New Neighbors

by Bob Goldsmith.

So congratulations! You have made a move into a new neighborhood.

You will have plenty to do, all that unpacking, organizing your new home, decorating and all that stuff. But at some point you will want to meet your new neighbors.

Neighbors make a safer neighborhood. They are essential in ensuring the safety and security of your family and home.

Best thing by far, is to join your local neighborhood watch program. You get to meet folks, make new local friends and enjoy the benefits of neighbor looking out for neighbor.

There are other things you can do to become part of your new local community. If folks around you are your friends they are more likely to know when something is not right and more likely to notice any suspicious activity around your home.

Throwing a house warming party, or block party, is a good way to meet your neighbors. Notice I said meet your neighbors and not get to know them, this is because being the party host you most likely will not have that much time to talk to each neighbor. You will be the busy bee engaged in making sure that everyone has drinks and food, taking care of things and mingling.

The house warmer is a mighty good ice breaker though. And once you have broken the ice . . .

You may think that your new neighbors will make the effort to introduce themselves to you and likely some will. But many may feel that you will be too involved in organizing your new home and will not welcome an intrusion.

Do not wait for others to introduce themselves to you. There are many reasons for folks not making the first move to get to know you. Don't assume that neighbors that are slow in coming forwards are unfriendly or don't like the look of you. Make that first move, the rewards for doing so are many.

You get to know the folks either side of you, and across the street from you, and as they each know many locals it is not long before you too have the acquaintance of these families.

Try not to be shy about breaking the ice with folks that are different to yourself. If yours is a younger family, perhaps with children, try getting to know some of your more senior neighbors, could be great benefits for both sides. If you are a family, meet a few of your single neighbors. Introduce yourselves to neighbors of a different race, religion or culture, it will enrich your life. Some years back when I resided in an apartment block, the best neighbor I had by far did not have a perfect grasp of the English language, but he certainly was interesting and treated my wife and I like a brother and sister.

If you have children throw a party for local kids. Parents will drop off and collect, or invite them to stay and help out, either way you get to know neighbors.

Hold a garage sale.

Do something for charity. Ask your new neighbors to sponsor you. Yes, charity sponsorship is not just for kids, anyone of any age can do it. No need to run a marathon, ask folks to sponsor you to clean up a local park, offer to wash cars in return for a donation to a local animal rescue center. Bake a batch of cookies and sell them door to door around your new neighborhood, the cash to go to a children's hospital.

I find that an often successful way to get acquainted with a 'hard to meet' neighbor is to employ the old borrow something ruse, a certain size spanner, step ladder, battery charger, you can even try the traditional cup of sugar.

Not a very sociable citizen? Prefer to mostly keep yourself to yourself? That's OK. I'm not one for having friends and neighbors at my place all day and everyday either. But you can preserve your privacy and enjoy the benefits of knowing your neighbors, and them knowing you.

If despite your best efforts you don't get to meet many of your new neighbors then volunteer for something. The local chamber of commerce will help, you will find an amazing assortment of organizations that need voluntary help. Before long you will be a well known member of your community.

I've already said this, but it is that important I'll say it again. With regard to the safety and security of your family and home, the best organization to join is your local neighborhood watch. If your block does not have one then start one. If there is one but it is not very active, do something about it, volunteer to recruit fresh members and renew interest among existing members.

Do you live in a big city? Cities can be the loneliest places on the face of the planet. Millions of people all keeping themselves to themselves. I know what that feels like, it does not feel good.

You have got to make that effort to get acquainted, they will not come to you. You can do it if you try. I did and it was worth it, suddenly the city was a better place, I felt safer and more secure knowing my new neighbors.

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