Alexplainlater

We move out of our military housing in less than a month and so far we have done absolutely nothing to prepare ourselves for this. This is not just a normal move from one part of the country to the next… it’s an overseas posting. So this means we can’t take the majority of our furniture with us because 1) There’s only a small allowance 2) None of our electricals will work.

My husband has always wanted to do an overseas posting and in my head I was like…. cool Cyprus is nice, I’ll do Cyprus. Somehow I’ve been roped into Virginia, USA for 3 years. Now I’ll be honest, and he knows how I feel, I’m not thrilled but I know once I’m there and settled I will be fine, but the anxiety I usually have with a move is heightened x100.

I have to learn to drive AGAIN? I know its easy peasy in America but I’ve just got used to driving in the UK, now you’re telling me I have to do it all again but mirrored? AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN TURN RIGHT ON A RED LIGHT? I had the easiest driving test known to man in the UK. I didn’t even have to parallel park or reverse park (and i still haven’t done it to this day). You’re telling me I’m going to have to actually learn how to do it… but the car is the wrong way round?

And don’t even get me started on the right to carry guns out there. “Its for my security and safety” yeah whatever, safe from other people with guns? Weird.

We had our arrivals brief a few weeks ago and I think I came out of it more confused than ever. So much information at once. However nothing really catered to what we need to do in preparation in regards to our UK presence i.e bank accounts, tax, child benefit?????

I’m now in that awkward phase of… i need to get rid of all our furniture but i need this until such a date but i need it gone so I can sort this out but I can’t sort this out until this happens.

My little boy is 17 months old and by the time he returns he will be 4 so how do I go about looking at schools and getting him a place if we do not know where we will be when we return? In my head these are all valid reasons to be anxious but I need to remember thousands of people have done this before and it’s worked out.

I know my family have reservations about this and that’s one of the reasons I have been hesitant to go. I love my family, I am an only child, my son is their only grandchild and we are leaving them. We usually see them every couple of months but now it’s going down to maybe once or twice a year. I’d hate for my son to miss out on seeing his grandparents as he grows older. He’s lucky to have 2 sets of grandparents and I want him to be as close to them as possible as I have been to mine. I used to spend my entire summers with my Grandparents and I have the best memories from this. Is it unfair to deny him that?

My husband on the other hand has done so much research I think even a travel agent would be proud. If a career in the miltary doesn’t go to plan theres always TUI. He’s found us things to do that should keep us busy for the entire 1,095 days we are there. From theme parks, to seasides, shopping malls to sports arenas, I don’t think there will be a day that goes by we can say we were bored, and don’t forget the food!

I did some of my own research the other day, turns out there are Nandos in the US and luckily for me, theres one in Virginia Beach. However, I will need regular care packages of Yorkshire Tea, Jaffa cakes (for the little one) and a roast dinner from the In-Laws.

All my worries aside, I know this will be a fantastic 3 years. Out of this posting I want to be able to say I pushed myself to do more, explore more, discover myself more. I want to join the community and put my stamp on it. Maybe i’ll get a degree, or expand my skills for when I return to the UK.

Let us see what the world brings us….