Moving 3,000 Miles Away! Need Advice.

I moved to the other side of the country. It sucks, because I really do miss my family... but I LOVE it here! The people who are important in my life have kept in touch. I am VERY active on Facebook, which my family loves because it allows them to 'know' my DD even though they have only met her once.

I would be much happier if I could afford to go home once in a while though... In almost 3 years, I have only been able to visit home once. That's the hard part for me... :( But, I manage with Skype, Facebook, and the telephone. :)

I moved from Wyoming to Italy. Talk about a culture shock. It was hard on my at first because I am very close to my family and friends and rely didnt want to make the move, but my husband is AF and I didnt have much choise. My Husband went first and found us a house and got the feel of where we would be living before my son and followed him...me pouting all the way. When I got there I was so home sick, and truly was making my self more unhappy than I should have been, because HEY it was Italy!!
After pouting for about 2 month my husband finely had enough of it and firmly in a loving way he tolled me to snap out of it. He reminded me that even though I was away from friends and family I was NOT alone. He took me on tours of Italy. We went to the local shops and before I knew it I was in love with the local people, speaking bad italian, truning into a bit of a wine snob :) and hand made wonderful new friends. Not long after that I was preggers with our daughter. We are now back in Wyoming and while I and so happy to be back with my family and friends, between you and me...I miss Italy.
What I have learned is that if you let your fears take hold of you you miss out on so many wonderful thing!! Yes skpye with your family and friends. Remind them that you being in a new place give them the chance to come see you, your family, and a new wornderful place that they might not see other wise. When you got your house set up go out the the local shop, try the local foods. Go to the Museums and learn about your new home history!! Before you know it you will have made new friends and will feel like you have always belonged there!!
Good luck with your move!!!
P.S. my husband would envy you. He is dieing to move to Alaska!

I'm soooo excited for you!! Actually kinda envious as I would LOVE to move to Alaska!! Like I said in your last post - my girlfriend LOVED it there!!

As to me? I moved from California to Belgium. That is what 5K miles away!!!?

E-mail was just starting out and cell phones were EXPENSIVE and HEAVY.

I'm confident you will make it work. Focus on the positives and stay POSITIVE. Attitude is everything girlfriend. I hope you enjoy your move!!!

I moved around a lot growning up. With my dad's job it was "move up, move out". We even lived in Rio de Janeiro for three years. That was hard. Especially with the technology or lack there of in the 1970s! When my cousin was born, my uncle sent a telegram. Overseas calls were super expensive. Nowadays, you have skype, cellphones, internet, facebook. It is so easy to stay connected!

My best friend is my bestie who I met in 10th grade! Our friendship has been mostly by phone, mail, facebook, and visits. If they are important, you will stay connected. Some friends will fall off but the ones that matter the most won't. Remember, if you put the time in, you will keep the friendship.

Congratulations!!! This is exciting! I'm dying for a new adventure. I so want to move overseas! Our kids are grown and I have the itch to go!!!!

Welcome to the world of military life. We move around the country and around the world.

Research the city you will be moving to for all of the acitvities. Make a list of things your kids would like to do and try once they move. Check out the scouts and other things as well. For you do look for book clubs and things to keep you busy.

Clean out your house now of things that you will not need so that that weight won't be included in the move. Also anything that doesn't fit or is taking up space get rid of it now. Look for winter wear such as ski suits (2 piece) on sale and scarves and mittens/gloves and boots. You will probably need two per person if you are active. This way one can dry while the other is outside playing. When you get there check with the mechanics for the battery blanket and the in line radiator heater (both are electric and are plugged into an outisde socket).

As for family and friends. They are a bit sad that you are moving away and won't be there. They are also possibly jealous that you get to see a different part of the country and world. Skype is a good friend in this situation. Take many pictures of family members now so that they will be in a scrapbook. Also take many pictures in Alaska for your new home scrapbook. I still have pictures of my son in the snow in Quebec in the middle of winter in his bright red/blue coat and yellow cap I knitted him.

Make friends in the area and do things together so that you are busy. You may decide to stay and make it your home. The world is a lot bigger than where you are from and home is where you are.

Good luck to you and enjoy your adventure.

The other S.
Retired Military Wife

PS Go with your eyes wide open and accept any and all changes and live the experience. I have lived in Germany and In Quebec and they are a long way from where I am now in New Mexico. I love the southwest with its wide open space and bright stars at night.

I've been wondering what you all would do!!! So exciting! Remember that when you are the person doing the trip, it's fun and exciting. For everyone else it isn't. BUT, that can't hold you back. KEEP POSITIVE!!!

I've done it a few times. It's a challenge for sure, but can also be quite fun.

I love using FB, email, and Skype. That helps a lot. The first few months will be the hardest because you haven't developed your new 'family' of friends yet. So that is something you can start doing before you go. Research places to take your kids (libraries, parks, centers, preschools, schools, etc.). Your job when you get there is to start meeting people. They may not be friends that stick, but it will open doors for you to meet the ones that will. Remember, you get to PICK your new family.

As far as logistics, think about what you MUST have there, and only plan on taking that. Can you store some things with relatives, and have them ship them out to you as you need/want them? We only took whatever fit on the truck.....and that was the largest moving truck you could rent....not a semi. Plan on seriously downsizing. It's quite liberating, too. :)

So excited for you!!! Remember, you have a whole group of ladies (and gents) here rooting for you. :)

FB will be your friend :)

we moved from CA to VA a year and a half ago. The friends I had there, we have grown apart. I really haven't even talked to anyone over there in almost a year, except for a few "hi, I miss you" kind of things on facebook. My mom was also very upset and cried and made me feel horrible every time I talked to her. She is doing better now. She has come to visit once last year and I'm trying to get her to come out again. I was going to go visit her, but there were lots of problems with finding flights at the right times and stuff with 3 seats all together. So, it's just not going to work right now.
But really, all you can do is just call your family and keep in touch. Skype is a great thing! I know it's hard but you will get through it and once you are there, you will feel a lot better. Although I am still homesick.
Good luck with your move!

Keep reminding them it likely isn't forever and with technology now, you can easily keep in touch. I live very far from my sister but am closer to her now than ever. Same with many friends I haven't lived close to in 20 years. As well, remind them it'll be a fantastic place to visit. And perhaps you can plan on visiting them once a year. Congratulations and having moved a fair amount, I will say it takes about a year for a place to feel kind of like "home" so don't worry if you don't love it immediately. No matter what, this will be an experience of a lifetime and something to look back on with pride for having taken the chance. Maybe lots of your friends and family are actually a bit jealous...

I think I responded to your post before...unless there is another person moving to AK! We moved to Fairbanks from Texas and lived there 8 years. Then we lived in New Mexico for 3 years. Then we moved back to Alaska - that time it was for 6.5 years. We lived in Juneau that time and had both our kids there. Now we are back in NM, and have been here 2 years. Confusing, I know. What helped for us is my husband is a scientist and travels to conferences or to collaborate with others...he take about 12 trips a year. So, we always had tons of frequent flyer miles and could afford to 1. tag along to a conference or 2. go visit family in the lower 48. If you really can't afford to get out of the state at least once a year you do start going nuts. You just can't be as close to family members or go see them as you like. It gets hard if you have some elderly family members who need you. We just skyped often and called often. We truly loved it there though. My only only gripe was being far from family...besides that one thing living in Alaska was wonderful! Our friends there all were like family and everyone was super close. We always went home to one of our parent's houses for Christmas and we also tried to travel to visit people one other time a year as well. My mom came once every year to visit. My husband's parents did too. Good luck with your move! You will love it there!

I have not moved that far, but I have moved 900 miles away (twice) I road the entire trip with a tv on my lap. Its an adjustment, but when I moved I actually talked with my friends on the phone a lot more then I ever did when they were only a couple miles away.

Years ago, I moved from St. Louis down to the Caribbean. This was long before skype so I felt like I lost touch with some people, but I'm still closer than ever with my true friends and family. After 5 years, we moved back to the states and are only 500 miles apart now. I still set special time apart to meet with friends and family. On good years I get to see them 2 times in a year, but on busy years, I'm lucky to see them once. None the same, the times we get together are well spent, and quality time!

Just remember to dedicate some time to stay in touch with the ones you love. Oh yeah, and as far as getting ready to move, I recommend downsizing or in other words, try to take only the necessities. Moving is a wonderful excuse to eliminate clutter and simplify your life. I wish you luck.

I moved from Alaska to Indiana (2 hours from Columbus, OH.)! I think I joked about you trading homes with my parents who are still up north.

We have a free long distance plan on our house phone and cell phones. We also skype (really easy). Facebook is a big help too. I suggest setting up a weekend day to call the family, I call every Saturday after noon (12pm) my time. Special occasions set aside of course, but I still try to do it after 12 pm my time.

While Alaskans are very independent people by nature, they are usually willing to lend a hand if you ask. Depending on where you are get to know your neighbors, they will check up on you if they know you're friendly, or else leave you completely alone. Depends on what you want.

Good luck!!

What part of Alaska?

I had family in the Anchorage area. It was a lot of fun thinking about them living in an igloo and stuff when I was a kid. It was sort of sad when I realized they lived in houses and had seasons just like us.....

I think an urban area would be fine. it would be just like living in any other region of the USA. The thing in Alaska is the mosquito's, they are the size of hummingbirds! My MIL used to drive each year and go explore a region of the USA. She took vinegar pills before she went to Alaska and the critters only landed on her, she didn't get one bite.

I know it will take time to adjust to not being able to pop over to a relatives house for lunch or to drive to a nearby town to do something you love to do but I think the adventure of living someplace different would be so much fun.

My friend's husband taught school on bases for the Air Force. He had been a helicopter pilot himself and wanted to stay in that lifestyle but not enlisted. They traveled the world together as a family with his different posts. They lived in Northern Alaska for a couple of years and their whole family enjoyed it more that most of the other countries they ended up living in. It was such a different culture and environment it was like living in a foreign country.

My cousin grew up in Anchorage since her dad migrated there after college. She grew up racing cars on the frozen lakes with royalty and celebrities. She loved her life in Alaska. She lives in Utah now and says that it's much like living in Anchorage. The mountains and winter weather are very similar.

She would drive to Oklahoma nearly every summer and spend at least a month. Sometimes she would just take classes. She got her masters in education in Edmond doing that. She would work in her junior high during the school year and then in Oklahoma she continued her education. She drove a little Rabbit and it would hold so much stuff in it. She would pull over on the side of the road for a couple of hours and sleep. She often took 7-9 days to do the drive just to see the USA and enjoy the changes in terrain.

Alaska has many good things going for it! I hope you love it!