When someone new moves into your neighborhood, there are several things you can do to welcome them. You can smile or wave when you see them, initiate a friendly chat over the fence or invite them over for a cup of coffee. Offer to help bring in their paper from the gate or carry their groceries from the car. Ask about their day, their family or just talk about the weather. These are the little things that build a good relationship over time and once you’ve got to know them a little better, you can offer to collect their mail, water their plants or look after their pet when they are away.
Clean up and be quiet
Ensure your garden is well maintained, as there is nothing worse than looking at overgrown lawns or having your plants shed leaves in their yard. Keeping the noise level down at all times is another important factor as nobody wants a neighbor who honks for every little thing or plays loud music all day long.
Respect boundaries
While all these gestures might seem easy enough to do, one must always be mindful of boundaries especially if the neighbors come from a different cultural background from yours. For instance, my own neighbors are an elderly Chinese couple who live a quiet life. While at first it seemed as if we had nothing in common, as time went by, we each did a small favor for the other, like bringing in the paper or alerting each other to bring in the washing because it was going to rain and before we knew it, we became friends. Today, we greet each other all the time and exchange festival delicacies while respecting our boundaries.
Annoying pets
However, while you think that everything is going just the way you want, there are little things that can ruin a good relationship, namely pets. A cat defecating in your yard or a dog barking through the night can almost instantaneously ruin everything that you may have built up so keep the cat in the house and muzzle the dog if he won’t quit barking.
Just be nice
To be a good neighbor requires some effort so even if you’re not up to doing all the gestures mentioned above, a simple Hello would go a long way. Having mutual respect for each other and accepting our differences is what makes a good neighbor. Throw in a little sensitivity and kindness and you are on your way to being the best neighbor anyone can ever have.
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