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The Introvert’s Sidekick to Winning Small Talk, Dinner Invites, and New Friends

Say goodbye to awkward moments.

Jenny Austria
2 min readSep 18, 2022

I’m an introvert (INFP-A), and I love solitude.

But after two years of living without neighbors in Normandy, France, I missed breathing with people.

Recently, my husband and I moved to a new place: a tiny Provençal village in the South of France.

I can start meeting people…but how?

Little did I know I already had a lucky charm.

Meet Oscar. 🐶

A dog’s face with its pink tongue out, surrounded by green ferns
Oscar. Source: Author’s own image.

He’s a young wirehaired dachshund (a.k.a. the clown among sausage dogs) with silly eyebrows, a funny beard, and a big personality.

When he plops on his back and offers his belly to a stranger, the job is done: I have mingled.

We’d walk through the sunny streets, cross the vineyards, and pause under a tree. “Bonjour!” greet the neighbors. 🍇 🌳

They smile. They wave. They stop to chat with the new girl and her dog.

It’s only been a little over a month, and I’ve already talked with most people on our street.

“Jenny! Ça va?” asked Réne the Smile.

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Jenny Austria
Jenny Austria

Written by Jenny Austria

France-based storyteller. I write about life lessons, self-growth, and la vie en France. Read unlimited stories: https://iamjennyaustria.medium.com/membership

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