To New Friends

Afternoon Tea.

2.30pm - 5pm.

What an easy way to spend a few hours with (potential) new friends.

It's not as formal or long as 'come for dinner or lunch' and more friendly than 'let's go out'


"There's a new girl in class from Sydney" MissM announced a few weeks ago. "Great" I said.
"Can you call her mum and ask them over? I bet you'll get on well with her'

As our current school doesn't have class reps, it's up to the kids to tell you things. Class lists are complied by 'a mum' but it can take time for the information to filter from child to mum to email. It's really frustrating!

I emailed MrP, and said, MissM said there's a new girl in class from Sydney. Please pass my email address and mobile phone number to her mum and ask her to call me to organise a coffee' He replied, thank you for your generosity. I will be sure to do that today.

Generosity????? Really? Maybe it is .............. but all I was thinking was, what a crappy time to start school, 3 weeks before the long summer break! I remember how we felt arriving in Yokohama mid-year (January) and the incredible warm welcome we received. The invitations to join in were instant. We arrived in Winchester just after the October mid-term and it took ages for anyone to say hello at pick up time, let alone invite MissM  or me, let alone all 3 of us over for a mere coffee.

Landing well, fitting in quickly are so important!

For all sorts of reasons, we never made it to coffee so I invited them over for afternoon tea instead.

They've only just left a few hours ago and like I've said before, there's something open and bare about expats .... we just talk, and work out ways to connect, to share, to fit in, to make others welcome.

We've all been NEW.

We've all arrived not knowing anyone or anything about our new home.

We've all needed help working out the mundane of shopping, doctors, hairdressers, along with the 'how to's' or 'where' of our new city.

When you find commonality and can laugh (one of the best indicators of a potential friend in my opinion) you are on your way to a new friend.

It most definitely helps when the husbands get along - I've mentioned Girl Dating before (can't find the chat, might have to do another one) and believe me, nothing kills the girl-dating process faster than introducing the husbands.

G and MrL connected; there was a few chuckles, a bit of industry chat, and bit of domestic maintenance conversations, limited sports but enough to work out they share an enjoyment of golf; MrsL's a hoot! Between her thick Scottish accent, and her sense of humor we shared a few laugh-out-loud moments.

MissM and MissF seem to be getting along really well which is lovely.

To top it all off, the sun shone, the sky was blue and my Chocolate Chiffon cake was perfection.

We set up the outdoor table and chairs, and even had the umbrella up.

Do you 'do' afternoon tea?

What do you love to serve?

Do you prefer entertaining over lunch or dinner?

Formal or informal?

What a great way to start a New Friendship,

With friendship
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