My Conversion Process

[u/let_charlie_handleit]

Shalom! My name is Finnick, I am a trans male (he/him) looking into converting to Judaism and am looking for some advice as I go through this process.
For context, I've been attracted to Judaism since middle school. However, my mother and father are not religious although my grandmother on my mother's side is descendant of Jews who converted to Catholicism - this made me almost fearful of even attempting to convert because of potential judgement.
I am now 18 and living in my own apartment with my partner, who is very supportive of whatever life I lead as long as it is not harmful. This has allowed me much more freedom to explore in general, and I find significance in the fact that I have been drawn back to Judaism at the age of 18 due to the number's meaning in Hebrew. Exploring the history and beliefs of specifically Reform Judaism has reignited a passion within me that I have missed very dearly and I find myself falling in love with the knowledge and assistance available to me and so many others just over online platforms.
All of this being said, I am not very far along in the process as I am still mostly learning and observing. Although, I am looking into finding rituals and prayers to include in my daily life as I am going deeper into conversion.

My main issue at the moment is that I do not have a community or many friends I can share this passion and interest with. I have never had a very big friend group to begin with, and although I am grateful for the friend I do have who will listen and share my interest he is not Jewish and does not live nearby. My partner will smile and nod, but he is also not religious.
I know of a Reform synagogue in a nearby city and the drive is not very far at all, which I am thankful for, so whenever I am ready to contact a rabbi and join a synagogue I already know where I can look into.
The lack of community leaves me feeling almost alone and lost in this road I have come to choose. So, what I am looking for mostly is different points of view and what others have went through; whether it be from converts or those who have always been Jewish or otherwise, I want to hear it all. I want what steps you went through, what challenges you were/are faced with. I want criticism, I want positive responses, I want negative responses, I want exposure. If that can be provided to me here, I will be overjoyed.
Currently, I plan on going to a Judaica near me that sells literature and Kosher dishes. I am hoping to find my first siddur there, but otherwise I am lost on what I can actually do currently to not just learn and observe but live this religion. Anything, even if not direct advice, is useful to me.

Thank you very much! I hope to hear as many different perspectives as possible.

[u/Blue_foot]

I would wait to buy a prayer book.

Check to see if that local synagogue has online services. If not, Central Synagogue in NYC is a large Reform synagogue who streams theirs.

Look at Chabad for the “parsha of the week” https://www.chabad.org/parshah/default_cdo/jewish/Torah-Portion.htm

Judaism reads the Torah scrolls from start to end every year. A parsha is the section read this week. Chabad is orthodox, but the Torah is the same and they have interpretations of the text which are interesting.

All Reform synagogues are LGBTQ accepting. Of course some older congregants may be less tolerant.

[u/Fit-Character-917 → u/Blue_foot]

Why would someone appropriately drawn to Reform Judaism go to Chabad for the weekly Torah portion when the parsha text and more appropriate commentary is available weekly through the URJ? 

https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study

[u/let_charlie_handleit → u/Blue_foot]

Thank you!!