2024/Liuana -27476

When people think about a military brat, they might just think about a child moving all over the place, to new countries, and being very quiet. But it is much different than what people would think. Or at least this is for me. I’m a Samoan who never thought she would ever go around the world. I have been to multiple countries, continents, and cities. I would have never thought that I would be able to learn about so many different cultures, and facts about different countries.

While I was a little girl, I remember my dad was deployed for 3 years in Korea. Me and my family lived in the U.S. while my dad was all the way in Asia. I remember my mom always praying for my dad. I didn’t remember much about my dad since I was only 6 years old. But I remember my mom telling me to say “hi” to my dad. But I didn’t even know I had a dad. I thought that it was just me, my siblings, my mom, grandma, and aunty living together.

I also remember I would always cry because I would wake up and not have my mom next to me while I’m asleep. But it was because my mom had to go to work. She would come home at like 1900 but leave the house at 0600. And everyday it would never fail for me and my sibling to fight over who gets to take my mom’s boots off. It was my favorite part of the day. This was all when I was a little girl.

Currently, as I’m 13 years old, I live in Europe and I also have a baby brother. My parents are now retired but my mom is still active (she loves working but complains about working).

But being in Europe it’s the best because you’re able to go all over the place. For me, I have been to multiple places like France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, and more places. I love traveling to new places with my family. I say the best part about being a military child, trying new food and learning about cultures and history. I’m learning new things with friends that's also from different countries everyday. I am grateful for being a military child. Even with all the parents deploying. I know that my parents are doing what’s best for my siblings.