Relish Being a Tourist While You’re Getting Settled in Your New Home 
Awright! Your
household move is completed. You’re in your new home and just getting around to unpacking and putting your stuff away. That’s a lot of work, for sure. But there is yet another thing you should be doing. And the sooner you do it, the happier you’ll be. You should be getting to know your new locale.
No doubt you investigated where you’d be going when you first decided or first learned you had to move. Now that you’re here, though, it’s time to really adapt …
- Walk around and explore your new neighborhood – get to know the “lay of the land,” meet and greet the neighbors, discover the nearest parks and recreation areas, determine the shortests route to your children’s’ schools (either by foot or by car)
- Find the nearest businesses to cater to your needs – supermarkets, shopping malls, gas stations, movie theaters coffee shops, fast food places, restaurants, libraries, bookstores, and so forth
- Visit the closest “Welcome Center” and get hold of brochures highlighting local attractions that appeal to you – art museums, historical museums (most of all those partial to local history), sports arenas, bike and walking trails, convention centers, and theaters or auditoriums devoted primarily to stage presentations, for instance
But then, one of the speediest and easiest (if less direct and personal) ways to learn about your new community isn’t by foot or by car – it’s by way of the Internet. Google, Google Maps, Yelp, and Citysearch are a few of today’s preferred online resources for finding local attractions. They’ll lead 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 judge for yourself whether you like them or not.
Not really comfortable with the Internet or phone apps? That’s no problem, just continue with actual physical exploration. That’s often the best way to get to know a place, anyhow. Getting out and about and speaking 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 alert you to what’s what.
Here’s another thought. If you honestly want to get acquainted with people in your new hometown, find local clubs and organizations that accord with your interests, your hobbies, or your worldview and join them. You might also think about involving yourself in some sort of local community service, making yourself useful to the school system, daycare centers, nursing homes, homeless shelters, rescue missions, government agencies, or whatever might best exercise 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 won’t be long before you start feeling that your new hometown is home indeed and you’re a tourist there no more.
