How to Make Amish Friends
Although Amish people have a simple way of life and shun modern conveniences like electricity, they interact with people living outside their world. What may seem like a closed group of people is actually just a close-knit community of hard-working families who have chosen to live a simple and religious lifestyle that emphasizes preserving tradition. In forging a new friendship -- whether with an Amish or "modern" individual -- seek to be friendly and respectful. The Amish are people like everyone else and as such, there may be some who you will get along with and others who clash with your personality.
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Instructions
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Live near an Amish community. Many of the Amish befriend and connect with people living around their communities and in local towns. Because they do not drive cars and only travel into town when necessary, they do not often travel far from home. Also, because Amish people do not use electricity or modern devices, they will not have Internet access or cell phones with which to communicate. This is why it is important to live near their communities if you want to develop friendships with Amish people.
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Interact frequently with Amish people. Some Amish may be more active in the modern community than others. Visit local farmers markets frequently and buy your produce from Amish farmers. If there are other Amish businesses in the area, visit them and strike up conversations with the owners. Get on a friendly, first-name basis with Amish business owners and develop a friendship from that point.
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Offer to help. Some Amish families rely on income they receive from tourists interested in their lifestyle and from selling their handiwork in gift shops and local retail stores. If you have a car, you can offer to help them take their goods to town for sale. If you have computer skills, you can offer to build and maintain a website on which they can sell their crafts. You can receive payment in return, but you also will have forged a business relationship that is a good starting point for building a friendship.
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Tips & Warnings
Creating new friendships can be a delicate process, especially if you come from completely different backgrounds. Try to find something that you have in common with your potential Amish friend and use it as a springboard for conversation.
References
- Photo Credit dairy farm image by mrslevite from Fotolia.com
