dipping a toe in first...
One of the ways Ive seen organized groups handle this is to offer an "escort" of sorts for your first munch. The groups Ive known have had one or two people whose responsibility at a munch is to make new people comfortable in the new setting. Typically, they will meet you outside of the munch location (parking lot?) saying " hi, Im so and so from the munch" and offer to literally walk you in, so that youre not completely alone there. Many times, there will also be two or three people there who will offer to sit with you, introduce you around, and make sure that you dont end up in the deep end of the swamp before youre ready. From my experience, these munches are very low pressure events, there's no blatant collars or cuffs, no semi naked subs wandering about, and such. Its just literally a vanilla gathering of people with like minded interests who get together to chat, exchange ideas and generally get comfortable around one another before going to anything like a "play event". In the same way, its also a way for group members to get an eyeball on you and at least see that youre not an axe murderer or a reporter, at least at first glance :)
Hope that this helps you somewhat,
Mr R
Good Luck!! You go Girl!!!
I love MY group! i stood out but i stood out wonderfully, and they made me feel so welcome and wanted...not all are like this and i know but i had a really good experience and i found me a mentor in the group who is highly recommanded..and a Big Sweetie..and i enjoy my time everytime i get to go to a munch..i love forward to the next one in a few wks...and i hopeflly i get to go to my first dungeon party...*blushes*..
i would say go alone..for alot of us..espeically submissive females/males..its scary..because we are "alone" but mostly everyone there started out as a newbie...either to the group or to the lifestyle, so once we got over that inital shock of being "alone" and no one to talk with..things ususally fall into place.
im all about going to munches, even if large gatherings arent your things..especially if your looking to go into rt..w/o jumping straight into a dungeon or play party...go, experience, explore and meet like minded ppl in the lifestyle...
my first one, the HeadMistress and the Munch Coor. stayed with me and talked to me and made me feel welcome and warned me for protiental predators..who werent that bad but just jump from sub to sub..and i will always remember that!
good luck and i wish you the best hun!!! xoxo