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Joined a newcomers club when I first got here and learned a lot about the area. Met 2 couples who moved here by way of helping them here on city data. This is why I continue here on city data to help others like I was once helped. You never know, you too may help someone move to your new town and become friends.
Joined a newcomers club when I first got here and learned a lot about the area. Met 2 couples who moved here by way of helping them here on city data. This is why I continue here on city data to help others like I was once helped. You never know, you too may help someone move to your new town and become friends.
I started a forum for the Senior College at my retirement area. Unfortunately, most of the members of senior college are not yet baby boomers and these people can barely communicate on email. An on-line forum is alien to them, they can't figure why you don't just pick up the phone if you want to converse.
There are exceptions of course, and one of them is a mid 80's couple who use the forum all the time.
But you are so very right! Of course, once I'm there I expect that I will be shoe-horned into leadership positions because I will be the baby of the group. What a change! Going from the eldest at work to the youngest in retirement. I get to be "the kid" again.
Odd how life turns around and around.
Z
My favorite is when they send you an e-mail just to ask you to call them instead of saying right in the e-mail what they want to say. I think it has to do with when they retired as opposed to how old they are. If they retired before computers were prevalent in the workplace, I think they are more likely to shun them at home.
Location: Prescott Valley,az summer/east valley Az winter
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I've joined the local garden railroad club~ play a lot of cards~ teach bridge ~ go to computer club. Not really interested in those that spend their time doting on their kids sports programs. "Don't talk to my kids till I know you, but if you wish to get to know me you must have kids in my kids sports program" type people really don't appeal. We senior citizens may have health issues and grandkids but don't push it unless asked. If that is what you find its probably because that's all you speak about. Most seniors have a wide variety of interests and experiences that are very interesting. but you must try to make freinds to have freinds.
I'd be interested in hearing from people who've retired, moved to a new state or town and had success making new friends. How did you set about meeting people?
As you know, we moved 2500 miles to Las Vegas this past March, where we specifically chose a large, country club community with the thought that we could more easily meet people and make friends at club events. As it turns out, the friends we've made we originally met while working out at the on site fitness center or while on daily walks with our dog through the community, rather than through the country club itself. We went out for happy hour with three such friends just last night. We're considering taking up golf so that can meet even more people that way.
Yes, I think pursuing your own favorite interests, be it something creative, sports like, furthering your education, knitting, whatever, is the way to find and make anything resembling a meaningful "new" friendship. There is nothing like sharing a beloved interest or hobby with someone else to bond you together and suddenly you're also socializing in other areas, as well.
We moved 1,500 miles South when we retired five years ago and have made many "go out to dinner", "girls do lunch", and such things friendships. As someone else mentioned, we've got more of them here than we ever did up North where everyone we knew was busy like we were with home, family and careers. But, are the people we hang out with all what I'd consider friends? No, most are what I'd maybe term "close aquaintances" and, of course, it is not as meaningful as the long-time friendships that I had developed over 40 years of adult life living in the same area up North. They certainly don't replace the family I left behind up there, either. Don't get me wrong, I DO enjoy the social life here. I wish I could combine the social life we've developed here with the old-time friends and family I have there. That would be ideal! But, I never knew how much I enjoyed having "old" friends until I left them. But, that's probably only me.
Perhaps our difficulty in making real friendships here, although we do have one or two, is because we're living in a largely retirement/snowbird/vacation town, and we live amongst a large population of transient people and people from another part of the country who have a preconceived negative idea of people, in general, from the part of the country I come from. (We're NYers living among a majority of Mid-Westerners.) Obviously from reading all the previous posts, mine is not the only viewpoint and, of course it isn't!
So, go forth, get out there when you get there, and seek people through your interests, volunteer work, join clubs that seem interesting to you, and through your surrounding community. Have fun and before you know it your social calendar will be filled. Best of luck to you and have fun!!!
smile, greet everyone you see and be pleasant.....it isnt rocket science.....or as my grandson once said to me years ago..."grandpa....YOU TALK TO EVERBODY!"
We moved over 2,000 miles after retiring, to a place where we knew nobody.
I have found that volunteering has been a great way to meet folks. Just getting out there on a consistent basis and being involved with other people just results in eventual "hits" on making new friends.
I never "force" the issue, just spend time out there on a consistent basis involved in activities that have a purpose. The teamwork just helps meet folks.
Works very well.
Do these volunteers socialize outside of the volunteer project? LIke going out to dinner or doing other social activities together?
Yes, I think pursuing your own favorite interests, be it something creative, sports like, furthering your education, knitting, whatever, is the way to find and make anything resembling a meaningful "new" friendship. There is nothing like sharing a beloved interest or hobby with someone else to bond you together and suddenly you're also socializing in other areas, as well.
We moved 1,500 miles South when we retired five years ago and have made many "go out to dinner", "girls do lunch", and such things friendships. As someone else mentioned, we've got more of them here than we ever did up North where everyone we knew was busy like we were with home, family and careers. But, are the people we hang out with all what I'd consider friends? No, most are what I'd maybe term "close aquaintances" and, of course, it is not as meaningful as the long-time friendships that I had developed over 40 years of adult life living in the same area up North. They certainly don't replace the family I left behind up there, either. Don't get me wrong, I DO enjoy the social life here. I wish I could combine the social life we've developed here with the old-time friends and family I have there. That would be ideal! But, I never knew how much I enjoyed having "old" friends until I left them. But, that's probably only me.
Perhaps our difficulty in making real friendships here, although we do have one or two, is because we're living in a largely retirement/snowbird/vacation town, and we live amongst a large population of transient people and people from another part of the country who have a preconceived negative idea of people, in general, from the part of the country I come from. (We're NYers living among a majority of Mid-Westerners.) Obviously from reading all the previous posts, mine is not the only viewpoint and, of course it isn't!
So, go forth, get out there when you get there, and seek people through your interests, volunteer work, join clubs that seem interesting to you, and through your surrounding community. Have fun and before you know it your social calendar will be filled. Best of luck to you and have fun!!!
You make a VERY good point about not being able to easily replace your "old friends" from back home. But that's what we want--good friends who actually care about us, not just having a fun time. I wonder how to do that...
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Best of luck to you and have fun!!!
Outside Associations with Other Volunteers?
