hiking, yoga, tai chi and all sorts of other things. Once you join a group you will receive emailed invitations to attend the socials or the activities which each group offers. There is a convenor/organiser of the group and he/she is the person that organises everything and emails everybody. You then have to pay 1 euro or maybe more (depending on the activity and what is included), to the organiser for each event you attend. It is quite a good concept.

On Wednesday night I went to a Meet Up social called American Happy Hour. It is called this because the group attending the meet up were going to go to the American Bar to meet with some American expats who live in Barcelona. I had never been to these Meet Up events before. Well, I lie. I have been to the running group - which is also a Meet Up group but that is for running! So, a number of people met and then walked over to the American Club for the Happy Hour. The venue had a nice big terrace so people stood outside on the terrace and chatted and mingled. Jose, the organiser brought newcomers over to introduce them to other members of the meet up group. Luckily for me, I ran into Mel (an Australian) whom I had met at the JCI conference in Tarragona, in June. So I spent a lot of time chatting to her and winding her up. She takes it so well. Ozzies can handle anything! They have such thick skins! I met many people from all over the world. Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Colombians, Brazilians, Brits etc. It always interests me how many people come here from places I would not even have considered - taking into account the language and cultural differences. There was a Kiwi guy named Duncan who is here in Europe, doing a bit of a cycling tour. There was a tour guide from Denmark who lives in Spain in the Summers and then works all Winters taking Danish tour groups to Australia, Cuba or elsewhere. It is always interesting to find out the reasons why people are here. And as for Mel, she is just here to have FUN FUN FUN. It was a good evening with lots of laughs!