Meeting friends in Boise Idaho phony or real people?? (Meridian: transplants, schools)

[lesly38]

So I am trying to get some insight on this matter. I recently have been trying to meet friends in the Boise/Meridian Idaho area as I am new to the area. I have been going into several retail establishments and have encountered many friendly people along the way. I have talked with many people who seem nice at first and then when I ask if they would be interested in going out for coffee they seem interested in hanging out with me and have even given me their email or phone number to contact them. So then when I go to contact them by phone or email I do not get any response. I am wondering why they appear so genuine and are trusting enough to give me their contact information but then why is it that I never hear from them? I am just trying to meet friends and find it extremely confusing and frustrating so if anyone can explain this behaviour I would appreciate it. I have lived in bigger cities than Boise and never encountered such behaviour before. Also, I am interested in suggestions on how others who are new to the Boise area as to how they have met friends.

[fearnofish]

If you fish or hunt go to a 'good ol boy' sporting goods shop and start talking to they people there. After establishing a rapport with them you can invite them go fishing or a bbq or something along those lines.

[LillyLillyLilly]

A good place to meet people is at Community Ed classes. Not too expensive, but they charge more than last time I went. They're also on Facebook. Registration starts Jan 6 for the Winter Session.

[benchfan]

The Yahoo group Idaho Outdoors is popular.

As far as the behavior you're describing--hard to tell. It's a busy time of year--could be bad timing?

Hang in there and welcome to the area!

PS Want to have coffee sometime? I'm always game and won't stand you up! Actually, we should just plan coffee for you and all of the other new people ont his forum. You're not alone in wanting to meet folks in the area.

[boisefan88]

That's just how people here are.

That's how I am.

It's not insincerity or anything; it's probably mostly a lack of motivation coupled with having your own thing going on.

For instance, I tend to wait for other people to call rather than to make the call myself. Dunno why. Also, I find things to keep myself busy which makes it tough sometimes to get together with other people.

That's just how it's always been here and its part of us.

[boisefan88]

Also, I think it's different in other (larger) cities for a few reasons:

1. This is mostly in LA, but people like to meet lots of new people mostly because they're interested in networking and seeing what you can do for them and how you might help them out;

2. Tends to be more of a transient, immigrant population in larger cities which means more people are in your position.

[Jackace]

Boise is a tough place to meet new people. The people are friendly to you, but it's tough to go beyond that and make real friends or gain acceptance into a new group. I'm not saying it is impossible here, but it is much harder than in other places I have lived or visited.

Not sure what your situation is, but if you would like to grab coffee or something sometime I'm always up for meeting new people. Just let me know.

[happy2beehere]

I nominate benchfan to put on the calendar a coffee date for any one in the Boise area to meet New and old, I for one have not met anybody, which I'm sure is my fault for not getting out much, but am willing to meet for coffee (although I don't drink coffee, tea for me please!!) Any one second this idea????

[Tex?Il?]

I just noticed this thread as I was scrolling down. I wouldn't normally post on the Idaho forum, as I have never been here.

However I have lived in Fort Collins, CO before, and I have to say, that although I loved the two years I spent there (grad school) I foud that as much as I love the intermountain, deep down its not my personality.

I will always love visiting Colorado, Arizona, and other states, but the overall vibe is not mine, as much as I love the outdoors.

Rugged individualism runs deep in the intermountain west, and to an extent that even applies to the bigger cities like Denver/Boulder, probably SLC, maybe even Phoenix (although theres definitely some SoCal influence there). Since residents of the those cities have either been there for a while, or you have transplants that come because many of them may value the same things.

This means, that people are genuinely friendly. Absolutely. But with rugged individualism, comes a lack of a need for companionship for the sake of companionship.

Rugged individualism means that they have their own pursuits and passions that they focus on to an extreme. Whether that is to be an excellent skier, mountain biker, rock climber, etc., etc. They will more likely form tight friendships with people based on a very natural rapport based around similar interests, without even trying.

People go to the intermountain west to get away from crowds. This also means that they tend to spread out more. Although Denver has a downtown, people more often than not are drawn to leaving town to go to mountain resorts, or may even live in them, etc. We couldn't get together with friends very often, as many of them lived 20-30 miles outside of town.

This also means, that the wide open spaces in a way has an effect on people to really be themselves in an extreme way, which is why you have more people that have more far right or far left views.

Whether it is the hyper-environmentally conscious "hippie-liberals" of Boulder, maybe Missoula, MT, Taos or Santa Fe, NM, or the highly conservative Mormons of Utah and surrounding areas . . .

Its a great region to live and experience it all, but it just wasn't me.

[motomac]

I think BenchFan has a great idea!! I realize that the holiday season is rapidly approaching, so many of us have extra things to do, but really....would it be that hard to take an hour or two some Saturday afternoon to meet someplace for coffee and chat? Some of the restaurants have a separate room that they let groups use for meetings. I know that both the Boise and Meridian Idaho Pizza places have one, so I'm sure there are others.

Is there a way to post a poll or an announcement that stays at the top of the forum to see how many people would be interested?