The Accidental Networker

After my bold (or maybe just slightly awkward) decision to message Jake on Facebook, things moved quickly. We met up, walked around the city. He was effortlessly social, the kind of person who could strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. Unlike me, who overthought every interaction before it even happened.

That first evening, he introduced me to a whole different side of Kraków—one I hadn’t discovered yet. Couchsurfing meetings, language exchanges, and bars that weren’t just for drinking but for connecting. “You never know who you’ll meet,” he said, sipping his beer. “Some of my best opportunities started with a random conversation.”

At first, I was skeptical. Could I, someone who analyzed every word before speaking, really just talk to strangers? But as the weeks passed, I found myself going to more events, testing the waters of socializing beyond my comfort zone. It turned out, networking wasn’t the stiff, corporate exchange of business cards I had imagined—it was spontaneous, full of unexpected stories and people who had somehow found their way to this city, just like me.

Of course, not everyone I met had pure intentions. Some guys seemed genuinely interested in my experiences, my thoughts, my journey. Others? I wasn’t sure if they liked me or just the idea of talking to a girl in a room full of strangers. They’d lean in a little too close, ask questions that felt more like auditions for something I wasn’t applying for.

“I’m just here to meet people,” I’d say with a polite smile whenever someone misread my friendliness. Some took it well, others disappeared as soon as they realized I wasn’t looking for anything more. But I didn’t mind. I wasn’t here to collect admirers—I was here to build something more meaningful.

Through these events, I met people who fascinated me. Artists, freelancers, digital nomads—each with their own version of delulu, chasing dreams that seemed both impossible and inevitable. And surprisingly, Jake and I remained just friends. No unspoken expectations, no complications. Just a solid friendship built on curiosity and the shared thrill of discovering something new every day.

One night, after yet another spontaneous outing, I walked home feeling… different. Not just excited about the night, but about where all of this was leading me. The old me—the one who hesitated, who second-guessed every interaction—was fading. In her place was someone who was learning how to navigate a world where the right conversation could change everything.

I wasn’t just living in Kraków anymore. I was finally belonging to it.