GAL needn't involve friends, and it can be a way of making friends. It is really something to keep you busy, focused and have your mind off your sitch. At a basic level, it could be cooking yourself a nice dinner, or giving the car a good clean. It could be a dentist appointment, or going for a massage. It could be a class, or getting fit, or it could be a social event.
What I did was come up with a list of 10 things I would like to do locally. Inevitably, when you start exploring them, they don't always come off. But my early GAL included:
Volunteering at a charity bookstore Calligraphy Group that has monthly workshops Book Group Tai Chi class
Have a think and make yourself a list to work from. Just getting the GAL underway yourself gives you a focus. Have a think - if I had come to the US, not to be with my W, what sort of things would I like to be doing?
A list of 10 GAL items that take up X many hours a week that don't involve the WAS. What a great way to GAL. Things that you want to to, that you get into that have nothing to do with them.
