Ways to interact with new communities
Eugenia Trevino (she/her) // Contributor
Yohannah Loker (she/her) // Illustrator
There are several ways to get involved in the communities around you. When people around you share the same interests, the connections go deeper, and everyone is more likely to have a good time. Common ground makes talking to new people easier because everyone is aiming for the same goal. Learning how to interact with new communities teaches us about inclusion and respectful communication through challenges.
It can be daunting to try and expand your group of friends to those that are seemingly dissimilar to yourself. Oftentimes people tend to gravitate towards those that share all the same interests, religious beliefs and cultural practices. Life can get pretty one-minded this way — opening up your friend core group to people that can offer different perspectives or worldviews is beneficial to all involved. Making new friends can be hard, especially in Vancouver but there are several activities that can help nurture new companionships.
Sport teams offer benefits beyond getting exercise. It creates quality time to get to know other people, even if they are not always talking. While working together, teammates learn how to interpret each other’s body language and verbal cues, which can create close and respectful relationships. Joining a new sport can also make you part of that community. Social experiences like this allow us to be able to create more connections.
Volunteer work can support more involvement in a new community. There are opportunities for everyone. I always had an interest in working with children, so I volunteered in childcare in 2019. It was a rewarding and memorable experience. While interacting with the community in doing volunteer work, it is possible to familiarize oneself with the cultural aspects, which contributes to getting to know a new community. It’s easier to get involved in the community when you are in a comfortable environment.
Seeing the world through a new lens offers an opportunity to change your opinions you may have once held on tightly to. Getting stories from the members you’re working with and hearing their stories can help broaden how you look at the people in your life. This creates more empathy, sympathy and less judgement. You can discover there are new foods, activities or celebrations you want to be a part of.
Working with senior citizens is also a wonderful way to expand your social network. Just like younger people, many elderly people need support and company. We can support seniors by helping them with demanding chores and taking time to talk with them. When we talk to the elderly, we can familiarize ourselves with the traditions and social standards from a different community than our own.
When a group of friends get together, and their upbringings are similar, it’s easy to get a narrow view of what is “normal”. By expanding your interactions with people from other walks of life, you may discover along the way that you want to spice up the way you approach the world around you. Maybe you host a Winter Solstice (Yaldā) with your Iranian friends, and listen as they explain the traditions tied to it. Perhaps you arrange an evening where your friends, new and old, come together with a dish from their childhood and share stories about the significance to each meal.
Overall, getting involved in a new community can mean many things. With respect and willingness to discover new cultures, it is possible to expand your connection and social knowledge. Disagreements are a part of human nature and should be embraced instead of avoiding them, in order to grow as a society. Whether you’re looking for a new friend in class, or trying to make a connection with your neighbour, going in with an open mind and genuine curiosity can provide meaningful and diverse experiences.