Tips for an Overseas PCS
Adjusting to life overseas.
by Rosemary O’Brien
Moving is always a challenge, whether it is across town or across the nation. But what if your spouse gets orders to a completely different country? Here are some tips to help make adjusting to a new culture a little easier for you and your family.
First, roll with the punches. Katherine Wilburn is an Army wife and former soldier herself whose husband is currently stationed in Heidelberg, Germany. This was her first overseas move as a military wife, and it was quite an experience. Orders changed three times, the last time only three days before they left the United States.
“Our stuff had already been picked up and our car donated, we were in guest housing and our tickets were in hand,” she said. But Katherine was flexible and now really enjoys Germany. “Heidelberg is really a nice base, with good housing and schools.”
Learning the language is a great way to feel more at home. Dale Linhoff has lived in Japan, Italy and Spain with her husband, a physician assistant in the Navy.
“I learned a lot of Spanish, enough Italian for shopping and eating, and very little Japanese,” she said. She found Japanese a little more difficult than the other languages, but she and her husband taught English to the Japanese Nationals.
“There have been a few times that I’ve had workmen come to repair something, and they don’t speak English,” said Katherine. “You really can’t expect everyone else to know English when you live outside the United States. It’s only common courtesy to know some of the local language.”
“My daughter is only four and can speak more Dutch than us!” joked Sarah Brannon, a Coast Guard wife whose husband is stationed in The Netherlands. “She loved living overseas and loves making new friends.”
Most military wives research the areas in which they are going to be stationed on the Internet. Investigating any of the numerous military wife forums is a good way to find the best areas to live if you plan on living on the economy, information about the school system, and ask any questions you may have about base programs that might interest you.
Sarah suggests asking questions once you get there, too. “Become a local,” she said. “Ask a lot of questions and make friends with people who know everything (about the area) already.” There are many programs on each base to help newly arriving families find out more about the area. Go to Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) or the base chaplain. Here you can meet other families and quickly make friends to help ease your transition.
Think about living on the economy. Some duty stations and branches of the military require families to live on base, but if possible, consider living out in town.
Take advantage of the local culture and the things that make it unique. Dale loves the paella and the local sherry where she currently lives in Rota, Spain, and Sarah Brannon enjoys the travel opportunities in The Netherlands. “We get to do so much traveling here, it is amazing,” she said.Katherine believes those families who live overseas become more tolerant because they are exposed to another culture. “Sometimes,” she said, “it’s a culture shock to go back home after living life at a slower pace.” She adds how even meals are different where she lives in Germany. “They give you time to relax and enjoy your food rather than giving you the check and trying to fit in another customer right away.”
Boring commercials aside, living overseas can be an interesting and valuable experience. As Katherine said, we get to see the world on Uncle Sam’s dime. It is a valuable opportunity to expand our horizons. Take advantage of all the unusual opportunities that present themselves when being stationed overseas. Just remember to roll with the punches. You may even come back with some interesting stories and memories to last a lifetime.