Mia:
You might try this conversational method to get some dialogue going.
"Hi. I am Mia and I am from ___________. I don't know anyone here.
Perhaps you could tell me a little about yourself?"
Or... in a restaurant with others. You might say something like:
"I don't know anything about the food here. Can you tell me a little about it?"
Or...in a store: "I don't know anything about these products. Can you tell me a little about them?"
Other subjects to ask about: Music, Clothing, Weather, and so on and so forth for light subjects.