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Notes -
So, when it comes to ways to meet new people and get experience "talking to strangers," I've more than once been pointed to bars as a place for striking up conversations with people you don't know. And yet, I've been to the local bar a few times (despite my very limited budget and medical reasons for not drinking), and not once in the hours I've spent there have I seen anyone strike up a conversation with anyone else. Just a bunch of older men sitting alone, drinking and watching sports.
The same is true with the "bar" portion of the local restaurants that serve alcohol and have "bar seating." For that matter, I don't think I've seen a conversation start in a restaurant that wasn't among a pre-existing group.
So, is this just me? Just a product of the sort of places I frequent (for certain not-terribly-frequent values of "frequent") given my poverty? A product of Anchorage, Alaska being a particularly antisocial place? Or was the advice not all that great? Are there some better places?
Church?
Many will have coffee or fellowship following service. People will likely make an effort to engage with someone new.
Never been to one. Grew up pretty much totally irreligious. And several of the churches near me have closed down for lack of people (though one was the "no whites allowed" Samoan church, and another the weird Spanish-only South American "primitivist" denomination). It's pretty much the black Baptist church whose flyers advertise speeches by local Democrat politicians; the Eastern Catholic church whose materials for would be newcomers are all about how their services will differ from the Catholic churches you've certainly already attended (because you better already be Catholic before you show up…); or the tiny Thai Buddhist temple that I have no idea how to go about visiting without, like, interrupting the monks at meditation.
Myself I would look for a protestent church that isn't too large without pride, trans or other current thing flag or banner. Many of these congregations are growing as other current-thing congregations self-destruct.
Most Eastern Orthodox would also have traditional views of marriage and family. They likely also have a formal educational program for adults that some may find appealing. I'm sure they'd welcome newcomers, you could talk to the priest before attending a service if you were nervous or had questions. Many of these congregations are picking up former members of the Roman Church.
Problem is that I'm limited in transportation, and Anchorage is at once small in population (and shrinking — hence limited selection of churches) but large in geographic size. I've looked specifically at the Eastern Orthodox churches, as Alaska has the highest Orthodox population by percentage (5%) — understandable, given the Russian history. There are two Russian Orthodox churches here. Unfortunately, they're both on the outskirts of town. One (which I've actually had contact with someone who attends thanks to a mutual online acquaintance in Romania) is way out on the southern edge of town, over 9 miles away from where I live, and miles from any of the bus routes. The other is on the northeast edge of town (there are only two roads out of Anchorage), and while I could get there via a couple of buses, they don't really run early enough in the morning, particularly Sundays.
Edit: and that's before the massive reduction in bus services that's coming in a few months.
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