How Tryb came to be
The best way to share the story of how and why the idea for Tryb arose is to share two defining experiences I had as an expatriate living abroad. These two experiences led me to seek out platforms to help with the issue of making like-minded friends abroad. I did not find any platform which delivered a simple, helpful, and fun product. So, I decided to create the platform myself. An app to help millions of expats around the globe solve a shared problem.
I remember the first time I tagged along with my local friends to watch a movie. When we got to the theatre, I realized they wanted to watch the new Bollywood blockbuster. I do not like, nor do I enjoy watching Bollywood movies. I had seen one Bollywood movie before, and it was an agonizing 3-plus hour ordeal that involved a half-time break. (Yes, most feature Indian movies are so long that they offer a half-time break for viewers to use the restroom or get more snacks). I couldn’t endure another 3-hour film that breaks into a musical right when a crucial point in the plot line is about to unfold. I, unapologetically, excused myself from that commitment and went my way as the rest went in to watch the film.
One day, I mentioned to a friend that I enjoyed playing sports. The next day he invited me to join him and his friends in a game of cricket. I agreed, and off we went. Even though this was a friendly game between friends, I quickly observed that I was out of my league. These guys grew up playing cricket, and I did not. Even though I wanted to enjoy playing, there was just too much difference. According to one of the people there, I played at about “a 10-year-old’s level”. If they accommodated me, they would not enjoy themselves, and there was no way I could play at their level. The ball came too fast for me to hit it, and I couldn’t bowl the ball nearly as fast as they required. After about 20 minutes of me just fielding, I decided to call it quits.
So, I started looking for people that shared similar interests. I scrolled, posted, installed, and did not leave any online source unturned in hopes of finding people like me. Someone to play basketball with, someone who had similar interests and hobbies as me. Someone who could talk about things that interested me. Someone who would understand my jokes, my quirks, and just someone I could discuss issues going on back home. I was not ungrateful for the local friendships I had made. However, I needed to feel a sense of “home” even if I was thousands of miles from home. There is something inexplicable about meeting and knowing someone from your home country abroad. You feel as though there is a piece of your home with you. As a friend once said, it’s nice to see friendly faces in new places.