Go to gridania/limsa/uldah and /shout once or twice for an invite to the novice network, and you will likely find someone who can help in a matter of minutes. A friendly FC(guild) is also a good option for getting help in game. And on the subject of chat channels, this game also features "Linkshells", which are semi-permanent invite-only chat channels. They can be as focused or as loose as the people who make them want them to be, and getting into one or two good ones can change the way you think about the game.