Hello UK!!!!

Hello to everyone,

My name is Megan and I am currently living in Hastings, a great town by the ocean. I work online, so it gives me the chance to travel and live in places I love. I adore England and came during the summer and met some amazing people! I had a bestie and we did everything together! Mostly superhero movies, comic book stores, museums and it was wonderful. He went back home and I am hoping to meet cool people again.

We literally met at a restaurant and it was just magic and luck! I wanted to see whats the best way to meet people? And how to do so? I am a huge geek and love going to castles and seeing everything. I would love to meet more awesome people and make friends. So if anyone can give me great advice, I am down!

I've never been on a forum before so this is a first, exciting 

Thank You!
Megan

Hello and welcome!

I met a lot of people when I took a volleyball class at the local school.  Before I knew it, I was down at the pub with 10 people. 

You are so lucky to live in Hastings, Im nuts for the south coast.  If I were you and not as old and working as I am, I would be volunteering at the life boat station.  Dungeness might be a bit far, but in a perfect world that would be it for me.

Why not take up Kitesurfing at Camber sands?  You will meet tons of people and if you are a single woman then you'll get lots of attention. 

Hello to everyone,

My name is Megan and I am currently living in Hastings, a great town by the ocean. I work online, so it gives me the chance to travel and live in places I love. I adore England and came during the summer and met some amazing people! I had a bestie and we did everything together! Mostly superhero movies, comic book stores, museums and it was wonderful. He went back home and I am hoping to meet cool people again.

We literally met at a restaurant and it was just magic and luck! I wanted to see whats the best way to meet people? And how to do so? I am a huge geek and love going to castles and seeing everything. I would love to meet more awesome people and make friends. So if anyone can give me great advice, I am down!

I've never been on a forum before so this is a first, exciting 

Thank You!
Megan

Hi Megan, welcome! 

If you are a non UK, non EU citizen, are you in the UK on a visa which permits you to work?
I ask, as work of any sort is not permitted as a visitor, even working remotely online but not everyone is aware of this.   

Sorry if I accidentally told you to go volunteer, that may have been bad advice based on the above. 

...We literally met at a restaurant and it was just magic and luck!

I can think of worse ways to meet people than magic and luck.

As someone who does a lot of cycling, I've met people that way. If you're into running (possibly away from zombies), there's a jolly looking group event on the Hastings seafront every Saturday morning.

Have fun while you're in Hastings, it's a unique place.

Hi Megan, welcome! 

If you are a non UK, non EU citizen, are you in the UK on a visa which permits you to work?
I ask, as work of any sort is not permitted as a visitor, even working remotely online but not everyone is aware of this.   

Hello,

I spoke to the people at customs about my job and everything checked out fine. Im only here for a few months so not very long. Thank you for your post.

- Megan

I can think of worse ways to meet people than magic and luck.

As someone who does a lot of cycling, I've met people that way. If you're into running (possibly away from zombies), there's a jolly looking group event on the Hastings seafront every Saturday morning.




Have fun while you're in Hastings, it's a unique place.

Thank you so much, I think Hastings is so amazing and I look forward to doing everything I can here! I started at a gym and have met some cool people. I run at the gym, but running outside may be the best way to make friends and see this beautiful area.

Magic and luck is the best!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry if I accidentally told you to go volunteer, that may have been bad advice based on the above.

I would love to volunteer with animals or kids. I'm going to look more into it, thank you so much for the great suggestion!

- Megan

Hello,

I spoke to the people at customs about my job and everything checked out fine. Im only here for a few months so not very long. Thank you for your post.

- Megan

Customs officers don't deal with immigration matters, do you mean that you spoke with an immigration officer about your job and they told you that you can work remotely while you are here in the UK?  If so I think there must have been some sort of misunderstanding at the border because you can't do that.

From the .gov site on Visitor Visas.

https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor-visa/overview

You can’t:

    do paid or unpaid work
    live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent visits
    get public funds
    marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership

Read the guidance for more information about what you can and can’t do with a Standard Visitor visa.

Here is the full guidance.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/490874/Visitor_guidance_v4_0.pdf

I would love to volunteer with animals or kids. I'm going to look more into it, thank you so much for the great suggestion!

- Megan

This is the guidance regarding volunteering.

Volunteering
Appendix 3 allows visitors to undertake volunteering (not voluntary work) provided volunteering is not the main purpose of the visit, it is for a registered charity and will be no longer than 30 days in total. Where an individual is looking to come to the UK specifically to volunteer they must be refused. Volunteering and voluntary workers are provided for in Tier 5 Charity worker route of the points-based system. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/490874/Visitor_guidance_v4_0.pdf

Customs officers don't deal with immigration matters, do you mean that you spoke with an immigration officer about your job and they told you that you can work remotely while you are here in the UK?  If so I think there must have been some sort of misunderstanding at the border because you can't do that.

From the .gov site on Visitor Visas.

https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor-visa/overview

Here is the full guidance.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/490874/Visitor_guidance_v4_0.pdf

Thank you for you concern over my life. YES I HAVE A VISA. I would love to talk about things to do in Southern England over something that has nothing to do with the question I asked. I can't I can't.

People are only trying to ensure that you don't fall foul of UK immigration laws, that's why you were asked about your visa/lack of visa and to whom you spoke at the airport.

If you should want to return to the UK in the future and it is found that you have been working illegally, you could find yourself with an entry ban.

As for that part of the country I don't know it myself but look out in the local paper/Facebook etc for upcoming events that might interest you and go along.

Welcome! I'd like to suggest the library. Just pop in and peek at the activities board.

I was going to suggest a ghost walk, as she's gone guest, but that ship too has gone Mary Celeste.

Thank you for you concern over my life. YES I HAVE A VISA. I would love to talk about things to do in Southern England over something that has nothing to do with the question I asked. I can't I can't.

Immigration rules have tightened significantly over recent years because of abuse of the immigration rules (not saying you are abusing them, just in general abuse has happened).

This means that many people now fall foul unintentionally. A visitor visa (stamp at the airport or applied for in advance) does not allow any type of work, even remote working. It catches a lot of people out. If you ever tried to come to the UK and it transpires you fell foul of the rules (bank statements showing payment, email history etc...) could leave you upset, confused and with a ban. It would hurt your immigration records to other countries to.

I think Larabee is just trying to make sure you don't harm your immigration record, even if it was only because you didn't know the rules (and let's face it, one doesn't tend to know the rules unless you do masses of research. I haven't a clue of US rules!!!).

Not sure if you're aware, but your post in response to possibly helpful information is really rude by British standards (not sure about American ones...). Comes off as quite childish, which again leads me to believe you might be working illegally.... because of ignorance to the rules. So now you aren't ignorant, and you can make an informed choice about YOUR LIFE. Do with this information what you will.