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What a great picture right?
For the folks who don't know, I'm from the Fort Carson area. All of my immediate family is here. My sister and her family (including my nephews), my mom and my dad. For the last few years I've even had one of my three (total) aunts here with her family. I am a very family oriented person. So figuring out just about an hour ago that I'd only have 8 more days with my family before we leave the US for Germany in 17 days, was awful. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Everyone has a short work week with Thanksgiving being this Thursday, but I just don't feel like it's enough time. You know?
My husband knows that I've never really lived without my family before, which is why he told me the other day that he thinks after we get to Germany that I'll freak out; nervous breakdown style. Comforting, right? I don't think it's going to be all that, but I also don't expect to go, never look back, never miss them, never cry and never wish I were home. All the same, today when I was at Wal-Mart remembering that we leave for Portland (to spend some time with my husband's family) on the 30th and Thanksgiving is only a few days away, and only a few days prior to the 30th (have I mentioned that after we leave for Portland I'll only have about 6 hours with my family prior to leaving Colorado, for good?) was not fun- at all.
Is there anyway to make the transition easier? Any tips or tricks?
5 comments:
I'm big on family too... I've never really gone too long without seeing my family until I went through basic... even then it was only 15 weeks and I called my grandparents every chance I got. After training I got stationed 6 hours from home and you can bet that I was home at least twice a month. My dad lived about an hour from me when I was at Benning so when I wasn't going home to see my mom's side of the family, I was at my dad's house. Then we moved to Germany. It took me a while to get used to the time change so when I was up at the wee hours of the morning here, I was on the phone with my grama. TKS (that will be your phone/internet/cable provider here if you live on post) has unlimited free stateside calling in their landline plans. Get your fam set up with webcams and skype if you can before you leave and that will definitely make the transition a little easier if you can at least see them. It's been 3 years since I've been home to see my family and it's been way too long!
My husband absolutely LOVED Germany! And every person I have spoken to has absolutely loved it too. My husband wants to go back, but I'm trying to push for Carson. We will see within the next few months where we are going. We have one and a 1/2 cycles left (he is a Drill Sgt) so soon we will be out of the non deployable stage, so he will go on his 4th deployment once we leave.
I am obviously very far away from family but it has been abit easier on me because I went to boarding school when I was younger. Definitely skype and webcams are the way to go and the blog can be their way of keeping up with you. This is a new adventure for you, dont be sad and dont let anything hold you back. Embrace living in Europe and enjoy it all because one day you will get orders and feel sadness to be leaving there! Keep your head up, you can do this : )
It took me a while to fully adjust to being out of my comfort zone. But once I did I really loved being away!
Skype is a Godsend!!
As everybody else has said, Skype! And for those family members who aren't technologically advanced enough to have a computer with a webcam, you can buy minutes from Skype to call anywhere (landline or cell) in the world for like $0.002/minute or something crazy cheap like that. That has really saved us because we are still in this stupid hotel room. (I finally get to move into my house tomorrow! YAY!!!)
Oh! And force yourself to keep busy. When you first get here and don't know anybody, ACS is a godsend. There is a New Spouses Welcome Day thing on the last Monday of every month that is a wonderful program and then German language classes, and classes that teach you how to cook authentic German food.
The first 2 weeks are the roughest, but just try to continually remind yourself that this is NOT forever.. just a few years.. and you will be fine! Germany is amazing! You'll grow to love it!
If you get here and need some help, shoot me an email, I wouldn't mind to lend you guys a hand :)
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