6 months new to the UK! Chichester/bognor area Tryin to connect with other Yanks

Finally settling down and starting to feel more at home (not without the occasional home sick strikes). I am desperate to relate to someone other than my husband, and it hit me! I forgot all about this site! I got some advice from here while being in the visa process. But now that I'm here, I'm finding myself more and more desperate for friendship. I hate to admit it but it is like murder finding friends here. I am rarely a girl that gets intimidated, but the women I have come across here are not the most friendliest. The ones that don't seem too friendly, have a very (high school-esque attitude). I have found a couple girls... And actually it is just that, a couple (2 girls to be exact). Although they are sweet, I wouldn't really consider them to be close friends. I don't know if its just the fact that we come from totally different backgrounds, so it leaves little room for common interests. Or if they just don't get me. I don't know if its an open mindedness issue, or if they just plain out dont like me ):.  With that being said, I am hoping someday I will beable to connect with someone in this country and make some sort of friends. Because with me being a stay at home mommy, I have no one to talk about anything, and quite frankly I'm going stir crazy! AHH. If I cannot find any fellow yanks in my area, I know, at least I can relate to the people on this site! I enjoy all the stories/tips/ and news on here! And I look forward to reading more. It

Hi!
Sorry it's been rough for you to meet people/friends. How old is/are your child/children? Are there any mommy groups you could look into?

Do you think the difficulty of finding friends is particular the the area you live in? The town? Is there any chance of branching out further?

I'm not a person who makes friends easily, so I feel for you.

One is just 2 months, and the other is 4 years of age.

 I have heard of some groups but have not really had the time to look into them. My 4 year old is in a reception class now, and I think I maybe should have kept her out until she was 5. Considering everything it took for us to come here, and everything that has happened with us just in the last year it would have been for the best.

During that time, I was just so clouded and wasn't thinking properly about anything. My mother inlaw actually signed my daughter into school, with out giving me much of a say, quite frankly looking at it now, I really didn't know what I was in for.

I have to walk an hour to get her to school and an hour to get her home every day, which it is much colder than I am even used to. On top of that, I have a husband and my 4 year old to cook for, a 2 month old baby to look after, and laundry/house chores that seem endless.

My husband tells me to go out and mingle, and believe me I've tried. It just seems like its the women in this general area.. Possibly? Although, I have not had much of a chance to go outside of this area.

The women I do go around every day are the ones at the school. This might sound so crazy, but its like they all form a circle and they look at me so strangely. I have tried to say hello to some of them, and they just look at me as if I am from outer space. It is just really sad, because my daughter got invited to a birthday party, which I took her to. And I am not exaggerating when I say this but, the other mothers actually sat with each other and I saw alone in the corner. The only person that talked to me was the mother that thew the party. I only think she talked to me to be nice, because I showed up, when at the school she does the same as the rest.

But oh well, I've given up with that bunch. It just gets really hard, especially on days when I'm feeling down, and thinking about the fact that the only people I talk to are my husband (when hes home from work, and not too tired to actually pay attention) or my 4 year old. I need contact from an outside source or I'm going to go insane! I have no family here, and am rarely in contact with them, because of the time difference between us, and I don't have much time to skype with them, when its convenient for either of us. Oh, I don't know.

That sounds really rough. I feel for you, not sure how I would manage myself. If your mother in law took it upon herself to sign your daughter up for school, then she can take her and pick her up. Or could your husband help with it one of the ways- to school or home? I guess you have to take your 2 month old with you when you walk the 4 year old to and from school, too? That would seriously irritate me, having to do all that when I did not even think the 4 year old was ready for school. There is no school closer?
As for the group of women, that sounds rough too. Sounds like they have all known each other for a long time, or maybe even their whole lives and are unaccepting of newcomers. Maybe you need to just be a little pushier, step out of the comfort zone and do what you can to include yourself. I know that does not sound fun, I'd personally hate to do it, but maybe if they see you're going to include yourself regardless of how much they talk to you then they will begin to include you.

It is irritating, and yes, I do take the 2 month old with me. My husband works during the days so he isn't here for her to be dropped off or picked up. It makes me really regret not learning to drive a stick shift when I had a chance. I have talked to someone today funny enough, and we texted pretty much all night, and made plans to get together on friday. Her daughter is going to come over and make cakes with my daughter. And shes kind of in the same situation as I am. Only shes from the UK shes just moved into this area though, but my daughter adores her daughter. I'm sure there is a school closer but my daughter was signed up for this school before we even really moved here. My mother in law works there so she did all of that for us I'm sure she didnt think of all the pressure and how hard it would be for me. If it were up to me though I wouldn't have signed her up for school until next year. I just didn't even know what was happening though because the visa process was frustrating, and to top that off, I had to deal with the death of my 4 year olds father in march just a month and a half before we moved here, whom I was still very close to, all at the same time. Needless to say, the last 6 months have been an emotional roller coaster for me, and I have just been gliding along all dazed and confused. Haha I just need a break from reality for a second lol I think! Being around 2 kids all day long and never seeing or speaking to any other adults besides my husband and his mother and father is really making me crazy! There has to be a light at the end of the tunnel! I'm sure! Positive thinking..

Hi, Ashleykanee. I'm up the coast near Rye...not close enough to do you any good.

It'll be three years for me next week and, looking back, that first year is just a blur. Even though I'd spent a lot of time in the UK for more than ten years, being a full-timer was very hard. And I didn't have kids to deal with.

It gets better, I swear.