Happy weekend lovelies! Alyssa from Alyssa and Carla is here to inspire us with a little weekend project. I have to say that this is one of my favorite acts of kindness! As someone who has moved way too many times in the past four years (three different states across the country), it always helps when someone else goes out of their way to help make you feel at home.
Whether it’s starting a new job, moving to a new neighborhood, or going to a new school, being the new person can be kind of scary. People use jargon that you’re not used to. They might dress differently. And in our case, having recently moved to Tokyo, they might speak an entirely different language!
Some of my best friends are people that I met and bonded with when I was the new person. It takes a kind and compassionate person with a certain amount of courage to break their routine and reach out to a relative stranger.
This can be something as simple as saying hello or inviting someone to eat lunch with you in the cafeteria. A coffee date or after-work drinks might make someone’s week (true story, this recently happened to me!). And a thoughtful “welcome to the neighborhood” basket or dinner-party invitation might be the start of a lifelong friendship.
One of our friends in Tokyo just made the big decision to stay here for another year. She moved here with a six-month contract and has extended her time beyond that. This means a move out of corporate housing into a (gasp) real apartment! She’s moving into our neighborhood, and I wanted to do something to show her how happy we are that she’ll be closer to us.
I put together a little gift basket with some basic apartment necessities that she might not have yet, and few treats in case she’s busy with her move and might not want to stop for a full-blown meal. Since her name is Kat, I couldn’t pass up adding an adorable spoon with a cat face painted on it. Hopefully she’ll feel welcome and a little more comfortable in her new home!
I included some apartment staples, like glasses, a tea towel and a cheese knife (that’s a necessity, right?). The fun treats are a baguette, cheese, Bonne Maman strawberry jam and local beer. And of course, the cat spoon.
Thank you Alyssa! Isn't that cat spoon to die for? I need to find one for my kitchen! So sweet.
Make sure you follow Alyssa and Carla because these two fabulous ladies seriously have magic up their sleeves. They're both so amazing and talented. I really want to try making their homemade vanilla bean and cinnamon apple sauce. Plus, how cute is this rug? (also very welcoming).
We'll be hearing from Carla this week and I seriously can't wait!
To not miss anything from Alyssa and Carla you can follow them on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
Don't forget, who needs a welcome to the neighborhood from you?
xoxo
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