Tracy, in addition to these forums, there are several chatrooms where you can either text chat in the main room or in private messages, or voice chat in the main rooms. You can also communicate via CC mail.
When you come in, before you enter the forums at the screen shown in this picture, select whether or not you wish to use a cam or not to hear voicechat, and then click on "chat" to enter the chatrooms. At the top of the main chat room (Lounge) ("room list" in red letters) there's a drop down list of other rooms you can select.
If you have trouble, come back and we'll see what we can do to help.
Welcome to CC!