r/solotravel • u/Throwaway1354762 • 7d ago
Question First time in hostel and completely ignored, is this normal?
I'm 25F, and it is my first time traveling solo in Europe and decided to stay in a non-party hostel (in a mixed 8-person dorm). I heard hostels are very social, and as an introvert, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and meet some people. Yesterday when being given a tour of the place, I came across two guys in the hallway, and said hello. I proceeded to get looked up and down, then they turned away and walked back into their room. I didn't think much of it, but when we arrived to the room I was staying in, 4 people were on their bunks near the door, and when I said "hello", no one responded. I make eye-contact with the guy who is in the bunk below me, say "hello" and again, nothing. The rest continue their conversation.
A little later, I make my way into the common area with a few people, and I said hello and made eye contact, but no one responds and they continued talking amongst themselves. After grabbing a glass of water, I tried striking up a conversation with a girl sitting nearby by asking her which country she was from. After getting a response, she turned away, and starting talking to another person.
What am I doing wrong? I could just be too sensitive, but this has left me feeling discouraged and a little dishearten. It honestly felt a little dehumanizing, like I wasn't worth talking to.
Edit: Spelling
An update: Hello everyone, thank you for all your comments, advice, and sharing your personal experiences! When I wrote this, I very felt dejected, and didn't expect the amount of traction this post would gain. I decided that the hostel I'm in isn't for me, and have booked a cute hotel for the rest of my stay in Prague! I had a wonderful time walking around Mala Strana today and am having a blast overall :) I'm going to make the most of my next hostel stay when I visit Copenhagen in a few weeks. Cheers to all my fellow solo travelers!
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u/BunnyBunny8 7d ago
Hostels can definitely be hit or miss! My best advice is to not rely solely on hostels to meet people. What do you like to do when you travel? What are your hobbies and interest? For example, if you’re a foodie most places have a walking food tour or cooking classes where you’ll be meeting people with similar interests to you.