Feeling at ‘home’ in new town?

[Squigglydums]

For those who have moved towns, specifically settling down with family- when did you start feeling ‘at home’ in the new town (if you did)? Keen to also know if you moved from a city to the suburbs or vice versa. I’ll go first - moved from a large city to the suburbs and it has been 4 years and I am still not sure if I feel at home.

I moved from town to a large village about 15 years ago, I settled quite quickly, took about a year to make some friends, having young kids really helped. Now dc are nearly grown I’m feeling itchy feet, work has become the priority, I’m not at home as much as I was when the kids were little, not socialising with the women I made friends with as much, we’re all busy. But do actually have time with DH now, which is nice. This is the longest by far I’ve ever lived in one place. I would like to go back to living in a city.

Moved from the suburbs to semi rural 36 years ago, hated the first few years but would never move back now.

That sounds fulfilling. I’m usually pretty good at making friends but not doing too well here. Even with the kids lol. What does DH think about moving to the city?

How long did you give it to adjust?

I moved from suburban north Bristol to a satellite town 25 years ago and before I had DS.
I was homesick for the old house (even though the old house was only bought to get us on the housing ladder and I never totally loved it) and DH and I were both shift working (usually opposing ones).
We did 2 things. We both went on to fixed shifts with our respective employers. We also made a point of trying the various pubs - there was 10 àt the time- to find one where the staff and regulars were welcoming.
With the house, it started to feel like home when we extended and the last of the previous owners taste was no longer around us.

Moved from London to a market town in Oxfordshire. Took me a good 3 years.

I found the suburbs of a commuter town the most difficult place to feel at home. Even having young kids.

i live in the centre of a small city now and feel really at home.

He likes it here, it took him much longer, but now he has friends, likes the local pub, I’m floating it as a 10 year plan. Not sure if we will move. Think it will also depend on where the kids end up.

I moved five months ago from a big city to a small coastal town. Before I moved, I already looked up and booked into some social hobbies. Within two months I made a lot of local connections, volunteered at couple of events, unexpectedly got an offer to run a weekly class. I very much feel rooted in the area.
The issue is, it was always meant to be a stop gap and I am due to return to the city in two months and I am absolutely heartbroken to leave all of this behind.

I moved from the city to a mid size rural town twenty years ago. I kind of regret it. I want to move back now the kids are raised but I don’t think I can afford the city. I never settled.

I moved from one tiny village to another, approx 1hrs drive from each other. I moved alone, so it's me, myself and I that have to try and fit in.

I did make a valiant start as I went to the local pub on my own a few times and started chatting with the locals, and it was so nice when I walked in to have the landlord say 'hiya' and wave. But he has now left and I haven't been for a few months ... and I feel I have to start all over again.

Being a small village, not a lot really happens. There are no local events to be honest, just the pub and small village shop. There was an army memorial event that happened a few months ago that I went along to. Everyone was chatting away and when I turned up, no one spoke to me. I'm a little shy and I don't feel comfortable busting in on someone else's conversation, so I just stood on my own and felt a prize pillock.