Here we go again. I just found out we are about to PCS overseas again. Overseas, or OCONUS (Outside the Continental United States), duty assignments are exciting. But preparing for a PCS move begins months in advance of the move. The logistics of moving your family and your belongings halfway…
Being A Black Military Spouse in America
Being A Black Military Spouse in America As a black military spouse and mother, I’ve traveled to approximately 60 countries. Many of them alone. But most of them have two black boys in tow. People often ask me what it’s like traveling while black to all those places— some of…
Portable Employment for Military Spouses All Over the World
Military Spouses Find Employment Worldwide Finding portable employment is a common challenge for all military spouses. I am a 50-something black military spouse with a Political Science degree who moves every 2-3 years. Hence, it’s not unusual for spouses to continually remake themselves and their resumes. Deployments, PCS moves, overseas and…
Working Remotely in the Quad Cities: A Military Spouse’s Perspective
I recently moved to the Quad Cities, four cities that straddle the Mississippi River. As a military spouse, I am grateful that working remotely is more accessible to me. I am currently working from home due to COVID-19. However, we just received orders to move back to South Korea, so…
How to Embrace Slow Travel: 4 Tips for Military Families
If your crazy-busy lifestyle has you dreaming of escaping for a simple, relaxing getaway, it might be a great time to embrace slow travel. Add “slow” to service, mail, witted, or to act, and you get something undesirable. Slow travel emphasizes quality over quantity and incorporates wellness, cultural and environmental…
How to Navigate Conspiracies in Social Media
Is it me, or are there more conspiracy theories? They are so abundant on social media. People difficulty distinguishing between what is fact and what is opinion. People I consider reasonable, intelligent, or reasonably intelligent share theories once only spoken in the shadows or the fringes. I am not the…
My Last Fun Weekend in 2020 Before the Pandemic
New York City Here I Come I flew on a crowded plane from Kansas City to New York City. I drank wine and enjoyed a massage in the Detroit airport terminal and sat in several restaurants and laughed with friends in person. My hotel was beautiful. It overlooked three bridges…
Island Hopping Greece to Turkey: The Best Day Trip Ever
One of the luxuries of visiting the Mediterranean is being able to island-hop between them. Cruise ships, private yachts, and ferries herd crowds of people from one ancient wonder to the next. But if you’re up for an adventure, ditch the Greek Isles for a day trip to Turkey on…