julie2

I've just finished working my notice and I'm all set to join my husband in Houston next week. We are in our mid 30s and are looking forward to this adventure. Being an expat wife is a whole new experience for me! My visa won't allow me to work so I will hopefully be making the most of my time trying out new things! I'm not exactly sure what these new things are yet!! I'll be staying in Memorial area. Does anyone have any suggestions of activities or meet ups nearby that I could get involved in?

Many thanks

ChocolateBabz

Hi Julie,

I am also a trailing spouse in Houston. I could work on my Visa but am trying desperately not to LOL!

There is a meet-up group that I joined recently but have not managed to get to any of the activities yet. Here is their site http://www.meetup.com/British-Irish-Expats-Houston/

Also there is a Wednesday Coffee morning for expats, you can e-mail to be added to the list - they also send out e-mails of other activities and things that other expats are selling, this is their e-mail [email protected].

If you have children you can get involved with school activities (something I am also trying to avoid). If you go to church there are plenty of church groups (not for me!). I am starting to sound really anti-social .

I have been to a few different classes, cake decorating etc and have recently learned to crochet - see now I sound anti social and sad . Here is a good site with all sorts of classes llu.com.

Of course if you are looking for someone to go shopping with and have a glass of vino you can always just PM me

We did manage to get a group together from this site and had a meet up at The British Pub, it was nice to put faces to names.

ChocolateBabz

Just remembered you are from Stonehaven like me - In case I need to bribe you to be my friend I should mention that I can make rowies LOL!

julie2

Hello fellow stoney quine!!!

Thanks for posting a reply - again! It is much appreciated.

I will definitely get in touch with the some of the meetups you suggested. We don't have children and I was planning on using church time to get used to driving around Houston. I'm a bit nervous about it, but someone advised me in an earlier post that this is a good time to build up confidence as the roads are quieter!

I'm always up for a coffee, shopping, wine, blether.... No bribe needed. I'm more of a yum yum girl than rowies! Letting the side down there I know!

The plan is to come out for a couple of weeks or so and then we'll head home for Christmas. Nothing like breaking myself in gradually!

Hopefully we'll be able to organise a meetup plan once I'm out there. Look forward to putting a face to the name!

alan280170

If you can make rowies, you should sell them, me and my brother would buy them as long as they are as good as Aitkens Bakery in Torry!!!!!!

ChocolateBabz

Hubby's parents live just round the corner from the Torry Aitkens (Grampian Road) we will be in there in just under 3 weeks . My rowies are pretty awesome I have to admit but they take forever to make so we don't have them very often. Mince & Tatties are on ration at the moment too until I can get some more Atora for doughballs and Oatmeal for Skirlie.

Crap it's only 10.10am and I'm hungry again...

alan280170

Yeah I try to swing on in to Aberdeen when I am travelling, pick up rowies and vacumn pack them. Enjoy the snow for Xmas then.

Yorkieabroad

I did mince and tatties for dinner tonight - drives my wife mad, but me and the kids love it! Just what the doctor ordered after winter arrived overnight! Had to use veggie atora instead of the real thing, but it worked out OK.

Julie - I know a lady who organizes a coffee morning for british expats (or maybe just expats) and can hook you up with her if you like, but think most of their members are out Katy way so probably their meetups are too....but its not that far, and you want to practice your driving anyway....so if thats your thing, pm me and I'll send you her details

Picnic

This organisation, which used to be called Memorial Newcomers, might be fun for you to check out: http://nngh.org/default.aspx.

Don't forget to spend some of your time shopping (try Marshalls and TJ Maxx for great bargains) and pampering yourself (the mani/pedi's in Houston can't be beat)!

Yorkieabroad

If you're into the spa treatments, check out livingsocial.com....they have a daily discount offer that you can buy coupons for - they often have discount coupons for massages and the like, which we've never used, but have used them for other stuff .....

alan280170

Can't beat a mani/pedi in Midland (be a bit far for you gals to go), but I love them.

tigerbaywarrior

Which Houston would this be? Quieter roads and Houston in the same sentence is like trying to convince Joe Biden that Barak Obama is from Limerick.

Weeze

I think a few folk from the Wednesday coffee morning that Babz mentioned meet to walk round memorial park. Meetup.com (that Babz gave the link to the expats group on) is good for finding activities near you. I used it to find a moms group. My friend is also in Memorial and is an expat wife so I can ask her for more suggestions if you want.

julie2

Thanks everyone. I'm getting a bit more confident at driving here. I can now drive to Memorial City Mall and also H.E.B! Not much I know, but it's a start! meetup.com looks like just what I need. I'm going to have to get braver at venturing further afield with the driving to be able to get to the meetups but I'm determined! I must sound so pathetic!!!

I've e mailed about the wednesday coffee mornings so just waiting to hear back.

Thanks for the offer of pm. I'll be in touch once I feel a bit better at driving along routes which don;t involve a trip to H.E.B or the shopping centre!

The mince and tatties pang hasn't set in yet, but we will stock up on the atora when we're home at Christmas because I know the pang will definitely kick in at some point!

I'm now just going to check out livingsocial.com for the discounted manicures!

Lazzza

I am a bit late to this but I am a Buckie quine, a trailing spouse and also trying my very best to avoid work. I am out in Cinco Ranch, Katy but will happily drive to meet up!!! We arrived in June and love it so far.