When I was about 8 years old, my family got stationed in Seoul, South Korea. As many moving stories go, my parents had been almost positive that we would be sent somewhere else, such as Florida. Even now, I can vividly remember looking at houses to buy there with my dad. As you can imagine, our orders came as a complete shock, but the two years we spent in Seoul were some of the richest and most interesting of my life. Even as a kid, I learned so much and immersed myself in a

My family has been lucky enough to be stationed in Singapore for about 5.5 years total, across two tours, and we absolutely love it. Being stationed here is definitely different from other OCONUS duty stations, but there is so much that Singapore has to offer, especially considering it’s only about the size of Chicago and showing up on a map like a little red dot. Installation Amenities “It’s not a base, it's a place” is something we commonly say over here because of how sma

My first day of school in Germany, my skin still tan from the sun in Georgia. Dearest Germany, The first time I met you was July 4, 2018. I was jet-lagged and could barely keep my eyes open. I didn’t even realize I met you at that moment; I was too tired. My memories of the first day together were captured through an out-of-focus camera lens at the airport, the drive to the hotel, and then sleeping -- all seen through a blur. As the days passed, though, I got to know a little

I am from cold, harsh winters and frostbit toes I am from roaring waterfalls where you snack on warm apple cider donuts and lick the sugar from your lips I am from a home where deer run in the backyard where there are faces in trees I am from nights filled playing hide and seek with friends When we were younger and times were simpler I am from quaint coastal towns Filled with mansions from an era long before mine I am from sailboat rides and Subway sandwiches From a time wh

New Year’s. A time of resolutions, reflection, and fresh starts. My family used to come up with a motto for each year – something broader than a resolution, something that we could aim for as individuals and as a family. One year it was "regaining equilibrium," another it was "managing transitions." The tradition petered out after 2015: “maximizing opportunities”. The inspiration was taking full advantage of with a two-year assignment in London, England. It was, after all, a.

Moving to Spain in sixth grade, as a very musical person, I doubted there would be many opportunities to continue doing what I loved....

Living on a military base - especially overseas - and living within the civilian side of the US economy are two very different things....

When people imagine Japan, I think many people would picture beautiful scenery, anime, bustling cities, and really good food. What some...

DoDEA schools are a common part of military life for many military kids. They are often a place where we find a community that can relate...

June 20th will mark one full year of me living in Portugal. One full year of ups and downs, of growing and changing, of steps forward and...

I was never one of the kids who could identify a plane during flight, who could name every single squadron, or who could speak of all the...

'Hey, bud, uh, just checking in If actually, if you want, I'm, uh, in between flight We're all flying and I'm gone heading out to the...

The cold pressing into your seat. The rumbling beneath your feet. The experience of traveling on a plane, from the rolling take-off to...

Earlier this year, the U.S. News and World Report named Huntsville, Alabama as the best place to live in America. I had never even known...

Six months ago, in June, I moved from Camp Humphreys, South Korea, where I'd lived for five years, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for my...

If you celebrate Christmas, what does your Christmas tree look like? Is it color-coordinated with the same type of ornament? Is it hung...

Regional, ethnic, religious - thousands of cultures surround our day-to-day lives. They mingle and disperse - little snowflakes in the...

This is the story about how I found my love for real estate as a military brat. Last year, my dad was getting ready to retire and my mom,...

With a couple tears streaming down my face, I boldly sang the Star Spangled Banner in a murmuring pub in the heart of The Hague. Having...

Almost exactly a year ago, my family and I moved back to the U.S. from Camp Humphreys, South Korea. The two years we spent overseas...