First, I'd like to welcome you to DD.  I'm sure you'll get lots of input and advice over the next couple of days. Now on to your query...

I suggest you don't stress too much over the initial atmostphere in the office.  Most offices take longer than 3 weeks to "feel you out" and start socializing.  Also, a lot of offices don't do a lot of socializing, so you might not get that in this office.  If you're already feeling bored, have you talked to bossie or searched out additional things you could do.  Bossie might not know that you are ready for more challenges and is taking it easy on you until you get your feet under you in the new office.

If you need the socializing in the office, you might try to befriend one or two of your office-mates or co-workers and see if you can do lunch together once/twice a week (or more often, depending on the workloads) or if you could take breaks together, giving you all a chance to chat 'off the clock' so to speak, maybe even go walking on your breaks.  I did this at my last office.  A total of 4 of us, from different offices, arranged our lunches so that we took them together and that gave us a socializing time.  If one or more of us couldn't get away for lunch, we volunteered to bring them something back from the staff cafeteria.  If it was especially slow (before a long weekend, or a Friday while bosses were out) then we'd try to go out for lunch, and stretch our 30 minute lunch into 45 minutes.  Of course, our bosses and acting bosses knew this and approved it before-hand, but it gave us something "special" to do occassionally.  But even in that company, it took me almost 6 months before I found that comraderie.  I had folks I could chat with for a moment now and then, but not really anyone to socialize with until then.

As for the pay, 1/2 as much might not be bad if you figure in how much you paid in gas round trip each day to your previous job, and the 'wasted' time or vacant time you spent driving round trip each day.  Now that time is yours, for free time or family time or however you want to use it.  If you put a price on that, and add that to the gas money your saving and to your current salary, you'll have a more accurate comparison between the two jobs (money-wise).

Hope that offers a little help.  I'm sure others will have differing views and ideas for you too. Once again, Welcome!

CountriGal
Peer Moderator