Brits in Oklahoma
Sep 10th 2008, 1:41 am
#61
Geordie Lass
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Stillwater OK, formerly Newcastle UK
Posts: 62
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
Well, I suppose at least you knew what the deal was when you got married then! ... or was Bob not living in OK at that time? Abigail and I met in the UK but she was brought up in the US (Texas) and Canada, and her family are all over here so there was always the possibility that we might move to the other side of the Atlantic... the funny thing is that, although I was quite keen on the idea at first, as time went on I became more settled in the UK and when she applied for the job here, I was very much the reluctant one. The moving process was quite traumatic in many ways but we are continuing to settle in and every day brings some kind of step forward, however minor. At least our household goods are finally on their way from New York ... due to arrive later this week, which will be the first time we've seen them for about 3 months!
The blues festival sounds good. I did suggest it to Abigail but I think things are still a bit hectic and unsettled to find the time - although personally I think it might be good for us to do something diverting like that!! I like all kinds of music, particularly classical (Baroque and twentieth century), jazz (esp. bebop) and a lot of pop music including 80s stuff and some more recent artists, particularly female singers. Also bits of Irish folk now and again. Anything really so long as it's high quality!
The blues festival sounds good. I did suggest it to Abigail but I think things are still a bit hectic and unsettled to find the time - although personally I think it might be good for us to do something diverting like that!! I like all kinds of music, particularly classical (Baroque and twentieth century), jazz (esp. bebop) and a lot of pop music including 80s stuff and some more recent artists, particularly female singers. Also bits of Irish folk now and again. Anything really so long as it's high quality!
Yes I did know I was getting into when I moved here, but it has been traumatic. I miss my kids terribly, though I do try to get back at least once a year, and the kids love to visit here too. Going through the Visa process was definately not for the faint hearted........ Im glad you are settling in to your new life, its not easy and I find living in the Bible Belt is such a culture shock. I bet you see differences from living in New York.
For me the biggest thing is making friends here. I suppose I am expecting too much, but it has been hard for me to find the kind of people here that I could call a friend. I maybe just at a different point in life than the people I come in contact with, but I have had some very bad experiences with some individuals that I hoped were friends. Im just too trusting I suppose.
Bob and I love all kinds of Music too, but I do love good Blues. Newcastle has a great live music circuit and I miss that, I also miss my local too. Here is a link to mine back in Newcastle, its a great place and it will be one of my first stops when I go back. Im off to the UK in November for my sons birthday, I cant wait.
www.thetyne.com
Sep 14th 2008, 5:57 pm
#62
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 9
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
Yes I did know I was getting into when I moved here, but it has been traumatic. I miss my kids terribly, though I do try to get back at least once a year, and the kids love to visit here too. Going through the Visa process was definately not for the faint hearted........ Im glad you are settling in to your new life, its not easy and I find living in the Bible Belt is such a culture shock. I bet you see differences from living in New York.
For me the biggest thing is making friends here. I suppose I am expecting too much, but it has been hard for me to find the kind of people here that I could call a friend. I maybe just at a different point in life than the people I come in contact with, but I have had some very bad experiences with some individuals that I hoped were friends. Im just too trusting I suppose.
Bob and I love all kinds of Music too, but I do love good Blues. Newcastle has a great live music circuit and I miss that, I also miss my local too. Here is a link to mine back in Newcastle, its a great place and it will be one of my first stops when I go back. Im off to the UK in November for my sons birthday, I cant wait.
www.thetyne.com
For me the biggest thing is making friends here. I suppose I am expecting too much, but it has been hard for me to find the kind of people here that I could call a friend. I maybe just at a different point in life than the people I come in contact with, but I have had some very bad experiences with some individuals that I hoped were friends. Im just too trusting I suppose.
Bob and I love all kinds of Music too, but I do love good Blues. Newcastle has a great live music circuit and I miss that, I also miss my local too. Here is a link to mine back in Newcastle, its a great place and it will be one of my first stops when I go back. Im off to the UK in November for my sons birthday, I cant wait.
www.thetyne.com
A lot of what you say rings very true for me ... it is a pretty major thing adjusting to such a different culture and lifestyle, and there are so many aspects of life in the UK which have no real equivalent over here. Pub culture is certainly one of them - there are bars here and I've even seen something calling itself a 'pub and bar', but they're just not the same are they? I don't think that many people here go to bars, it's just not a standard thing which everyone does, like in the UK. Plus, it's harder when you have to drive everywhere because it cuts down on the drinking!
I suppose the one advantage I did have was that before moving to live here, I had travelled extensively in many different parts of the US and Canada and so I did know quite a lot about what it would be like, but there are certain things you don't get to know even as a tourist or business traveller, stuff like health insurance, local services, banking, etc. It sounds like we had exactly the same experience with the visa. I applied through the US Embassy in London - it was a very long, drawn-out process, it was very hard to get any clear information (you had to ring a helpline which cost £1.20 a minute, and every time you rang you got someone who told you something different, and some of the questions they couldn't even answer), and it did not seem at all certain that it would definitely be given, even though I've been married to a US citizen for 8 years! Abigail had to agree to sponsor me financially, even in the event that we get divorced, for a further ten years after that!!
I'm certainly hoping to visit the UK regularly - I don't think I'd be able to cope if I didn't, I just have too many family and friends there, but luckily I can combine that with some examining work. I'm hoping to go for about a week in late November.
Yes, the religious thing takes some getting used to - again I knew it would be like this from previous travels in the US, but it still appalls and fascinates me in equal measure. I'm not against religion by any means, but the particular brand of it you get here is not really to my taste, and it seems so all-pervasive.
By the way we didn't actually live in New York (though I have been there several times), that's just where our stuff was shipped to, and then sat in a warehouse for about 3 weeks after clearing customs. The latest on that is that the truck finally left on Monday, but has now broken down in Tennessee!! (see my blog, http://olebin.blogspot.com/, for more details).
I have to say that people so far do seem very friendly, always wanting to chat, and as soon as they realise I 'have an accent' and am not from OK or even the US, they are invariably fascinated, and responses are always positive. But yes, I have yet to make any real friends - mind you I've only been here for just on a month so it's early days. But I'm sorry to hear you've had some bad experiences. It certainly is harder to make new friends as you get older, wherever in the world you are!
Have you registered to vote in the UK? I looked into it, and it looks like you have to complete and sign a form, and get it witnessed by a UK citizen living where you are who is not a family member. Would you be willing to do that for me at some stage?
Andrew
Last edited by olebin; Sep 14th 2008 at 6:00 pm.
Mar 10th 2009, 6:00 pm
#63
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: OKC
Posts: 2
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
Any Brits in the OKC area? I would be interested to know where you all are!
Mar 12th 2009, 1:07 pm
#64
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 9
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
Hi Mandamoo, I am in The Village, in north OKC. I moved here last summer. How about you?
Mar 16th 2009, 4:31 am
#65
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: OKC
Posts: 2
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
Hi!!
I am in Edmond but work in Nichols Hills so we are quite close to one another!
How are you finding Oklahoma?? I moved here from Yorkshire (via Florida) and have to say, I am finding it very hard to settle (loved Fla...not so OK)
I am in Edmond but work in Nichols Hills so we are quite close to one another!
How are you finding Oklahoma?? I moved here from Yorkshire (via Florida) and have to say, I am finding it very hard to settle (loved Fla...not so OK)
Mar 16th 2009, 11:24 am
#66
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 9
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
Have a look at my blog (http://olebin.blogspot.com) - it will give you a good idea about how I've been settling in! (and my previous posts on this thread). I think the 'easiest' parts of the US for a Brit to settle in are the east and west coasts ... the vast swathes of 'middle America' are much less like home! I'm currently in the UK for a month, returning at the beginning of April. What's your line of work?
May 22nd 2009, 8:49 pm
#67
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Randolph, NJ
Posts: 93
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
I lived in Davis for a few years. I am in NJ now.
From what I remember, there wasnt much there!
From what I remember, there wasnt much there!
Aug 3rd 2009, 5:57 pm
#68
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: killeen texas
Posts: 822
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
although i live in Killeen,my inlaws live in OK, we travel there quite often. Message me if you fancy a chat 
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
Sep 9th 2009, 11:01 pm
#71
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: oologah
Posts: 4
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
im a mackem in ok, been ere for 4 monhs now and in need of some friends. i live in oologah which is around 20 minues drive from Tulsa. Hoping theres some Brits around the area who wuld like to hook up with me. I miss England a lot lol. My husbands from here an Oaklahoman born and bred. i like the area and the people are so sweet to me but i miss the Brits who understand my sense of humour. lol. please get in touch. Thank you
Sep 12th 2009, 12:49 am
#72
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: near Guthrie OK
Posts: 12
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
I'm from Scotland, been here 10 years, and live near Guthrie OK.
Have 2 young boys and a 5 month old baby boy.
Have 2 young boys and a 5 month old baby boy.
Sep 12th 2009, 1:12 am
#73
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: near Guthrie OK
Posts: 12
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
Anyone fancy a regular meet up?
This place is bloody murder!
This place is bloody murder!
Sep 18th 2009, 4:36 am
#75
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: near Guthrie OK
Posts: 12
Re: Brits in Oklahoma
What? Only one person out of the lot of you fancies a get together?
Are you all tight with a buck or just bloody antisocial?
Just sit in your houses and watch Kevin bloody Ogle, for ****s sake.
Are you all tight with a buck or just bloody antisocial?
Just sit in your houses and watch Kevin bloody Ogle, for ****s sake.
