I recently moved to the USA, from the middle east. My English is pretty good, and I don’t have a lot of trouble communicating with people at work or in stores. I also don’t know anyone here at all, outside of work. All my family is still back in Gaza, and I’ve been here over a year now, and still feel cut off from American people and culture.
How do you make friends and socialize here? How do I learn more about America and Americans culture? I know a bit about history, but not much about anything else.
I don’t drink or go to bars, for religious reasons. I have joined a couple of clubs based on hobbies, but still feel disconnected. I’m not sure how you socialize or meet new people here, in my family everyone came around your house all the times of the day, and here it seems like neighbors just stick to themselves. I don’t want to bug people or anoy them if that is not the customs here.
Also, what are your favorite parts of American culture and history? So far I have enjoyed Nascar and monster trucks very much, and studying mathematics.
There’s a website / app called Meetup and there are local groups in almost every city for strangers to meet up for social events to get to meet new people and make friends.
I used it for a few months after moving to a new city and stopped once I made some personal connections and a friend group.
Yes, meetup is how I found a couple of clubs I am in now. just seems like people show up for activities and then leave without socializing much.
Are you interested in Dungeons and Dragons? Those groups usually end up pretty close-knit. If not, see if there’s a board gaming store near you that hosts gaming nights. Anything where you talk to the other participants a lot will eventually make you a friend or two. Or a book club might work too.
I have not played that yet, it is like a board game version of a RPG, right? I may try it out.
Yeah. Dungeons and Dragons, Fate, and other tabletop RPGs can be a lot of fun. There are many different games with different settings - science fiction ones, modern, future, past, imaginary past, etc.
Game stores can be nerdy and cliquey, but they can also be friendly and inclusive. Try a few, many have ways to job you up with a gaming crew.
Yes, it’s a paper and pencil RPG, the OG one. It’s a really fun game if you can let yourself be silly for a few hours per week.