Making friends through a hobby
Practising a hobby together
Do you like singing? Do you enjoy cooking? Do you like dancing? Do you enjoy sports? Do you like talking about politics? Do you like to going to church? What do you like doing in your free time? No matter whether you are very good at it or whether you have only recently started a hobby, this is how you make Austrian friends.
Most Austrians are members of a club. A club is a group of people that meet regularly to engage in their common interest. Their common interest can be anything: sport, sewing, knitting, cooking, dancing, playing musical instruments, doing handicrafts, playing chess, creating traditional Christmas decorations etc.
How can I find a club for my hobby?
- Ask people in your city about the most popular clubs in the area or whether the city is famous for something. Most villages have an orchestra, choir, voluntary fire brigade, church association etc. Simply ask someone personally or ask Google!
- Think about what you like to do in your free time and find yourself a suitable club:
- Ask people if they have heard of such a club.
- Go to the town hall or district office and ask whether such a club already exists.
- No matter your religion, simply go to the church in your city or your district and ask whether they organise activities which you can participate in.
- Search for a suitable club in your town with Google.
- These are some examples of clubs that would like you to join:
- Fremde werden Freunde (German link) in Vienna
- Gardening together (German link) (in Traiskirchen)
- Sewing together (German link) (in Traiskirchen)
- Contact the head of the club by telephone or simply go to their next meeting. Don’t be shy – everyone starts like that.
How can I find a sports club?
- A sports club is a group of people that meet regularly to play sports and have fun together. Sports clubs exist for all ages, from beginner to professional, and for all sports – football, kickboxing, basketball, jogging, swimming, karate, table tennis, rock climbing, hiking, skiing, horse riding etc.
- Ask people whether they know of a sports club.
- Go to the town hall or district office and ask what kinds of sports clubs exist in your city.
- Search for a suitable sports club in your town with Google.
- Once you have found a suitable sports club, contact the head of the sports club by telephone or simply show up at their next training. Don’t be shy – it is worth it! Not just because it is good for your health and body, but also because this way you will meet new locals. These are examples of sports clubs that take on refugees:
- “Kicken ohne Grenzen” football project in Vienna (also for women)
- Rugby Opens Boders in Vienna (also for women and teenagers)
- Caution: Fitness centres are not sports clubs! It is very difficult to make friends inside of a fitness centre, since people go there to work out and don’t like being distracted.