How to settle in a new city after moving to the USA

In 12 years, I managed to live in six different cities in four states - Virginia, Mississippi, Georgia and New Jersey. Eight months ago, I finally settled in St. Petersburg, Florida. I learned to quickly adapt to a new place, although, I confess, it may take some time before you start feeling yourself in a new city at home.

Photo: Facebook / The White House

This can be one of the obstacles to adapting to a new city. Moving is a big expense, especially if you are moving across the country.

It may be tempting to get into a boring routine like home-work or home-school and back, as visiting all the local sights, bars and restaurants in the vicinity can become a burden on your bank account.

But if you don’t want to feel superfluous in the city, you should spend time and energy studying and getting to know a new place. Well, if you can do it without putting a lot of money.

Get information

To settle faster, learn more. It would be nice to first look at the local visitor center, tourist office and chamber of commerce. These organizations are designed to acquaint tourists with the city, and therefore can be a good source of knowledge when it comes to exploring your new place of residence.

Somewhere there may be free brochures, flyers, or publications that tell about local attractions, community programs, and the annual events that take place here.

Getting a basic knowledge of the history of your new home can also help you establish a better sense of belonging to a city. The public library can have history books that you can read for free.

Local museums and programs created by historical societies and conservation groups are also good resources, although membership can be expensive.

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Take a walk

Stroll through the city center or other areas of interest, and visit local businesses, look at the street art that you would miss while driving in a car.

If your new city is touristy, try finding a walking tour where the guide can point out all the quirks and hidden gems. It's important to note that guided tours can sometimes be expensive.

If you want to go your own way, I recommend using GPSmyCity is an application that helps users navigate cities while walking on their own.

You can also explore free public parks and beaches or visit local festivals.

When visiting attractions with entry fees, check sites such as Groupon и Livingsocial, for discounts or contact your local office to find out if they have days with discounts or free admission for local residents. For example, the Salvador Dali Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg offer preferential rates on Thursday evening.

If you want to visit a local restaurant, read the wonderful review on Yelp, you should use a special clock when prices are lower. You can order a snack or a small dish to dine and avoid budget overspending.

Get involved

Although the address can make you a resident, communication with your neighbors makes you part of the community.

In local libraries, various workshops are often held at low cost or for free. They can be a great opportunity to meet other residents of the city.

There are book clubs, knitting clubs, yoga and meditation classes in St. Petersburg’s library.

Volunteering is another way to meet and connect with new people, plus you can make a positive difference in your new city. VolunteerMatch и United way can help you identify opportunities that are right for you.

MeetupThe social networking platform is also an opportunity to communicate with people in your new area. You can search for local groups based on common interests and join them on various excursions, some of which are free.

What to follow

You do not need to do everything in one weekend, so plan your adventures and take time to estimate your expenses.

Plan a reasonable budget and stick to it.

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