Born into the heart of Texas, San Antonio is the first stop on my journey that I can call my life. I have few memories because I only lived here for 3 short years. Flashback memories picturing the bright yellow color of the Steel Eel in the scorching sunlight, people screaming as the ride plunged down the first drop. I remember being in the shade of the covered Shamu stadium and watching the black and white whales dive and submerge into the glass tank of freezing cold water. I remember being carefree looking at my mom, as I asked her to pass the big cup of cold soda that I used to love so much because when I blew through it, it would make a sharp whistling sound that would mimic the whistle the trainers used to command the orcas. I remember going to my aunt’s house where I made my first friends, the kind of friends that you would run around and play tag and eat a tasty lunch with. I didn’t understand the meaning of what an actual friend was or was supposed to be, I just knew I liked to be around them. I remember waking up one day to the screeching of the clear plastic tape sealing the 4 flaps to cardboard boxes. That exact memory comes with the scent, a scent that I would come across too many times in my life.
I was scared, people were patting me down, I had to take off my shoes, walk through a beeping arch, and there were people with badges and guns at their hips. Looking at the scrolling boards with flights and numbers that I didn’t understand, I was preparing to board my first airplane. I specifically remember telling my mother of how worried and scared I was, as she promised to hold my hand the duration of the flight and told me everything was going to be ok, I felt comforted as I was wondering when the next time I would go to my aunt’s house would be, tomorrow or the next day? Little did I know, when we landed we had to quickly search through our bags to find our coats and a pair of pants, the minute we walked through the automatic doors at the baggage claim, the frosty wind hit my face as white snow fell from the sky. I was shocked and just felt a rush of adrenaline, my parents telling me of this moment previously had no comparison to the minute I felt my first snowflake hit my skin. It slowly just melted away. Boston, Massachusetts.
I don’t remember all that much here, other than my dad being away a lot of the time and sledding my days away outside. After being on this base for a short year I didn't become too attached. Cleveland, Ohio also known as Antarctica, was the next stop. I remember riding the bus to my first day of kindergarten, seeing the red bricks that surrounded the entire building of this new place I had to adapt to. I remember taking every day so hard my dad constantly having to leave my mother and me, and knowing these weren’t the friends I made at my aunt’s house, these weren’t the nice people I remembered. I would count down the minutes to leave this place that I hated so much. Going home was the best time, where I would spend time with my mom and dad. Shortly, I was then accompanied by a little brother. Just as I began to become accustomed to the shivering winters and the long bus rides, I came across the smell of the adhesive glue that the clear tape holds so well.
Donating all of our winter clothes to those who needed it, my parent informed me we were going to Tucson, Arizona. I pictured the scary images of what I learned of the desert in school, pyramids, sand, melting sunlight and just broke down. I didn’t know what else to do and I didn’t want to leave again. I remember walking into our new home, the smell is so distinct, the sun hitting the dry ground. The journey to school was much easier as my school was a short 2-minute walk. I remember meeting people that were so kind, I loved my school.
Making friends was easy, I remember the first time my friend invited me to their house for dinner, being so excited to experience something different, without my parents being by my side. Staying here through first grade to the end of my fifth-grade year and a receiving a new addition to the family, my sister. This is when friendship became something I knew, I knew my friends the people I could trust, the people I could walk to school with, the people that I began to form a special bond with when my dad was away. Thinking I was never going to leave this place, I planned out my schedule, as my sixth grade year would be the first year of middle school. I was so excited to finally be taking a bus to school, as it would be off of the air force base.
Running as I heard the front door slam shut, I knew my dad was home. These were the best moments of my days, my family being all together, cherishing the bright sunny days that Arizona seemed to have every day. That day that moment was different, something felt off. My dad sat us at the table and explained he received orders to a new base. I felt my stomach drop onto the floor, along with the pressure of tears waiting to run out of my eyes. JAPAN? I cried and cried, as I had to say goodbye to all of the friends I truly cared about, the ones that I grew up with. This was only half of it, Japan? What is Japan? I was so overwhelmed as I didn’t know what to expect. Being old enough I now was taking part of an early morning, holding the clear plastic tape watching my room slowly empty, sealing boxes with the accompaniment of the smell I hated so much.
Making a twelve-hour flight halfway across the globe didn’t seem too bad, as I sat in a row accompanied by my brother and sister while my parents sat behind us and most importantly my hand was empty and I told myself, this is going to be ok. This moment made me realize how much I had changed, how much I had grown up and I truly knew I was going to be fine. We landed, walked out those sliding doors in the baggage claim feeling the hot humid air of Okinawa, Japan. Little did I know this was a start to the best years of my life, the beach in my back yard, learning a culture and language that I never had even thought about, becoming scuba certified, making lifetime friends that still to this day hold in contact with, traveling all around Asia and most of all becoming the person that I am today. A person who has learned to embrace change and make the best of an uncomfortable situation. Learning to adapt to unfamiliar things has helped me throughout my entire college career, becoming so involved, making lots of friends, and creating a work ethic so intense to drive me toward a successful future. When something is a challenge I can now face it, I thank the life of being a military brat so much because it has constructed all the pieces and placed them in all the right spots to create who I am today.
