Brynne Adams had to adapt to each place she lived as she grew up a Military Brat in the U.S.A. A sense of home toward a physical place was often changing and learning the ways of new places was hard.
Adams is now an adult and has gained many experiences as she grew up moving around every two to four years. In part one, Adams’ journey is told through the places she lived and attended school. Then, in part two we see the relationships and connections she created throughout her moves. Lastly, this final part will unravel how Adams’ childhood has influenced the person she has become and the things she learned.
Adaptability to New Places and Situations
As discussed in parts one and two, Adams says the hardest part when she would move to new places as a Military Brat would be having to start over. She would have to make new friends, attend new schools and join new teams. This was all mentally and physically draining for her.
Something Adams learned was, “How to survive as the new kid and be friends with people you may not be friends with later.” One way she learned to survive was by becoming friends with the people who would approach her first. After her first few moves, the toughest thing she had to learn was that there was a chance her relationships would not last. Because of this, Adams has struggled with commitment issues and that is something she is working on in her adulthood.
Since Adams lived in many parts of the country, she has learned the cultures in each area. She learned the history behind the places she has lived and the different terminology. The United States is a big country and Adams can understand the slang from different areas and knows specific historical backgrounds.
With each move, her family would follow the same routine and it made the transition a little easier: Adams and her sister would go stay at their grandparents in Minnesota, U.S.A. then meet their parents at their new home. Something that would comfort her was having her sister around and keeping her belongings. Adams had to leave people and places behind but all of her tangible things would move with her.
‘Where Are You From?’
This is a hard question for any Military Brat like Adams. Where does one say they are from if they have lived in multiple places? As a result, it’s often difficult to have a short answer to this question for Military Brats.
Adams’ answer would depend on where she last lived. She would start with the most recent place she moved from. Then she would follow by saying her birth place and explaining how she moved around a lot because her parents were in the military.
“I’d give an answer without really giving one,” Adams says. The book “Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds” says this can be a common occurrence.
What Does ‘Home’ Mean for Military Brat Brynne Adams?
Home can mean many different things from one person to another. For Military Brats, it doesn’t always mean a physical place. In order for Adams to feel she is home, she has to feel connected with an area and the people around her. To her, this has usually meant she has spent a significant amount of time in a location.
After many moves, she says, “I’ve come to realize that home is where my family is.” Having her family near is one of the most important things that makes Adams feel she’s at home.
