Getting Acclamated
Moving from one city to another, or even moving across town, can put you out of your element, especially if it involves a large metropolis such as Los Angeles or New York. You are no longer near your favorite sandwich shop, and you have no idea where you can get a good cup of joe. Granted, with the world being overrun by chain stores, and large corporations you can simply type Starbucks or Blockbuster into your search engine of choice and within seconds have the addresses to all locations within a 5 mile radius of your new abode. That is assuming, of course, that those guys from your cable or phone company have already stopped by to hook up your internet.
Besides unpacking boxes and decorating your new home or apartment, what else can you do to make your new neighborhood feel like home? Here are some tried and successful methods for immersing yourself in your new surroundings.
Make a list of all those places you will miss from your old neighborhood: the deli in walking distance of your house, the nearby park with the basketball court and public pool, the local bar that you loved in spite of it being a darkened, dingy, dive. To help get your mind thinking, here were mine:
1) Favorite sandwich place
2) Favorite restaurant to order pick-up from when in a hurry
3) Best coffee shop to lounge and escape at
4) Library with a DVD/ video selection
5) Nearest video store with a good selection
6) Nearest, and cleanest park and public pool
7) Nearest grocery store with the best selection
8) Nearest mall with my favorite stores
9) Nearest hike and bike trails
10) The best places for inexpensive massages, haircuts, etc.
Now that you’ve made your list, take a break from unpacking and drive around your new neighborhood for a couple of hours. Take a pen and some paper with you and write down all the places that look interesting. It’s amazing what you come across when you take the time to look. I still do that. I have a pen and post-it pad in my car console for quick and easy access. Then when I get a minute I use the internet to find out more information on the places I’ve written down. Here in Los Angeles, I use citysearch, la.com, and of course google. Most cities have some type of website that highlights their businesses. And never be afraid to ask a restaurant to fax you their menu if they don’t have it online. Just be considerate and don’t call during their lunch or dinner rushes.
If you are in a relationship, make it a couple’s thing to try out the places on your list. The worst that could happen is you share a laugh over a stale cup of coffee or throughout a terrible dinner. Don’t be afraid to just explore. How did you find those favorite places in your last city? Trial and error, word of mouthâÂ?¦. same methods, different city.
For things like dry cleaning, though, I recommend relying on word of mouth. Ask your new co-workers or neighbors. It’s easy to throw out too-quickly-rottened fruit, but ruined clothes? That’s a whole other matter. Also on my referral only list: doctors, dentists, and pharmacies.
Lastly, don’t wait for your new neighbors to welcome you. Invite them over for dinner. Now I know the idea might seem scary to those who want their house to be in perfect condition before anyone sees it. But relax. Make a joke out of it. Serve on a table made of boxes, and sit on bubble wrap and foam packaging. Make it fun, different, and casual. Be creative, if you’ve moved to Michigan from Texas and it’s the summer, have a backyard BBQ. If it’s winter, serve chili and cornbread. Introduce not only yourself, but also your culture and background. This will be a great way not only to meet those you share a property line with, but also to ask them where there favorite local retreats are.
Moving can be a daunting task and it takes more than unpacking to get you back into the groove of daily life. For me, although I like to unpack everything as soon as possible and just be done with it. It’s more important for me to feel savvy and comfortable in the areas surrounding my home and work. In my opinion getting accustomed to your new surroundings as soon as possible can provide you with the balance you need to get through the tedious unpacking and decorating process.
