How do you network in a career setting?

[renordw]

I'm 25 and about three months back I got my first big-kid job as a Natural Resource Policy Analyst for the Department of Agriculture. I only took the job because there is nothing for Master's Level economists in my area of the country, and I am biding my time until I hear back from PhD programs.

I am Portuguese, and I have an accent. My family moved here when I was 7 from Algarve. I'm into video games and fashion, and I hate American football. Hell, I am somewhat less manly than most of my coworkers.

My coworkers are are ALL huge stereotypes; rednecks and/or ranchers. They are all 50+, white, republican, drive trucks, chew tobacco, listen to country, praise Jesus, talk about football, etc. To be honest, I didn't know these kind of people existed until I took the job.

Anyway, later this week I am going to a conference of natural resource planners, and I was glancing at the schedule and there are 3 chunks per day of "networking breaks" of a half hour each. I can't talk to these people about anything our interests are so different.

What do?