Invites in Abu Dhabi: How one woman is turning strangers into friends through an app
Abu Dhabi: When Elaine Bayona's mother left Abu Dhabi a few months ago, the city suddenly felt very quiet. Her father and sister had already returned back to the Philippines and Canada after visiting. "I was just like, I don't want to be alone," Elaine said. That feeling became @InvitesInAbuDhabi, an Instagram-based community with over almost 800 followers, that brings women together for…
Abu Dhabi resident Elaine Bayona, 31, has created an Instagram-based community called @InvitesInAbuDhabi that aims to bring women together for various activities. The community, which has over 800 followers, hosts events such as pickleball, makeup sessions, and fitness walks. Elaine, originally from the Philippines, moved to Abu Dhabi seven years ago and quickly felt a sense of loneliness as her family members left the city.
Her experience as an expat led her to discover the power of shared activities in forging friendships. In 2019, she attended a dance workshop that became the foundation for her future friendships. In 2024, Elaine's interest in social media content creation led her to develop the @InvitesInAbuDhabi community, which now includes a dedicated app with 47 events.
The community started with a single pickleball session in June, which attracted 15 women she had never met before, but only knew through their online presence. Since then, the community has grown and expanded to include various events, fostering connections among women in Abu Dhabi.
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