[bikerman]

Hi All,

We learnt a lot from this forum when in the UK before we came to live in Wellington & now feel the need to learn more ?? We've been here for 3 months now and although we love Wellington we are finding it difficult to meet and make new friends ! We are perhaps a bit older than most who come to NZ for the first time ( 48 & 54 ) but we love socialising / dinner parties etc... & meeting interesting new people - but we're finding it difficult to do as a couple ........ i think we need to be a bit 'braver' ? suggestions welcome please

Steve & Fiona

[victoria24]

i find being a musician helps me as common ground for meeting people. do you play anything?

[Carol]

Hi Steve and Fiona....

:-)
First of all - welcome to Wellington .....

As this is your first post its hard to know how to suggest you meeting other folks..... eg do you have kids with you, what are your interests etc?

Perhaps you could be even braver and share a wee bit....


:nice1

btw.... can I ask about the "bike"?
I only ask as my hubby has just started a love affair with a Honda CB 500
:D

[icemaiden]

Hi both,

OH and I have discussed this a lot. We are just a little bit older than you (49 and 59) and allthough our son will be in NZ too, he will be down in Queenstown so we will have no-one apart from ourselves. We hope to be in Wellington by Christmas 2009 and plan to do a lot of walking, take up canoeing, and we also thought we might take a few golf lessons. I would imagine that all three of these activities would get us out and about and meeting new people. We also hope to make the most of meeting fellow forumites who organise occasional get togethers. Although like everyone else we do not want to just socialise in an ex pat community, it will at least give us people to meet who have been in exactly the same situation. I believe there is a very good zoo in Wellington and you may find volunteering opportunities there which would also help you to meet people.

I seem to recall seeing a Wellington meet up on these posts in the last week or so - perhaps you could try a search. I know its difficult when you don't have younger children to 'break the ice', so to speak, but from what I read on these postings everyone - expat and Kiwi alike - seems incredibly friendly. Also, as Carol says, if your forum name is because you are into bikes of one kind or another then that opens up a whole new area again. Good luck.

[Maxx]

Hiya,

Not out in NZ yet, but the thing that's really good around here is meetup.com. It's a worldwide thing for meeting people with similar interests. I'm sure there will be meetup groups in NZ and if there's nothing around in Wellington that you like then start one! It seems really easy.

I'm a member of a book group and film group in the UK and I've met loads of great people through it. You see all sorts of groups on there. It's also something I used in my ITA interview for explaining how I would integrate in NZ. I plan to as and when I get there.

Other things I would suggest are going on walks (with a dog seems great for chatting to people), taking courses, doing some communal sports, etc. Anything like that.

Max

[JandM]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.:)

[Alive&Kicking]

Hi both,

I seem to recall seeing a Wellington meet up on these posts in the last week or so - perhaps you could try a search. .

Check: www.wellyrocks.com

Cheers,
Anita

[bikerman]

Thankyou all for the responses & the Wellyrocks link.* OK here's a bit more ...........* I suppose it hasn't helped comming to NZ at the start of the winter ( we arrived late May ) - so apart from weekends its not really been possible to enjoy the fantastic outdoors & then if the weekend happens to be rubbish weather !!* well you're then stuffed till the next weekend.* Also the 1st 2 months here without our furniture & personal stuff did get very tedious, and combined with the pressure to 'settle in' ........ me into new job, Matthew into a new school, Fiona looking for a part time job.* It has taken a lot out of us !I'm a very outdoors person ( bikes, mountaineering, canoeing, etc. ) Fiona very much less so, we do enjoy walks and site seeing, but its the stimulating adult companionship, conversation & socialising as a couple that we are missing.* We have recently joined a wine club and have even thought about starting Salsa lessons !* Our social life is limited by babysitting requirements as we have an 11 year old boy.*** All this 'settling in' is against a backdrop of moving here with only 5 months planning, WE also both are missing our daughters, Fiona has 2 duaghters in the UK and I have 1 daughter in Finland and 2 daughters in the UK.It's proving tougher than we expected !** ( financially also ! basic items are so expensive here ? )Steve & Fiona

[barryp]

I walk by Latinos Bar at least once each week - they give salsa lessons. The clientele is diverse, and the good vibe practically pulls me in from the sidewalk.

Adult education is also a pretty good way to meet people with similar interests, IMO.

[Ana&Steve]

I don't know what line of work you are in but there is an IT group that meets for "Thursday Night Curry" at Dawatts(sp) on Manners. It's a flat $30 per for food and drinks and the crowd is quite diverse in age, ethnicity, and background. We went twice during our last stay and it was very enjoyable!

[welshman213]

I don't know what line of work you are in but there is an IT group that meets for "Thursday Night Curry" at Dawatts(sp) on Manners. It's a flat $30 per for food and drinks and the crowd is quite diverse in age, ethnicity, and background. We went twice during our last stay and it was very enjoyable!

Please find Link, "Thursday Night Curry" (http://wellington.thursdaynightcurry.com/), Sounds interesting, might have to pop along on my reccie in April.

John

[thewoodies]

The golf club - if you play? There are always evening do's and events going on my parents whole lives are now aroung the golf club and they have lots of friends. That is UK but im sure its the same in NZ.

GOOD lUCK:D