Difficult to make friends in America?
Nov 19th 2012, 9:11 am
#691
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 228
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
er i really like them and someone has taken the time to post them
blimey you lot are a cynical load arn't you!!
I love living in US - if I didnt I wouldnt be here - go on shoot me down in feathers why dont you!
I live in an amazing place on the PNW coast - but also appreciate the urban sprawl that is LA, NY etc
blimey you lot are a cynical load arn't you!!
I love living in US - if I didnt I wouldnt be here - go on shoot me down in feathers why dont you!
I live in an amazing place on the PNW coast - but also appreciate the urban sprawl that is LA, NY etc
I love it here too
Nov 19th 2012, 9:40 am
#692
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: West Sussex - did 3 years in the US...
Posts: 577
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
ARGH ! We've gone SERIOUSLY off topic !
No-one is saying that the country isn't beautiful or that the people are ogres.
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. I sit at things my son is doing, with other parents, and feel like a spare part. Any attempt to strike up a conversation just falls flat on it's face..... My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-about than we ever have anywhere else. England is pretty bad at socialising compared to other European countries, but this is a much more private and closed society than even England.
That's all !!!!
No-one is saying that the country isn't beautiful or that the people are ogres.
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. I sit at things my son is doing, with other parents, and feel like a spare part. Any attempt to strike up a conversation just falls flat on it's face..... My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-about than we ever have anywhere else. England is pretty bad at socialising compared to other European countries, but this is a much more private and closed society than even England.
That's all !!!!
Nov 19th 2012, 9:48 am
#693
Lurk Lurk Lurk
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 689
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
Blimey, I haven't been in here for ages and ages. I forgot all about this forum until I just did a search for British sausages, and decided to catch up a bit.
We moved to New Orleans last year and have had a terrible time making friends. The only other Brit I met here was a plumber called out by our rental company. Which is a shame because Florida was positively crawling with Brits.
Lack of Brits aside, we haven't really made any good friends here at all. NOLA folks tend to stay put and socialise with their families a lot. It's hard to be an outsider here.
We moved to New Orleans last year and have had a terrible time making friends. The only other Brit I met here was a plumber called out by our rental company. Which is a shame because Florida was positively crawling with Brits.
Lack of Brits aside, we haven't really made any good friends here at all. NOLA folks tend to stay put and socialise with their families a lot. It's hard to be an outsider here.
Nov 19th 2012, 9:51 am
#694
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 228
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-
That's all !!!!
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-
That's all !!!!
Nov 19th 2012, 9:51 am
#695
Banned
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,065
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
How do you figure out that one then?
E.G - This is Vermont
http://www.newenglandmagazine.com/wp...er-Vermont.jpg
This is New Mexico
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/med...-mountains.jpg
This is illinois
http://www.isgs.illinois.edu/researc...l_location.JPG
This is New York State
http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.c...son-valley.jpg
I mean yeah - the country probably looks the same if all you do in different areas of the country is go to friggin Walmart. If not - very different.
E.G - This is Vermont
http://www.newenglandmagazine.com/wp...er-Vermont.jpg
This is New Mexico
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/med...-mountains.jpg
This is illinois
http://www.isgs.illinois.edu/researc...l_location.JPG
This is New York State
http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.c...son-valley.jpg
I mean yeah - the country probably looks the same if all you do in different areas of the country is go to friggin Walmart. If not - very different.
Nov 19th 2012, 9:56 am
#696
Banned
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,065
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
ARGH ! We've gone SERIOUSLY off topic !
No-one is saying that the country isn't beautiful or that the people are ogres.
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. I sit at things my son is doing, with other parents, and feel like a spare part. Any attempt to strike up a conversation just falls flat on it's face..... My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-about than we ever have anywhere else. England is pretty bad at socialising compared to other European countries, but this is a much more private and closed society than even England.
That's all !!!!
No-one is saying that the country isn't beautiful or that the people are ogres.
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. I sit at things my son is doing, with other parents, and feel like a spare part. Any attempt to strike up a conversation just falls flat on it's face..... My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-about than we ever have anywhere else. England is pretty bad at socialising compared to other European countries, but this is a much more private and closed society than even England.
That's all !!!!
Nov 19th 2012, 9:57 am
#697
Banned
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,065
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
ARGH ! We've gone SERIOUSLY off topic !
No-one is saying that the country isn't beautiful or that the people are ogres.
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. I sit at things my son is doing, with other parents, and feel like a spare part. Any attempt to strike up a conversation just falls flat on it's face..... My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-about than we ever have anywhere else. England is pretty bad at socialising compared to other European countries, but this is a much more private and closed society than even England.
That's all !!!!
No-one is saying that the country isn't beautiful or that the people are ogres.
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. I sit at things my son is doing, with other parents, and feel like a spare part. Any attempt to strike up a conversation just falls flat on it's face..... My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-about than we ever have anywhere else. England is pretty bad at socialising compared to other European countries, but this is a much more private and closed society than even England.
That's all !!!!
Nov 19th 2012, 10:09 am
#699
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
ARGH ! We've gone SERIOUSLY off topic !
No-one is saying that the country isn't beautiful or that the people are ogres.
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. I sit at things my son is doing, with other parents, and feel like a spare part. Any attempt to strike up a conversation just falls flat on it's face..... My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-about than we ever have anywhere else. England is pretty bad at socialising compared to other European countries, but this is a much more private and closed society than even England.
That's all !!!!
No-one is saying that the country isn't beautiful or that the people are ogres.
In two years, despite trying and trying and trying, I know virtually no-one other than as a passing acquaintance. I sit at things my son is doing, with other parents, and feel like a spare part. Any attempt to strike up a conversation just falls flat on it's face..... My wife has the same experience. We get "we must do X, Y, Z" all the time but there is no follow-through. The times we've arranged to meet for drinks/coffee with people THEY'VE canceled, often at the last minute and it's left us thinking "why should we bother if they can't be bothered."
It's left me feeling that all the happy smiley stuff is totally superficial and impossible to break through.
We spend far, far more time as an isolated family unit out-and-about than we ever have anywhere else. England is pretty bad at socialising compared to other European countries, but this is a much more private and closed society than even England.
That's all !!!!
As you say, it's not really about saying America is bad, just that it can be hard for us. Friendship is a two-way street, it's not just about getting people to like you and talk to you, but that you feel comfortable and happy in their company.
Nov 19th 2012, 10:15 am
#701
Banned
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,065
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
A friend of mine spent a year in China. When I met up with her, she said that she now knew how black people must feel in America.
Nov 19th 2012, 10:21 am
#703
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Location: Gaadnah MA
Posts: 597
Re: Difficult to make friends in America?
Makes you appreciate the mainstay of suburbs across Britain - the good old mock tudor semi.
