YearningForHome

My current employer has offered by the chance to move to Houston for at least 4 years and since I have just become single again at the tender age of 55 a complete change of surroundings seems like a good idea.

But I'm just not sure if it the place for me and would welcome any comments either positive or negative

- I'm not into the bar scene as a means of meeting people although a few drinks in a bar with good friends is always a good thing.
- I'm not a churchy type person
- I've become a born again gym addict which seems rather at odds with the shape of the average Houstonian.
- In general living abroad is not an issue since I have lived in Canada, South Africa, France and Norway at various times
- I do have a few friends already in Houston but they all have their families so the boys night out are a thing of the past.

TopSec

Can't really help on most points, there may be a bit of a struggle with the single bit as everyone we seem to know are married or have families here, although there must be thousands of single people. I guess a lot depends on the company you are working for as that is where you will meet most of your 'friends to be'

I will comment on the fitness bit though, there are heaps of gyms and they are all busy. I ran this morning in Memorial Park, 10 miles and the park is seething with people at 06:00!

I'd go with the move, as you say, a new start!

Good luck

Speedwell

YFM, I live in Houston.

- I'm not a drinker but I go to the pub with my husband. If the pub is a decent one, the people are friendly and nobody minds if you just hang out sipping a glass of Coke. There are a few English or English-style pubs here that are down-to-earth and approachable and fun; I like one because the folks who run it are open-hearted and generous and the regulars are nice people, and my husband likes another one because he gets along best with the other smokers on the patio; both are expat hangouts. That said, there's no reason to frequent pubs unless you just want to.
- The secular community in Houston is larger and more organized than any other in the United States (really!). Even if you're not a joiner of groups in the freethought/atheism sphere, just hanging out with people who aren't going to bend your ear with "I'll pray for you" and "God bless" is refreshing sometimes. Not that I get a lot of it; for me it's the occasional overzealous secretary or brainwashed loudmouthed fundamentalist rather than a concerted effort to exclude the atheist harlot.
- There are lots of gyms and parks and the weather is excellent for a run even in mid-January. My husband just walked down to a neighborhood park with a new running track. The company I work for has a fitness push on, including a gym you can join if you work in the headquarters building (and lots of people participate). There's even plenty of high-quality healthy food available in restaurants and supermarkets, even for vegans (which I was for several years).
- There are so many expats here, because of the oil, shipping, and technology industries, that you will feel at home. Read some of the other Houston threads for where the more cosmopolitan areas of town are.
- You'll find friends in time. Houston is huge and sprawling, more than an hour to drive across in any given direction I can think of. Try looking on meetup.com to find groups with common interests right away.

durham_lad

Come on over. Loads of gyms, parks, theatres, museums, places to visit etc.

Which area would you be working and/or living in?

I've heard that meetup.com is a great place to find out about groups that meet up covering a whole range of interests.

customsquestion

As a single person no your probably too old to make such a move. Good luck making new friends at the age of 55 even as an english expat into english football or whatever. And your not into that are you? Dating? forget that, plus you should also consider the costs involved in such a move, health insurance concerns. You are probably only a few years away from retirement could you afford to retire in Houston if you got the green card?

Had you been with your wife you would have been as a couple you would have been exposed to different social scenarios perhaps and the move would probably have gone differently

Speedwell

Well, how silly is that? I'm 47, and there are lots of folks our age in Houston, for friends or hanging out or dating or whatever. I just got married last year and my best friend, 54 this year, got married two years ago. Since your employer is moving you to Houston, they will be taking care of your health insurance as well (at least giving you the same deal they give US employees) or you should not be making the move. I wouldn't worry about retirement till you have to retire, and then I'd retire in the UK with a good experience in Houston under your belt. Honestly, the number of expats I know personally who are my age or older is immense. Most of them happen to be oil or technology workers on temporary or permanent company transfers anyway. Just make sure your exit strategy back to the UK is in writing and I think you'll be good.

Mr Weeze

I think it is fair to say there are a fair few people on here who have struggled to reconcile customsquestion's opinions with their actual real life experience.

Bink

You can meet friends at any age if you want to.

To the OP: There are plenty of British expats here that are a similar age to you.
Despite the stereotypes (some of them valid) there are plenty if active people here and there certainly isn't a lack of gyms.

Honestly, I think it is what you make of it. If you're into golf, there are plenty of courses here and that may also be a good way to meet people.

customsquestion

Why don't you take him under your wing then? Show him around the place introduce him to a few people help him to find his feet. Now I have thrown to the gauntlet down to you haven't I.

Bink

No, not really.

You're just being an obnoxious idiot.

I'm more than happy to point in the right direction rather than your useless miserable drivel though. Maybe you could post something constructive. Just a thought...

customsquestion

My mate touched lucky he met people in a week by his second weekend he was out with young guys pulling birds exploring nyc like he had been there for years. Some people he has met it took em 2 years to get into it. And I remember reading that posting from the guy in the la the surfer couple of months back. He had been in la for more than a year, young guy didn't have a mate in the world he was really struggling.

He will be ok as an expat brit football fan. I wonder how the move would turn as a single american 55 year old guy. Being an expat is bit different to be fair.

customsquestion

Your the guy living there why don't you post up the list of brit expat football type places where he may or may not meet people at least to drink with and hang out on a saturday and sunday and maybe attend a birthday party of two. That should get him something. Oh and a throw in a couple of houston dating sites for the women.

I tried for you yearing, good luck.

TopSec

I think a lot depends on the person in question??

I'm not sure the OP is expecting women and new best friends to fall at his feet, one has to make the effort and go out and find friends. Providing you are a decent sort you'll find good friends

customsquestion

Indeed you do, I wonder how my mate would have gone on if he had been working in place with older married people as opposed to young suit wearing guys. Oh and he can forget craigslist, full of creeps even people renting apartments are creeps on that shit.

YearningForHome

Hmm, looks like I have just started a war on this thread. The "forget it for dating at 55 is more than a little worrying". I'm not after chasing the young and beautiful but dates with someone in my age range would be good. And before I get flamed I'm not looking for one night stands either.

The financial side isn't an issue. As some of you may have guessed I work in the oil industry and because these assignments are always considered temporary even if for 6-7 years there is no worry about an exit strategy. And at as far as I am concerned I am nowhere near retirement age. In fact now that UK law prohibits forcing you retire at 65 I plan to work until I drop because I love my job.