Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Meeting Other Vegans
Maybe you just became a vegan and do not know any other vegans. Maybe you have been a vegan for a while and already know other vegans, but want to meet some more. Maybe you are single and want the next person you date to have the same lifestyle as you. Whatever the reason, if you are a vegan, you probably want to meet other vegans. This article will show you a few good ways to meet other vegans.
Craigslist.com - Craigslist.com lets you read and post local classified ads for free. It also lets posters remain anonymous. People who see your ad can contact you through email without having your email address. They send the email to Craigslist, and then Craigslist forwards the email to you. Just go there and post an ad in the appropriate section asking for other vegans to contact you. You may also find out about local events for vegans through Craigslist.
Social Networking Websites - Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook allow you to create a public profile. Many of these websites let you search and browse through the profiles of people in your city or region. You can use that to search for people with the word vegan in their profile. You can also announce your veganism in your profile, and say that you want to meet other vegans in your area. You can meet and talk to people online before meeting and talking in person. However, always be careful meeting people from the internet and keep safety in mind.
Host a Potluck Dinner - You can host a potluck dinner or other type of event for vegans. This will work best if you already know other vegans, because you can ask them to invite some of the vegans they know. You can also post flyers in public places, but that may not be wise or safe if you are hosting the event at home. If you are hosting the event at home, you probably want to keep track of who you allow to come.
When trying to meet and befriend other vegans, general social rules apply. Make sure you have good hygiene, clean clothes, and a generally appealing demeanor. Be nice and polite to the people you meet. Try to make them feel comfortable and happy. Do not come on too strong, as that will make others uncomfortable. Just ask people polite questions and listen to their answers. When getting to know other vegans, you have the advantage of already having something big in common. That means you can start conversation about being a vegan.
Feel free to try and make friends with anyone even if they are not a vegan. One of the people you befriend may turn out to be vegan by chance, or they may have vegan friends. When people tell you that they have vegan friends, you can ask them to introduce you.
Whatever you do, good luck and have fun!
Scott Hughes owns and manages an informative vegan website at VeganClub.org. You can discuss being vegan in the Vegan Forums. It's completely free, and all viewpoints are welcome. It's also another great way to meet other vegans.
