I don't know what to do

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I only have one friend I ever spend time with. Everyone else I knew has moved on with their lives years ago, and I don't have opportunities to make new friends. I work from home, so I'm not meeting anyone through work. I'm in grad school, but all my classes are online. I used to go to a gaming group before quarantine, but I never established any relationships with anyone in the group. I feel lonely all the time.

I'm not happy where I live. I don't like living in the US anymore. I'm tired of all racism, identity politics, unaffordable healthcare, obsession with guns, etc... Even worse, I'm trapped a conservative Bible Belt state that voted for Donald Trump and where everyone is obsessed with church and religion. I've thought of moving to Canada or Japan, but I don't have the means to relocate to another country.

My family lives in another country and I haven't seen them in years. I miss them, especially my nieces and nephews. But I can't just move over there. The country is unstable socially and economically. Plus, its a Muslim majority country, and my family are all Muslims. And as an atheist and ex-Muslim, I don't feel comfortable with the idea of being stuck there. Plus, I don't know if I would be able to get therapy and/or meds I need there either.

So I really just don't know what to do. As I mentioned, I'm currently in grad school, but what will I do after that?

Will you continue to work from home long-term, or is this mainly due to the pandemic?

It seems that the majority of working adults make friends through the workplace...

I've been doing this for over two years.

What are you studying in grad school?

Special education.

I've been wanting to travel abroad to teach English for years. I have my TESOL. But I'm afraid to go to another country where I don't know anybody. I have a history of emotional breakdowns, and I don't know if I'll be able to find a doctor or meds if I need them.

That’s not a bad way to meet suitable women....many women are into special ed.

Could you offer to tutor people online (or in person, post-covid)? That might be a good way to increase your human interactions. You could also see if any universities need volunteer "conversation partners" or "ambassadors" for their ESL students from overseas. Different schools have different names for the program, but basically you are a resource for learning figures of speech, venting about difficulties navigating stuff in the US, whatever. You basically just commit to hang out with them.

Canada also has plenty of rednecks and other intolerance. Around here, the less-prejudiced stick together like overwhelmed tourists - we would not normally be friends, but there's no one else to talk to. I did well at meeting people by sharing housing, but as a vegetarian, my roommates always had a head start on basic compatibility and similar philosophy. There are also special interest groups for many hobbies, and volunteer organizations where you might meet people. Getting into the (non criminal) news is also a good way to meet people.

I agree with what others have said. During COVID, this is such a crazy time that it's "survival mode" for a lot of people. So until things go back to a higher degree of normalcy, you might be in a kind of arrested development socially, at least for a while. By this I simply mean that it'll be hard to get people to want to meet up with you in person. However, I've had some friends and family asking me to "video chat" with them. I'm not big on it myself, but it helps a lot of people during this time, to stay in contact. I would think you could find ways to connect with colleagues in your grad program this way as well (or others online).

Of course after COVID there's nothing really holding you back, except this majority you've noticed in your area. You could seek work in another more diverse and liberal area, or you could seek out the people in your area who are not of the majority opinion and outlook (like yourself). Universities are often good places to reach out and find likeminded contacts, but the internet is also a really good resource for that. I would think that working from home as an educator would be more challenging than seeing clients in person, so presumably you would seek out work in-person, pending the pandemic's resolution. At the workplace I imagine there would be many opportunities to make friends with others who are relatable.

When I was in graduate school I also had some difficulty making friends at first. I didn't find much to relate to with others in my program, despite us being there for the same thing. I was in a region totally new to me, and having some culture shock as well. The second semester of my first year, I think it was due to some friendly others who reached out to me and welcomed me to come out and socialize with them. It was the start of some really good friendships that continued for the rest of my time there (until I moved back to my home state with my GF at the time).

^^ I live two blocks from a hospital, and am active in the citizen's group that saved it from closing. However, I won't go there now. I went in four years ago with a simple fracture of the thumb, and they never did set it, but ruined my general health with "urgent" distant appointments. The only two competent people there were forced out by petty bureaucrats. The system is run for the administration first, the drug companies (not covered) second, and the patient last, with the doctors reduced to interchangeable prescription clerks to maintain a liability wall for the corporations. The hospital food is a major, ongoing scandal. It took them years to sort out their telephone system. Sadly, treatment is even worse for our native people.

I do support single-payer, public funded health, but it needs system management to keep it working for the patients, and we blew that. The doctors don't see us as their employers now, and have to bend the rules to be helpful.

I'm not only concerned about employment. I'm tired of being lonely. My family all live on another continent, and I've come to the realization that dating and/or marriage aren't in the cards for me.