So now that I have been here almost a week to get a feel of this place, I have a mixed bag of emotions. One thing I am certain of is that I will have to constantly remind myself of why I am here and what it is that I want to get out of my time in this place. I have decided to keep a low profile for the next month due to several reasons. First, it will help me out economically in the long haul and I will be able to cut down on excess spending. Second, I'm going to observe my surroundings and the people in it in order to learn the motions of this place and figure everything out. And third, It will help me plan out what the remainder of my year will play out like.
My Christmas here was completely uneventful, but not unproductive. I finished my first milestone of German on Rosetta Stone, hit the gym a whole lot, as well as continued with my learning plan in French. I joked with my mother a few days ago that I've been taking in so much foreign language that when I sleep I don't even know which of the 4 I'm dreaming in! I also spoke with many of my friends and family, and after speaking to Eugene my first big trip in Europe came to light. I'm meeting up with him and a few other people the last weekend of February in Barcelona. This is extremely exciting for me considering that it's one of the places I've always wanted to visit and learn about. I find Catalan culture to be immensely intriguing and fascinating. Before I left the States, I created a bucket list of places that I wanted to visit possibly during my first year here. On that list, amongst others were Gibraltar/Tangier, Brussels, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Lisbon, and Prague.
One of the advantages of the military is that you always know when you're going to get paid (the 1st and 15th) and also the exact amount of income you should expect in your check. After balancing out my finances past bills, savings, and random expenditures, I have decided to make at least 1 weekend trip every month to a different part of Germany or Europe. By this time next year, that would equate to 11 different trips I've made throughout the year, and that would be excluding any leave time (30 days paid!) Not too shabby :)
This week I only have to "work" 3 days, I get Thursday through Sunday off again. If everything goes as planned, the week will be a very lite one again, and I'll be able to bring in the new year with loads of determination and anticipation. Cheers!
December 27, 2010
December 24, 2010
Photos of my room from the day I moved in.
Just Arrived
My small walk-in
My desk
Kitchenette
Latrine
Uniforms are good to go.
Halfway unpacked.
Starting to look like a place to live.
December 22, 2010
Longest day of the year.
Yesterday was my first day at work. The awesome thing of it all is that because everyone is either on block leave, leave, or just on a half day schedule...practically nothing got done. I showed up to work at 0900, and was out by noon. The great thing is that I ran into one of the other guys that was in-processing with me at Fort Jackson, turns out he's stationed here also and lives on the second floor of my building. At least I know somebody now.
I've seen more of the installation now, whatever there is to see of it at least. It's extremely small, but I don't really mind that. One cool thing is that I get to walk through the heli-pads everyday to and from work and check out all of the Apache helicopters do their thing. Those are some bad ass motherfuckers. My unit seems to play things very much by the book, that means Ill go in everyday, do my job, and keep a low profile from there on out. At least people are very amicable and approachable.
There is talk of bringing me into the unit the right way tonight, they're taking me out to a nearby town called Bad Windsheim. I dunno what awaits me, but I've been warned to drink a lot of water until we go out. Some of the girls and guys here have several bottles of Grey Goose, Patron (my archnemisis), and JW Blue lined up, to name a few. Siiigggghhhhh. haha. Anyway, I'm off to the gym. I'm setting up my internet and phone tomorrow, will be able to call unlimited to the US. That's it for now. Cheers!
I've seen more of the installation now, whatever there is to see of it at least. It's extremely small, but I don't really mind that. One cool thing is that I get to walk through the heli-pads everyday to and from work and check out all of the Apache helicopters do their thing. Those are some bad ass motherfuckers. My unit seems to play things very much by the book, that means Ill go in everyday, do my job, and keep a low profile from there on out. At least people are very amicable and approachable.
There is talk of bringing me into the unit the right way tonight, they're taking me out to a nearby town called Bad Windsheim. I dunno what awaits me, but I've been warned to drink a lot of water until we go out. Some of the girls and guys here have several bottles of Grey Goose, Patron (my archnemisis), and JW Blue lined up, to name a few. Siiigggghhhhh. haha. Anyway, I'm off to the gym. I'm setting up my internet and phone tomorrow, will be able to call unlimited to the US. That's it for now. Cheers!
December 21, 2010
Willkommen zu Illesheim, Deutschland
After traveling more than 4700 miles, I have finally arrived at my permanent duty station in Illesheim Germany. First and foremost, I would like to apologize to everyone that I haven’t been able to get in touch with and update with my progressions. For the past 2 weeks I have been living out of my bags, all while being on the go from place to place. Nevertheless, I can finally say I’ve settled in and am almost ready to start my life anew here in Germany.
I arrived in Frankfurt very early in the morning of Friday, December the 17th. After a short period of in-processing into the Army’s European theater, I was notified I wouldn’t be able to get to my actual unit of assignment until Monday at the earliest due to severe weather conditions. Consequently, we were then bussed over to Wiesbaden (pronounced VEES-BAHDIN), which is a very affluent town about 25 minutes west of Frankfurt. Ironically enough, Wiesbaden is the city in which I would have loved to gotten stationed in because of the aesthetics of the community and it’s geographic location. Word around the Army has it that Wiesbaden is arguably the best place to be stationed in Germany, and our first night there attested to the fact.
When we arrived in our hotel in Wiesbaden, I decided to room with a guy I became good buds with while at Fort Jackson. Although Evans is black and from South Carolina, we hit it off quickly due to similarities in our personalities like our extroverted ways. Once settled in, we agreed to make the best out of our weekend snowed in, so we walked over to a nearby convenience shop and bought a handle of Brandy. We had convinced ourselves that Friday night would be an epic one as it was our first night in Germany, so when we got back to our room, we went upstairs and invited a few guys to join us for a pre-game at our spot and then eventually wander off into town. That was exactly what we did.
Around 2300 we made our way out and stumbled throughout a town we had no knowledge or bearing but still managed to get around. Only after a few minutes of walking around, we approached a small group of kids to ask for directions to any place we could crash. Turns out these 2 guys and a girl knew not a single word of English, but were from la Republica Dominicana and spoke perfect German and Spanish. Needless to say, the language barrier was no longer an issue for obvious reasons and they were more than happy to take us in and show us around. We walked in the heavy snow going from bar to bar until we found a spot we felt was good enough. The small venue was a hooka bar named Sahara, and upon entering, our group got the party started.
Sahara is a cozy and an almost too clustered place, so when we walked towards the bar we could face every single one of the tables filled with groups of people. As stated previously, Evans and I were determined to make the best of our night so we instinctively scoped out the table with the best looking girls. With no hesitation, we made our way to a table of 5 girls and invited ourselves into their dynamic with an irrelevant introduction. All of the cards were falling in place, and after about 2 minutes Evans got distracted and went back to the table where our group was hanging out. I spent the remainder of my night talking up the hottest girl of the bunch, her name was Vika (short for Viktoria.) The best part of it was that of all her little friends she was by far the most receptive. Bingo. I think she bit the dust after I made her laugh hysterically when I recited the story of a time I shit my pants last year. It always works :) I’ve already told some of you what the remainder of the night was like, so I’ll leave it at that.
After a successful night of interaction, conversation, and everything else…we spent the remainder of our weekend sight-seeing and mostly wandering about waiting for news of our departure. While my time in Wiesbaden was fun, it could’ve still been much better. I’ve definitely got unfinished business. Monday morning came around with good news, we were going to arrive at our duty stations. The rest of the day was all about moving all of our shit from place to place again, until we finally got on a bus around 1400 and made our way. For a trip that should have taken only 2 hours, I arrived in Illesheim about 3 hours later due to the heavy snowfall and dangerous road conditions.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I arrived here. It was difficult to get a good glimpse of what this base looks like because it was already dark out when I got here, but I get the sense that everything I read about it being extremely small is true. Furthermore, it truly is in the middle of nowhere. More in-processing awaited me inside my company headquarters, but after meeting my First Sergeant and a few other soldiers that I’ll be working with in my shop, I get the sense this place might not be too bad. A little bit of good news, I’m thrilled to have my own room as the whole trip leading up to this point I was under the impression I would have to share a room with someone else. The barracks are very similar to college dorms. I will post pictures of my room as it was when I first stepped into it for you all to see.
In my room I have a small bed, desk, two bed tables, and a small walk-in closet with plenty of room to fit everything I brought with me and the things that will follow. There is also a small kitchenette equipped with a sink, cabinets, microwave, and a medium sized refrigerator. My bathroom connects with the room next door, but fortunately it is pretty well sized and clean so I do not foresee any issues living here. I spoke for a little bit with one of the soldiers I’ll be working with, he told me about what my work days might be like here, traveling and getting around, deployments, and a few other things. Just to touch base on these very quickly…when the holidays are over, I should expect to work 5 days a week, PT everyday at 0630, but the work days won’t be strenuous or anything. I am located (driving distance) only 30 minutes from Ansbach, 40 minutes from Nuremberg, and 1 ½ hours from Munich. We also don’t expect to deploy until 2012, but of course that’s always up in the air…and not too sure if it will pertain to me if I do end up going OCS.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) my first hit time is 0900 for more in-processing and other stuff, apparently that should take up about 2 days since we also have to drive up to a nearby town to do some of it. More updates to come soon, but until then everything is starting to take shape. My apologies for the length of this post, but I’m trying to fill you guys in with brief but concise details. Thanks for reading! Life is good.
December 15, 2010
Attractions
Welcome back to the Army. Bumps on the road are frequent and should always be expected when you're a grunt, that's one thing I've made sure to learn. It's not like I had forgotten this in the few months of my break in service, but I guess this is just a reminder. As of this morning, I was not going to be leaving to Germany tomorrow. This may be different now. Drive on.
These past few days have also been a reminder of other reasons why I am happy to have come back into the military, for example: the people I serve with. While the other 21 guys I'm currently stuck with come from all walks of life, the good ones outweigh the shit bags. That, by the way, is a compiment to the ones I like and as you know, I go easy on the compliments. Last night before I went to bed I had a very strong connection/conversation with one of the guys staying in my room. Secor is a very amicable and approachable guy from Florida. He's 24, married, and alhtough he's going through a difficult divorce he's still a father to 2 boys. One of the boys is his, the other he's not sure of but doesn't want to find out because he says he loves him just as much. To make matters worse, the kid is autistic. I've only known the guy for about a week, but he's genuinely one of the most sincere and friendliest persons I have met in a very long time. While he told me of all his pains, issues, and his toxic marriage back home it was clear to me that under all of the emotions and personality that he wears on his sleeves there is an immense amount of heartbreak and disappointment. It was especially evident when the dude shed a few tears at the thought of this autistic child not being his son.
At this point I felt like a real dick because of all the things I sometimes complain about and refer to as problems. I was lost and had to think of something to tell this guy. You know, it's funny how things work out sometimes; a few months ago Eugene introduced me to the Law of Attraction, and at the time I found it to be somewhat elementary and lacking in complexity, but after some self-identification and time alone with myself I have reconsidered. Secor explained that all of his life, just about every single one of his 'friendships' and relationships have been complete busts. He felt as though he brought it upon himself. Instinctively, I began to explain to him this law and how it declares that any energy in our lives, be it positive or negative, is energy we attract to ourselves. I told him that perhaps what he considered to be bad fortune could actually be a product of the things and the people he surrounds himself with and that it might be a good idea to reevaluate the people he wants to have in his life. Although things may seem like they're constantly taking a wrong turn, ultimately we control where it is that our lives are going, and that the only way to steer it in the right direction is to know what it is what we want and to make sure we achieve these things for ourselves, otherwise no one will care to do it for us. After hearing this, his emotions quickly yielded to thought and reasoning and he said he had never really though of his life in such a way.
Although it felt like I was counseling this guy, the advice definitely resonated both ways. This is something that I have been striving to achieve in my life lately. You may recall my post about a week ago about the things I would like to achieve in the not-so-distant future. I'm doing this to actively and continuously work on the development of myself, even though around here it feels like there is small support from my surroundings. I recognize that there are some things about myself I could never change, even if I wanted to. Some include my comedic and eccentric ways, my extroverted confidence, and also my outward and upfront personality. 3 days ago, one of the females that is in our building told me there is nothing subtle about me. Be it as it may. Nevertheless, I am and have been actively trying to fix/adjust many things about myself for the past 2 years that I know will only behoove me as an individual. I can honestly say that although at times I feel like I have a long way to go, it feels really good when you can help someone through a difficult time in their lives, boost them up, and make them feel better...if only for a little while.
Update: I leave tomorrow finally.
These past few days have also been a reminder of other reasons why I am happy to have come back into the military, for example: the people I serve with. While the other 21 guys I'm currently stuck with come from all walks of life, the good ones outweigh the shit bags. That, by the way, is a compiment to the ones I like and as you know, I go easy on the compliments. Last night before I went to bed I had a very strong connection/conversation with one of the guys staying in my room. Secor is a very amicable and approachable guy from Florida. He's 24, married, and alhtough he's going through a difficult divorce he's still a father to 2 boys. One of the boys is his, the other he's not sure of but doesn't want to find out because he says he loves him just as much. To make matters worse, the kid is autistic. I've only known the guy for about a week, but he's genuinely one of the most sincere and friendliest persons I have met in a very long time. While he told me of all his pains, issues, and his toxic marriage back home it was clear to me that under all of the emotions and personality that he wears on his sleeves there is an immense amount of heartbreak and disappointment. It was especially evident when the dude shed a few tears at the thought of this autistic child not being his son.
At this point I felt like a real dick because of all the things I sometimes complain about and refer to as problems. I was lost and had to think of something to tell this guy. You know, it's funny how things work out sometimes; a few months ago Eugene introduced me to the Law of Attraction, and at the time I found it to be somewhat elementary and lacking in complexity, but after some self-identification and time alone with myself I have reconsidered. Secor explained that all of his life, just about every single one of his 'friendships' and relationships have been complete busts. He felt as though he brought it upon himself. Instinctively, I began to explain to him this law and how it declares that any energy in our lives, be it positive or negative, is energy we attract to ourselves. I told him that perhaps what he considered to be bad fortune could actually be a product of the things and the people he surrounds himself with and that it might be a good idea to reevaluate the people he wants to have in his life. Although things may seem like they're constantly taking a wrong turn, ultimately we control where it is that our lives are going, and that the only way to steer it in the right direction is to know what it is what we want and to make sure we achieve these things for ourselves, otherwise no one will care to do it for us. After hearing this, his emotions quickly yielded to thought and reasoning and he said he had never really though of his life in such a way.
Although it felt like I was counseling this guy, the advice definitely resonated both ways. This is something that I have been striving to achieve in my life lately. You may recall my post about a week ago about the things I would like to achieve in the not-so-distant future. I'm doing this to actively and continuously work on the development of myself, even though around here it feels like there is small support from my surroundings. I recognize that there are some things about myself I could never change, even if I wanted to. Some include my comedic and eccentric ways, my extroverted confidence, and also my outward and upfront personality. 3 days ago, one of the females that is in our building told me there is nothing subtle about me. Be it as it may. Nevertheless, I am and have been actively trying to fix/adjust many things about myself for the past 2 years that I know will only behoove me as an individual. I can honestly say that although at times I feel like I have a long way to go, it feels really good when you can help someone through a difficult time in their lives, boost them up, and make them feel better...if only for a little while.
Update: I leave tomorrow finally.
December 11, 2010
Good News/Bad News.
Thursday was an entirely tiring and unnecessarily long day! I only got an hour of sleep the night before, and spent the remainder of the day processing in Baltimore and flying down to Columbia, S.C. Traveled distance so far is over 460 miles. I fully expect the milage count after I arrive at my duty station to be well into the thousands. Duh.
Anyways, Ill keep this short as I'm extremely tired and have a few things to take care of before racking out. I'm currently in South Carolina at Fort Jackson, the place I originally began my military career. When I graduated from basic training, I NEVER thought I would ever end up back here again...the world takes some funny turns. It's been really strange walking through some of the places I have strong memories of. Today I was being seen by the dentist, and just by looking down a hallway I somehow recognized being in 6 years ago, I had something like a flashback happen in my head. I instantly remembered lining up in that hallway waiting for some X-RAYS to be administered. I remember I was joking around with my newly-made friend at the time Matt Beyerlein. We ended up becoming really close friends throughout all of basic training. A few months after we graduated I had gotten bad news from a mutual friend/graduate that Matt had died in a horrible car accident in Fort Benning, G.A. while training up for his deployment to Iraq. The news hit me hard at the time, and the memory of my once good friend made me feel something really special today. I hope you now rest in the peace you never had at home man, this world was a better place with you in it.
Moving on. The good news is that everything is going just fine, and my final destination in Europe should become reality in a few days. The bad news is that it's going to take a few days. I'm here with about 21 other guys that are in a similar situation as me, apparently they'll all be stationed in Germany. When we get to Germany, we will then be sold out to different units across the country and the continent, like the cheap whores that we are :-)
I have a few things to take care of tomorrow early in the morning, but after that I have the weekend off and am free to go into town, roam around, and do my thing. We'll be going full throttle again come Monday, and we are expecting to fly out of here on the 16th. Clearly, this is a little longer than I expected, but it's not all bad. Just a bump on the road. Tomorrow I'll be calling some of you and elaborating on some further details, and will answer whatever questions you may have. That's all for now.
Anyways, Ill keep this short as I'm extremely tired and have a few things to take care of before racking out. I'm currently in South Carolina at Fort Jackson, the place I originally began my military career. When I graduated from basic training, I NEVER thought I would ever end up back here again...the world takes some funny turns. It's been really strange walking through some of the places I have strong memories of. Today I was being seen by the dentist, and just by looking down a hallway I somehow recognized being in 6 years ago, I had something like a flashback happen in my head. I instantly remembered lining up in that hallway waiting for some X-RAYS to be administered. I remember I was joking around with my newly-made friend at the time Matt Beyerlein. We ended up becoming really close friends throughout all of basic training. A few months after we graduated I had gotten bad news from a mutual friend/graduate that Matt had died in a horrible car accident in Fort Benning, G.A. while training up for his deployment to Iraq. The news hit me hard at the time, and the memory of my once good friend made me feel something really special today. I hope you now rest in the peace you never had at home man, this world was a better place with you in it.
Moving on. The good news is that everything is going just fine, and my final destination in Europe should become reality in a few days. The bad news is that it's going to take a few days. I'm here with about 21 other guys that are in a similar situation as me, apparently they'll all be stationed in Germany. When we get to Germany, we will then be sold out to different units across the country and the continent, like the cheap whores that we are :-)
I have a few things to take care of tomorrow early in the morning, but after that I have the weekend off and am free to go into town, roam around, and do my thing. We'll be going full throttle again come Monday, and we are expecting to fly out of here on the 16th. Clearly, this is a little longer than I expected, but it's not all bad. Just a bump on the road. Tomorrow I'll be calling some of you and elaborating on some further details, and will answer whatever questions you may have. That's all for now.
December 9, 2010
The much anticipated day has come and gone
Wow, what else can I say about December 8th, 2010? It will certainly be a day I won't soon forget. So much excitement, happiness, loneliness, restlessness, wondering, and comforting along with a whole other assortment of emotions all wrapped up in one day. I had made it my goal to try to make the day as easy as possible for my mother and to make sure she could handle the emotions positively. I hope I succeeded.
My day began with waking up early in the morning with my mother to go to church. She's an avid church goer, I am not, but I knew that it would mean an immense amount if I asked her to go with me. I think that she enjoyed it. We attended the morning mass at a nearby church from where I grew up named St. Martin de Tours, some of you may know of it. It had been a very long time since the last time I stepped foot in a church, and even longer since I had been to this one. We sat down towards the front of the church, which I found to be especially creepy. At the top of the alter there is this statue-like Jesus hanging while nailed to a cross; the artist did an amazing job at conveying the feelings of pain this dude must have gone through as his face looked to be in agony, but the best part about it is that his head and eyes are tilted to make it seem as if he's starring right at you. The whole time I felt as though I was sitting at a principal's office after getting in trouble and waiting to be handed a punishment. Rightfully so?
It seemed to be quite the coincidence, the preacher's sermon was about the importance of celebrating mothers as he related it to the Virgin Mary. After he ranted on for about 20 minutes, I felt like the biggest sack of shit on the face of the earth, but nevertheless, who am I kidding? All in all, I was extremely impressed with his delivery and conviction as a public speaker. I really didn't hurt all THAT much to sit in there for about an hour, especially because I knew it meant a lot to mom. When the service finished, I knew it was time to truly start my day. I then began running a few errands in order to make sure everything was ready to go so I could be on my way. TJ came over to watch me pack my last few things, and once noon came around we drove over to my uncles house where several of my family members were getting together to host a 'goodbye' lunch for me. It was my last home cooked meal, and holy shit was it ever delicious! That was definitely a good way to send me off. I felt like the bad news bearer as after having lunch and conversation for about an hour with everyone it was time to say farewell, almost everyone cried haha.
Perhaps one of the best parts of today was the fact that it was a small reminder to me that I actually have a place to call home and many people that care for me. I am extremely fortunate and privileged to be able to say that, and I mean it with all my heart as I will be missing everyone in my own little way. After lunch I went back to mom's one last time to triple check I had everything, upon conformation, we loaded up and drove me to my recruiter's office to drop off my bags. We were given about an hour to grab coffee somewhere, we did, TJ left, and then it as just my mother and I. She drove me back to the station. This was the hardest part...
After awhile, my sergeant drove me to my current location where it is currently 1:34AM. I woke up about 2 hours ago after being able to sleep for only an hour and a half. I've been tossing and turning ever since and thinking about a million things at once. I continuously come up with various scenarios about how my life could possibly play out these coming months, and the only thing I'm left with afterwards are even more questions. Maybe I just need to stop thinking so much, or maybe....I don't know. What I do know is that I have a list of things I would like to accomplish in the near future and it goes something like this (in no particular order):
-Immerse myself as much as possible in the culture of whatever country I end up in.
-Learn my 4th language, proficiently.
-Save up as much money as I can, while at the same time making smart investments for myself.
-Find a local bar I like, frequent that bar (not too much), become familiar with the regulars and staff.
-Surround myself with positivity, and positivity only.
-Get back to the best shape of my life: Achieve a sound mind, sound soul, sound body.
-Make countless friends who I can learn from and will assist me in developing as a person.
-Find a Masters program I feel comfortable with, begin my Masters degree.
-Visit as many places possible on my travel list.
-Take care of my family, even from afar.
-Maintain an open-mind while exerting who I am and the many things I offer onto the world around me.
Just a quick list of the many things I have in mind. I know many of you are wondering what's next. It is now 1:50AM. I have to wake up at 4:30AM to get my day started. I will go in to do my processing in the morning, do my oath, and get to the airport sometime later in the day. If all goes well and as planned, at this time tomorrow I will be in Columbia, SC to do some further processing (and hopefully sleeping!) There I will have to go through some medical screenings and shit to have some shots administered, do even more paperwork, get my finances squared away (NIGGA GOTTA EAT!) hopefully find out exactly where I'm going, and a series of other bureaucratic things. When I'm done at Fort Jackson, I fly off to Europe and things begin anew.
I would like to tell those of you that I wasn't able to see before I left, sorry...maybe next time? If I didn't talk to you, I probably wasn't able to for whatever reason, and maybe didn't want to or didn't care to (except you Ly! I called you tonight and I saw you returned my call but I was asleep.) Most importantly, my sincerest appreciation to my closest friends and family that made my transition as easy as it was and who took time to see me off. It means a million and I'm excited to come back to you all with many experiences and stories to share. Thanks for reading, I'll update as soon as I can!
-WanderingTerp
My day began with waking up early in the morning with my mother to go to church. She's an avid church goer, I am not, but I knew that it would mean an immense amount if I asked her to go with me. I think that she enjoyed it. We attended the morning mass at a nearby church from where I grew up named St. Martin de Tours, some of you may know of it. It had been a very long time since the last time I stepped foot in a church, and even longer since I had been to this one. We sat down towards the front of the church, which I found to be especially creepy. At the top of the alter there is this statue-like Jesus hanging while nailed to a cross; the artist did an amazing job at conveying the feelings of pain this dude must have gone through as his face looked to be in agony, but the best part about it is that his head and eyes are tilted to make it seem as if he's starring right at you. The whole time I felt as though I was sitting at a principal's office after getting in trouble and waiting to be handed a punishment. Rightfully so?
It seemed to be quite the coincidence, the preacher's sermon was about the importance of celebrating mothers as he related it to the Virgin Mary. After he ranted on for about 20 minutes, I felt like the biggest sack of shit on the face of the earth, but nevertheless, who am I kidding? All in all, I was extremely impressed with his delivery and conviction as a public speaker. I really didn't hurt all THAT much to sit in there for about an hour, especially because I knew it meant a lot to mom. When the service finished, I knew it was time to truly start my day. I then began running a few errands in order to make sure everything was ready to go so I could be on my way. TJ came over to watch me pack my last few things, and once noon came around we drove over to my uncles house where several of my family members were getting together to host a 'goodbye' lunch for me. It was my last home cooked meal, and holy shit was it ever delicious! That was definitely a good way to send me off. I felt like the bad news bearer as after having lunch and conversation for about an hour with everyone it was time to say farewell, almost everyone cried haha.
Perhaps one of the best parts of today was the fact that it was a small reminder to me that I actually have a place to call home and many people that care for me. I am extremely fortunate and privileged to be able to say that, and I mean it with all my heart as I will be missing everyone in my own little way. After lunch I went back to mom's one last time to triple check I had everything, upon conformation, we loaded up and drove me to my recruiter's office to drop off my bags. We were given about an hour to grab coffee somewhere, we did, TJ left, and then it as just my mother and I. She drove me back to the station. This was the hardest part...
After awhile, my sergeant drove me to my current location where it is currently 1:34AM. I woke up about 2 hours ago after being able to sleep for only an hour and a half. I've been tossing and turning ever since and thinking about a million things at once. I continuously come up with various scenarios about how my life could possibly play out these coming months, and the only thing I'm left with afterwards are even more questions. Maybe I just need to stop thinking so much, or maybe....I don't know. What I do know is that I have a list of things I would like to accomplish in the near future and it goes something like this (in no particular order):
-Immerse myself as much as possible in the culture of whatever country I end up in.
-Learn my 4th language, proficiently.
-Save up as much money as I can, while at the same time making smart investments for myself.
-Find a local bar I like, frequent that bar (not too much), become familiar with the regulars and staff.
-Surround myself with positivity, and positivity only.
-Get back to the best shape of my life: Achieve a sound mind, sound soul, sound body.
-Make countless friends who I can learn from and will assist me in developing as a person.
-Find a Masters program I feel comfortable with, begin my Masters degree.
-Visit as many places possible on my travel list.
-Take care of my family, even from afar.
-Maintain an open-mind while exerting who I am and the many things I offer onto the world around me.
Just a quick list of the many things I have in mind. I know many of you are wondering what's next. It is now 1:50AM. I have to wake up at 4:30AM to get my day started. I will go in to do my processing in the morning, do my oath, and get to the airport sometime later in the day. If all goes well and as planned, at this time tomorrow I will be in Columbia, SC to do some further processing (and hopefully sleeping!) There I will have to go through some medical screenings and shit to have some shots administered, do even more paperwork, get my finances squared away (NIGGA GOTTA EAT!) hopefully find out exactly where I'm going, and a series of other bureaucratic things. When I'm done at Fort Jackson, I fly off to Europe and things begin anew.
I would like to tell those of you that I wasn't able to see before I left, sorry...maybe next time? If I didn't talk to you, I probably wasn't able to for whatever reason, and maybe didn't want to or didn't care to (except you Ly! I called you tonight and I saw you returned my call but I was asleep.) Most importantly, my sincerest appreciation to my closest friends and family that made my transition as easy as it was and who took time to see me off. It means a million and I'm excited to come back to you all with many experiences and stories to share. Thanks for reading, I'll update as soon as I can!
-WanderingTerp
December 5, 2010
My first night of Germany
Last night was a success on various levels. At the same time I suppose I could also consider it a failure because I had told myself I would stay in and not go out. This all changed when Eugene called me to demand my presence at a German party he knew of in College Park. At first I was hesitant and dismissive, but after further evaluation I thought to myself it may be the last time I get to hang out with Eugene before I leave, so I agreed to join him and, voila.
Apparently, this place we were headed to was a house occupied by 4 German students in studying in College Park. It is said that they host German parties once a month in order to bring their small German niche together and catch up, socialize, and party up. I'm not exactly sure how Eugene knows one of them, but he does, and he got me and a few of his other friends to join him. Upon arrival I quickly learned that these guys try to keep it very exclusive, they had a guest list outside and were handing out wristbands too. We managed to get past that and proceeded inside. Surely enough, the house was crowded and the music turned way up. Without a second thought, all of us got on our grind and began to socialize with people, left and right.
If you're wondering, no hooking up took place last night as I had promised myself I would keep myself in line; nevertheless, I feel like I still came out of there with a lot of knowledge. Naturally, a strong talking point for me was the fact I'm moving to Germany in 3 days, most people were extremely encouraging. I felt this was an amazing opportunity to reap some benefits form having all these Germans around me. The one exception was a certain girl I was introduced to by a friend. She looked like a burlesque prostitute that traveled into the future, haha, but she has some zest and wit to her personality. She basically told me I was stupid for wanting to move there, and that there is nothing of interest in Germany. I suppose I could appreciate her honesty, but I often attempt to surround myself with positive and cheerful individuals, negative people need not apply.
After speaking to and learning from a heard of individuals, I spent the majority of the night apart from my friends and talking to 3 girls I had become well acquainted with named Stephanie, Franziska, and Nicole. All 3 girls were German have been in the US for only a few months and are working as Au Pairs. Great personalities indeed. It was quite flattering that I had their undivided attention the whole time, and I guess other people caught on to that energy as our conversations were frequently interrupted by guys trying to jump into the little party of our own we had created. After much conversation, dancing, exchange in foreign languages, joking, and learning, my night had to come to an end. The biggest success for me though was not only picking up a few pointers here and there about my life abroad, but also making new friends from a place I will soon call home. If my interactions from last night are any indication of what my social life abroad will be like, help me god I cannot wait! As they say in Germany, PROST!
Apparently, this place we were headed to was a house occupied by 4 German students in studying in College Park. It is said that they host German parties once a month in order to bring their small German niche together and catch up, socialize, and party up. I'm not exactly sure how Eugene knows one of them, but he does, and he got me and a few of his other friends to join him. Upon arrival I quickly learned that these guys try to keep it very exclusive, they had a guest list outside and were handing out wristbands too. We managed to get past that and proceeded inside. Surely enough, the house was crowded and the music turned way up. Without a second thought, all of us got on our grind and began to socialize with people, left and right.
If you're wondering, no hooking up took place last night as I had promised myself I would keep myself in line; nevertheless, I feel like I still came out of there with a lot of knowledge. Naturally, a strong talking point for me was the fact I'm moving to Germany in 3 days, most people were extremely encouraging. I felt this was an amazing opportunity to reap some benefits form having all these Germans around me. The one exception was a certain girl I was introduced to by a friend. She looked like a burlesque prostitute that traveled into the future, haha, but she has some zest and wit to her personality. She basically told me I was stupid for wanting to move there, and that there is nothing of interest in Germany. I suppose I could appreciate her honesty, but I often attempt to surround myself with positive and cheerful individuals, negative people need not apply.
After speaking to and learning from a heard of individuals, I spent the majority of the night apart from my friends and talking to 3 girls I had become well acquainted with named Stephanie, Franziska, and Nicole. All 3 girls were German have been in the US for only a few months and are working as Au Pairs. Great personalities indeed. It was quite flattering that I had their undivided attention the whole time, and I guess other people caught on to that energy as our conversations were frequently interrupted by guys trying to jump into the little party of our own we had created. After much conversation, dancing, exchange in foreign languages, joking, and learning, my night had to come to an end. The biggest success for me though was not only picking up a few pointers here and there about my life abroad, but also making new friends from a place I will soon call home. If my interactions from last night are any indication of what my social life abroad will be like, help me god I cannot wait! As they say in Germany, PROST!
December 4, 2010
My last Friday in town.
I have to admit, I didn't exactly imagine myself sitting at home on my last Friday night in the United States. Be it as it may, at least I have this cold to blame it on. Wednesday was an entirely gruesome day of moving. After spending approximately 15 hours in the rain and cold, we finally finished around 12:30AM on Thursday. Seriously, all of my gratitude goes out to TJ for helping me out on this one, couldn't have done it alone.
After today, I will only have 5 days left before I fly down to Columbia, SC to ship out to Europe. Nevertheless, there is still so much on my list that I need to accomplish. Today I spent the day making address changes to all of my subscriptions and creditors, canceling some of them, as well as making sure that all of my finances are good to go come Thursday morning. Tomorrow I will be helping mom with our continued unpacking of the colossal amount of things she has. SO MUCH WORK! Sunday will be a much needed day of rest, although it will be bitter-sweet as I get to see Nick (my road dawg for the last 2 years) for one last hurrah! We're watching my Steelers play his Ravens, this is big as we've wagered $100 on this game.
Monday I hit the ground running again, but have dinner plans with another friend that night, I somehow have to fit Eugene in there too as he leaves the following morning. . I have to visit my cousin Alex and definitely have to spend time with my grandmother. I'm left with two days after that. Not certain exactly how Ill spend them yet, but I'm not really sure I'm looking forward to them because I want them to be as well spent as possible. Without a doubt I have to find a way to make these coming days special for my mother. Sigh, I guess the hardest parts are yet to come...
After today, I will only have 5 days left before I fly down to Columbia, SC to ship out to Europe. Nevertheless, there is still so much on my list that I need to accomplish. Today I spent the day making address changes to all of my subscriptions and creditors, canceling some of them, as well as making sure that all of my finances are good to go come Thursday morning. Tomorrow I will be helping mom with our continued unpacking of the colossal amount of things she has. SO MUCH WORK! Sunday will be a much needed day of rest, although it will be bitter-sweet as I get to see Nick (my road dawg for the last 2 years) for one last hurrah! We're watching my Steelers play his Ravens, this is big as we've wagered $100 on this game.
Monday I hit the ground running again, but have dinner plans with another friend that night, I somehow have to fit Eugene in there too as he leaves the following morning. . I have to visit my cousin Alex and definitely have to spend time with my grandmother. I'm left with two days after that. Not certain exactly how Ill spend them yet, but I'm not really sure I'm looking forward to them because I want them to be as well spent as possible. Without a doubt I have to find a way to make these coming days special for my mother. Sigh, I guess the hardest parts are yet to come...
November 28, 2010
With only a week and a half left...
My most important goodbyes have begun. After visiting my sister and her family for a 3rd week in a row, saying goodbye to them this time around was for good. It was kind of crazy thinking that the next time I see them, Tony will be at least six and a half years old, Danny will be almost three. It will be tough not seeing my nephews grow up in person, but I'll still do my best to be in their lives for the time being. Jaz got pretty emotional saying goodbye, it kind of broke my heart but at the same time I'm sure I'll be in touch with her a lot so I'm not really worried about it. I'm pleased that our Thanksgiving was extremely satisfying. It was me, mom, Jaz, Luis and the kids, Luis' parents and his sister, my tio Anuar and his family as well (wow horrible sentence structure, oh well). The only thing that would have made it better would be if Enesly could have joined us, but it is what it is. The cool thing though is that if everything works out, she'll probably be staying with me for a few weeks sometime next year while she's on break from school. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
No other big updates really, I have 11 days to go. I wish I could say I'm escaping the cold weather with this upcoming move, but the truth is that it may very well be much colder where I'm headed. I guess I should just try to enjoy everything that's left throughout this upcoming week and a half. I have a few dinner dates planned all week, along with moving my mother to her new apartment on Wednesday. Perhaps the most exciting thing coming up soon is TJs return on Monday. I get to pick him up early in the morning from Dulles. It's been about a year and a half sine I last saw him, so it will be sweet hanging with him before he returns to Australia and I'm out to where ever I'm headed. More to come soon, stay posted :-)
-WanderingTerp
No other big updates really, I have 11 days to go. I wish I could say I'm escaping the cold weather with this upcoming move, but the truth is that it may very well be much colder where I'm headed. I guess I should just try to enjoy everything that's left throughout this upcoming week and a half. I have a few dinner dates planned all week, along with moving my mother to her new apartment on Wednesday. Perhaps the most exciting thing coming up soon is TJs return on Monday. I get to pick him up early in the morning from Dulles. It's been about a year and a half sine I last saw him, so it will be sweet hanging with him before he returns to Australia and I'm out to where ever I'm headed. More to come soon, stay posted :-)
-WanderingTerp
November 19, 2010
Farewell to an old Friend.
I know I must say this to open up every new post I write, but this move truly is becoming more and more realistic...so much that it almost starts to feel unrealistic. Does that make sense? Today is somewhat of a sad day for me as I am bidding farewell to an old friend of mine, this friend has been there for me these past few years on so many occasions, the melancholy is settling in.
As I've stated before, the only things I really plan on taking with me to Germany are my clothes. At first I thought I would be taking my dear car with me as well, but I've decided against that and as a result I've sold it. My SAAB and I have traveled over 50,000 miles together, and although all 50 thousand of them may not have been the most pleasant of memories, I will surely take with me only the good lessons they taught me. Together we have been through many agonies, pleasantries, women and girlfriends (not sure if most of those were agonies or pleasantries), friends, cities, states, days and nights, and times apart. I think that perhaps the reason I've had so much emotional attachment to it is because of my time spent overseas with the Army. That's ironic.
I remember that while going away for my deployment I wondered what it was that I would miss the most. I soon found out. While stuck in a shit hole missing out on being 22, it was obvious that I longed for my family, friends, and then-girlfriend greatly. But of all the material things I had left behind, my SAAB was what I missed the most. It represented the liberty I no longer had, and it also represented the liberty that was awaiting for me during my homecoming. One of the most treasured rights and pleasures I've had in my life has been my ability to drive; to be on my own, go where I wanna go, when I wanna go...that's the life for me.
As I move on to another exciting chapter in my life, I begin closing the one I've been on for so long. Even though I wish I could recount all the memories I've had with my dear car, I will always remember things such as making spontaneous road trips to the beach or far away states with friends in each seat, me singing my fucking lungs out while alone, the one emotional tantrum I threw a few months back when Nick was there (thanks buddy), driving throughout campus with Edward in the winter when it snowed and throwing snowballs at pedestrians, the times I don't remember being in my vehicle, and last but CERTAINLY not least, the tens of traffic tickets I got out of for having my Iraq War Veteran bumper sticker on the back :-) That thing was lifeline!
Cheers to you ya old rag! I hope the next one treats you better than I ever did. Auf Wiedersehen!!!
November 10, 2010
Continued Progress
Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps. Today you turn 235 years old. Not that I'm a Marine or anything, I'm just showing some love to our brothers/sisters in another uniform. This whole military thing is becoming more and more of a reality with each passing day. I'm certainly not building up anxiety, if anything I'm only getting excited. GAH I really can't wait to start making some moves and start my life over. I've been going through all of my paperwork that I received when I signed up again, and based on a few codes that were listed there I did some research online about what the process should look like. I am now about 95% sure that I will be stationed somewhere in Germany. To me, that's awesome! I have to start learning German soon, but I also do not want to fill my agenda with too much. Today I finished French Level 3 on Rosetta Stone, which means I'm officially an intermediate French speaker. OH YEAH!!!
In a little while I'm gonna be heading out to run some errands and then do my work out for the day, I still have a ways to go in order for me to be in the shape I want to be in. Tomorrow will be a special day as well, because it's going to be Veterans Day. Unlike Memorial Day, this day allows us all to celebrate ALL of our men and women that are war veterans and have sacrificed it all to defend our god given freedoms. I won't go off on a rant about this or anything, but last night I read a quote from President George W. Bush, he said, "Americans are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world; it is God's gift to humanity." Regardless of your political, religious, or spiritual standpoint, I find this to be VERY inspiring. It really resonates with the things I believe. I'm happy to have served my nation, I look forward to continue doing so, but most importantly, I am infinitely grateful for those who came before me and those that serve today. Also, my hopes and come-home-soons go out to my boys Edward Hernandez and Ivan Baires who are currently in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively.
One last update. I CUT OFF ALL MY HAIR. Not sure how I feel about it yet, but I appreciate the change. You be the judge.
Cheers!
In a little while I'm gonna be heading out to run some errands and then do my work out for the day, I still have a ways to go in order for me to be in the shape I want to be in. Tomorrow will be a special day as well, because it's going to be Veterans Day. Unlike Memorial Day, this day allows us all to celebrate ALL of our men and women that are war veterans and have sacrificed it all to defend our god given freedoms. I won't go off on a rant about this or anything, but last night I read a quote from President George W. Bush, he said, "Americans are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world; it is God's gift to humanity." Regardless of your political, religious, or spiritual standpoint, I find this to be VERY inspiring. It really resonates with the things I believe. I'm happy to have served my nation, I look forward to continue doing so, but most importantly, I am infinitely grateful for those who came before me and those that serve today. Also, my hopes and come-home-soons go out to my boys Edward Hernandez and Ivan Baires who are currently in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively.
One last update. I CUT OFF ALL MY HAIR. Not sure how I feel about it yet, but I appreciate the change. You be the judge.
Cheers!
November 8, 2010
31 Days To Go!
When you think of certain states like Delaware, not much ever comes to mind other than the best trivial facts they're known for. In Delaware's case, it's often dubbed, "The First State", and judging by their license plates it's definitely not a lie.
This weekend has been pretty much all of the same as other visits; lots of sleeping in, junkfood, television, and not to mention all of the headaches from hearing both Tony and Danny screaming all day long! The nice thing is that it's given me time to think about all of the things I need to accomplish in these next 31 days before I leave! So much to do, and it seems like so little time. I went ahead and got my mother a new apartment because the complex she's living in now is gradually becoming worse and worse and I want to have the peace of mind when I'm gone that she'll be in an okay place and taken care of. With that comes packing up all of her things, moving her, and unpacking everything again. It sucks considering how much of a pack rat she is, ugh.
Similarly, I've already started packing up all of my belongings. Truthfully, I've actually been selling most of mine, and the only things I've actually packed have been my clothes as that's all I really plan on taking. I have to start thinking about selling my car too, that's gonna be a big process in its own. The list could go on, but as soon as I get back into town on Tuesday I gotta hit the ground running. I'm also meeting that same day with the girl that is apparently running the investigation for my top secret clearance. When they ran my first investigation 6 years ago, TJ told me the investigator chick was a babe, so let's cross our fingers for this one :-)
Anyways, I could go on about all of the things I have to do, but I have it all in my head. For now I gotta start feeling a little better, Luis and I went out to play basketball yesterday and I think I might have caught a cold. That and I've been working out a lot harder this week to prepare for my initial PT test coming up when I arrive, needless to say I'm feeling shite and sore. I'm due to return here to Delaware for Thanksgiving, so Ill try to see as many of you as possible before then. Thanks to everyone that is sending me messages on Facebook trying to set stuff up, I'm really making the effort to mark you guys down and spend some time with y'all. Trust me, friendships are important to me, and if you want to see me....I WANT TO SEE YOU TOO!
Cheers!
This weekend has been pretty much all of the same as other visits; lots of sleeping in, junkfood, television, and not to mention all of the headaches from hearing both Tony and Danny screaming all day long! The nice thing is that it's given me time to think about all of the things I need to accomplish in these next 31 days before I leave! So much to do, and it seems like so little time. I went ahead and got my mother a new apartment because the complex she's living in now is gradually becoming worse and worse and I want to have the peace of mind when I'm gone that she'll be in an okay place and taken care of. With that comes packing up all of her things, moving her, and unpacking everything again. It sucks considering how much of a pack rat she is, ugh.
Similarly, I've already started packing up all of my belongings. Truthfully, I've actually been selling most of mine, and the only things I've actually packed have been my clothes as that's all I really plan on taking. I have to start thinking about selling my car too, that's gonna be a big process in its own. The list could go on, but as soon as I get back into town on Tuesday I gotta hit the ground running. I'm also meeting that same day with the girl that is apparently running the investigation for my top secret clearance. When they ran my first investigation 6 years ago, TJ told me the investigator chick was a babe, so let's cross our fingers for this one :-)
Anyways, I could go on about all of the things I have to do, but I have it all in my head. For now I gotta start feeling a little better, Luis and I went out to play basketball yesterday and I think I might have caught a cold. That and I've been working out a lot harder this week to prepare for my initial PT test coming up when I arrive, needless to say I'm feeling shite and sore. I'm due to return here to Delaware for Thanksgiving, so Ill try to see as many of you as possible before then. Thanks to everyone that is sending me messages on Facebook trying to set stuff up, I'm really making the effort to mark you guys down and spend some time with y'all. Trust me, friendships are important to me, and if you want to see me....I WANT TO SEE YOU TOO!
Cheers!
October 12, 2010
59 Days To Go
It's all a matter of time now. These past few weeks have proved to be slow-going as I expected. Consequently, I don't really have that many updates. I've spent my days finding ways to keep myself occupied, while trying not to pull my hair out (what's left of it at least!) The last 2 times I ever counted down the days like this were in anticipation of my return from the sandbox, and while I was in BCT a few years ago. I must admit I'm not a fan of waiting. Be it as it may.
I can almost swear that I'm turning into the guy Edward Norton portrayed in Fight Club. My nights have become my days, a time in which I operate. It hasn't really been by choice, it's just something I've grown accustomed to. I've also been watching a lot more television than I have in the past. Although I still believe most things on broad cast television are shit, I've become a big fan of Jimmy Fallon. That dude rocks! I often pretend to plan some of the many trips that I'll be taking while in Europe for these coming holidays. I'm not really sure what I'll indulge in for xxx-mas or NYE yet, but it's going to be of biblical proportions as TJ would say.
The search for grad schools has also begun, does anyone know much about, or ever heard anything of The Open University that's based out of the UK? That's one option, along with distance learning institutions here in the US. I might consider Penn State's and the University of Florida's distance programs too. Decisions decisions. At the end of the day it will all depend where in Europe I end up, even though I'm almost sure it will be Germany. If that's the case, The Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg would be a serious option.
I made a few goals for myself since I last posted an update, and quite honestly I've been pretty irresponsible about them. Nevertheless, today marks the day my habits begin anew. I've gone ahead and found a temporary job for these next two months until I leave. Knowing me, I forced myself to find something very subtle that would allow me to meet new people and create space for interactions. I'm going to be a stripper! hahaha kidding, I'll be bar tending in Bethesda.
Sadly enough, that's the only real development in my life right now. I know those of you that actually read my blog whenever I post something are very good at giving me feedback, and I really appreciate it. I do it to clear my mind, and to share with you guys this little transition of mine. So here it is. Needless to say, many of our paths have prevented us from catching up in person the way we're used to and how we all prefer. I can honestly say that I'm stoked to see some of you at homecoming on the 30th. Until then, if you're fortunate enough to have my #, hit me up and we'll set something up. If you don't have it, it's not that I don't like you...you should just know how much I hate phones to begin with. Your questions have been answered. Cheers!
-WanderingTerp
I can almost swear that I'm turning into the guy Edward Norton portrayed in Fight Club. My nights have become my days, a time in which I operate. It hasn't really been by choice, it's just something I've grown accustomed to. I've also been watching a lot more television than I have in the past. Although I still believe most things on broad cast television are shit, I've become a big fan of Jimmy Fallon. That dude rocks! I often pretend to plan some of the many trips that I'll be taking while in Europe for these coming holidays. I'm not really sure what I'll indulge in for xxx-mas or NYE yet, but it's going to be of biblical proportions as TJ would say.
The search for grad schools has also begun, does anyone know much about, or ever heard anything of The Open University that's based out of the UK? That's one option, along with distance learning institutions here in the US. I might consider Penn State's and the University of Florida's distance programs too. Decisions decisions. At the end of the day it will all depend where in Europe I end up, even though I'm almost sure it will be Germany. If that's the case, The Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg would be a serious option.
I made a few goals for myself since I last posted an update, and quite honestly I've been pretty irresponsible about them. Nevertheless, today marks the day my habits begin anew. I've gone ahead and found a temporary job for these next two months until I leave. Knowing me, I forced myself to find something very subtle that would allow me to meet new people and create space for interactions. I'm going to be a stripper! hahaha kidding, I'll be bar tending in Bethesda.
Sadly enough, that's the only real development in my life right now. I know those of you that actually read my blog whenever I post something are very good at giving me feedback, and I really appreciate it. I do it to clear my mind, and to share with you guys this little transition of mine. So here it is. Needless to say, many of our paths have prevented us from catching up in person the way we're used to and how we all prefer. I can honestly say that I'm stoked to see some of you at homecoming on the 30th. Until then, if you're fortunate enough to have my #, hit me up and we'll set something up. If you don't have it, it's not that I don't like you...you should just know how much I hate phones to begin with. Your questions have been answered. Cheers!
-WanderingTerp
September 23, 2010
Day of Days
One simple and happy little status and I made all you motherfuckers curious! haha well at least I know some of you care enough to know what I'm up to, or at least you're nosey :-) To fill you guys all in on what the deal is, read on. First of all I'm just really really REALLY relieved I've finally come to a decision, and I cannot express my utter excitement. There is so much exploration and uncertainty in my future, all mixed in with certainty and planning that I don't even know what to make of it, I can only wait until I leave.
I'm going back into the Army, this time I'm doing it COMPLETELY different. The day after I got back from San Pedro I had already made up in my mind that this is what I wanted, what was best for me for now, and what I wanted to do. So I went in to a recruiter and told him what it is that I wanted, what it was that I needed, and where I wanted to be. He was completely and utterly straightforward with me in telling me what was a reality and what would be a stretch, but that nevertheless I could make something happen. I filled out some paperwork, mostly introductory, and we proceeded into the next two weeks to make sure we had everything down pat.
We came across a few bumps on the road, as expected with anything Army related, but nevertheless we worked through everything and did our best in trying to get me back in and on the move. One of the biggest things I wanted to get out of the Army this time around was a commission as an officer, and for my duty station to be in Europe. I confided in many of my Army buddies that I know now, or great friends from the past that I've kept in touch with, all of whom have been stationed somewhere in Europe. Perhaps the best advice I got from anyone though was from my friend Joseph Mercer who was my roommate during Advanced Individual Training in Fort Huachuca, AZ back in 2005.
Mercer is quite a character, to say the least. He joined the Army at age 28, I was 19 at the time, so there should have been a huge gap between our maturity levels from living together. Perhaps it was that he was absolutely immature, or maybe I was a little more mature at my age, but I like to think it was an amalgamation of the two. Realistically, we all know what a shitbag I can be sometimes though, so feel free to make your own assessment :-) Regardless, those 6 months of my life have probably been some of the best and most memorable ever. AIT was a time for growth, physically, professionally, and definitely on a personal level. It was also a time of copious amounts of fun. Having a roommate like Mercer made things even better though. We often watched out after each other and made sure to always try to stand out in any situation, while keeping low key all at the same time. Joe is from a small town in the middle of Georgia, he definitely didn't lack in personality.
During our weekends off, we would often spend our time hangin' with our other friends from the platoon, go out into town and do some shopping, blowing our money as all soldiers do, and throw hotel parties and drink ourselves into oblivion. It always seemed like a safe bet until the day we all ended up renting out a hotel room right above a room one of our Drill Sergeants had gotten. We saw him walking out of it with our Company XO, who was perhaps one of the hottest female lieutenants I have EVER seen. She was a recent graduate from West Point, and she would often enjoy leading our company during PT in the mornings. Sometimes while conducting PT, she would make us all do flutter kicks and all kinds of ab workouts. The funny thing is that she never wore underwear beneath her shorts, and we could tell because when she did those exercises she flashed everything at us haha. It was a golden ticket to be in the first squad when she did PT with us. Anyway, that night we found out this Drill Sergeant was banging her out. He gave us a death stare, and with that stare alone we knew to never speak to anyone about such a thing. It never happened.
After AIT, I came back to Maryland to start college at UMD, Joe received orders to be stationed in Germany and we kept in touch throughout the years. He, along with many, told me that if I have the chance to go to Europe with the Army, to DO IT! He was especially helpful in giving me the pros and cons about such a move, the good and bad and what to expect. Nevertheless, he strongly encouraged me to do it because it would be one of the best things in my life. Last summer, I had made it a goal of mine that by the end of this year I would somehow find a way to move to Europe, and I began learning French for that particular reason.
After so much uncertainty this whole summer, I'm extremely pleased to know that I have finally reached that goal, it just seems that Ill have to start learning a 4th language. WORKS FOR ME! If everything goes well for me and it goes as planned, around this time next year, or perhaps a little later Ill be coming back to the US to attend Officer Candidate School. After 14 weeks of that, Ill then be a fresh Lieutenant in the US Army and be stationed anywhere in the world. Although it's most probable that Ill stay in the Intelligence field, Ill be adding flight school to my wish list as well as Finance. I figure that if I don't stay in Intel, those are two fields I can't go wrong with.
There are many other details that I can't disclose here for obvious reasons, but if I really care about you Ill fill you in personally on some of those and answer a few questions you may have. The beautiful thing of it all is that right now all I know is that I'm going to Europe, but the country is unknown. Of all the possible options on the list include Germany, Italy, England, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and a few enticing others...Ill find out when I get there. Regardless, I'm filled with joy and excitement and cannot wait until I leave here on December 9th.
-WanderingTerp
I'm going back into the Army, this time I'm doing it COMPLETELY different. The day after I got back from San Pedro I had already made up in my mind that this is what I wanted, what was best for me for now, and what I wanted to do. So I went in to a recruiter and told him what it is that I wanted, what it was that I needed, and where I wanted to be. He was completely and utterly straightforward with me in telling me what was a reality and what would be a stretch, but that nevertheless I could make something happen. I filled out some paperwork, mostly introductory, and we proceeded into the next two weeks to make sure we had everything down pat.
We came across a few bumps on the road, as expected with anything Army related, but nevertheless we worked through everything and did our best in trying to get me back in and on the move. One of the biggest things I wanted to get out of the Army this time around was a commission as an officer, and for my duty station to be in Europe. I confided in many of my Army buddies that I know now, or great friends from the past that I've kept in touch with, all of whom have been stationed somewhere in Europe. Perhaps the best advice I got from anyone though was from my friend Joseph Mercer who was my roommate during Advanced Individual Training in Fort Huachuca, AZ back in 2005.
Mercer is quite a character, to say the least. He joined the Army at age 28, I was 19 at the time, so there should have been a huge gap between our maturity levels from living together. Perhaps it was that he was absolutely immature, or maybe I was a little more mature at my age, but I like to think it was an amalgamation of the two. Realistically, we all know what a shitbag I can be sometimes though, so feel free to make your own assessment :-) Regardless, those 6 months of my life have probably been some of the best and most memorable ever. AIT was a time for growth, physically, professionally, and definitely on a personal level. It was also a time of copious amounts of fun. Having a roommate like Mercer made things even better though. We often watched out after each other and made sure to always try to stand out in any situation, while keeping low key all at the same time. Joe is from a small town in the middle of Georgia, he definitely didn't lack in personality.
During our weekends off, we would often spend our time hangin' with our other friends from the platoon, go out into town and do some shopping, blowing our money as all soldiers do, and throw hotel parties and drink ourselves into oblivion. It always seemed like a safe bet until the day we all ended up renting out a hotel room right above a room one of our Drill Sergeants had gotten. We saw him walking out of it with our Company XO, who was perhaps one of the hottest female lieutenants I have EVER seen. She was a recent graduate from West Point, and she would often enjoy leading our company during PT in the mornings. Sometimes while conducting PT, she would make us all do flutter kicks and all kinds of ab workouts. The funny thing is that she never wore underwear beneath her shorts, and we could tell because when she did those exercises she flashed everything at us haha. It was a golden ticket to be in the first squad when she did PT with us. Anyway, that night we found out this Drill Sergeant was banging her out. He gave us a death stare, and with that stare alone we knew to never speak to anyone about such a thing. It never happened.
After AIT, I came back to Maryland to start college at UMD, Joe received orders to be stationed in Germany and we kept in touch throughout the years. He, along with many, told me that if I have the chance to go to Europe with the Army, to DO IT! He was especially helpful in giving me the pros and cons about such a move, the good and bad and what to expect. Nevertheless, he strongly encouraged me to do it because it would be one of the best things in my life. Last summer, I had made it a goal of mine that by the end of this year I would somehow find a way to move to Europe, and I began learning French for that particular reason.
After so much uncertainty this whole summer, I'm extremely pleased to know that I have finally reached that goal, it just seems that Ill have to start learning a 4th language. WORKS FOR ME! If everything goes well for me and it goes as planned, around this time next year, or perhaps a little later Ill be coming back to the US to attend Officer Candidate School. After 14 weeks of that, Ill then be a fresh Lieutenant in the US Army and be stationed anywhere in the world. Although it's most probable that Ill stay in the Intelligence field, Ill be adding flight school to my wish list as well as Finance. I figure that if I don't stay in Intel, those are two fields I can't go wrong with.
There are many other details that I can't disclose here for obvious reasons, but if I really care about you Ill fill you in personally on some of those and answer a few questions you may have. The beautiful thing of it all is that right now all I know is that I'm going to Europe, but the country is unknown. Of all the possible options on the list include Germany, Italy, England, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and a few enticing others...Ill find out when I get there. Regardless, I'm filled with joy and excitement and cannot wait until I leave here on December 9th.
-WanderingTerp
1st Platoon 'Devildawgs'
Delta Company, 309th Military Intelligence Battalion
Ft Huachuca, AZ
October 2005
September 9, 2010
Que Calor Mas Hijueputaaaaaaaaa!!!
My balls are currently sticking to my leg because of how incredibly hot and humid it is here in Honduras. I've been here for the past two and a half weeks for a surprise birthday visit to my sister who is living with my father here for the time being. After arriving in this wonderous nation unannounced, it was a pleasant and gratifying feeling knowing that one of my goals I had set for this summer had been completed. Seeing m sister jumping in joy and even forgetting to open the gate for me because she was so ecstatic to see me told me I had done a good deed :-).
My time here has proved to be nothing more but a calm before the storm. In a way it's been a break from an abiss and limbo I felt I was trapped in back home from trying to figure out what it was that I wanted to do with myself, professionally and on a personal level. Work, studies, family, friends, and women were all in a mixed confusion, as if I was trying to spell something out in a bowl of Campell's letter soups I used to have when I was young. I felt as though I couldn't spell anythign out. Taking a step back and putting things into perspective has always worked for me, especially when I'm here. As much as this place is nothing but a bucket of shit...with bananas in it, it's always provided me with closure.
It seems like these past two and a half weeks have gone particularly slow as well, as most of my days consisted of sleeping in late, being catered to by my family's maid, and hours wasted on playing FIFA on my brother's Playstation. Nevertheless, there were many significant advances I made while here. I spent time with my sister I didn't expect to have, until days before I knew I would be coming here. That by far was the most important part of the trip. I also got to know my father in a whole new light. I began to see him in ways I didn't expect to EVER get to know him...for who he is as a person. Also, considering I only have 5 minutes to put everything that's happened into words, I'll be brief and concise: I've decided where I'm going to work, where I'm going to live, and I even met a girl while here. That for sure was unexpected. Don't get it wrong though, it's not like the dating type, more like a pen pal. I feel this can be beneficial for me though. Strictly selfish, I mean...I'm Jay Martinez! Come on!
In any case, many many many updates to come soon in the near future! I'm excited! I called this time the calm before the storm, because as soon as I get back tomorrow, I'm hitting the ground running and making moves. To me, it's a storm, because although storms tend to blur everything out and they make everything a tumultuous matter, everything that follows afterwards comes to new life and the sun shines through :-) Gay I know, but that's how I see what these coming times will be like. For my closing thoughts, I want it to be known that as I sit here in my brother's room and my bags packed up next to me, I couldn't be any happier to have spent these last two weeks here. I'll truly miss it, and mostly you Ly...I love you with all my heart and Ill be seeing you sooner than you think.
-WanderingTerp
My time here has proved to be nothing more but a calm before the storm. In a way it's been a break from an abiss and limbo I felt I was trapped in back home from trying to figure out what it was that I wanted to do with myself, professionally and on a personal level. Work, studies, family, friends, and women were all in a mixed confusion, as if I was trying to spell something out in a bowl of Campell's letter soups I used to have when I was young. I felt as though I couldn't spell anythign out. Taking a step back and putting things into perspective has always worked for me, especially when I'm here. As much as this place is nothing but a bucket of shit...with bananas in it, it's always provided me with closure.
It seems like these past two and a half weeks have gone particularly slow as well, as most of my days consisted of sleeping in late, being catered to by my family's maid, and hours wasted on playing FIFA on my brother's Playstation. Nevertheless, there were many significant advances I made while here. I spent time with my sister I didn't expect to have, until days before I knew I would be coming here. That by far was the most important part of the trip. I also got to know my father in a whole new light. I began to see him in ways I didn't expect to EVER get to know him...for who he is as a person. Also, considering I only have 5 minutes to put everything that's happened into words, I'll be brief and concise: I've decided where I'm going to work, where I'm going to live, and I even met a girl while here. That for sure was unexpected. Don't get it wrong though, it's not like the dating type, more like a pen pal. I feel this can be beneficial for me though. Strictly selfish, I mean...I'm Jay Martinez! Come on!
In any case, many many many updates to come soon in the near future! I'm excited! I called this time the calm before the storm, because as soon as I get back tomorrow, I'm hitting the ground running and making moves. To me, it's a storm, because although storms tend to blur everything out and they make everything a tumultuous matter, everything that follows afterwards comes to new life and the sun shines through :-) Gay I know, but that's how I see what these coming times will be like. For my closing thoughts, I want it to be known that as I sit here in my brother's room and my bags packed up next to me, I couldn't be any happier to have spent these last two weeks here. I'll truly miss it, and mostly you Ly...I love you with all my heart and Ill be seeing you sooner than you think.
-WanderingTerp
August 10, 2010
Le Weekend Spontané Avec Ma Famille
For the majority of last week, I spent my time in anticipation for the coming weekend as I would be
enjoying some rest and relaxation from all the things going on in my mind. Friday came along and it was all about waiting for my usual 7PM soccer time that I've been part-taking in all summer as recreation. Although it usually kicks my ass, all while having a blast, I was still excited about meeting up with the Fobs (Childhood friends of mine, these guys Ill know for life) later in the evening downtown and going to a hooka bar. Friday night was going to be all the more special as we were to finally meet Gilbert's quasi-new girlfriend. This of course, never actually happened.
After waiting for everyone to make up their minds, no one came to a conclusion about plans so we ended up staying in. Nevertheless, I was determined to make something special out of this weekend and then EUREKA, an idea came into my mind. An hour later I was on my way to Delaware to visit my sister and her family. After some hesitation due to vehicular problems and other potential plans with friends, I decided it would be worth the risk considering I don't get the chance to visit very often. One of my goals this summer, none of which I have successfully accomplished, was to be nicer not just to people around me, but especially to those people I hold true and dear to my heart. I figured that visiting Jaz and her family would be a step closer to achieving this.
Unfortunately, it's sad to admit that visiting my sister can always be quite a toss-up because her and my brother-in-law, Luis, have an extremely destructive relationship as they are continually fighting and arguing about the most minuscule things ever. Our families don't particularly see eye-to-eye all of the time, but as the years have past they've learned to reach a common ground of civility, even if it's constantly in hazards. Luis and I have an interesting dynamic however, because even through all of the shit that him and Jaz have put each other through, somehow we've still managed to stay friends, and in a weird way, he's almost actually like a brother to me. Upon my arrival around 2AM, Jaz and my two nephews were already in bed. Luis and I took the opportune peace and quiet to pop a $10 bottle of wine and some some cigars over conversation. These times with him are always appreciated because as much of a control freak as he is, he usually has some pretty good insight on the practicality behind adult matters such as finances, cars, careers, and...well, that's about it.
Many of my friends and family often say I've become some kind of 'man-whore' through all of my interactions with different women, but I find it necessary to explain that even if this were true, in my eyes at least, part of the blame would belong to Luis. During my freshman year of college, I went through what at the time seemed like the most cataclysmic breakup with my girlfriend of over 2 years, he suggested that I might as well get it over with as there were better things awaiting me my next 4 years of college. Although that's only the nutshell version of his advice, it somehow resonated with me at the time, and he was right, there was no way in hell I wasn't going to end up hooking up with so many women during college. I'm still not sure if his advice, in the matters of everything women, is actually good or bad.
Luis and I spent the majority of the next day doing some male bonding as he taught and guided me on doing some major repairs on my chariot, also known as my piece of shit car. Having grown up with 3 women for the entirety of my life, performing manly and grueling tasks such as these have never been my forté. When I was 14 years old, I learned how to tie a tie from reading step-by-step instructions from a book. A year later, after becoming seriously interested in the prospects of girls, I had to ask Jaz how to kiss a girl because I had no idea how to properly do it. For the record, she only explained, haha. Later that year my mom had to give me the infamous 'sex talk' by spontaneously coming to my room and having a show and tell awareness class with me. She came in with a brown bag, and inside the back were condoms, dental dams, and worst of all small packets of KY gel, because as she said....men tend to get curious and like to experiment with their girlfriends. That raised more questions than I ever wanted to have answered.
After a long day of bro-ing it out with Luis, Jaz decided to replicate my prior night and coerced me into drinking with her and having some cigars, a rare act on her behalf. We set a couple of chairs outside her garage and stared out into her sleeping neighborhood while talking about life unlimited. Although much of my weekend was spent with all of them at once, perhaps the moments that stand out the most were those of conversation with her and Luis. I explained to Jaz my continued desires to just leave everything I know behind, and possibly doing it through the military and heading out to Germany or Italy. However, while I continued to explain my pseudo plan to her, a sudden realization came to me that if I were to do this, I wouldn't really be there to watch my nephews grow up, and that's something I want to be there for.
Another realization came to me while talking to Jaz, and that is that it's possible that I may still have some residual feelings for Rachel. Rachel is my last girlfriend of about 3 years, our relationship came to an abrupt and emotionally deteriorating end a year after I returned from my deployment in Iraq. The week I began contemplating asking her to marry me while I was gone, I found out through a stranger that she had slept with another man. Clearly this may seem like grounds to end any kind of relationship with her, and it was, but we moved past it, and it all still went to shit. These past two years I've met various other women, some which have been extremely insignificant, and some which definitely had the potential to be meaningful.
I admitted to Jaz that to this day, there doesn't pass a day I do not think of Rachel. I told Jaz that every now and then I'm tempted to call Rachel with the simple intention of asking how she's doing, but that I never really end up doing it because I feel there is no point. She suggested that perhaps I should just go through with it, I'm pretty sure I won't. I guess I just truly believe that what's done is done, and part of progressing and moving up in life is leaving the past as it is. It's crazy to think that even through all of the fucked up shit Rachel and I went through, aside from the drama during the deployment, I still think of her in only the most endearing ways, even if I remind myself of the not so sweet things too.
I suppose that in the grand scheme of things, this weekend didn't really clear any of ambiguities that have been going through my mind. However, one thing I am certain of, I am really glad and thankful I decided to visit. Every moment with my nephews was a piece of heaven, they kept reminding me of how simple life can be sometimes and that even with all the turmoil my life brings, I should bring out my inner child and play along with life. This place is truly just a playground and I want to be happy and smile as much as they do. My time with Jaz and Luis was constructive, and it really broke my heart that when I decided to come back tonight, they almost begged me not to leave. As I drove away, Tony (my oldest nephew, 5 years old) ran after my car and yelled out that he loved me and to come back soon. My heart melts just to think about it. However, the most rewarding thing about leaving was watching Jaz and Luis through my rear view mirror as they held each other while they watched me leave. I would like to think that perhaps I left a little bit of happiness in their home, because I've certainly brought much of it back with me.
-WanderingTerp
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| My nephew Dani, 1 year old. |
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| My 5 year old nephew Tony |
August 4, 2010
A Commencement Apres The Storm
Today I should have been more productive. There are many questions I find hovering over the haze that is my life at the current moment. These past few years have been about getting to this point, stabilizing myself through my education and my development, not only as a contributing member of society, but as a man, a son, a brother, a friend, and as a person overall. Sure I've had my moments of glory. At the age of 25, many would say that I should be an established individual. But to them I ask, isn't age really NOTHING but a number? Having lived a quarter century already, I feel as though my life has really just begun. A few days ago, as I strolled the University of Maryland campus as a student one last time, I found myself reminiscing about my life 5 years ago and how I thought I was at the top of the world. Back then, I behaved as if I knew everything and had accomplished a whole lot. In retrospect, I didn't know a fucking thing.
Today, I am a college graduate, war veteran, a single man in my twenties, and I can do just about anything I please. I ask myself, how much do I think I know now? I'm pretty sure it's still not a whole lot. In respect to my life having just begun, I would probably say that perhaps I'm barely 5 years old; and at the age of 5 I have experienced love, anger, hate, regret, compassion, pride, and satisfaction. However, all of these feelings and emotions are a matter of the past, and today I find myself in an attempt to experience some of those again.
After having moved out of College Park and back into my mother's dwellings, I figured I would spend some time with her prior to my departure to another part of this playground we refer to Earth. Finding a job in which I would be content has proven to be quite a hassle, and it has been a task that I know realize how much I undermined. This is not because I can not find a job, it's simply because I am perhaps one of the most pickiest people I know. I have turned down every job offer that I've had, simply because I have not been convinced. These opportunities would take me to many parts of the United States and the rest of the world that I have yet to explore, but something has always seemed missing. They've ranged from positions paying $12 an hour, to roughly $100,000 a year. Those that know me well would tell you that money is not a big deciding factor to me. I think, better yet, I'm sure all I want is to be happy.
For a slight second I believed that after all was said and done, I would be looking at staying in the area and finding a well paying job, that would make my mother happy for having me around. Right now I'm exploring the thought of commissioning back into the military and being stationed overseas to find myself, while at the same time developing myself professionally and monetarily. If I do give the finger to all of these other offers I've been given, and just run away from everything I know, there is no doubt my mother's unspoken expectations will be shattered. Perhaps it's a bit selfish, but if I don't watch out for myself, no one will watch out for me. I think this may workout somehow, but there is only one way to find out.
Right now I should be spending my time searching for jobs, a career, a calling. Nevertheless, at the moment I am here, commencing. Today I commence this blog to externalize my thoughts and feelings about the many questions I seek to answer in both the near future and a long way down the road. There are various other thoughts that I have inside that are dying to come out, however, all in due time. For now, I wanted to simply begin chronicling my steps into the future and see where I end up.
Today, I am a college graduate, war veteran, a single man in my twenties, and I can do just about anything I please. I ask myself, how much do I think I know now? I'm pretty sure it's still not a whole lot. In respect to my life having just begun, I would probably say that perhaps I'm barely 5 years old; and at the age of 5 I have experienced love, anger, hate, regret, compassion, pride, and satisfaction. However, all of these feelings and emotions are a matter of the past, and today I find myself in an attempt to experience some of those again.
After having moved out of College Park and back into my mother's dwellings, I figured I would spend some time with her prior to my departure to another part of this playground we refer to Earth. Finding a job in which I would be content has proven to be quite a hassle, and it has been a task that I know realize how much I undermined. This is not because I can not find a job, it's simply because I am perhaps one of the most pickiest people I know. I have turned down every job offer that I've had, simply because I have not been convinced. These opportunities would take me to many parts of the United States and the rest of the world that I have yet to explore, but something has always seemed missing. They've ranged from positions paying $12 an hour, to roughly $100,000 a year. Those that know me well would tell you that money is not a big deciding factor to me. I think, better yet, I'm sure all I want is to be happy.
For a slight second I believed that after all was said and done, I would be looking at staying in the area and finding a well paying job, that would make my mother happy for having me around. Right now I'm exploring the thought of commissioning back into the military and being stationed overseas to find myself, while at the same time developing myself professionally and monetarily. If I do give the finger to all of these other offers I've been given, and just run away from everything I know, there is no doubt my mother's unspoken expectations will be shattered. Perhaps it's a bit selfish, but if I don't watch out for myself, no one will watch out for me. I think this may workout somehow, but there is only one way to find out.
Right now I should be spending my time searching for jobs, a career, a calling. Nevertheless, at the moment I am here, commencing. Today I commence this blog to externalize my thoughts and feelings about the many questions I seek to answer in both the near future and a long way down the road. There are various other thoughts that I have inside that are dying to come out, however, all in due time. For now, I wanted to simply begin chronicling my steps into the future and see where I end up.
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