The other 99%
Last time I wrote, I spoke about what God can do with 1%. At the time, we were basically waiting on confirmation of orders overseas to our top pick. We had about a 1% chance of actually getting to go. Fast forward about 3 months from my last blog and here we are. We
actually got it! And now that we have arrived, I can't help but
recognize the realities of what it has taken to get here. The other 99%
has truly been a whirlwind. Because the truth is it wasn't easy. Just
because the location was desired doesn't mean the process was not
stressful...
Most who live or have lived a military life, especially those who have PCS'd to another country, understand the struggle of what's involved. Heck, moving in general is a headache in and of itself. Boxes and blow up mattresses, less than appetizing food while on the go, sporadic sleep schedules and to do lists. Let's face it, moving sucks even if you are happy to be going somewhere new.
I think one of the misconceptions people tend to have is this idea that PCSing overseas is a ticket to a European vacation for X amount of time. Granted, traveling is a must for anyone with the opportunity. We definitely have our bucket list of places we hope to see and experience. But the reality is that we are setting up life here! There is work to do, groceries to buy, a dog to walk, schedules to adjust to...life! And I can only think about that stuff at this point because we have finally arrived. Before hand, I was flooded with advise (often from people who hadn't even moved to our destination before), inundated with information, and smacked with timelines which often seemed unreasonable. My brain eventually began to operate like mush just trying to keep up with what was necessary to organize us up to the point of take off.
The other, arguably bigger, misconception is in that phrase "the military moves you". Oh how that vague truth leaves out so much. Yes, the military packs up our stuff and moves our things from point A to point B. Even ships one vehicle for us - that's handy. But what people do not realize is how much up front and out of pocket expenses are involved in the actual logistics of things. And it is most certainly not all reimbursable. Don't even get me started on how long it takes to actually receive a reimbursement sometimes. If I said it costs on average $5,000 to $10,000 to move overseas they probably wouldn't believe me. Perhaps that varies a bit from one overseas location to another. And if you receive an assignment in ample time to save then that's nice for any unexpected costs associated with a move. Of course, some expenses are based on specific things which not every family chooses to take on. However, based on my research and speaking with others who went before us, the figures panned out to be quite accurate.
Why do I write this? Well, I suppose I write mainly for those non-military readers who consider a move overseas to be a "dream". Perhaps it is. It's just that it'll take a little more than a plane flight bring the dream to fruition. God did a lot with 1% for us. I also believe he is in the other 99% of it too. Yet, we have a large participation role in all of this that is quite taxing, often discouraging, confusing, and stressful. If you know of people on orders, especially overseas, I'd encourage you to offer more grace than you think is necessary while they uproot their family and start a new lifestyle somewhere new. Leaving the friends, who often become more like family, at the "old" location and hoping to God that dedicated friendships can be found at the "new" location.
I can't even come close to expressing how appreciative we are to those who helped us and prayed for us. Emotionally I hit the exhaustion point several times. Then again, I am pregnant and hormonal so that could be playing into my ability to handle things well. However, I am doing my best to be responsible and make the right choices during each phase of our move. Those friends who opened their homes to us, and our pup, while we were in transit so that we could avoid yet another hotel expense can't be thanked enough. Those family members, especially moms, who selflessly supported us and gave of their time to ease frustrations on our end probably won't ever know how much it meant to us. It can be more than overwhelming at times to experience such a big change. We are grateful to be blessed with the people and resources we have.
Most who live or have lived a military life, especially those who have PCS'd to another country, understand the struggle of what's involved. Heck, moving in general is a headache in and of itself. Boxes and blow up mattresses, less than appetizing food while on the go, sporadic sleep schedules and to do lists. Let's face it, moving sucks even if you are happy to be going somewhere new.
I think one of the misconceptions people tend to have is this idea that PCSing overseas is a ticket to a European vacation for X amount of time. Granted, traveling is a must for anyone with the opportunity. We definitely have our bucket list of places we hope to see and experience. But the reality is that we are setting up life here! There is work to do, groceries to buy, a dog to walk, schedules to adjust to...life! And I can only think about that stuff at this point because we have finally arrived. Before hand, I was flooded with advise (often from people who hadn't even moved to our destination before), inundated with information, and smacked with timelines which often seemed unreasonable. My brain eventually began to operate like mush just trying to keep up with what was necessary to organize us up to the point of take off.
The other, arguably bigger, misconception is in that phrase "the military moves you". Oh how that vague truth leaves out so much. Yes, the military packs up our stuff and moves our things from point A to point B. Even ships one vehicle for us - that's handy. But what people do not realize is how much up front and out of pocket expenses are involved in the actual logistics of things. And it is most certainly not all reimbursable. Don't even get me started on how long it takes to actually receive a reimbursement sometimes. If I said it costs on average $5,000 to $10,000 to move overseas they probably wouldn't believe me. Perhaps that varies a bit from one overseas location to another. And if you receive an assignment in ample time to save then that's nice for any unexpected costs associated with a move. Of course, some expenses are based on specific things which not every family chooses to take on. However, based on my research and speaking with others who went before us, the figures panned out to be quite accurate.
Why do I write this? Well, I suppose I write mainly for those non-military readers who consider a move overseas to be a "dream". Perhaps it is. It's just that it'll take a little more than a plane flight bring the dream to fruition. God did a lot with 1% for us. I also believe he is in the other 99% of it too. Yet, we have a large participation role in all of this that is quite taxing, often discouraging, confusing, and stressful. If you know of people on orders, especially overseas, I'd encourage you to offer more grace than you think is necessary while they uproot their family and start a new lifestyle somewhere new. Leaving the friends, who often become more like family, at the "old" location and hoping to God that dedicated friendships can be found at the "new" location.
I can't even come close to expressing how appreciative we are to those who helped us and prayed for us. Emotionally I hit the exhaustion point several times. Then again, I am pregnant and hormonal so that could be playing into my ability to handle things well. However, I am doing my best to be responsible and make the right choices during each phase of our move. Those friends who opened their homes to us, and our pup, while we were in transit so that we could avoid yet another hotel expense can't be thanked enough. Those family members, especially moms, who selflessly supported us and gave of their time to ease frustrations on our end probably won't ever know how much it meant to us. It can be more than overwhelming at times to experience such a big change. We are grateful to be blessed with the people and resources we have.
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