AN AUSTRALIAN woman has used The Northern Echo's community website to contact other foreigners in the area.
Rosie Anderson, who emigrated to Darlington in September, has set up the Antipodean Group, advertised on Communigate, as a support network for overseas visitors.
"The other day I got talking to an American girl about visa issues and I realised we had a lot of the same problems," said Rosie, originally from Sydney.
"It occurred to me that perhaps if I had known other people in town I may have been able to ask them things."
The Aussie has found it hard to meet other foreigners after being used to large cosmopolitan cities.
Rosie emigrated to marry a Darlington man she met in Sydney just over a year ago. The couple are expecting their first baby.
The mother-to-be likes the town but misses the familiarity of home.
"I've included links to Australian news and music on the site. There is also a link to an Australian site in London.
"You can order Australian food, chips and lollies, that you just can't get here. I've had a bit of Australia delivered to my doorstep."
Rosie hopes that the group will be able to meet up and share common interests: "I would have loved to have gone out and watched the cricket with other Australians.
"I don't know where the group is going to end up. We might just go out for a drink but it should be fun," she said.
To contact Rosie via email, or find out more about the group log on to
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