

Ask HN: How does one meet "interesting" people in smaller cities? - impendia

Hello all, I just moved from San Francisco to a smaller town (Columbia, SC) for a new job. I am an academic and I am very grateful to be here, my department is excellent and the job is really great overall.<p>It has been a little bit difficult moving though. In San Francisco I was constantly meeting people who were: busting their tail in law school to become public interest lawyers; starting their own businesses; taking very advanced lessons in theater, meditation, yoga, etc. and inviting me along; traveling to foreign countries, by themselves, and coming back to tell the tale; etc.<p>I have a lot positive to say about my new town. It is beautiful here, there is good food, and everyone is extremely friendly and helpful. Indeed, I found that people go out of their way to offer me help with things I am used to handling by myself.<p>However, the pace is a lot slower, and most people seem very happy and content to live quiet, routine lives. I have no standing to criticize this, but I value constantly being pushed by people I consider my betters, and this seems to be less part of the local culture here.<p>I am not here to whine; there is a research university here, a weekly alternative newspaper, etc., so this place is far from totally dead. Moreover, I have only been here two weeks and I have yet to try most of the opportunities that I have heard of. That said, I am curious how HN'ers have coped with similar situations, and where they went to meet ambitious, energetic people.<p>Thank you so much!
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rmason
One way to do it would be to start a group yourself. Whether it's a HN meetup,
coffee house coders or Lean Startup circle all you need is to start a Facebook
page and perhaps a meetup.com account.

Don't get discouraged if only one or two people show up at first. The first
year is always the hardest for a group. The important thing is to provide
value. If you do that word will spread and the group will grow.

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revorad
This might get you started - <http://www.meetup.com/cities/us/sc/columbia/>

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jeffool
Hell, not only did I face this growing up an early adopter to the Internet,
I'm thirty and still have many interests that I share with no one in real
life. I've chalked it up to "growing up".

But hey, maybe it's a problem ripe to be solved.

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parasitius
Friend Karl Heinmiller on facebook, setup a meeting

www.facebook.com/kjheinmiller

