Dear Halmoni,
I’ve moved cross country for my boyfriend’s job and am struggling to meet new friends who are compatible to me. I have a great job but I work from home a lot or I travel, so it’s hard. How can I get out and meet new friends?
— Cornfield Culture Shock
Dear Cornfield Culture Shock,
Your situation remind me of characters in Halmoni’s science fiction novel, We Come in Peas. In Halmoni’s bestselling book, main characters are aliens visiting Earth, but when ship break down in middle of farm, they must learn to accept life in brand new world. Like I said, bestseller.
Here is what Halmoni suggest:
Numba 1: Embrace the Corn
In a land of strangers, you cannot expect people to be like homies from the hood. This is new place with different folks and different strokes. But living in foreign land can be exciting if you decide to explore, embrace and do the dance of corn! When you feeling down, replace those blues with curiosity— talk to the neighbors, chat with grocery man, compliment the barista. To compare old and new is futile, so accept change and you will be free to discover new world.
Numba 2: Grow Your Garden
It is said garden require patient labor and attention. And most important, gardener must first plant seeds to make things grow. Make sense, right? Well, it is same with making friend.
First, plant seeds by meeting people. To do this, you MUST get up and get outta the house. “But there’s nothing to do, Halmoni!” you say. Oh contrairey mon frerie, Halmoni know you can find everything on internets. Join sports team, find book club, volunteer — there’s many possibility, the hardest part is taking first step. Don’t think, just do!
Next, tend to garden. Invite new friends to hike, movies, museum, or cook some yummy dukkbokki and have feast! K.I.T. Over time, you will see your seeds blossom into beautiful and delicious friendships. Hashtag HalmoniGettingHungree. Or is it hashbrown? Mmm, potatoes.
Finding new friends not easy, and it take time and energy. Just remember, once you find them, tell them about Halmoni’s Pulitzer Prize-winning freshman novel, We Come in Peas, a thriller to redefine genre.
You welcome,
Halmoni
Have question for Halmoni? Write to AskHalmoni@gmail.com.
Also read these past columns by Halmoni:
- Ask Halmoni: ‘I Love My Girlfriend But Hate Her Twin Sister!’
- Ask Halmoni: Love and Life Advice From the Master of Straight Talk!
Disclaimer: Halmoni is pseudonym for writer Christine Kwon. This advice is solely intended as humor. Also, you write to Halmoni, you agree to be published on Internet. In conclusion, Halmoni just give her opinion about life. That’s it.
