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.
Try inviting a neighbor that you say hi to often over for a BBQ. Then BBQ up some food and serve them beers (you don’t need to drink). Or invite them for dinner and make some food from your cuisine that’s extra tasty. Basically you’ll need to put yourself out there and risk being rejected. Initiate get-togethers.
You said you don’t drink for religious reasons. Have you been going to church? That’s usually a pretty good place to meet people. Attend some church functions.
I am going to a mosque, but even there it is very different to the mosque and culture I grew up with. Very somber and quiet.
Ah, yeah Americans tend to take actual worship service pretty seriously, but most churches have extracurricular functions where people hang out. Some of the better ones will have functions right after church, like lunch or whatever. I have a couple of Muslim friends and their mosques definitely get together for social functions outside of worship service (or whatever you guys call it). They’re in the south though, or I’d recommend their mosque to you. Check with your Imam and see if they hold any social gatherings you can participate in. At a minimum I would think they’d have some volunteer opportunities to participate in.