TheCacheSeeker Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 What should you do at a event? Quote Link to comment
+St.Matthew Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Quote Link to comment
TheCacheSeeker Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Yes, but how do you start a conversation? Quote Link to comment
TheCacheSeeker Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 I mean local events, like a meet and greet, not big events like block party or geowoodstock. Quote Link to comment
+Gan Dalf Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) I mean local events, like a meet and greet, not big events like block party or geowoodstock. Doesn't matter, small or large, the purpose of an event is to bring people together that share a common interest. As to how to start the converstion, you don't always need to. Sometimes it's useful just to stand in the midst of others having a conversation like you are a part of it and when someone says something that you have an opinion on or have experience with, just interject a comment. At that point others will engage you in the conversation. All of this is of course what you would do in any social situation with a lot of people. Just be yourself and be friendly and if you want to be a part of something, butt in... Edited December 22, 2011 by FobesMan Quote Link to comment
jholly Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Yes, but how do you start a conversation? Hi, how are you? My name is TheCacheSeeker. It seems to flow from there. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Yes, but how do you start a conversation? Hi, how are you? My name is TheCacheSeeker. It seems to flow from there. Better yet, "Hi, how are you? My name is Dave Ulmer." Quote Link to comment
jholly Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Yes, but how do you start a conversation? Hi, how are you? My name is TheCacheSeeker. It seems to flow from there. Better yet, "Hi, how are you? My name is Dave Ulmer." Probably get a much more lively conversation if you said "Hi, how are you? My name is Jeremy Irish." Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Yes, but how do you start a conversation? Hi, how are you? My name is TheCacheSeeker. It seems to flow from there. Better yet, "Hi, how are you? My name is Dave Ulmer." Probably get a much more lively conversation if you said "Hi, how are you? My name is Jeremy Irish." "Lively" is one word for it, yes. Quote Link to comment
+WRASTRO Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Yes, but how do you start a conversation? Hi, how are you? My name is TheCacheSeeker. It seems to flow from there. Better yet, "Hi, how are you? My name is Dave Ulmer." Probably get a much more lively conversation if you said "Hi, how are you? My name is Jeremy Irish." Ha! Around here you would get a lot of notice if you said "hi, I am NBJ ..." but of course we all know him already so it would only cause a mild beating. In reality I simply walk up to others at the event and introduce myself. Seems to work well, although I am not really a fan of events. Quote Link to comment
+ngrrfan Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 At most events you have a name tag to wear. I put my caching name on it and my regular name. Then I look for a group of people standing around talking and walk over and start listening to what they say. (Many times they're discussing a puzzle cache or a difficult cache and you will learn something or pick up a hint.) 9 times out of 10 someone will introduce themselves to you or comment that they have seen your name on a cache they've done. The conversation flows from there. Also many people bring trackables to (A)be discovered or (B)to be swapped and picked up to move. Bring pencil and paper. Quote Link to comment
+Touchstone Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I've always found this to be a good icebreaker Quote Link to comment
+aurght Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 What should you do at a event? I just sit and am amazed at the range of insanity. Yes, bring a pen and paper. You will see trackables to be discovered; coins, toys, sticks, hats, shirts, cars, people---- You will find us to be a friendly bunch. Quote Link to comment
+msrubble Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Ask questions. How long have you been caching? Is this your first event? How did you get started? What kind of GPS do you use? Where have you gone geocaching lately? If there's a cache that you can't find, or a puzzle you can't figure out, ask if they've found it. Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Ask someone about a cache they enjoyed finding lately. People love to talk about their adventures to a fellow nutcase who'll actually listen Quote Link to comment
+Chokecherry Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Yes, but how do you start a conversation? Hi, how are you? My name is TheCacheSeeker. It seems to flow from there. Better yet, "Hi, how are you? My name is Dave Ulmer." At the pseudo-event I was involved in "wait wait don't take the picture" worked well for me for breaking the ice. At a real meet and greet event usually making culturally sensitive eye contact (not too much and not too little) and saying, "Hi," works well. Followed by name. Usually then you can associate the cacher you are talking to some mutual caches you have found or caches of the other person you have found and thusly a conversation has started. Quote Link to comment
+St.Matthew Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Talk to other people about geocaching? Yes, but how do you start a conversation? Hi, how are you? My name is TheCacheSeeker. It seems to flow from there. Better yet, "Hi, how are you? My name is Dave Ulmer." ""Hi, how are you? My name is Dave Ulmer. What have you done with your life?" Quote Link to comment
+all done Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Start with a joke, something like, A Geocacher, a Dog and a lawyer walk into a bar.......even if it has no punchline it starts a conversation. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 There are any of a number of ways of breaking the ice at an event and making sure that you will be remembered. Here are a few that spring to mind: Walk up to somebody and state that you think we are littering when we leave caches around, and state that you trash them out when you find them. Mention that you love virtuals because you never need to leave the house. Casually mention that you work for the bomb squad. Wander over to the trackables table and start pocketing the geocoins, while you talk about your huge collection. Proclaim loudly that PMO caches are elitist. Quote Link to comment
+jobrerry Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Last event, I met some one by telling them I wanted to touch their jeeps (travelers) LOL The first event I went to, it was a little lonely but I introduced myself to the ones that were interested, the hosts and got my name put on a PAF list. The second one (out of town) finished with dinner at a restaurant where we sat with another couple and have become good friends since. Whenever we go to that town, we look them up and cache together. The third event, I had begun to recognize people and associating their caching names with them. Hey - I did that FTF night cache with your group, it was to dark to see you then, but nice to meet you in the daytime. That kind of thing... Really the best way is to walk up and introduce yourself and where you are from. After a few events, you get to know people and create friendships and caching buddies. If you know of some interesting caches to do, ask if they've done them and go from there. Walk around a share an interesting travel bug or geocoin - Hey do you want to discover this? I have found most geocachers in my area to be very friendly, outgoing and a little whacky just like myself. Quote Link to comment
TheCacheSeeker Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 Thanks for the advice! Quote Link to comment
GOF and Bacall Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I love events. Lots of fun meeting new people and putting faces to names. Many of my conversations at events start "So you're GOF!" Quote Link to comment
AZcachemeister Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 For events with a suitable outdoor area, I have always enjoyed the 'What is YOUR GZ?' activity. Participants are given irrigation flags (which they can put their names on). Participants are then given a set of co-ordinates, and place their flag at whatever location their GPSr indicates is GZ. The distribution of the flags is usually interesting to say the least. Quote Link to comment
AZcachemeister Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 ... got my name put on a PAF list. Quote Link to comment
TheCacheSeeker Posted December 25, 2011 Author Share Posted December 25, 2011 I mean local events, like a meet and greet, not big events like block party or geowoodstock. Doesn't matter, small or large, the purpose of an event is to bring people together that share a common interest. As to how to start the converstion, you don't always need to. Sometimes it's useful just to stand in the midst of others having a conversation like you are a part of it and when someone says something that you have an opinion on or have experience with, just interject a comment. At that point others will engage you in the conversation. All of this is of course what you would do in any social situation with a lot of people. Just be yourself and be friendly and if you want to be a part of something, butt in... Well, it seems that in large events there are planned activities to do, but the purpose of smaller ones is for meeting the caches in your area. Anyhow, thanks for the advice. I've been to three events, a CITO, Block Party, and a regular event. I want to meet and talk to cachers who found my caches, found caches that I found, and whose caches I found, but don't know how to exactly. Quote Link to comment
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