Not that it bothers me, yet. I think in time it would though so I've been getting rather proactive in getting out there and meeting people. My main hunting ground at present is the before-and-after-school mum scene.
I hate going in and being faced with a huge crowd of mums who all appear to know one another, and trying to initiate contact. You don't want to be so standoffish that everyone thinks you're a bore or a snob, and you don't want to be so over-eager that people start to edge away from you. It's a fine line to appear friendly without looking a bit desperate. It's also kind of competitive, trying to get in there socially. Coming in as an outsider is intimidating.
Luckily the school has a policy of mixing up the classes each year so kids learn to socialise in different groups. Plus there are quite a few people in my daughter's class who are new arrivals to the area like me. So there were a few of us standing around like lemmings hoping someone would talk to us, and we ended up gravitating to each other. I can see some potential friendships forming here, and I don't feel like so much of an outsider now.
There seems to be quite an active school social scene here - already the entire class have been invited to a BBQ on the beach soon at which I'm hoping alcohol will feature. And the best thing is I won't have to drive home since I only live five minutes away. I can meander drunkenly back up the hill without guilt.
But I've gotta say, it really makes me appreciate the friends I do have at home, and family too. People who I may rarely see, but who I just know are friends, I don't have to wonder about what our 'status' is, and I know I can be myself and not have to watch what I say. I wuv you, people I have known for a long time!
The only other thing I have to say right now is gawd it's hot and humid. Every day and every night. Now I am going to go to bed and attempt to sleep without spontaneously combusting.
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