Journal for Week 1
The Boy & I have been in Germany for 18 months and 18 days. Thinking back to the life I left, it literally feels like a lifetime ago.
I was a Network Administrator, not an Adult Educator.
I was a 5 minute drive away from my mom & dad, not 14 hours in an airplane.
In the future, our class will be discussing theories of adult education. But one of the things we discussed this week were influences on our development as an adult. As I sat down to think about it, I realized that lately, the biggest influence on my life was getting married, and being associated with the Army. I guess I never stopped to think of it before - but the move to Germany forced me to decide a career path that I always wanted, but was afraid of. And now, I'm getting the opportunity to finish a Master's degree in Adult Education, rather than the MBA/MS-MIT program that I was already one year into.
I had a discussion last week with a friend of mine over here, and she was remarking how much I'd changed since the first time she'd met me. It's funny to think about, but true. I told her that she should have known me 5 or 10 years ago... because there have been some HUGE changes since then. I used to be extremely shy, hated public speaking, and would do anything to just "blend in" to the crowd. Not that I am craving to be the center of attention, but getting me up in front of people to talk or to give a presentation is no longer an issue.
What are the influences on your adult life?
posted by The Girl @ 5:58 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
This may almost sound like a cop out but the military has had an effect on me as well. I was a college student when I met my spouse. He had come home from training in Maryland and was visiting for Christmas before his first duty station at Ft Hood, TX.
After being pen pals we started a long distance relationship. Learning how to work on and maintain a viable relationship was completely new to me. I even picked up all of my belongings and moved to a TX after only physically seeing him 5 times.
The military has led me to be more talkative than I would be, more self sufficient, and after six years of living in Germany has helped to create a wider view of the world (from politics to tastes in clothing). So the military has had a large influence on me.
1) Moving. A lot. We have moved so frequently (as the Girl knows) that it actually surprises people that we aren't in the military. This has forced me to take a lot of initiative that I otherwise am not particularly inlcined to take--to find a church, a doctor, a dentist, etc.
2) Having children. I know this sounds so predictable, but having my son and whoever comes next forces the adult issue. I don't think I would have appreciated this "rite of passage" when I was younger. I may have resented it. But I am so eternally grateful to reach a point where I enjoy my adulthood and don't miss for one minute my extended adolesence, except maybe for the short skirts I was able to wear then.
The Army has had a huge impact on who I am as an adult. I had goals for myself when I was younger. Those goals have changed over the years. Years ago I never dreamed I would be the person I am today. But you know what? I like who I am. My husband's Army career has shaped my identity more than I ever thought it could.
I would say that my main influences that I can identify right now would be:
1. Living in Germany: I have been there all of my adult life. I moved there when I was 18, and only left yesterday, at age 28. So I would say I feel there is a lot of German influence to how I see and think about things.
2. The Deployment. Yes, it deserves capital letters. The Deployment influenced the way I think about things so incredibly much. It changed the way I view a partnership, the way I view my personal identity, and the way I view events in life. The Deployment has become my yardstick for things. It's like everything has become relative to that.
Interesting topic...looking forward to the future ones.
Before I "joined" the Army with my husband, I had an adult life. I had been out of college for a few years and was working on a career path. I lived in my own apartment, by myself. It was all great. But I felt something missing. As I look back, it looks like I was just wading through life very casually and not taking anything to serious. So I guess my adult influences would be getting married to an Army soldier, moving to a foreign country for the Army and having children. It seems like little things, but all of the influences have sub-influences, things that automatically come with the territory and other things that I had to learn as I went.
My husband and I met and married within 5 months. We did not see the point in dating, we knew we were meant to be together. We don't really recommend this strategy to our younger single friends, but it has worked for us. Our biggest obstacle to overcome was the fact that when an issue turned up, we had to deal with it right away. There was no breaking up "option;" the issue or hurt feelings had to be resolved with us living in the same house. And living overseas, there was also no running home to cry on mom's shoulder. We leaned on each other to console. And so by being overseas and being away from family, it has helped us to learn from each other and adapt to difficult scenarios that come are way.
In addition to the things others have posted (military and deployment are big ones for me), I would honestly have to say that blogging has had an enormous effect on my adult life. Becoming more informed about the world we live in, through reading news and commentary, has certainly made me grow up. I never, ever paid attention to anything outside my schoolwork until I was 24. I think I have grown up a lot by learning more about economics, politics, and history.
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