YDU: I Could Live Without Target?

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Sure, I knew I would be leaving my friends and family behind along with my career for a life in Italy with my husband of one month, but I never expected the rollercoaster of emotions I was about to be thrown onto. Living overseas was fantastic for the first few months and then it hit me: I live here. This is my life, my new life, without my friends, my family, Target, or any sign of a decent job. What have I done? Add in the fact that my husband works 12 hours a day and deploys every few months for a good 30 days, and you have yourself one miserable military spouse.

It took me well over a year to get adjusted to the idea that my life before marriage went out the door along with my maiden name. Of course, I still have the relationships with people I had previously but I’ve met other military spouses who have been in longer who cannot say the same. Four years of college and a great career all felt like a waste of time and now, a distant memory. There were days I resented my husband for dragging me here. There were days I didn’t think I’d ever fit into this military culture. And then, just like that, hope appeared.

Whether it was trying new things, going to events I would have never bothered to attend before, developing hobbies I never thought I’d have – I knew I needed to get myself out of this rut because no one else could do it for me. I can also truly say that blogging has been the biggest form of therapy for me, and through that I’ve talked and “met” some amazing fellow military spouses around the globe. In my year of being married to the military, I had heard the spouse network was extremely tight knit and while I haven’t found that at our base yet, I have found it online.  Why didn't you tell me to get involved sooner? Why didn't you tell me I could live without Target? Newlywed milspouse Tessa Tauschek married her Air Force husband in December 2010 and promptly moved to Aviano Air Base, Italy afterward. With her newfound free time she is pursuing her Master's of Education in School Counseling and of course, traveling Europe as much as possible.

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