×
Interested in our Partner Program for businesses or our Local Guide Program for experienced expats and digital nomads? Click here to learn more.
Uruguay | How do I meet people in Uruguay? | Expat Exchange
Expat Exchange
Free MembershipSign In
San Francisco Fisherman's Point Near Piriapolis, Uruguay

How do I meet people in Uruguay?

Answer this Question

Universal Tax Professionals
Universal Tax Professionals
Universal Tax Professionals
Universal Tax Professionals

When we asked people living in Uruguay about club and activities where newcomers can meet others, they responded...

"Hah! That's what we DON'T have here... Here is just a magic vibe, granite boulders covered with mussels & snails, the mighty Atlantic on your doorstep, with 4 beaches. As for activities, just daily life is enough for us... Gardening, cooking out, building on our house. The whole area is filled with national parks and some old Spanish/Portuguese forts, etc. Great for hiking through the ghost gums (eucalyptus trees), checking out the capybara & fantastic birds from a comfy blind, and perving on all that luscious plants in the shade gardens, etc... Laguna Negra is nearby, a great lake for fishing & camping. Don't expect your catfish to look like the ones you've caught. These have a fin all the way around the back to the belly side of the tail, but they taste the same... If you or your kids are into soccer (futbol here) then you're home free as far as a social life. Life revolves around the kids. Get to know your lavadera (laundry lady). Ana is great, cheap, and knows how to get whites white. The "other guy," however, who has stickers on all the fridges in the rental places, will hang your clothes on the line & spray with fragrance. :-/ They will come home with all of the dirt still in them, but smelling fresh, thank you... Our town dentist, Mario Garcia, is a godsend! The ONLY completely pain-free dentist I have ever known. We're getting ready to move back North for a spell to take care of elderly parents, but we are having hub's teeth fixed first. He needs a partial for the uppers, as he lost his back teeth long ago. He does NOT like going to the dentist, but he & Mario are friends & fishing buddies now. The partial & an implant in front are going to cost us about 1/20th of what we'd pay in the US and First Class work it is... Never any mercury fillings down here. In fact, Mario specializes in removing mercury fillings and replacing with ceramic," wrote a member who made the move to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay.

Mobility LCMobility LC
Connect

Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

Mobility LCMobility LC

Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.
Connect

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

"First of all, learn some Spanish, preferably Castellano (Castile, Spain) instead of the Mexican version... They will understand YOU, but you may not understand THEM... Many TV shows here are in English with Spanish subtitles... It helps, believe me, especially with grammar. We have one Canadian couple here and one crusty old Irishman... Those are the only expats we have met in our tiny fishing village of 1,000 souls... This agrees with us PERFECTLY, as we want to assimilate, not hang with expats. I would recommend just chatting the local up - your grocery clerk, the fellow who fills the tank for your car at the Ancap station, the meat man (prime rib is always in the meat locker, seldom out front). We have made friends of a family who own a wine/cheese shop in the town where we buy our groceries... They love to practice their English while we practice our Spanish. My dentist has just returned from a trip to British Columbia to do a work/study tour on a boat up there. He practices his English with me & I practice my Spanish with him... We have been so well received & made welcome, I may eventually offer English classes for adults... My best advice is not to be shy and simply venture "Buen dia" occasionally until you feel more comfortable. Undoubtably, someone will eventually try to engage you in conversation on the bus or at the market. If they speak to fast for you to understand, simply request "mas lentamente, por favor" & they will slow down. I had to retrain my ears to the Castellano, altho I had grown up speaking Tex/Mex and Mexican Spanish. Just be yourself, be courteous & respectful, smile & the world will open up for you. Be aware that here we don't say "Adios" but, rather, "Ciao!" Schnitzel is Milanesa here... Germans may have invented it, but the Italians immigrated first, so there ya go... :D One of the BEST places to meet people is the local futbol matches and/or practices. Uruguayans are rabid futbol fans, and will quickly try to persuade you to root for their favorite teams... ;p," explained one expat living in Punta del Diablo, Uruguay.

Please login to continue reading this article.

Not a member? Join Today (it's free).

Other Questions:

How do I meet people in Uruguay?

If you live in Uruguay, newcomers to Uruguay would love to hear your answer to this question.

If your answer relates to a specific city or town in Uruguay, please include the name of the city/town below:


About the Author

Joshua Wood Joshua Wood, LPC joined Expat Exchange in 2000 and serves as one of its Co-Presidents. He is also one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. Prior to Expat Exchange, Joshua worked for NBC Cable (MSNBC and CNBC Primetime). Joshua has a BA from Syracuse and a Master's in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mr. Wood is also a licensed counselor and psychotherapist.

Some of Joshua's articles include Pros and Cons of Living in Portugal, 10 Best Places to Live in Ireland and Pros and Cons of Living in Uruguay. Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn.

San Francisco Fisherman's Point Near Piriapolis, Uruguay
Mobility LC
Mobility LC

We've partnered with Mobility LC to help you with your relocation.
Learn More

Mobility LCMobility LC

We've partnered with Mobility LC to help you with your relocation.
Learn More

Universal Tax Professionals
Universal Tax Professionals

Copyright 1997-2025 Burlingame Interactive, Inc.

Privacy Policy Legal Partners & Local Guides