My family moved to a small town 8 years ago. It's been mostly great, but it's been hard to make friends as an adult.

• My wife and I moved to the small town of Nelson, British Columbia, in 2017. • The lifestyle and pace here are much better for our family, but it's difficult to make friends. • As an adult, I've had to be more intentional about meeting people.

When my wife and I moved from Calgary to Nelson, British Columbia, in 2017, we thought we knew what we were signing up for. We wanted a slower pace, more nature, and a place where our kids could grow up with freedom and space to explore. What we didn't fully consider, though, was how hard it would be to build new friendships as adults.

We swapped our busy city life with family, old friends, and familiar routines for a town of 11,000 people tucked in the mountains where we didn't know a single person. While the scenery, outdoor adventures, and