U.K. folks in LA? Want friends!

[LondonerCat 38]

Hi all! 
 

I have my interview booked for my CR1 application later this month and if all goes well, planning to leave the U.K. to be with my husband at the end of September. 
 

I’ve just got back from a lovely trip to see him. I guess the thought of actually moving is setting in. I’ve been so consumed with excitement and anticipation that now it’s starting to feel very real. 
 

I’m learning to drive, have a plan with regards to finding work but I have no friends in LA. My husband isn’t especially social so doesn’t have a big friendship group like I do. I will my friends and family dearly and would love to make some british friends abroad - I think it will really help settle my inevitable homesickness. 
 

I was wondering if anyone has any experiencing with ex-pat ‘find a friend’ groups/ pages? I couldn’t see anything on here.

 

Thank you all! 🙂 

[Gaz1a 22]

Hey @LondonerCat,

 

Exciting, I'm on the same path. Joining my wife in LA as soon as I get my damn LND number... @Morgan5698 is also moving to LA. I'm sure there are a few others!

 

Let's grab some drinks in when we are there! 

 

Best,

 

Gaz

[Eladnolnod 36]

Also moving to LA once I have my visa!

 

We should have a VJ get together... socially distant of course ha!

 

 

[LondonerCat 38]

1 minute ago, Gaz1a said:

Hey @LondonerCat,

 

Exciting, I'm on the same path. Joining my wife in LA as soon as I get my damn LND number... @Morgan5698 is also moving to LA. I'm sure there are a few others!

 

Let's grab some drinks in when we are there! 

 

Best,

 

Gaz

 

2 minutes ago, Gaz1a said:

Hey @LondonerCat,

 

Exciting, I'm on the same path. Joining my wife in LA as soon as I get my damn LND number... @Morgan5698 is also moving to LA. I'm sure there are a few others!

 

Let's grab some drinks in when we are there! 

 

Best,

 

Gaz

This is already helping how I feel, thank you!😄 Do you have any/many friends in LA already? 

 

@morgan5698... we have the same interview date! Best of luck to you!

1 minute ago, Eladnolnod said:

Also moving to LA once I have my visa!

 

We should have a VJ get together... socially distant of course ha!

 

 

Yes! That would be fantastic! LA is huge.. mind me asking where you’re off to? I’ll be in El Segundo.. right by the beach 🙂 

[Morgan5698 58]

3 minutes ago, Gaz1a said:

Exciting, I'm on the same path. Joining my wife in LA as soon as I get my damn LND number... @Morgan5698 is also moving to LA. I'm sure there are a few others!

Yeah man! Gaz1a and I have already decided that the beers are on the one who gets there first! Happy to expand the pool of competition! @Eladnolnod and @LondonerCat 🍺

[LondonerCat 38]

1 minute ago, Morgan5698 said:

Yeah man! Gaz1a and I have already decided that the beers are on the one who gets there first! Happy to expand the pool of competition! @Eladnolnod and @LondonerCat 🍺

I’m in!🍻 

 

We should definitely set up a page/ message/ WhatsApp! 

[Eladnolnod 36]

@LondonerCat I’ll be in Long Beach for the first couple months and then we will be moving - we aren’t sure where yet though. 
 

Glad to see there will be a few of us out there going through the same settling in process. 
 

I just got done with my medical down in London today... the heat down here is my training for moving there 😂

[Gaz1a 22]

You guys are ahead of me, so beers will definitely not be on me ha my wife is there now with our dog, sucks that I haven’t had my LND yet but can’t really do much about it!

 

So my wife was born and raised there, so yeah a nice little group of friends and family! And I’ve ask a few friends to introduce me to colleagues and friends too as I’m in the same boat... it will be a brand new environment even though I’ve been there many times.

 

Lucky to be staying with family in WeHo but we are already starting to look at places in East LA probably! I’d love to live by the ocean but you don’t get as much for your money so maybe in a few years  

 

Glad we got a nice little group, hopefully more! Happy to join a WhatsApp group or whatever. 

[JFH 12,189]

22 minutes ago, LondonerCat said:

Hi all! 
 

I have my interview booked for my CR1 application later this month and if all goes well, planning to leave the U.K. to be with my husband at the end of September. 
 

I’ve just got back from a lovely trip to see him. I guess the thought of actually moving is setting in. I’ve been so consumed with excitement and anticipation that now it’s starting to feel very real. 
 

I’m learning to drive, have a plan with regards to finding work but I have no friends in LA. My husband isn’t especially social so doesn’t have a big friendship group like I do. I will my friends and family dearly and would love to make some british friends abroad - I think it will really help settle my inevitable homesickness. 
 

I was wondering if anyone has any experiencing with ex-pat ‘find a friend’ groups/ pages? I couldn’t see anything on here.

 

Thank you all! 🙂 

Not in LA but on the west coast. I just wanted to say good luck for your interview. We have the same wedding anniversary! September 27! 
 

 

Edited August 7, 2020 by JFH

[Morgan5698 58]

So we will be moving initially to Whittier but settling in Long Beach for a couple of years. I was fortunate enough to get a transfer with work. Would love to meet up with you guys so hey, ping me a private message and we can get an LA. WhatsApp thing going @LondonerCat. Also great that we have the same interview date! Mine is at 10, how about yours? You see @Gaz1a thinks I’ll be there before him but I’m really not sure about that! And @Eladnolnod how was your medical? Mines next Friday 

Edited August 8, 2020 by Morgan5698

[Morgan5698 58]

8 hours ago, JFH said:

Not in LA but on the west coast. I just wanted to say good luck for your interview. We have the same wedding anniversary! September 27! 
 

Congratulations! 

[LondonerCat 38]

16 hours ago, JFH said:

Not in LA but on the west coast. I just wanted to say good luck for your interview. We have the same wedding anniversary! September 27! 
 

 

Thank you! 🙂 

[Eladnolnod 36]

@Morgan5698 The medical was pretty straightforward.

 

It seems I caught them on a busy day and they strictly only allow entrance at your appointment time.

 

I was in and out in just under an hour and filled some paperwork out on arrival. First I gave a urine sample (thankfully as I had been drinking water since leaving the house and wouldn’t have lasted any longer 😂) I was then taken for a chest x-ray, then a nurse verified my vaccinations (I didn’t need any) then was taken by the doctor for a quick height/weight/eyesight check. Stripped down to underwear and a brief check of the stomach etc was carried out. Got dressed and then a blood sample was taken, paid at reception and then was on my merry way.

 

They said the test results take 2-3 working days to come back to them and if I didn’t hear from them all is good (no news is good news).

 

Everyone is really friendly and the whole process was very fast and efficient. 
 

Best of luck! 

[Eladnolnod 36]

Has anybody thought about how easy it’s going to be to try and get a drivers license once we are there? 
 

We aren’t really sure what the deal is with the DMV right now. I hope it’s open and we are able to schedule appointments to get a permit and sit the tests ASAP.

[Morgan5698 58]

1 hour ago, Eladnolnod said:

 The medical was pretty straightforward.

Thanks for the info! It's good to hear all is going smoothly there. I'll make note to not get there early. Also good to know it was all done in under an hour as my wife is coming up to London with me (We live in Brighton) so gives me an idea how long she'll be waiting around for. I think I need 2 jabs so might be an extra 5 mins! 

 

1 hour ago, Eladnolnod said:

Has anybody thought about how easy it’s going to be to try and get a drivers license once we are there? 
 

We aren’t really sure what the deal is with the DMV right now. I hope it’s open and we are able to schedule appointments to get a permit and sit the tests ASAP.

 My father in law is actually a part time driving instructor. He said he's super busy at present so I assume by that they must be doing tests. I'll ask him more when I speak to him later.