Settling in
Tomorrow is our seven-month anniversary of living in Buffalo. We feel like this is home.
I've been asked what I did to integrate into the community. So here goes...
Volunteer
I've always thought volunteering is a great idea, and that giving back to the community is important. Unfortunately, I am an extreme introvert with maybe an hour tolerance for noise, lights, and crowds (I define a crowd as three people I don't know or five people I know). After that, I have to retreat somewhere quiet to re-energize. If I can't retreat physically, I retreat into myself and disconnect. While introversion is a strength for writing (a solitary activity), it is a challenge for volunteering.
I was always overstimulated and exhausted in Los Angeles, so the only volunteering I could comfortably do was crocheting blankets, baby sweaters, and baby hats for charitable organizations.
When we retired to a small town, I was optimistic that I could expand my volunteer activities. So the first place I volunteered at was the Chamber of Commerce. I joined the Wild Bunch (a group that welcomes new businesses, or old businesses that moved to a new location or changed its branding, and decorates floats and marches in town parades. All this in full cowboy gear). The Wild Bunch has been a great way for me to find out more about Buffalo and make new friends.
The Chamber of Commerce also hosts the annual Longmire Days, and I volunteered for it. For three days, the population doubled or tripled in size, and there was a frenzy (Wyoming style) of activity, including a parade, 5K run, concerts, Longmire actors signing autographs and talking with folks, a street dance, and BBQ. There were food vendors and artists selling their pieces. I volunteered for a two-hour stint each day. The first day, I picked up trash at the food court. The second day, I made certain that anyone carrying alcoholic beverages wore a red wrist band. The last day, I guarded a gate far across the baseball field from the BBQ and final concert. I didn't catch on until late in the event that many residents go fishing or otherwise leave town for the weekend, and now I know why. Will I volunteer next year? I don't know.
Join a Group
I joined Writer's Ink, a group of published and unpublished local writers, who meet twice a month at the Occidental Hotel. The Occidental Hotel is a working museum with some resident ghosts, including a little girl and a cowboy dressed in black. I haven't seen any ghosts during our meetings - maybe none of them like to write. But the group has been very supportive of my short story and poetry writing, and I consider it to be my second family.
Join a Church
Buffalo has a church on almost every street corner, and the town doesn't open on Sundays until church services are finished. Tony and I decided to participate in a church we liked, even though we're Buddhists. We thought it would be a good way to establish a strong connection with people in the community. And we were right. We settled on the Catholic church, and found that nobody ever questioned if we were card-carrying members of the faith. We joined the choir (surprise, we were never asked if we could sing, and so far nobody has thrown us over the balcony). We also volunteer at events such as parish dinners, and I crochet prayer shawls for Catholic women who are ill or no longer can live at home alone.
Get a Haircut
We all need a trim now and again, and what do we do when we're in the chair (or waiting to get in the chair)? We talk! I personally prefer the barbershop to the hair salon since I wear my hair short short short. The cuts are cheaper, and the gossip is juicier.
Smile and Say Hello
As obvious as it sounds, this is a great way to meet people. Buffalo is a friendly town, so it's easy to do. And since it's a small town, we see the same people more often. It's a nice way to connect.
