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Moving to a new city as an expat teacher can be isolating. Over the years, I've found my rhythm—balancing social connections with my health goals, discovering local communities, and creating spaces for genuine human connection. Here's how I do it.
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Hot Pot & Karaoke Nights
Nothing brings people together like food and music. My early birthday celebration turned into an epic night—1.5 hours waiting for the hottest hotpot spot in town, four soup bases, dancing noodles, and karaoke until late. This is how we bond in Jiaxing.
Watch: Birthday Hotpot & Karaoke →
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Boardgame Club (Oasis)
Every weekend, a group of us gather at Oasis for board games. DnD campaigns, MTG tournaments, or just casual party games—it's a judgment-free zone where friendships form over dice rolls and strategy. The regularity makes it easy to maintain connections without the pressure of "making plans."
Meetups every weekend
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JX Central Park Picnics
When the Foreign Affairs Ministry's cherry blossom walk got cancelled, I crashed my board game friends' picnic at JX Central Park instead—three hours late and chaos in between. Sometimes the best social moments happen when plans fall apart.
Watch: Foreign Affairs, Cherry Blossoms & A Picnic →
💡 The Balance
Social life while managing weight loss is tricky. I can't do late-night drinking sessions or endless restaurant dinners anymore. So I've shifted toward activity-based socializing—walks, board games, karaoke, YouTube collaboration. The friends who understand this are the ones who stick around. Quality over quantity.