London Meet Ups?

Hi everyone.
I have been here for about 5 weeks now and desperately need to meet some expats as I'm having the same challenges as others who have posted in the weeks after their move here.  I have just moved to South East London from New York City (30 year old designer who is desperately looking for a job also if anyone has connections).  Let me know if there are any events planned that I could crash.  I joined a "meet up" group but found that most of the people who attended the US Ex Pat group event,  were people who just "liked Americans"...so much that I got asked out on one occasion...if I were single, that would have been great but I'm just trying to find FRIENDS!!!!...normal friends...lol.

Hi there. I was living in SE1 up to about two weeks ago and am now in the SW2 until the end of the month. I hope southeast London is treating you well!

What sort of design work are you looking for? I don't exactly have any connections right now, but might be able to point you in a few directions. I'm just finishing an MA from the London College of Communication which is very design-oriented, so my uni has tonnes of stuff posted advertising for designers.

I know there's a London book group on UKY that you can look into, and there are plenty of us around who are always happy to meet up with a fellow american!

I am an Accessories Designer and worked for 7 years in New York for Coach and J. Crew.  I'm looking for Men's and Women's accessories opportunities (specifically designing bags).

Anyway,  I will look into the book group and appreciate your response!!!  Best of luck w/school!!!

My uni is part of the University of the Arts London, which includes the London College of Fashion and Central St Martin's College of Art and Design. They do have a job listings page that might be of interest to you. You don't have to be a student to access it: http://my.arts.ac.uk/student/
It's at the bottom of the page under "creative careers". Most of them are catered to entry-level designers, but it might not hurt to keep an eye on that page in case something pops up. Good luck with the job search!

Thanks,  I really appreciate the help!

Welcome from a fellow NYer!  I'm in SW London as well, but hope your move and transition is going well!

I moved her about 10 months ago from NYC (29 yr old female social worker) and am still having a hard time with the transition, it takes awhile. Meetups are the best places honestly. There are tons of them and so many people looking for friends. The Expat American one (if run by Wilber Webb) kinda sucks but there are others. It helps when there is a reason for the meetup like when the World Cup games were going on.
I live in North London but am always willing to travel or meet up so message me 

I live and work in NW London and willing to meet up with an expat...I work with a ton of Americans so can introduce you to a ton of people too.  Just pm me!

Coincidentally, I came across an American meetup by chance when we stopped to let DD play at the playground at Bloomsbury Square.  We were on our way back to Kings Cross Station after visiting the US Embassy.  I didn't say anything to 'em, as we were short on time, but it looked like an American family was organising it for American Uni students.

After living in Yorkshire, where American accents are pretty rare, when I went to London I was in American overload.  It's too hard at times to pick out in overhearing someone if they're a tourist or expat (unless you're evesdropping).   

After living in Yorkshire, where American accents are pretty rare...

Maybe in Sheffield?  I think there are quite a few Americans around here - every time I turn around, I'm hearing another American accent in my town, I can't get away from them!    (Ok, I know a few of them personally too, but I'm talking in addition to that.)

Even more Americans if you go further on to Harrogate. 

Yorkshire is a big place - maybe they're all in West & North Yorks? 

Yorkshire is a big place - maybe they're all in West & North Yorks? 

I think so.   

I mean, I know there are Americans around here (a few live near me), but it's not inherently obvious that there is a (big) populace...  I think part of how you can judge an American populace is that there are American import shops nearby, which I'm afraid Sheffield and the surrounding area is sorely lacking.  Not that I expect anyone to change it, but it's just you notice where the shops are centred and if you look at meetup groups you notice where most people live straight away.

I know and expect there to be Americans in Sheffield near the Universities, and some of the bigger companies / banks.  But, as for Americans living here...      (Maybe I'm just pedantic.)

I think part of how you can judge an American populace is that there are American import shops nearby, which I'm afraid Sheffield and the surrounding area is sorely lacking.  

Yeah, we don't have too many of those, well except for the base near Harrogate, of course, but that's like 'mini-America' there - not somewhere that I can go though.  Lol!  However, I know if I go to this sweet shop, or that deli, I can get Reeses peanut butter cups & things like that.  When I first moved here, I thought I must be the only American living in my town.  Now there's Andee & sarahjoyhappy too.  But not only them, I end up being surprised at others that I run across as well, & Andee has had some come into the shop too I think, plus I work with another American (there was a third at work who died this week), so we are definitely about.  Though maybe not the quantity of population to which you are referring?

I told DH one day - geez, no matter where I go, there's an American there!  He said, yeah, I know how that feels.  

I told DH one day - geez, no matter where I go, there's an American there!  He said, yeah, I know how that feels.  

   lol.

Sadly, I'm pretty sure (or at least I was - they've been building housing estates up around here) that I'm the only American in the village.  Sadly, I'm not getting out and about as much as I used to when I was working.  I used to work with a few Americans too - made for interesting calls between departments.     I've only ever had the experience once of practically walking down the street (well tram) in Sheffield to come across another American.  Coincidentally we'd been talking to each other via here and FB, so knew what each other looked like...  Around here, however it's pretty obvious straight away if you come across another American if they're a tourist or if they live here, not quite so confusing as London or the big tourist areas.  I think I was in American accent sensory overload in London and Stonehenge a couple weeks ago.  On one hand, I wanted to follow them around and talk to them, but on the other hand (probably the Anglicised / Yorkshirised part of me just wanted to keep the distance - head down and carry on).  Now I sound like a complete weirdo...   

On one hand, I wanted to follow them around and talk to them, but on the other hand (probably the Anglicised / Yorkshirised part of me just wanted to keep the distance - head down and carry on).  Now I sound like a complete weirdo...   

I know exactly what you mean! I worked in a large museum in London for a while and would always hear americans and wish they would ask me questions so I could interact with americans, but then I would get annoyed because I was always surrounded by americans! Although I really enjoyed it when I did get to talk to them because my job was hellishly boring and they would talk to me for a while.

I am an Accessories Designer and worked for 7 years in New York for Coach and J. Crew.  I'm looking for Men's and Women's accessories opportunities (specifically designing bags).

Anyway,  I will look into the book group and appreciate your response!!!  Best of luck w/school!!!

Hi there.  Not sure if you are still looking for work, but I am also a designer(apparel) and use a couple of sites when looking for related work (including accessories design!).  They are:

www.retailchoice.com [nofollow]  

and

www.drapersonline.com [nofollow]

sometimes you have to register with a recruiter, but I've applied for posts directly to the company through these sites and have gotten through. Good luck!