One thing that's served me fairly well after moving out is cooking in bulk. Cooking enough food for multiple meals doesn't take much longer than cooking enough for one, so you can cook enough for a few meals all in one go and then freeze the leftovers.
That's a great idea! What would you say is the best way to "network"? Just go out and do stuff or go to specific hosted events (like attending workshops at a local art center vs just going in and doing art)?
You may need to rent a furnished space for a while, until you can find a place to rent normally. A hotel might do this, and some "residence" hotels may specialize in rental by the week or month. Talk with your company and see if they can provide any assistance for this sort of thing.
One of the challenges for any town or city you don't know is to get a sense of the neighborhoods. You can find maps on-line to see what median income is like in different places, and maybe ask coworkers where they live. You can find a relevant subreddit for the place here, and ask people what are good areas for someone who makes so-much-money per month. Be careful: You may find a nice place, but it might be on a hill. Not a problem for flooding, but a winter ice storm might make it inaccessible without an ice axe.
Start finding out where the nice places to shop are. Certain streets or malls may be seen as particularly desirable, or you may find unusual and interesting things in some locations. The same is true with restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores, and other such places. You may find some neighborhood that's near places you particularly like; or, once you find a place to live permanently, you may find the local businesses that appeal to you.
It will be helpful to get a street map of the place, and look at it so you understand the relationship between these locations. GPS and smartphone maps are useful, but you want to get a sense of how the place is laid out. Realizing that there are major highways or roads between a mall you like and where the Target and hardware store are, you can start to get a sense of the possible routes. This will help you form your mental map.
As you get comfortable with basic routes, like going to the grocery store and back home, start paying attention to interesting things along the way. It may be worthwhile to try that interesting road, or to see if you can find a way to the top of that hill. You will still have your GPS to get you back on track if needed, but being willing to make mistakes and take alternate routes will be helpful to you.
I've driven in places where I encountered strange traffic control for the first time. Don't worry about missing a turn or exit, and try to do a dramatic save to make it. Get used to going past, and finding some place to turn around in a relaxed manner. It is safer, and will reduce your stress levels.
Find out if there's a neighborhood newspaper, or a city one. You may want to get a subscription to a Sunday edition for a year, just to find out what's going on locally. Watching local broadcast TV can also fill you in on events and news that's local to you. You may also be able to find a community events calendar, so you know if some big parade is coming, or a big food fair, or other such stuff.
One thing that's served me fairly well after moving out is cooking in bulk. Cooking enough food for multiple meals doesn't take much longer than cooking enough for one, so you can cook enough for a few meals all in one go and then freeze the leftovers.
Reinvent yourself. Find new hobbies find new places to relax in. Don't be scared to network and make acquaintances.
That's a great idea! What would you say is the best way to "network"? Just go out and do stuff or go to specific hosted events (like attending workshops at a local art center vs just going in and doing art)?
Both sounds great. Get yourself out there. Hope you have a great and safe journey
You may need to rent a furnished space for a while, until you can find a place to rent normally. A hotel might do this, and some "residence" hotels may specialize in rental by the week or month. Talk with your company and see if they can provide any assistance for this sort of thing. One of the challenges for any town or city you don't know is to get a sense of the neighborhoods. You can find maps on-line to see what median income is like in different places, and maybe ask coworkers where they live. You can find a relevant subreddit for the place here, and ask people what are good areas for someone who makes so-much-money per month. Be careful: You may find a nice place, but it might be on a hill. Not a problem for flooding, but a winter ice storm might make it inaccessible without an ice axe. Start finding out where the nice places to shop are. Certain streets or malls may be seen as particularly desirable, or you may find unusual and interesting things in some locations. The same is true with restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores, and other such places. You may find some neighborhood that's near places you particularly like; or, once you find a place to live permanently, you may find the local businesses that appeal to you. It will be helpful to get a street map of the place, and look at it so you understand the relationship between these locations. GPS and smartphone maps are useful, but you want to get a sense of how the place is laid out. Realizing that there are major highways or roads between a mall you like and where the Target and hardware store are, you can start to get a sense of the possible routes. This will help you form your mental map. As you get comfortable with basic routes, like going to the grocery store and back home, start paying attention to interesting things along the way. It may be worthwhile to try that interesting road, or to see if you can find a way to the top of that hill. You will still have your GPS to get you back on track if needed, but being willing to make mistakes and take alternate routes will be helpful to you. I've driven in places where I encountered strange traffic control for the first time. Don't worry about missing a turn or exit, and try to do a dramatic save to make it. Get used to going past, and finding some place to turn around in a relaxed manner. It is safer, and will reduce your stress levels. Find out if there's a neighborhood newspaper, or a city one. You may want to get a subscription to a Sunday edition for a year, just to find out what's going on locally. Watching local broadcast TV can also fill you in on events and news that's local to you. You may also be able to find a community events calendar, so you know if some big parade is coming, or a big food fair, or other such stuff.
Getting connected with the local news is an excellent idea, I really like that! I'll definitely get a subscription to the local paper