2025/Kyona-

I've been a military child my whole life. Having to leave the people I love became a common occurrence for me. From lwakuni to California, Puerto Rico, and now Zama, my life has always been hectic with the constant moving. I've always tried to remind myself that “it's just the way my life goes," but I can't help myself from crying on the airplane as I look out the window, wishing I could stay, wishing that it wasn’t how my life goes. Change is difficult, but those melancholic days fade away as I settle into my new life. I'm still friends with most people I've met from this military-moving lifestyle, though it's only occasional texts and calls. Not a day goes by that I don't miss all of them. However, these past few years have been different. I moved to Zama after the pandemic, and I've stayed here ever since. My mom fell in love with this area, and my dad has tried his hardest to extend his stay here. Since I've stayed here for so long, I no longer became the friend who moved away, but the friend who stayed back. So many of my friends, some of whom I can even call my family, have moved away. It's a bittersweet feeling knowing that they'll get to see a new area and a new school while I stay back and watch them live their new life. But adapting to change is what being a military kid is all about.