Military Moving Process

I have some news for you… You’re not going to like it”. The hardest thing for me yet, is trying to fit in. So, coming home to a parent saying we’re moving was amazing news, I couldn’t be happier. But, moving school districts was going to be a very hard obstacle to maneuver around. One year later, coming home from work, my father came up to me and told me he got a promotion in his job. I was thrilled for him, after that he told me we have to move again, this time to Texas. This is not what I had in mind, however, I still was happy for him and expected myself to accept the idea of making more friends in a different state.

Over the past seven years my family and I have moved to many different countries and we have never stayed in one place for very long. In the year 2009 my family moved to Costa Rica, in 2010 we moved to Guatemala, then in 2011 we moved back to the US, then in 2012 we moved to England, and finally in 2015 I moved by myself back to the US. I really struggled with the moving to different countries so often, the biggest struggle I had was I never felt like I had a permanent home. It also felt like every time I finally put down roots, they just got ripped up again. On the other hand, one of my best friends, who also moved to many different countries all over the world, never struggled with it and loved the adventurous aspect of moving. For the longest

to say goodbye. Growing up, I also moved to and experienced a new place. I grew up in Findlay, Ohio and lived there until I was about nine years old. I went to a small, Catholic school and had a close group of friends. My life was turned upside down the day my parents announced we would be moving all the way to the great state of Texas. My dad had been offered a better job opportunity in Texas by Marathon, his employer. He took the offer and seized the new opportunity, but unfortunately this did not sit well with me. I cried at first, but eventually accepted that I couldn’t change it. Moving out of the town I grew up in and into a new place took a toll on me. I didn’t know what to expect and I did not want to leave my friends and family behind. Like J.D., being in a new environment was a learning experience. I eventually made new friends and experienced a diverse culture I had never known to exist. J.D. and I both showed grit in these unfamiliar times. We had the courage to leave everything behind for the better, whether it’s for an improved financial situation or an opportunity to serve our country. Learning how to embrace these experiences and gain knowledge from them shows a strength of character.

On October 5, 2010, my mom made the permanent decision to move to Iowa from Indiana. I was very nervous. I knew I had to switch schools, I had spent three years at that school getting to know everyone and getting used to the school, but now it was time to leave not only the school but also the state. While on the road, I couldn’t concentrate. We’ve been to Iowa numerous times so I knew the drive quite well. I ended up going to sleep by worrying myself so much.

“Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt.

For many Americans, geographical moves are a normal expectation of life. “Thirty-five million Americans had a geographic move between 2010 and 2011, that is, 10.6% of the population” (Milligan et al.). Whether moving for a job or for college, moving can either be a wonderful fresh step in a person’s life or a frightening, stressful experience. As moves approach, people often focus on the positive aspects of moving which blinds them of the possible problems that can come along with it, especially in families with children. Moving has negative effects on children because they encounter social hardships, they struggle with education and they can develop mental health issues.

In this story I will be telling you about the person I interviewed. This story i’m going to be talking about is worth telling. Why ? Because of all the interesting facts and details that’s going to be shared. Kim Hollinshed is the person I interviewed. She explained to me that the most important moment in her life is when she had her 5 kids. But the interesting thing is she had her kids in different locations. Her and her husband were both in the military when they had their 5 children. Kim’s first two children were born in Washington , but when they got assigned to different stations that’s when they had kids in different locations.

My Father is an Air Traffic Controller in the military and he had been given word that he had been given orders to move from Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska to Eglin AFB in Niceville, Florida in two months. I remember when my parents told me that we were moving. I was sitting in the living room with my sister when my Dad and Mom came and joined us to break the news. Once they sat down I could tell something was wrong, I could feel my heart racing and the temperature rising. Once they said the words, “we are moving to Florida” I could feel my heart sink because that meant going to a new school, new friends and no more spending time with my family. Alaska was my home and I never thought we would leave. I was scared for what the future held, but I had no idea that it would make such an impact on my life and shape me into the person I am today.

My family and I have moved a total of seven times. Big number, I know. With moving came a lot of hectic airplane rides, destroyed friendships, and well, meeting new individuals. The main reason for my family moving each time was my dad, who is a computer engineer. Because he’s an excellent computer engineer, he always got promoted; he was an expert at his job. Whether it was for, a new company or position, it wouldn’t matter because my family always followed him.

My mom is really excited so I won't protest on the subject, though when they told me.. I was so shocked, but not only that is that I refused to leave and locked myself in my room, however I ended up staying sorry and after that I just kept my mouth shut. My dad works for a computer company and he's getting shipped to a new Co. because they need help with programing and other technology subjects. I envy my dad, he is so smart and I'm very proud of him nonetheless. My

For as long as i could remember I had lived in New York, so the first time we moved it was difficult for both my sister and me. When I was about 6 and she was 4 we moved to Dover, Delaware Air Force base. The fact that my step dad was in the Air Force made my sister and me closer. Going to a new state and not knowing anyone there my mom my sister and i never really felt at home. My step dad knew all his buddies from basic training and most of them lived on base near us so that was not a problem for him.

Can you imagine being pulled from the only place you have known and loved, and being placed in completely new surroundings? It is not the easiest transition I can tell you that. I’m talking about moving, more specifically, the moment I found out. I was eight years old at the time. I remember my parents coming in and breaking the news to me. Their reason was we simply could not afford to drive back and forth so much. We lived in Peoria, Oklahoma and had been for roughly 7 years. So for most of my life I had lived here. My Dad worked for Pepsi at the time and also was the Chief fireman for the Peoria Fire Department. My Mom worked at Galena’s high school and because of this my sister and I went to school there. The commute to work & school everyday

Little things crossed my mind like, how I wouldn’t have to deal with the awkward interactions of former classmates at the grocery store. As exciting as that was, if I wanted to see someone back home, it meant driving a minimum of 2 and a half hours, one way. I recognized that I would lose a lot of casual friends and acquaintances. People do not volunteer to drive 5 hours in order to catch up if you did not already have the closest of friendship. I thought about the great many things I had taken for granted that would shift to memories of the past. I’ve had the same hairdresser and dentist for my entire life. I have never known anything different. I have a horrible sense of direction to begin with and I grew up driving the same 15-20 square miles. I wondered how much more would I struggle with a whole new set of roads. Outside of myself, I thought a lot about what this move signifies for our family. This change felt like a major step into the future of our family. It seemed as if my generation started taking over the role that my parent’s generation currently holds. Initially, the biggest difficulty revolved around the fact that I wouldn’t have my own room. My parents would have a guest room that I would stay in whenever I returned home, but it still held the title: guest room. Another realization I had was that my parents bought this condo with not only retirement in mind, but grandchildren. They planned to grow old

Maybe it is a new job, or the promise of seeing old friends. Moving is a perfect example of how pain and change can equal gain. Although difficult to accept, sometimes embracing the odd variation can be rewarding.

Living far from home, even for a short period of time, can be really hard at the beginning. We have to remember that all changes are difficult, but they are