Check out the original post Quickie Post: discovering a new city on Bewildered Bug
You know, when I was just in the imagining stage of moving (not so long ago), I was initially terrified of moving to a new city, new culture and mostly, new country.
I had a really hard time adjusting from Trinidad to Canada, and had only just really started to feel comfortable there. It was familiar, I knew what there was to do and when. I had groups of friends scattered all around Ontario, and for the most part if I ever wanted a partner in crime to do something, I could find one more than not. How long would it take me to adjust?
I tried to think positive. I was so young and naive and inexperienced when I first moved. I never knew fully…never understood fully what I was getting into – and was over-confident as youth tends to make you be. The more like that you are, the harder life hits you right? I did not possess the skills, self confidence and street smarts to discover a new adventure by myself.
I do now. That’s what I realised. All I had to do was take my time and find my way around the town, learning all the nooks and crannies. Discover the city and find all the little things to do. Make acquaintances who would become friends eventually. Learn the rail system and the highway system and I am golden.
Then I reached and I could not find much to do here in Huddersfield. This small town with busy cobblestone streets, historical buildings, weird weather and quaint character just seemed (seems?) dead in comparison to the huge metropolis that is Toronto.
Surprisingly, I was found a little respite in the “blahdom” by using a tool that did not help me in my year alone without the hubby. It’s called “MeetUp”. The Meetups in Toronto all seemed to make me feel even more like a loner – it offered Meetups for scholars who I felt (feel?) were too intellectual (and boring at times) than I am, parties for the young ‘uns, book clubs that I knew nothing about, outings for the elderly ….but nothing for me. Or maybe I should say that there was nothing that seemed to suit me, possibly because of the emergence of social anxiety into my life…perhaps because I did not put in the effort to really find what I may have been interested in….or perhaps I just happened to miss the Meetups that would encourage me to leave the house.
Whatever it was, it did not work for me…..but it is working now.
Today I went to my first meetup – attending the play “Hedda Gabler” (sp?) at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in downtown Huddersfield. It was possibly the worst play I have been to, but it was so nice to be out with the girls…although it was the first time I had ever met those girls. It felt good to be part of a group (although we were all groaning a bit by the end) and laughing….was I completely comfortable with these four beautiful and jovial strangers? No….but at least it was a beginning…and it was a small push to make me take a second look at the Town of Huddersfield to see what other treasures it may be hiding just below the surface.
Again, life is forcing me to see beyond the first layer and to dig deeper.
What do you do when you move to a new place? How do you discover hidden secrets in your town?
Bewildered Bug - ...just trying to navigate through this obstacle course called life...
