Relish Being a Tourist While You’re Settling into Your New Home 
Fantastic! Your
household move is done. You’re in your new home and starting to get things unpacked and placed where you want them. That’s a lot to deal with, for sure. But there is yet another thing you should be doing. And the quicker you do it, the more contented you’ll be. You should be getting familiar with your new hometown.
Certainly you did some research on where you’d be going when you first decided or first were informed you had to move. Now that you’re here, though, it’s time to really adapt …
- Take a walk and explore your new neighborhood – get to know the “lay of the land,” introduce yourself to the neighbors, discover nearby parks and recreation areas, determine the fastest route to your children’s’ schools (either by foot or by car)
- Find the closest businesses to meet your needs – supermarkets, shopping malls, gas stations, movie theaters coffee shops, fast food places, restaurants, libraries, bookstores, and the like
- Visit the closest “Welcome Center” and pick up brochures highlighting local attractions that suit your fancy – art museums, historical museums (especially those partial to local history), sports arenas, bike and walking trails, convention centers, and theaters or auditoriums that specialize in stage presentations, for example
Of course, one of the speediest and easiest (if less authentic and personal) ways to explore your new community isn’t by foot or by car – it’s by way of the Internet. Google, Google Maps, Yelp, and Citysearch are among today’s choice online resources for tracking down local attractions. They’ll guide you to^pinpoint}78} all the most popular gathering places your community has to offer. Don’t just take the word of online reviews, though. Personally check out the recommended places and make up your own mind whether you like them or not.
Not really at ease with the Internet or phone apps? That’s okay, just stick with actual physical exploration. That’s often the best way to get familiar with a place, anyhow. Getting out and about and talking with people in person generally leaves a much stronger impression than does picking information off a computer or phone screen. Still, the Internet can at least give you a preview of what’s what.
Here’s another thought. If you truly want to get acquainted with people in your new hometown, look for local clubs and organizations that accord with your interests, your hobbies, or your worldview and join them. You might also mull over involving yourself in this or that local community service, making yourself useful to the school system, daycare centers, nursing homes, homeless shelters, rescue missions, government agencies, or whatever might best employ your talents. Funny thing about community service (and you just know it’s true!): what you give to the community has a way “giving back” to you. And it’ll be no time at all before you start feeling that your new hometown is home indeed and you’re a tourist there no more.
