Have a yarn — Franzus Social
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G'day

Mateship, monthly,
and familiarity
without the plane ride.

If you've made it
this far, let's
have a yarn.

You probably saw a post or got a DM. Quick version of what we're building, and why.

Dallas live. Houston Wed 10 June. NYC Wed 8 July.

§
Andrew Kidd, founder of Franzus Social
Who is this bloke?A fair question

Andrew. Kiwi. Six years in Dallas.

Grew up on a farm outside Cambridge, Waikato. Did my time in Auckland, then seven years in Brisbane — practically an Aussie. Dragged my better half (an actual Aussie) over to Dallas seven years ago.

Franzus Social is the thing I built for myself. Turns out, for a lot of you too.

You can build a full life in this country and still notice something's off. It's not loneliness — I've got plenty of people. It's that Americans just don't get "yeah, nah." And explaining jokes kills a good yarn.

The big corporate networking nights are empty. The once-a-year gatherings are too far apart. Neither does the job.

So I built a dinner club. Kiwis and Aussies only. Tables of 5–8. Second Wednesday of every month, every month. A no-dickhead policy.

It's curated like you'd curate a dinner party at your own house — because that's basically what it is. We find the restaurant. We mix the table. You show up and enjoy.

A monthly dinner that feels like sitting down with your mates in Redfern or West Harbour for a great feed — and looking forward to doing it again next month. Familiarity without the plane ride.
— What they wrote first —

Before they'd even sat down.

"

We didn't come here to meet other Kiwis — but it's always a relief to speak freely with a bunch of expats who've travelled the same path.

Kiwi · Dallas20 years in
"

I'd love to be around some true blue Aussies that get it.

Aussie · McKinneyVia Japan & Hong Kong
"

Born in Brissie, landed in LA in 2007, Dallas since 2013. Would love to connect with some antipodeans.

Aussie · Dallas

Real messages. Names off. Consent on.

— Things that don't translate —

Tourists go home with Opera House photos.
We carry these.

If you grew up with these, you know the smell, the sound, the feel of every one. Try explaining one of them to an American colleague. Watch the polite smile.

Hills Hoist in suburban backyard at sunset
The Hills Hoist
Country pub verandah at four in the afternoon
Country pub at four
Interislander ferry pulling into Picton
Interislander into Picton
Local dairy at dusk
The dairy at dusk
Bunnings car park with sausage sizzle
Bunnings sausage sizzle
Bach driveway with jandals by the door
Bach, jandals by the door
Red dirt back road at sunrise
Red dirt back road
Saturday morning junior rugby
Saturday morning footy

These don't make the postcards. You have to be from there to even notice them. At our table, everyone gets it. No explaining.

— Here's the long and short of it —
What we are. What we're not. — One year in the US or twenty, the gap for the people from home doesn't close on its own. What closes it isn't more events. It's people you'd actually keep in touch with.

Sound like your kind of table?

Apply if you're keen. DM me first if you'd rather kick the tyres. Either's grand.

Apply — takes 2 minutes DM me first
You ripper!
Andrew
Andrew Kidd · Founder, Franzus Social

Mateship, monthly, and familiarity without the plane ride.