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Comment by xradionut | Hacker News Reader

"That's great as long as it's only your stuff you're sacrificing."

My parents moved again and again then divorced and moved again and again. I attended four different high schools and have no life-long childhood friends nor a "hometown" nor many great memories of family. My siblings and I were the casualties of their lifestyle and half of us are dead before 30. Our education and many other advantages of a more stable life suffered.

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Sorry to hear that...

We moved at least every 5yrs - my dad was in the military... I also don't have a hometown and went to plenty of different schools around the world. I don't have any of the negative feelings about moving or not having a real hometown... nor did I have any issues keeping friends long distance or otherwise. Just to give you some perspective... not everyone has the same experiences.

I feel like moving with the military, or going to an American school in a foreign country is less problematic than other situations. Starting at a new High School in Norfolk VA is different from starting at a new High School in St Louis. Going to college where you don't know anyone is not a problem because everyone else is in the same boat. Military brats and expat kids are much more receptive to new friends than their typical peers. If the new school has plenty of them, the experience is likely not so bad.

I think military kids are just taught to get over it - and not be whiners...thats really my take. I went to plenty of 'offbase' public schools where I was not only one of the 'few' military brats... but also completely foreign ( I'm half-Asian - try doing that in the deep south? ). ;) Being receptive is about learning to accept that shits changed and you either adapt or turn into a hermit... its also about knowing that people are not that different from each other - they just have different experiences of the world... I accept people for who they are - not where they live or what they do - or even for what the may not have experienced...and I usually find it easy to make new friends.

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