It's My Place: Everybody Has a Story

Friday, November 12, 2004

Everybody Has a Story

I was watching a very interesting episode on Oprah once. The title of the episode is Everybody Has a Story. For awhile after watching the show on it's original air date I would go to an unsuspecting stranger and asked them what was their story~~I will admit that I did get some crazy looks from some people. Quite a few actually obliged and told me their 'story'.

Here's a portion of my story...
When I first decided to moved back to Germany, my friends and family thought I was CRAZY. I was stationed here in the Army from 1995-97 and absolutely loved it! Once I left here, I was stationed in Georgia from 1997-99. When I decided to get out of the Army the only thing I knew for sure was that I DID NOT want to move back home to St. Louis.

I found an awesome job as a consultant, testing hospital equipment in preparation for the millenium. With this job, which I started in February, I lived in Denver (awesome city), and Davenport, IA. The only good thing about living in Davenport was the proximity to Chicago. In May, I visited my friend Rose that was still stationed here. This job was basically over in July, and I decided to move to Albuquerque with my brother. But after about 1 month, I decided to move back to Germany.

On 23 August 1999 I bought a round trip ticket to Germany. On 15 Sept 1999, I left the US with only what I could carry and about $400. When I say with only what I could carry~~I MEAN ABSOLUTELY THAT!! I had in my possession: 3 bags of clothes, my snowboard (how could I leave Luna behind??), my passport, and a round trip ticket.

My family in St. Louis STILL thinks I'm CRAZY for packing up and leaving~I am NOT an expatriate!! I still pay federal taxes, still have a passport, and one day I WILL return to the US. I've been here 8 of the last 10 years, and in that time only my sister has come to visit me here (and that was in Jan '04). I visit the US 2-3 weeks each year, mainly so P can see the family. I am trying SOOOO hard to show my family that there is SOOO much more to the world than St. Louis!!

Moving back here was just 'one of those things I had to do'. One of the most popular questions asked is: How have I been able to survive in a foreign country? My answer is ALWAYS 'DON'T HAVE A PLAN B!' (more on that in a later post)

That is a portion of my story.

7:45 PM |

Comments:

I can believe your fam hasn't visited. I just live in AZ with the rest of my family in OR and they've been down twice since 1999! I've always heard great things about Germany though.

Oh, and I've been to Davenport, IA. Uh huh. That's all I will say about that.

# posted by

Mary : 11:25 PM

I did pretty much the same thing- just backwards. Moved to the US from Germany with 2 suitcases and some change. I miss Germany A LOT tho and I am kind of hoping that I can get a good GS job one day and go back- I dont know how many bases will be left then, but I do want my children to grow up over there and see there is SO much more to the world than this here.

Grayse

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:04 PM