I'm loving Kent! Any other Kent expats out there?

I am SO loving Kent. There are parts that we drive thru that remind me of the Ohio/Pennsylvania area where I grew up. It really is a homecoming for me.

About me...
I have been on this site for about a year or so when my hubby & I decided to make the move. He & our two kids moved here last August (in time for school), whilst I stayed behind in Chicago to sell our business, house & all our stuff. I finally arrived here (4-eva!) this August. So after 2 months here, I am REALLY loving this area!

I have made a few new friends in my area and my driving is improving. I'm still looking for a job and have a lot of time on my hands. I've joined the Instagrammers Ashford group (I love photography), but they're fairly new & I haven't made it to one of the 2 meetups they've had yet.

I've started this thread to see who else lives in my area, what you do for fun, what "must see" places/things you can recommend to me (my Aunt is coming for a visit next month) and find out if there are any fun groups to get involved with in this area. I've heard of some business women's groups that you have to pay to join, but I'm just interested in exploring the area and finding new friends to meet for tea or a pint.

Please feel free to chime in your own history & story... and if you want to meet up sometime, let me know!

Thanks,
Shelly

Hi Shelly!

Hubby and I live in Beckenham, Kent and LOVE it there.  It's close enough to have an easy commute into London, but removed enough that we don't feel like we have the busyness of the City.  Coming home is like going back to our own retreat. 

We don't have a car, so we've only explored some of our area via bus so far.  We'll probably venture out a bit more over the coming weeks.  We just moved there a little less than a month ago, so we have some time as we don't plan to move out of the area any time soon.

Hello Shelly,

I have lived here in Kent since February 2010......The hubby and I used to go to all the horse shows as he was the Founder of the Southeast Eventers League.  Unfortunately he stepped down from that position in December 2010 as his health was declining due to the stress and the MS was beginning to take its toll on him.  He is still President of the Borde Hill Horse Trials which is held on his families estate in Haywards Heath, so we attend that every year plus the unaffiliated horse trials held there in the fall.  We lived in Tunbridge Wells for the first year then found and bought a Park Home in Knatts Valley in the spring of 2011.  We love it here, it is so peaceful and lovely!!!!  I have not met up with anyone in person as of yet but one day I will be able to do that, I think it would be very exciting!!!!!  Anyway there are several castles in the area that are very lovely to visit, like Leeds and Sheffield Park in East Sussex is a good place.  Unfortunately most of the lovely gardens are closed like Borde Hill but you might want to check into some of them and see if any are open in November.  I just loved to be able to get out and see the country side and the wonderful buildings in many of the smaller villages.  Just go out and enjoy and maybe next summer will be a better one, no rain and more sunshine, for us to get out and meet up with a few of you.......take care!!!!!!