When moving into a strange community the first thing to be aware of is that you have an accent. No matter how much you may want to say everyone else has an accent, but you don't to others it will always be there. You can expect reactions to your accent which will range from "Love that accent" to "Could listen to that voice all day" to "Lose the accent or lose the job." When you are building any sort of relationship with people in a foreign country they will hear your accent and it can either be an attraction or a complete turn-off to them.
When you start communicate to these people be aware that things can easily be misunderstood. A Canadian for example, that might say they had "messed their pants", would be laughed at by an English person. The American thinks that they have got their trousers dirty but the English person thinks they have soiled their undergarments. The spoken word is often the one that gets us into the deepest trouble. We are indeed nations divided by a common tongue.
Alternatively, an English person telling someone they will "knock them up" means that they will be their alarm clock and rouse them from sleep and has nothing to do with sex.
You need to take care that the words you say are the words the other person understands. It will take some time. Provided you can try and make friends who can laugh at the differences, you will begin to understand the strange world outside your own country.
English people vary a great deal from one part of the country to another. The same is true in Canada with some areas there having a very French outlook.
How then do we make friends? Do be yourself. You are a stranger in a strange land with strange customs and practices. Once you acknowledge this is not the same place, even if most of the people look the same, you will get on far better. Do not give false promises.
The places to meet people are obvious. At the school with the children is excellent. At the pub can be good or not, depending on the public house and the landlord. The golf club and the squash club can be for important people. Church can vary enormously even in the same denomination you are used to. Work is a place of safety where we live for at least 8 hours every working day.
Often you have to take the first step, but once you do, you will find yourself building friendships in your new community.
