When I met my husband I moved to my back then very small and clicky town; its a different town then and I was a different girl. It was very small and still very old. Then typical of the defence force four days after my arriving in my new town husband left for deployment. I can’t remember the length of time he was gone but it wouldn’t have matter it was horrible and lonely; my saving grace was my husbands grand mother- THE most AWESOME woman in the world. Although It didn’t help that I was this different person back then. Not only was I shy but I was little bit arrogant not a really very good mix. I thought I knew everything and to a degree thought I was above these country hickster’s- to which I was not, at all in any shape or form.
It took my husbands grandmother getting cancer and myself and my mother inlaw caring for her until then end before the world slapped me with a few lessons on community.
Two years later we left for a new posting interstate on the otherside of Australia those gorgeous country hicksters had given me a lesson and taught me thing or two about life and so breaking into a new community a second time a round took much less time to find my feet. And so when the world went to crap and my then boyfriend left me three weeks later but this time in a much bigger city with not a single person known to me it was a lot easier.
So here are five tips I learnt about breaking into a new community.
1. Never turn down a invitation to a BBQ or get together. Small towns I found will only offer it once; turn them down once without a really good excuse and they may never ask again.
2. Go to the pub. This is the case in a small town especially. Dont drink yourself silly infact a soft drink is just as accepatable but once a week head to the pub. Its where locals have a tendency to hang out. It creates your presence in town the locals get curious and come on over other times you will have to muster the courage. Or if that’s not your thing head to your new favourite cafe. Talk to the person behind the bar or the person taking your order. Again its all about presence.
3. Join a community group like the lions or CWA..they may be filled with older people but generally they have younger children. Or join a sports group. With technology as it is you can join groups via face book, insta gram before you even get there.
4. Try and keep the same routine you had a home. If you go to a market on a Sunday find one, attend a gallery on a Saturday find one of those to it gets you out of the house and still talking to people.
5. Take a job doing anything just to become part of the community. I should have done it when I first moved here but I feared I would get stuck in it but if your determined you wont but it will make you a friend or two.
xx D
What are your tips for moving to a small town?
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