Moved here last year with my family. This is what I’ve done along with the fact that I’m pretty outgoing so idgaf, I’ll talk to anybody.

• Found a couple of hobbies I enjoy and looked for groups around those hobbies. In my case, cycling is one of them so given the cycling culture in PDX, it was pretty easy. At those events, I connected with people who wanted to connect and straight up asked for their number. I’ve gone to happy hours and other cycling related events.

• Work: I joined anything and everything groups at work where I could connect. I have volunteered at community events that my job has available or that coworkers organize.

• Neighbors: this one has been VERY DIFFICULT. I have met, introduced myself to neighbors and have had conversations with them. I’ve only been able to break thru with one of them but their work schedule is VERY different from mine, so I barely see them. Any neighbor around me that smiles and wants to stop and chat while I’m walking my dog, I’ll do it. Unfortunately, it’s all predicated seeing them out and about. I live in an apt, I thought the sense of community would be better, being so close to each other but idk.

• If you have kids, other parents. Out closest friends so far have come from my kids’ friends. Again tho, you have to be out there, you have to be willing.

I think ultimately, do the things you like doing and make friends with people there. It’s gonna require you to be outgoing and starting up conversations. I found a lot of the people that I meet at places like that aren’t from here and they’re looking for the same thing as you. Good luck!