[aussiemama]

Hi

I'm new to this group, but not new to expat life.

We left Sydney Australia 5 years ago with my husbands employer for a 2 year adventure in Ireland which we enjoyed so much we accepted a 3 year contract in Yokohama Japan.

We arrived in Winchester, UK october 2011 and have slowly but surely settled 'back' into an English speaking environment.

However, I am missing my expat life A LOT! I miss the accents, the colors, the festivals, the new experiences ....... and i'm wondering if there are any other expate wives out there who feel the same.

I am seriously thinking of joining the IWC in London, tho making friends in London and not my local area is an issue that i'm sure i'll overcome, but my preference is to of course make friends and have a social life closer to home.

As an active member of IWC in Dublin, and a foundation member of Global Girls in Yokohama I love the benefits afforded to 'international groups'.

We organised tours, lunches, coffee mornings and interest groups all designed to forge friendships (and fill in long days)
On that note I will wait for hopefully positive responses from like minded ladies.

 

[lnxjenn]

Hello
I am not there yet, but I will be around Winchester when i come! My Fiance and I aren't getting married until October, but I'd love to meet up with you. I should be visiting in June.

Might be nice to start meeting new friends! I enjoyed Winchester when I was there at Christmas. It sounds like you are pretty active, or trying to be. So hopefully soon, I will also be an expat around Winchester

Jenn

 

[aussiemama]

Hello
I am not there yet, but I will be around Winchester when i come! My Fiance and I aren't getting married until October, but I'd love to meet up with you. I should be visiting in June.

Might be nice to start meeting new friends! I enjoyed Winchester when I was there at Christmas. It sounds like you are pretty active, or trying to be. So hopefully soon, I will also be an expat around Winchester

Jenn

Hi Jenn,

Thanks for responding to me plea

We've no idea what we'll be doing over summer, esp with the long school holidays but if we're around be nice to meet.

Let me know closer to the time you're planning on visiting.
Good luck with the wedding plans
x
x

 

[adjarrett]

Hi,

I am new to the expat life and as a result didn't exactly know what to expect. My husband and I moved to Winchester from Canada a few months ago for a 2 year contract with his employer.

I have had similar difficulties finding others in my situation, as all expat groups seem to be focused around London (which doesn't seem reasonable).

I'd love to meet up to chat and share experiences.


Ashleigh

 

[aussiemama]

Hi Ashleigh!

Thank you for taking the time to email me

Where in Winchester are you? We are in Kings Worthy.

Are you working?
How are you filling your days?
Do you have kids?

We've an 8 year old daughter who keeps me busy.

I'm not working tho i have started to look at various volunteer roles to see what inerestes me - maybe 1 day a week.

I've recently agreed with friends to do the London Moonwalk in May 2013, so have started a walking regime LOL.

Would you like to meet for a quick coffee on Tesuday 27 Nov? We could meet around 1pm at the GOod Life - do you know it?

 

[aussiemama]

Hello
I am not there yet, but I will be around Winchester when i come! My Fiance and I aren't getting married until October, but I'd love to meet up with you. I should be visiting in June.

Might be nice to start meeting new friends! I enjoyed Winchester when I was there at Christmas. It sounds like you are pretty active, or trying to be. So hopefully soon, I will also be an expat around Winchester

Jenn

Hi Jenn

How are you? Married by now from your last comment

Have you moved to Winchester?
x

 

[adjarrett]

Hi Ashleigh!

Thank you for taking the time to email me

Where in Winchester are you? We are in Kings Worthy.

Are you working?
How are you filling your days?
Do you have kids?

We've an 8 year old daughter who keeps me busy.

I'm not working tho i have started to look at various volunteer roles to see what inerestes me - maybe 1 day a week.

I've recently agreed with friends to do the London Moonwalk in May 2013, so have started a walking regime LOL.

Would you like to meet for a quick coffee on Tesuday 27 Nov? We could meet around 1pm at the GOod Life - do you know it?

Hi,

We live right by the discovery center, near the high street. We don't have any children yet, and I'm not working. I did some volunteer work with a children's reading program this summer and am currently looking for other volunteering opportunities.

Coffee on Tuesday would be great! We don't have a car yet, so I was wondering if it would be possible to meet somewhere closer to town. If not, I can look into the bus schedule, as the Good Life looks like a cool place.


Ashleigh

 

[aussiemama]

Let's meet at the Discover Centre - the cafe there is pleasant.

My mobile is xxxxx - call me to finalise time

I hope you didn't mind me asking about kids- its one of the 20 questions we'll play when we meet
x

 

[B.Hanson]

Hello!

I also have moved to Winchester from Canada with my husband. We just got married in July and excited to have a year in a new place with lots of opportunity to travel! He has a job working for the year but I am taking some time off work - which is great but I'm looking forward to meeting some people. Any advise would be great.

Thanks
Beth

 

[aussiemama]

Hi Beth!

Thanks for being in touch.

Asheligh and I met up before Xmas and had a lovely chat getting to know one another.
Do you know how to post a private message to me? Send me your mobile and/or email and we'll organise to meet asap
x

 

[kareng]

Hi,

I'm English but I've been living in Italy for the last 11 years. My husband has just received a job offer near Winchester and we are thinking of moving there. I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about what it's like? If we come we'll be moving over in August, it would be nice to already have a few acquaintances.

Thanks
Karen

 

[aussiemama]

Hi Karen,

Winchester is lovely, full of history as it was once the capitol of England. The High Street is great, and there are weekly markets which are bursting with local produce at great prices. The Cathedral is magnificent.

it's semi rural, with lovely pockets of suburbia.

We have the Winchester Theatre Royal for performances, the Discovery Centre is the local library and performing arts space, there is an abundance of great restaurants.

We are 20 minutes from Southampton so the water is close by as is the ferry port to France and other European ports, Southampton Airport offers a vast network of flights so travel is easy and depending on the deals, can be inexpensive; The Mayflower theatre offers an incredible selection of shows. The New Forest is a bit further on; London is about an hour away by train (Winchester - Waterloo is a direct line). Train travel is expensive, so I'm not in/out of London as much as I thought I would, or like. However, I do go in and can be back in time for school pick up (do you have children?) and fit in an exhibit and quick lunch Sadly, it's a bit too far, and too expensive to commit to the various International Clubs on offer.

if you have school age children, the schools in and around Winchester are deemed to be some of hte best in the UK. Check out OFSED reports. You probably recall having lived here that you do need to be in catchment for state schools and that's in itself is an issue.

Housing is ridiculously expensive in Winchester (we rent, and that was tough enough to find) as lots of people are relocating from London for lifestyle changes etc.

Will you have relocation assistence? If not, I'd suggest you start hooking into real estate agents NOW.

If you choose to live 'near WInchester' there's lots of delightful villages to choose from. Some are market villages, some are purely residential with a pub.

Not sure what else you would liek to know .... send me specific questions if you like.

Good luck

 

[kareng]

Hi,

Thank you so much for the quick and detailed reply. We won't have relocation assistance so we've been looking at prices for renting, it does look expensive but is quite comparable to Milan where we are now.

We don't have children at the moment but we are hoping to and that is part of why we are thinking of moving over, a house with a garden is impossible in Milan unless you've got a couple of million to spend.

Thanks again, your reply is very helpful
Karen

 

[adjarrett]

Hi Beth,

It's so nice to hear of more Canadians in Winchester! My husband and I recently relocated here for his work. I'd love to meet up if you have a chance.

Let me know,
Ashleigh

 

[spottyperson1]

Hi all - I feel like I am cheating, I am not technically an ex pat ( I lived in Spain for a few years) but feel like one now! We have just relocated to Winchester from Manchester area in UK and actually feel like I am in another country! Would love to meet new people - relocated with two teenagers at school in Winchester now, so feel like I would like a social life myself. Would be great to get in touch with others new to the area as well. Thanks!!!

 

[aussiemama]

Can so relate to what you're saying and how you might be feeling - an expat is simply someone who's not from 'here' where ever here might be.

can you message me your email or mobile .... I'll get a few of the girls together and we'll do coffee

 

[spottyperson1]

Hi there, thanks for getting back to me so quickly, really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from you again - currently in process of moving house, so will give you full address and phone when move. Can I post my email address/mobile to you this way? Not sure exactly how to do a private message!

 

[Joppa]

Please don't post any private information on an open forum. You can't use private messaging until you have posted 5 messages.

 

[aussiemama]

it's probably best, once you're settled to get back in touch with me via this - we can set a time and date and meet at a local coffee shop (sounds very candlestine, doesn't it LOL) as names, contact details etc shouldn't go on here

 

[Mumfromoz]

Hi, I'm also an Aussie mum with kids ( 7 and 3) who will soon be living in or near Winchester. My hubby is commuting there from Brisbane regularly (!) and we should be over in july. I'm hoping you might be able to offer advice on what are the nicer areas of Winchester (or which to absolutely avoid) or surrounds since I'm trying to organize, very quickly , a school place for my sons.

So glad to see there are a few expat mums in the area!

Cheers , Bec