I'm in much the same situation now. Don't listen to that other guy: if you're living in a place where you don't intend to stay, and the locals really aren't people you want to spend your time with, then don't. All the people around me are a bunch of small-town religious people, so I have no desire to get to know them, or else they're going to start asking me about my "personal relationship with Jesus" or somesuch. I'm just working on my finances and planning my move out of here, and for socializing I try to take a day every weekend and drive to the nearest big city and do something with a Meetup group there. I meet some very interesting people that way, unlike the people I currently live around.

Meetups really did help the situation! Luckily this isn't so much of a problem these days and I have carved out a small niche where I am at. Not exactly where I want to be, but I've found a way to be happy with where I am!

For what it is worth, I think that is a terrible approach in general.

Life is what is happening to you now, not some vague future plan or wished for remembrance.

Oh I completely agree that it isn't the best approach and I agree that life is happening in the moment. However, living in the moment when you are in a terrible situation is rough. In the moment, depression and suicide seem like a good idea, but that is probably not a good move (not that this is a problem for me).

But living in the immediate moment certainly will help any depression of what could be. Enjoying the smell of your environment or taking in nature certainly prevent you from thinking of your terrible living situation.

I think this is a good approach even if it takes you loner to move to the place you really want to be. I'm in your situation now and I just don't see the value of making friends where I currently am. To me, it's just a waste of time that could be instead spent on trying to get to the place I want to be.