It was 3 a.m., and I was dragging my two suitcases through Vicenza, Italy's hotel lobby, hoping silently that the items tightly packed in would last me until our unaccompanied baggage shipment arrived. Calmly, I packed my luggage onto the bus and got myself comfortable in my seat for the ride to the airport.
As the bus pulled away, I put on my headphones and stared out the window. I wanted to take in all the sights of my temporary home, because I didn’t know if or when I would ever be back again. I reminisced as I saw the path I’d take to get to school, and the Shoppette that I would always visit with my friends. You would think that I’d be overcome by emotion, but I felt relatively peaceful. After 7 moves, it's become second nature.
Like clockwork, my family and I checked into the ticket counter, went through security, and boarded the 10-hour flight back to the States. Once we arrived at our hotel in Southwest Louisiana, I brought my suitcase next to my bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. The following morning, we went to Waffle House for breakfast. It may seem pretty insignificant, but since we hadn’t lived in (or even visited) the United States for five years, it was a big deal to taste all our favorite American chain restaurants.
After that, we drove around town, taking in the sights and trying to get a feel for where everything was. We purchased school uniforms, and before I knew it, it was the first day of school. Being a military kid, I was used to arriving at a new school with no idea what to expect.
But this time there was a new set of challenges. My whole life, every time I have gone to a new school, I went in with the mindset that I would only get to see these people for 2-3 years, and then everything would be reset at a new location. I was used to a school full of people who had either just arrived, or were moving soon. This was not the case though; I would be here until I graduated high school.
In addition to this, I was now living in a non-military community, meaning these kids had grown up together. Walking into school, everyone had their own groups already. I knew a handful of people, but I hadn’t seen them since I was a little kid, so I didn’t really know them. It felt awkward at first, like I was intruding. Eventually, I worked up the courage to introduce myself to people, and slowly but surely made friends.
It took some time, but I believe that being a military kid has made me resilient and taught me perseverance. Growing up in this unique lifestyle, I have definitely been in situations out of my comfort zone, and while it can be frustrating in the moment, in the end, I am always grateful. These experiences are what have shaped me to be who I am today.
I've pushed through times when I felt like I’d never find my place and fit in, finally getting to the point where I made some of my closest friends. Through the time I spent together with newfound friends throughout that first school year, I found restaurants that would come to be my favorite, and places that I would go to for fun, and over time, this once daunting place began to feel like my home.
So, if you're in a similar situation and are going to be moving somewhere new, or if you see a new student, here's my advice:
Don't be afraid to reach out to others! If you see somebody new, try talking to them. It may not seem like a lot, but it can make a big difference in how the person adapts to the area. If you are the new person, try your best to put yourself out there. It can be hard at times, but something as small as just introducing yourself makes it easier and easier to talk to and meet more people. It may not always seem like people want to get to know you, but the more you put yourself out there, the more you will realize that people are interested in you and what you have to say.
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