This whole PCS business is giving me serious bitchassedness. I'm snapping all over the place! Sure, PCSing is a part of military life... usually. Though is wasn't the case for us.
Before joining the Army a few months ago, we had been adjusting to civilian life after four years as a US Navy family. The Navy never moved us... not once during the entire enlistment. Our Naval Support Activity base needed more MAs, so as soon as the husband was out of A-School, we were stationed here at home in good old N'awlins. And that was that. We didn't question it. I mean, who wants to question a good thing like that? So while the military isn't really new to us, you can imagine our sheepishness to admit that we are PCS Virgins. This whole moving-across-state-lines thing is pretty nerve-wracking.
I guess it's not so bad as far as distance; it's only El paso... one state over and 1,150 miles or so from home.
1,150 miles way from crawfish, beignets, Smoothie King, the Quarter, the Lakefront, Fresh Market with all of it's organic foods, almost daily rain... family and friends. People who get us.
That's the big fear. Being fish out of water (literally! El Paso is landlocked!) The husband is usually pretty great at making friends- he's hilarious and can blend in with any crowd. Me, however? Not so much. I'm quirky and strange- no mainstream fish. I find things funny that nobody else gets... and then I don't get what everyone else finds so funny. Things that people usually enjoy, I really don't. And things that I really enjoy, other people find a total snooze. Where am I going to go? What am I going to do? Who am I going to hang out with and talk to? AHHHH!!!
"Well why don't you join up with the FRG or something?" I'm telling you now, people are not my cup of tea (or, rather, I'm not their's). And if there's anything I've learned from being a Navy Wife, it's that everyone is up in everyone's business. Not a stab at the Navy, I just mean that it was already that way in one community- I'm sure it's the same in others. Desperate Housewives: Military Style. If you're not understood or don't fit into the Stepford cookie cutter, you're immediately under fire... It's one of the biggest reasons hubby and I decided we should try living off post.
Man, there are just so many worries flying through my mind... like the housing.
I don't know what the housing is like in El Paso. I don't know about the neighbourhoods, the building types, the utility prices- nada. I've tried asking but, of course- as always, everyone's got a different answer. The husband said he was told El Paso is in the top 3 safest cities in the US... Coming from New Orleans- one of the most dangerous cities in the US- that gives me some sort of peace, I suppose. For now.
Then there are things like... food. Organic availability, the type of food in the area... I know there is no fresh seafood and that just devastates me. I don't really eat other meats much... Fish is such a major part of my diet. PLUS I'm allergic to dairy and eggs! And mexican food is all cooked in butter and drowning in cheese and... -sigh- Please, pleeeeease, Universe, let there be Organic/Vegetarian/Vegan alternatives!
What about healthcare? Leave me to be the wife who doesn't plan to ever step foot in a military hospital. Are there Naturopaths? Herbalists? How many Chiropractors do they have practicing in the area? Is acupuncture available? Crap, what am I going to do if I can't get my remedies? Am I going to be doomed to order from crappy internet suppliers?
Movers! ACK! I can't believe we're using movers. I really, really, REALLY wanted to DITY. The only thing stopping us are the three flights of stairs we'd have to bring all of our furniture down. We don't own a lot, but our ancient TV (handed down by the in-laws) and my solid wood Hope Chest have me eyeballing the stairwell and contemplating leaving an "If I die..." note. I'm not thrilled with having big men coming into my apartment, touching our things and handling them on a long drive out west, though. I've moved around the Greater New Orleans area my entire life and I've always been the one to pack and move my own things. I'm going to end up drinking an entire bottle of wine to myself just to be able to chill. These movers are going to hate me, I can see it.
Uggggggh, just a million things flying through my head. I'm acting like a crazy person!
I just don't know... Guess we'll have to wait and see, won't we? =/
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