About 6 months ago, Andrez informed me that he wanted to get out of Marine Corps after 4 years. We had planned on him staying in as long as he liked it and was happy, so I figured he would stay in a little longer. He loved being a Marine, but he was ready to move on. So here we are, less than a week left on Okinawa, Japan getting ready to transition from being a military couple living in Okinawa, Japan to a civilian couple living in Portland, OR--and we couldn't be more excited about it! We have gotten several questions regarding the decisions we have made and about our move, so here are some of the most common questions and the answers!
Why is Andrez getting out of the Marine Corps? The Marine Corps is cutting down in size, due to budget cuts and the fact that we are only in one war now, as opposed to two, and soon will be in none. After being passed on a board to stay in, he decided that it just wasn't meant to be and that he was ready to do something else. He pulled his name from the next board he was supposed to be on to stay in the Marines and focused all of his energy on finding a new career outside of the Marines!
So, does he have a job then? He does! He will be a supervisor for the county in Portland doing distribution and logistics. In the Marines, he was a logistician, and loved it, so it really helped prep him for getting an amazing career outside of the military.
Why are you moving to Portland and not back home to Las Vegas? Once he decided for sure he was getting out, we realized that we had an opportunity to start our new life anywhere we wanted to! We loved growing up in Las Vegas and used to think we would never leave, but after living in Virginia and Okinawa, we knew we wanted to live somewhere different. We wanted to be close to our families, but did not want to live in a desert, super hot climate, or in California. We got interested in the Pacific Northwest because it's beautiful, a more temperate climate, and it was close to the coast. We debated about whether Seattle or Portland would be a better fit, and after some research, we decided on Portland.
We have actually never been there and are taking a huge risk starting the next chapter of our lives here, but we feel confident that we are going to fall in love with the city. We imagine it's a city, but with a small town feel. We like that there are farmer's markets, a river, snowboarding a short drive away (Mt. Hood), Seattle and San Francisco are close by, Las Vegas is a 2 hour flight, and it seems like it's diverse and a melting pot of different people and cultures, something we've become accustomed to being part of the military.
Are you nervous or worried about this transition? We are both at peace with our decision, and especially since Andrez has a job, it makes this move fun, not scary or stressful. Our biggest stress may come from house hunting and finding a home we can both agree on! (He wants a fixer upper, I want move-in ready!)
Will Willis and Lucy get to come with you? Willis and Lucy will both be on the plane headed to the states with us next weekend. They are our family and we wouldn't leave without them!
Are you going work? I would like to work. I have the luxury of taking my time and finding something that I love, so I am going to do just that. I would like to go visit my family and a friend who is moving to Seattle, so I'm not in a huge rush, but I would like to make some spending/saving money for us sooner than later. I have applied for a couple positions that are similar to my job in Okinawa being a volunteer liaison and coordinator, but I haven't really heard back. I think I will have more luck once I am actually living in Portland!
With this blog, I'm hoping to show our trials and tribulations of moving to a new city, buying a house, sharing our transition from living in a foreign country for 3 years, and give me an outlet and place to show and talk about all of the new things we learn and fun places we discover! Here's to a wonderful last week in Okinawa, Japan!
