Do you have friendly neighbourhood.........?

India
April 1, 2007 12:35pm CST
we shifted to the new place about 5 months back. the neighbours of the earlier place which we left were so kind and friendly. All the families in the building were just like one family. Now in the new place there are only few whom I have seen to be friendly. Rest are just touch-me-not kinda people. In fact, on one occasion on the run up to Holi celebrations, I smiled at the lady from next door and said 'hello!' and she just gave me a dirty look and carried on. That's not friendly now, is it?! I am not that bad looking and my friends always appreciate my looks and appeasing mannerism. Also, once there was water problem in the other half of the building due to some prob in the pipe lines. so I asked my wife to ask the next door if they were effected, asked if they wanted any water or to use the toilet etc.. . but my said he was kinda looking at her in suspicious way and banged the door. Nothing! Obviously, we haven't done anything to offend them - apart, perhaps, from movinng in! Never thought about such people. I always found good neighbours or liked to make some good neighbours everywhere but not at present place. Do you have such neighbours? Are your neighbour friendly with you or treat you as aliens?
7 people like this
33 responses
• Singapore
1 Apr 07
Not fortunate right here. We have really awful neighbors here. They slam the door on us as soon as we appear. Once we had plants occupying the common area, they complained straight to our town council when they could just told us politely and we would have moved. If we wanted vengeance, we would have snapped a picture of their bicycle that is now where our plants were. But we are just too nice people.
3 people like this
• India
1 Apr 07
its always better be nice on civil terms with neighbours. but yes vengeance would only make the living more uncomfortable.
2 people like this
• India
3 Apr 07
i believe you are pal. i am saying about a general optimism about all should have in the neighbourhood.
• Singapore
1 Apr 07
Hey, I am a nice guy. It is people across who are not. :P
@thyst07 (2079)
• United States
1 Apr 07
I don't know why people in some areas seem so stand-offish. I recently moved into an apartment on my college campus. I share it with two other girls- we have separate rooms, but we share the kitchen and the living area- and we hardly even speak to each other, living in the same apartment! I don't even know what my next door neighbors look like. My neighborhood at my parents' house isn't much different. I know the lady next door is named Mary, but that's all I could tell you. I used to live in a small town where you said "hi" if you saw your neighbors out for a walk, and asked how they were doing. Here, you're just expected to pretend the rest of the neighborhood doesn't exist. Mind your own business, and they'll mind theirs. It's sad, really.
3 people like this
• India
1 Apr 07
yes friend its really bad when it happens with the next door. if its someone in the up floor ..ok. but the next door ? thats freaky. i sometimes feel the old fashioned values gone out of the window flat.
2 people like this
• Philippines
1 Apr 07
It is not going to be a happy place to be living in but, you have to do some adjustments because that's where you are located now. It's must be agonizing to have some apartment mates who act that way. Imagine, you can't even talk to them although you live under one apartment? That means if you have some worries coming, you have to go somewhere else where some friends live yet just to be able to have a talk.
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
oh not again, i have already spent enough. moving somewhere else isnt the solution when 6 out of 16 families are already good.
2 Apr 07
I have lived on this road for over 5 years now. There are about 13 houses, soon to be 14. I couldn't tell you who lives in these houses. Our immediate neighbors are friendly, those that share our common fence. 2 doors down, I don't have a clue. They are either snooty or just unfriendly. The custom here on new years eve is to go first footing. We were all prepared, my cast was wrapped up in a garbage bag and we went out. Our entire road was dark. We went across the road to our friends' daughter house and rang the bell. The person that opened the door gave us a strange look and closed the door. We found out later that the daughter was out working on the rig and wouldn't be back for a few days. The person that opened the door was her room mate. We were not impressed. So much for manners! People are so closed off here. The younger ones have those earplugs stuck in their ears and their nose stuck up in the air. No one speaks to you. Very strange indeed.
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
knowing who stays in which flat isnt a big prob. i know about every owner of each flat.If you have tried and tried with these neighbours and they still won't speak. My next door neighbours were the same, they never spoke, even if we said Hello
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
1 Apr 07
We have been in our apartment since last July, and don't know any of the neighbors. Everyone pretty much keeps to themselves and just goes about their business. Years ago, everyone seemed to know everyone else that they lived near, and people used to greet each other as they met on the street whether they knew each other or not. I think it is a sign of the times. Today we are all so wrapped up in ourselves that we don't want to be bothered by people. People would rather be left alone and are not nearly as friendly as they once were.
2 people like this
@joyce959 (1559)
• Philippines
1 Apr 07
Luckily, we have friendly neighbors. They smile back, talk to us politely. They also offer help as long as they can. One time our water pipeline was broken and the water was running continuously, my neighbors called my attention. As I can not repair it myself, I ask them if they know someone who could fix it. One young man volunteered to fix it. When he finished fixing the pipeline, although he was not asking for payment on his service, I gave him some amount of money as a token and my gratitude for offering his help.
• India
1 Apr 07
friendly neighbours are a blessing these days. its the otherway round where I live, no one speaks that much even after much trying. I am used to saying 'good morning' and having someone say it back... but they look with rediculously raised eyebrow.
2 people like this
2 Apr 07
present day life becoming miserable. The friendly approaches of neighbours were decreased due to interference of TV and other medias. Practcally in indian villagaes, any new entrant will be questined by the villagers and whereabouts enquired, and the villgers will help insuch manner requires. but in cities , expecially in the multi-storied apartment culture,it is very less,to have contacts with immediate neighbours. Unfortunately I had been to Bangalore and residing in Banswadi. I tried to have contacts with the neighbours and streetmates, but nobody is responding .Earlier i led a poublic contact life in my native place, and here now i feel isolated with the attitude of the neighbours. The inmates want to be inside home even though the neighbour prays help. It cannot be declared that all such. But the deteriorating social contacts has to be regrettted.
1 person likes this
@bindishah (2062)
• India
2 Apr 07
Well..r u in India? Coz neighbors usually in India are friendly but abroad they prefer to just stay within themselves. You can maybe invite a few neighbors over for a nice home cooked dinner or sthing. It will help break the ice.
1 person likes this
@destroyer (784)
• Pakistan
2 Apr 07
Wow, like you i also had a tough time with my neighbors. I was living in Government provided accommodations, since my (father is a government employee), people were not friendly at all and we often had problems regarding electricity and water distribution. The attitude of my neighbors was hostile to say the least, they were very unkind and dont-give-a-damn-if-your-house- burns-down type. Thank God that we accumulated enough and got out of that hell hole! We are now living in a upscale part of town and have a nice 3 story house. The neighbors are cooperative and friendly and since last 1 year we havent had any trouble or complains!
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
true, destroyer. its mostly a problem in the Govt. colony where i stay. the present locality is really good so i moved in. but the neighbourhood didnt turn out to be as i wished. its been best to bad position contrary to yours
• United States
1 Apr 07
Our neighborhood is great! It was one of the reasons we picked it when we bought our house. It is a children friendly area. Everyone has kids and everyone watches out for fast drivers, strangers, etc. Nobody hangs out at each others houses, but in the summer, everyone kind of gathers around on the road or in someones yard and talks, gossips, etc.
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
thats a great colony to live in. in our colony children do play in the park. but family gathering is a rare thing. people tend to be very possive.
• Canada
2 Apr 07
We moved to our current place last December. The move in itself was a nightmare because we had a LOT of snow at that point. We found out very quickly that the people in our building are very friendly and helpful. We weren't sure how to operate the card for the washers and dryers in the laundry room, and as we were trying to figure it out a lady stopped by and asked if we needed help. She became our first friend. Since then we've met a lot of people. Most of them we just know in passing, but they always say hello and exchange smiles and stuff. Some people I know that my partner doesn't and so on. We moved to a good place for friends.
• India
2 Apr 07
you are lucky to get into a friendly neighbourhood. people rarely come forward voluntarily to help their new neighbours
@fpd1955 (2074)
• United States
2 Apr 07
We live in a very friendly neighborhood. We have summer block parties. Early June we are having a block garage sale. We all watch out for each other. Talk regularly when we see each other. Our dogs even play with one another. There is a fishing pond nearby and it is not uncommon for us to meet each other there for a little get together. It's very comfortable, having good neighbors. God Bless
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
great neighbourhood.
• China
2 Apr 07
after seeing what you have said on the above,i want to have a cry with you. yes ,why ? why do they feel touch-me -not? there are saying:good neighbours better than gold baby. imaybe you cannot understand it.it jusy say:if you havegood neighbours,you will feel good lives.we can help each other and have tastes together etc. as a human,i think we must treat each other equally. maybe by some reasons,some people cannot live with the others friendly,including the body ,the sprit ,thay is not the sick's prob.i think everyone can comprehense him. if not,i think it it the man's prob.then,he must correct it. or he or she will have no good lives.you knoe lonely is terrible. you think it by yourself.
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
i say those them touch-me-not.i feel they pose like that way as they are only one whos most decent guys on earth and others are strangers to them. totally possessive. now i really loved those humble attitude which you feel everyone should have towards neighbour, and i am the one of them.
@elliete (26)
• China
2 Apr 07
yes,when i left university and moved to a rented department. i found that the girls living in it were so unfriendly that they even argued for 2rmb battery. i can't understand them.and they don't read instead they just watch tv day and night.i do believe that people don't read are not good people.so i will move to a new department and hope there will be friendly neighbours.
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
yea some people like you said just dont care about how others feel. hope you get into good neighbourhood. good luck
• India
2 Apr 07
I live at a hostel. You know what hostel life is. It's lots of fun. You never feel bored and you are almost guaranteed to get good neighbors. At least i have no problem with any of my neighbors and i like talking to each and every one of them. But at my permanent address(my Home), there used to be a family that will continuously play music in high pitch even in exam times. That disturbed me a lot. Even if we asked them to lower the volume, they will talk rudely to us. Those were pretty bad neighbors.
• India
2 Apr 07
high pitch music or voice is one of my distastes. i play the Vedic Mantras early morning but that has caused headache to some neighbour. they just dont understand the ambience and relief on listening or playing such hymns. instead they dont mind a dj music being played rocking high pitches.
@weemam (13372)
1 Apr 07
WE have been very lucky with the neighbours we have no ( for 22 years ) they are all lovely and friendly and we watch out for each other ( but don't run in and out of each others homes , But we are all there for each other , I hold keys for 2 of my neighbours homes incase they lock themselves out lol ( they are even older than me lol )
• India
1 Apr 07
perfect rythm with your neighbours. blessed as always weemam you are..:)
• Philippines
1 Apr 07
I should say most of our neighbors are friendly. There are some though who are not friendly and they are bothersome ones. Those neighbors you now have are probably the kind which are suspicious of almost everybody who looks new to them. Maybe you have transferred to a place where most people have been victimized by some swindlers or thieves of some kind from time to time. I think it will be good if you proceed with caution in your place.
• India
1 Apr 07
well theres been no one around quoting of swindlers or thieves in this. its a popular safe area with guards round the clock too. well i am being as friendly as possible all those out there. may be the next opens up too someday. but chances seem to be bleak
1 person likes this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
1 Apr 07
I've been with my neighbors for 8 years now. We're practically been helping each other. Whenever we meet on the driveway, we will greet each other or stop for a minute to converse. There's one couple though who are kind of snobbish. Its like they have no time to even glance my way. I don't mind that anyway.
• India
1 Apr 07
lucky you; with good helpful neighbourhood
• Philippines
24 Apr 07
no, i dont have, since i am growing, our neighborhood never change . it is still the same, most of the people there have no jobs and they consume their day outside, talking gossiping others lives. and if you don't join them, you will be the topic for tomorrow. i dont know how can this people live their everyday life, like they never get tired of gossiping. i think they had found their own happiness of making stories of other people. you know some of them hurt my pets and treat them as the dirtiest animals in the world. they think they are that clean, maybe at the outside but their minds are not, and i hate them. i wish God will take me to healthy environment someday.
1 person likes this
@casinocat (284)
• United States
1 Apr 07
I feel very lucky to live on this cul-de-sac among friendly folks. Something you could try... invite them all over to meet you (and eachother). It doesn't have to be a big expensive party. Just set a date & time, then drop off an invitation to each neighbor asking them to drop by. Serve some snacks & beverages & friendliness. If possible, you can have this outside. That might help the shy folks show up, if they see others are visiting. Best of luck!
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
i invited them on my dotter's birthday. while most of the families came in, some including the next doors didnt turn up. i went again personally to request them while the cake cutting was being done. 'oh thanks, actually my dear isnt fine please carry on' thats what they said. others made some other excuses. anyway thats how we became friends with few. may be i will give another try. thanks for your suggestion
1 person likes this
@BreeLee (28)
• United States
1 Apr 07
Well, I use to live in Florida, all my neighours there were old. I moved to boston three years ago, and although it seems to be a tough place, I like it, and there's alot of people to nice people to get to know.
1 person likes this
• India
2 Apr 07
you are lucky to live among friendly neighbour.