This blog has been going on for a while now – I started writing the blog on Wednesday, October 7, 2009. It was a place to park my thoughts… It has transitioned from our initial hopes to retire early, be financially independent and find a quaint sticks and bricks place to settle down near some beach or mountains… or a beach :) Then there was a turn, on the road to retirement, to where we are now… looking for an RV with the hope of living in it for a while. We want to be able to explore places where we may eventually call ourselves retired and settled… So how did I get to this point in my life?
…I was a child that grew up in a military family. My father was a “lifer” in the Air Force after starting in the Army during World War II… he joined when he was 16 after running away from an orphanage and lying about his age. During his 29 year career we moved often… more often as he got closer to retirement. I never knew exactly what he did but he apparently did it very well as he was one of the first E9’s in the USAF. We lived in many states and moved to Europe (Germany) three different times.
One thing I can tell you about “military brats” is that as a result of moving often, breaking friendships, and making new friendships, you usually end up in one camp or the other. You either love moving often or you want to settle and stay put. As a result of all the moving (I went to four different high schools) I ended up in the nomadic group. Staying put was, and is, not my style! I still get the itch to go somewhere and do something after we are in the same place more that a year or so.
…to be continued… :)
My husband and I are also both "Air Force Brats", and met on the island of Guam. We both have the desire to travel and explore the country and pretty much always have. I think people who grow up in one place don't always realize there are other options and just stay put all their lives. I think a military background may make it easier to live the RV live. I think using an RV to explore and find a place to settle down is a great idea. It just might take you a long time!
ReplyDeleteLove to hear about how other people got to this direction of thinking.
ReplyDeleteYou tell yours, I'll tell mine ...
Interesting!! Can't wait to read more.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Columbus, Georgia at the backdoor of Fort Benning. Many of my friends were military so even though we weren't a military family I knew the life well.
Mike & Gerri (happytrails)
Karen - you may be right when you say a military background may make it easier to live the RV life.
ReplyDeleteMerikay - just like grade school :)
Happytrails - it is a different lifestyle and as a kid I guess it is much like the life of a gypsy...
Although not a "service brat," my first RV outing was as a babe in arms...my Dad carrying me around Yellowstone Park in his arms. I get my gypsy/nomad genes from him. My Mom used to say she was a tree married to a fish!
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