So for those of you who don't know there is a website called Meetup. As the name would suggest it is a website where people with similar interests arrange to 'meet up' in a geographical location to speak about whatever the group is, and interact with fellow beings.
Some are social, others are into hiking, photography, theatre etc. Some have about 60 members, some have 5000. You get the picture right?
I belonged to a photography Meetup in London and went on a couple of interesting field trips with them.
So the best thing a person can do when they move to a new area and wants to meet new people is to join this site. So that is what I did!
I have joined a number of groups in LA and in Orange County and have been to a few different meetups: a meal in Chinatown, two different happy hours in OC and Monday night football round someone's house.
As you would expect from a website of this type, the kind of people you meet at them is really varied. With this being the US, everyone is polite, friendly and smiley which is great when you are walking into a bar and know no-one!
Having an accent is a good icebreaker - I have been told numerous times that I have an amazing accent, whilst also being mistaken for Irish (once) and Australian (three times). I also got mistaken for being Mexican, (although as I wasn't talking I don't think this was anything to do with my accent).
But some people seem to use the accent as a way in, and then talk about themselves incessantly. I mean it is like standing under a waterfall of words whilst I stand there nodding! Vacuous and self obsessed springs to mind...
However some people are very good at conversation, ask questions, are fun and interesting.
Of course it is impossible to know whether someone is cool or a weeble just by looking at them, so the evenings end up being pretty diverse!
I will keep attending meet ups and alert you if any of you are in danger of being replaced with my new SoCal BFFs, but I wouldn't worry yourselves about this in the near future!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment