It’s been very quiet here for a while. I’ve been blogging for work on Medium but stopped duplicating the posts here.
Recently, I started a new project in the background that led to the new Community page. In the process, the whole website received a wee face lift, too.
What is this all about?
There’s so much negativity and divisiveness all over the news that I sought something positive, constructive to share for the benefit of us all. Something that reminds us that there are good people out there, and there are places to meet them.
When my husband and I moved from one country to another without knowing anyone at the destination, socialising meaningfully wasn’t straightforward. Not only because of the language barrier. At our age – let’s say we’re about half-way through – making friends becomes more difficult because most people have their fixed circles of close connections and life routines. With time, we kept discovering hidden gems in the community that allowed us to get to know locals, practise the language, follow our interests. They enable genuine integration by focusing on commonalities rather than differences without the need to bend over backwards or put on a mask.
Oftentimes, those community gems are small volunteer-driven on- or offline activities and groups. You might read about them in the neighbourhood magazine or a random social media post. Someone might mention them in passing in a conversation. Or you walk past a building and happen to pay attention to the plaque on the wall because something about it piques your interest.
So, I wondered whether there’s a way to make them easier to find. This is how the spreadsheet started.