[vter]

bm925..I think your observation is spot on. The majority of my friends left Vermont for college and a lot of them have returned/are planning to now that they have settled down. I did exactly that.
I think you'll find that there are more single 20 somethings in the Burlington area. Thats probably going to be your best bet for a social life outside of work.

[LisaMc46]

I've made most of my friends through church and other parents I've met at my children's school. I also live in a small close-knit neighborhood. We have at least one annual party and I do a once a year camping trip with my next-door neighbor and her kids.

I've also formed close friendships at work (I work in a small, family-owned company). We always celebrate each other's birthdays and occasionally get together after work for drinks/dinner. We also throw luncheon parties whenever someone gets married, has a baby, or decides to leave the company.

[sugarmaple]

When I first moved to Vermont, I had a little trouble 'making new friends'; it has been awhile and I have some incredibly wonderful sold friendships. One thing I did learn although it was difficult to understand initially, although people were friendly enough, it was not like bringing a cake over to the new neighbors...I slowly began to realize that part of it was 'locals' not wanting to interfere in our lives, be rude, that sort of thing. I found, initially, those who were also transplants went out more in groups and the locals tended to go out with their closest friends, family/ies or themselves. It was just a little different.

Prior to getting into real estate, I worked at a local small hospital and that was a little weird; everyone was friendly enough but I was not included in the 'group' for awhile, until I finally went up to the 'boss' and said "hey, you know, I don't know anyone, I don't know where anything is, like restaurants, shopping, and I think it would be really a helpful and nice thing for my colleagues to consider sharing that kind of information with a new person, not only new at this institution but new to VT"; I was very nice and friendly when I said it...and what shocked me most was that she was stunned at the request because she/they had never considered it. I don't think it was about being rude or mean, just not a thought.

Once I got into real estate however, and showing properties with other agents, I began to build relationships and friendships ....

So, hang in there!
It is worth being in VT.

[arel]

I've made friends up here, but mostly due to my faith community. My faith community is rather small, so I became known quickly.

I've also become friendly with my realtor and his wife.

I'm also volunteering and attending professional conferences and am meeting people that way.

And people I have met here have deep ties to the community and know lots of other people. Often I meet new people through introductions.

The best way to meet new people, I think (and also I have read), is to take your interests and follow them into groups. That way, you'll meet people with like interests, people with whom you have something in common.

You can't make friends on the basis of your needing to make friends.

At the same time, I find it useful to be open and honest. If I don't know anyone somewhere, I usually feel able to share that. There is nothing wrong in saying you are new in an area and don't know many people yet. If certain people around you keep their distance as a courtesy, i.e. so as not to intrude, then this might enable them to approach you.

There are a lot of ex-New Yorkers, like me, in southeastern Vermont. Many people here either come from NYC, or have some kind of relationship with it. So I automatically have something in common with many people I meet.

Brattleboro is a special town. Also, like Burlington, it is not, I don't think, mainstream Vermont. I remember, about 20 years ago, sometimes feeling very ill at ease in White River Junction. And I remember feeling very uncomfortable at a roadside lunch counter in New Hampshire. This was about 20 years ago and I still remember.

[Sarge1]

Hello I am 30 yr old young man looking to get out of the hustle and fast pace of the city. I am looking to move upstate NY, Maine, Vt, or even NH. I really love the adirondacks area and New England areas, but I dont believe there are enough jobs there. I am an entrepreneur owning a few businesses. I currently own an indoor skatepark, skateboard company, skateboard hardware company, and skateboard bearing company. I would love to continue what I am doing now. If you know of a place that has alot of children that skateboard/rollerblade/bike and are in need of an indoor skatepark facility, please let me know. I would also be looking for an affordable warehouse, house, and possible rental units to rent. I may be interested in buying a bar/restaurant because the NORTH needs great Pizza!!!

Contact me if you can help:
SrgUws@aol.com

[bm925]

It's a shame many of the young people move away, especially considering all of the colleges in the state. I don't know about the rest of the state, but I get this uneasy, paranoid feeling that there is this stigma attached to young people. I know Barre is unique in many ways to the state. How is it in other places? I'm particularly interested in Chittenden County and places closer to Montreal.

[carolinajack]

Originally Posted by Adream

We know a very nice and sociable couple in their 60's who moved to Stowe with high hopes for creating a life there. Their home is now for sale because after 3 years, they haven't made many friends to socialize with. They told us that locals tend to stick to their established groups, and while people are friendly, they don't really invite new people or accept their invitations to socialize. I do not know if they go to church or volunteer anywhere to meet people.

My DH wants to live in Vermont like crazy, but that aspect (if true) scares me. We know nice people there (we have a vacation condo), but does it only go so far?

I love meeting people and having a good time. Our kids are college age (we're 50's), so I won't meet people through their school like we usually do. I thought I'd make friends between volunteering at the animal shelter, finding a job of some kind, going to church and joining local groups.

My idea is to live in our condo while all the kids are in college next fall, give it a year to get something started ~ see if we're on the right track or not. I'll have to see if it's a good idea to commit 100% or not. I have no interest in being a hermit on the mountaintop!

Would you share your insight and experiences? THANKS!

i hear ya, i have the same fears, as does my wife. We are social people and we love Vermont, and found them to be friendly, but not overly gregarious or open to having you come to their home. we tried Oregon to see if the similar population would be open and we found it a bit cold there. granted i am from the south and grew up in Latin american countries as well as texas so, i am used to very very friendly people.

I remember going to University in Rhode Island and while i loved the new england feel, archictecture, ideas of order and small communities and love of education and nature--i didnt feel it was easy to make deep friendships, mostly i met people not from New England.

I also am looking for that community and friendliness you are speaknig of. there is a nice man on here named Arel, who is so very kind--though he is a new arrival himself to Brattleboro. I cant find many churches that are of my faith so thats another hard one for me, i might have to travel to New Hampshire for church or up to woodstock area. there is a christian school up there in woodstock too, but i dnt know if i can afford to drive her up there everyday. I might have to Homeschool so i might meet a network of friends that way, who knows.


find a church that is of your doctrine, meet friends, host a bible study pot luck or picnic and try and get to know people that way

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by carolinajack

I also am looking for that community and friendliness you are speaknig of. there is a nice man on here named Arel,

I always thought Arel was a woman?

[carolinajack]

oooops my bad! i thought it was a man, i never really thought about it actually


sorry Arel, love you! man or woman

[GypsySoul22]

I'm happy to report I made a friend a few months ago. I spoke to this foreign lady at my complex and we hit it off and we are pretty friendly now; I help her with her English and we visit each other every week or two.

We actually have the same values even though we are different in culture/faiths. (family values).

I remarked to my husband that it's pretty ironic the nicest person I met is from abroad..but then again, I usually hit it off with foreign people.