Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make friends?
#16
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
The fact that I am not allowed to drive for medical reasons in the UK but am allowed to drive here in GA is just one of the reasons I really don't feel comfortable getting behind the wheel. Crap drivers combined with people who shouldn't be allowed to drive is a terrifying prospect
I can walk to the local grocery store, my son's school and the park (practically unheard of in Texas!) but, after 2 months here, it'd just be nice to meet someone I could go for a coffee with etc.
#17
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
Friendships are different out here. My friends are mostly non American.
#18
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 4
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
I would have to agree. I didn't want to gravitate towards just Brits seems i am open to meet any new people, but i tend to gravitate towards them because they grew up with the same culture etc, and have the same views on most situations.
#19
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
We go to Bendwood Park on Kimberley in Town and Country area every Sunday morning. There is always a large gathering of blokes playing rugby there from about 9 ish to 11 ish. Mostly Irish, Brit, Australian... Often families come, kids, SOs, etc. Unsure who organizes or who they are affiliated, but you could come on over some Sunday and ask.
And also try meetup.com.
And also try meetup.com.
#20
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
Since moving to Austin 5 years ago I haven't made any new friends except those through work and such but they're mostly people older than me and not my age. If I did make friends with someone it would probably be a fellow Brit! I don't mind though. I'm social enough on here!
#21
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Joined: Dec 2014
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Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
How old are you TheTokinBrit?
#23
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 238
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
Houston and making friends- it's massive. I'm up in NW and my friends in town never want to meet anywhere but in town, so if I want to see them I have to make the effort.
Politics and religion are also way-divisive in Houston, when I supported ACA loads of my right-wing friends dropped me, they were apparently so fixated against it; when I criticized it later other friends who think the president is marvelous ( I don't tend to hero-worship politicians myself ) were annoyed with me. And most people are simply sick of the whole topic- especially if they personally are squared away with medicare or employee insurance or in good health and little understanding of what it's like to get sick without health insurance.
So it can be hard to have any deep or other-than-superficial relating to people, I tend not to try any more, or join a discussion group or class if I feel the need. It's not like in UK where you can have a big discussion in the pub or anywhere- people take offence, take it personally if you don't agree with them. Find a support group because friendships don't take that role much here...I've been called negative by a close friend for responding a little too honestly to questions about my health, though many people will offload on you very personal details at almost first meeting it seems- it's quite contradictory!
It sounds very generalizing, but if you live here you'll see what I mean. One of my Canadian friends in BC says it's what makes living in Texas ( he's lived here ) 'edgy' and not 'bland' as he describes his very regulated life in Vancouver.
Politics and religion are also way-divisive in Houston, when I supported ACA loads of my right-wing friends dropped me, they were apparently so fixated against it; when I criticized it later other friends who think the president is marvelous ( I don't tend to hero-worship politicians myself ) were annoyed with me. And most people are simply sick of the whole topic- especially if they personally are squared away with medicare or employee insurance or in good health and little understanding of what it's like to get sick without health insurance.
So it can be hard to have any deep or other-than-superficial relating to people, I tend not to try any more, or join a discussion group or class if I feel the need. It's not like in UK where you can have a big discussion in the pub or anywhere- people take offence, take it personally if you don't agree with them. Find a support group because friendships don't take that role much here...I've been called negative by a close friend for responding a little too honestly to questions about my health, though many people will offload on you very personal details at almost first meeting it seems- it's quite contradictory!
It sounds very generalizing, but if you live here you'll see what I mean. One of my Canadian friends in BC says it's what makes living in Texas ( he's lived here ) 'edgy' and not 'bland' as he describes his very regulated life in Vancouver.
#24
Rootbeeraholic
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 2,280
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
I made friends through playing soccer, work and I already knew people here when I moved here.
Groups are great. We've moved to a new area (my wife's from Houston) and like Weeze, she had great luck with Moms groups etc.
Groups are great. We've moved to a new area (my wife's from Houston) and like Weeze, she had great luck with Moms groups etc.
#25
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
Can you do any volunteering? I lived SE of Houston for many years. Most of my friends were made through the pet rescue organization I volunteered with.
#26
Account Closed
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 366
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
Are there not english football bars and brit or english or scottish meetup groups. I find it hard to believe they are not as numerous in Houston as in new york which has several I looked it up. I have heard there are a lot of scots in houston with the oil companies. Which I find somewhat amusing considering Dallas the tv show was all about oil and big texan oil barrens yet most of the big oil companies are based in houston.
#27
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
This is what I always recommend -- look for people with similar interests, of whatever nationality. Enjoy books? Libraries always need volunteers and also host reading circles. Have a skill you can share? Look at evening class offerings and see if there's something you might want to teach. The options are endless. When I think about it, I met virtually every good friend I have in my town, which I moved to 16 years ago, through helping out with an animal rescue group.
#28
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Posts: 0
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
#30
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 59
Re: Any British Expats here in the Houston area? Have you found it hard to make frien
Good Morning,
I've had the same problem for many years but have found a solution that seems to work, when I lived in Pennsylvania I used to go to the British Expat meetups and through that I met my best friend. In Houston since I moved here for work I was lucky that one of my friends from Manchester has their brother here who has a British friends community so I'm meeting even more people.
Did you go to the British Festival in Sugarland TX? that was quite nice.
Cheers,
Aaron.
I've had the same problem for many years but have found a solution that seems to work, when I lived in Pennsylvania I used to go to the British Expat meetups and through that I met my best friend. In Houston since I moved here for work I was lucky that one of my friends from Manchester has their brother here who has a British friends community so I'm meeting even more people.
Did you go to the British Festival in Sugarland TX? that was quite nice.
Cheers,
Aaron.