Social Circles

1 CLUBS

Organisations such as the British Club, American Club, Hollandse Club and Tanglin Club can provide an instant network of like-minded people. Most of them offer all kinds of facilities, too, from pools and gyms to bars and restaurants. They can be expensive, though, so try to find out more from current members, and do comparisons of locations, membership rules and prices.

2 ASSOCIATIONS

Associations are an excellent starting point when you’re new, offering the same kind of social benefits of clubs but with low fees. They’re generally linked to nationalities, though citizens of any country can join.

Take a look at the likes of the American Association of Singapore (AAS), British Association (BA), and Australian and New Zealand Association (ANZA), for starters. These groups organise sports leagues, charity events and social gatherings. Women’s organisations include the American Women’s Association (AWA), Scandinavian Women’s Association, the Italian Women’s Group, the Indian Women’s Association and the Spanish-Speaking Women’s Association.

3 ALUMNI

Another way of meeting people with whom you’ll instantly have something in common is through your university alumni association – log on to your university’s website to find out more.

Some newcomers to Singapore meet their “crew” in no time, whether it’s in the condo pool or at school drop-off. For others, it can take longer. Here are a few avenues for finding new friends.

4 EVENTS

While many physical events have been curtailed in recent times on account of pandemic restrictions, calendars are now starting to fill up again – and, in any case, there are also great events held via Zoom and other online platforms. Expat Living hosts multiple events each month, both in person and online. Keep up to date at expatliving.sg/events.

5 FITNESS & ENRICHMENT

Join a sports team – rugby, football and cricket are just three popular sports played by expats in Singapore – or enrol in a regular bootcamp. Alternatively, book yourself for an enrichment class of some kind, whether it’s an art class or cooking, or some other hobby you enjoy and want to learn more about.

6 VOLUNTEERING

There are countless opportunities to lend a hand in Singapore, from helping migrant workers to looking after injured wildlife, and being a museum docent. Search for “volunteering” at expatliving.sg for a variety of relevant stories on people who offer their time to help others.