What methods have you used to settle down in a new country?

Geographically, nothing helps quite like getting lost a few times – preferably on foot. Join clubs. In my case, finding a church helped, too.

I started work. Getting a job got me out of the house and meeting new people and learning about all the social norms and value systems (that were actually different from the UK in many ways).

In the UK, go to the local pub. That’s a good way to start to meet people (there isn’t the same culture here). Join the darts team or the cribbage team, or whatever game you can play. The pub is the hub of the community. Just go along and say hi to people. There are undoubtedly a number of pubs close by so try to find out (or investigate yourself) to see who the ‘crowd’ is. Some pubs attract young people, or mostly men, but some are really great community pubs.

If you’re into photography or baking or whatever your hobby is, look for clubs in your area and join them. I don’t know if you’re religious, I seem to think not, but if you are you could join the local church.

I was very lucky to find countless English-speaking people from the day I moved in. The neighborhood was unusually noisy, especially at night, but my new friends assured me that I would get used to it, and in time even stop noticing the noise at all. They were right.

The cost of living was so low that even my very modest salary easily covered not just the essentials, but pretty much any luxury item that I was able to find !!

Anyway, I don’t care where you go, there is no other place quite like the U.S. of A.

But after serving the longest year of my life with a combat unit in the Mekong Delta, I suppose that a LOT of other places in the world would seem like paradise…
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I’ve never moved very far away, but if I did, I’d look for groups of people who share my interests in the new location via Meetup.com.

Just go explore things. Take the bus and look around or drive to places you haven’t seen before. My second day on my first job out of college my coworker and I were out meeting some clients. On the drive back he looked at a side road and said I wonder where that goes and he just turned on to it and we found out. I’ve been doing that same thing ever since. Sometimes you strike gold, sometimes you strike crap. But at least you learn something new.

@hearkat Thanks for that link, I’ve not heard of that before and it might come in useful for me!
I’ve never moved country but I hope to someday!!

I have never moved to a new country, but within the U.S. I moved from Los Angeles to the SF Bay area (shocking ! They have weather!) then to NYC (shocking! they really have weather! and no mountains!).

I think the most useful thing was listening a lot to the people around me, some had been there all their lives and lend that perspective, some had migrated there before me and share their acclimation experience.

Seeking out people with similar interests is a great idea, church as @Nullo mentions is good if you’re into that, and clubs, and meetup as @hearkat recommends… and keep your eyes on local papers for stuff to do.