PCSing can be a stressful, sometimes "impossible", endeavor that takes patience, practice, and a positive attitude. Our move to Aviano was our first true PCS, as our previous base at Offutt was where both of us grew up and we had lucked out getting orders to our home state. Needless to say, our PCS was challenging because it was our first and it was for an overseas base; great!
My first reaction to the news of our orders to Aviano was complete terror and worry. Here I was at a great job with great people and now I was going to be uprooted from my family and friends with a life I had grown quite fond of. Being at Offutt for the first seven years of my husband's career became such a staple in our lives that we had started to forget that his career choice may eventually require us to move. Angelic of a thought as it was, I grew accustomed to our life at Offutt and didn't know how or where to begin to accept this fortune cookie opportunity. My husband was so excited to get the chance to live overseas and here I was beginning to ask myself how I was going to survive.
If you are a spouse feeling this way about your new "adventure", embrace it; simply letting your orders slip to the back of your mind will only make it worse when the day comes and you have to start truly leaving. The best way to prepare is to research. Aviano has some great opportunities as well as some discouraging challenges but once you settle in, many find it to be a great place to live and even request to extend their time here. By prepping early, you will make your move here that must easier and your stay here that much more enjoyable. Also, the common answer to the question "How do you like Aviano?" is "It is what you make of it" - I hated when people said this when we got here but unfortunately it is quite true. The more you jump in and do things to make your stay here fun and enjoyable, the more rewarding it will be.
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