By Stephen Davis
Special to Relocation.com
Moving to a new town or city can be difficult. There is the uncertainty of the unknown mixed with the anticipation of starting fresh. During this time you may be also thinking about settling in and how you will get familiar with your new surroundings. Here are a few great tips to help you introduce yourself to your new community.
Throw a housewarming party. Housewarming parties are a great way to get to know your neighbors. Host the party on a weekend so that your neighbors and their friends can come. This is the most friendly and quickest way to get introduced. Also invite your friends and relatives if they are close by. You also may have an old friend in the town, invite them over as well.
Join a club. The next important step for fitting in the society is to join some sort of club or social group. People with similar interests usually become very good friends even if they have conflicting backgrounds. Join a sports club, or a reading club, or whatever your interest is. This will help you make your circle of interest in the new town.It also helps to visit public parks and the local pub. I myself got to know many people through parks and libraries.
Don’t forget the children! If you have small children, plan activities with the neighborhood kids like a play date. For older teenagers, let them go out on their own. Buy them a skateboard or a bike if they don’t have one. Register them in a sports club of their choice. Choosing the right school for your children is also important. Always check several schools and let your child attend the first few days as a trial. If your child is satisfied and feels at home, only then confirm his/her admission.
Find new doctors. You’ll need to register with new medical practitioners. Ask your neighbors for references for doctors, dentists and vets in the town. Visit a few practitioners before you choose one. Make sure your doctor likes you. This is easy to know after you’ve talked to him for a few minutes. Although it’s best to have all the family registered with one doctor, sometimes it is better to register each member separately with the doctor they feel comfortable with.
Find out the best vet for your pet and take an appointment. Introduce your pet and let it spend some time with the vet. This will help them know each other.
Once you are a month into your new town, invite people over for a second house warming party. Invite your new friends and your new doctor as well. This will help you strengthen your relations within the community as you establish a new identity.