Moving to a new neighbourhood is exciting. It is also the moment you know the least about where you live.
You do not know which tutor nearby is good, which clinic is worth visiting, or who to call when something at home breaks. You do not know the people next door yet either.
The usual ways to settle in
Most people ask in a building WhatsApp group, if they have been added to one, and wait for an answer that gets buried within minutes. Some search online, where nobody can tell them whether anyone nearby has actually used a service. Others knock on doors and hope someone knows someone useful.
None of this is easy when you are new.
Start with what your neighbours already know
When you join your neighbourhood on Padosii, you can open Neighbour Contacts: people your neighbours have already suggested, checked before they appear and organised by category. You benefit from what residents have learned over months, from your first day.
Ask when you need something new
If what you need is not there yet, ask. Choose what you need, add a note if you like and send it to your neighbourhood. Neighbours from nearby neighbourhoods can help too.
A neighbour who knows someone good suggests them. You can call or WhatsApp from the app and say thanks to the neighbour who helped. Your mobile number is not shown to other residents.
Suggested by neighbours. Verify before hiring.
Meet the people around you
Settling in is not only about contacts. With Play, you can join a game of badminton, cricket or football with neighbours, or start one yourself: pick a sport, a time and a place, and say how many more players you need. There is no booking and no payment, and you share your number only if you choose.
Your first week
- Join your neighbourhood on Padosii. Some neighbourhoods let you join straight away; others review requests first.
- Look through Neighbour Contacts before you need anyone urgently.
- Ask for the one or two people you need most this week, from a doctor nearby to someone who can fix things at home.
- Join or start a Play activity to meet a few neighbours.
- When you find someone good, suggest them, so the next new resident has it easier.
Getting started
Padosii is free on Android and iPhone. It is available in selected neighbourhoods and expanding. If yours is not listed yet, you can request it in the app.