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I recently moved to the USA, from the middle east. My English is pretty good, and I don't have a lot of trouble communicating with people at work or in stores. I also don't know anyone here at all, outside of work. All my family is still back in Gaza, and I've been here over a year now, and still feel cut off from American people and culture.

How do you make friends and socialize here? How do I learn more about America and Americans culture? I know a bit about history, but not much about anything else.
I don't drink or go to bars, for religious reasons. I have joined a couple of clubs based on hobbies, but still feel disconnected. I'm not sure how you socialize or meet new people here, in my family everyone came around your house all the times of the day, and here it seems like neighbors just stick to themselves. I don't want to bug people or anoy them if that is not the customs here.

Also, what are your favorite parts of American culture and history? So far I have enjoyed Nascar and monster trucks very much, and studying mathematics.

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Neighbors do tend to stick to themselves and socializing here is DIFFICULT. It’s worth it, but it’s hard. Depending on the part if the country your in affects it a lot as well. I met a lot of people when I started going dancing; there was a regular group and the activity itself is social. You could audit a class at a university perhaps. Depending on your age you’ll find a LOT of people willing to study or work together and you can build friendships that way. I would also suggest just going to the neighbors if you’re interested. You could bring some sort of sealed food (in America it tends to be weird to cook for someone when you don’t know them) and invite them to something. It’s hard, but if you ask the people you see regularly to go and do things it’ll work out. If you’re in a club for pickleball then just ask someone if they’d like to play once or twice more a week.

I know I’ve given a little of information, but let me say that a lot of people my age tend to be in your shoes so the whole environment of meeting people is changing. But a lot of them meet people at university. When I meet new people, I usually just chat with them for a few weeks then ask them for help with something and offer to buy them a lunch as payment. Hopefully the lunch goes well and you go from there

this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2023
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