Spirit Lake, Iowa (fit in, houses, school)

[chromosome]

I moved to Iowa from Michigan, Kalamazoo beacause of my husband's job. Prior to my moving we carefully checked this site with all tha date for houses, population, climate etc. The place looked nice. In the middle of the winter when we arrived here there was not much to do in here. People call this Place Great Lakes of Iowa. Well, it is probalby great in the summer (we will see). I found the people here curious and well behaved but I can not find friends. I started a job 2 months ago and last week I got fired. It was all set up from my fellow coworkers. I couldn' believe. I hoped to find friends, to get together with people. I know I can find some families in the churches but I am not such a church goer. And I am missing my beutiful Michigan with all my friends in there but the industry went bad and there are not many positions for my husband . Now I feel so sad because of my mooving but I hope that God sent me to this place and I will keep doing what I need to do. Please, give me advise how to brake the ice and make the people friendlier. Forgot to mention, I am originaly from South Eastern Europe.

[disneyrecords]

Life in small town upper Midwest is going to be an adjustment to anybody moving in from anywhere else. In many of these communties, everybody already knows everybody. They went to school together, dated each other, married others, worked together for years. It will take a while to fit in.

Take the lead; you and your husband need to be the ones to invite your neighbors over for a BBQ, dinner, a beer, etc. Don't sit around and wait to be invited.

Best advice is to get involved in a community organization. If you are not into the church thing, then, volunteer at the hospital, school, Lyon's Club, or local CCB (County Conservation Board-- Iowa version of county parks)

Stay active-- get out and jog, swim, walk, run, etc. Guaranteed, you will meet the best and brightest people in your community out and about.

Since your husband is employed if you can survive without having a job for a few months, take a break. Get out and do something, meet people, network. In small town America, once they know you-- you're golden.

The tourists will start pouring into your area in a couple of weeks. This will change the tone of Spirit Lake tremendously. Use this opportunity to take a good look around and see what you can do to provide a positive influence on your community for the residents and the tourists. You never know, maybe you'll decide Spirit Lake needs a good canoe/kayak outfitter and you are the one to do it!

Good luck and hang in there!
disneyrecords

magyar

[chromosome]

Originally Posted by disneyrecords

Life in small town upper Midwest is going to be an adjustment to anybody moving in from anywhere else. In many of these communties, everybody already knows everybody. They went to school together, dated each other, married others, worked together for years. It will take a while to fit in.

Take the lead; you and your husband need to be the ones to invite your neighbors over for a BBQ, dinner, a beer, etc. Don't sit around and wait to be invited.

Best advice is to get involved in a community organization. If you are not into the church thing, then, volunteer at the hospital, school, Lyon's Club, or local CCB (County Conservation Board-- Iowa version of county parks)

Stay active-- get out and jog, swim, walk, run, etc. Guaranteed, you will meet the best and brightest people in your community out and about.

Since your husband is employed if you can survive without having a job for a few months, take a break. Get out and do something, meet people, network. In small town America, once they know you-- you're golden.

The tourists will start pouring into your area in a couple of weeks. This will change the tone of Spirit Lake tremendously. Use this opportunity to take a good look around and see what you can do to provide a positive influence on your community for the residents and the tourists. You never know, maybe you'll decide Spirit Lake needs a good canoe/kayak outfitter and you are the one to do it!

Good luck and hang in there!
disneyrecords
magyar

WoW, thanks a lot for the suggestions. I will do most of them. For the first part of the summer I need to go in Europe, my mom is sick. Then when I come back I will be involved with the activities you mentioned. What surprizes me much is people want three recomendations for all kind of jobs. I have lived only in Michigan and my friendships , people that realy know me are still there.