And on an unrelated note, you should buy a map…

Being a working mother is different than being a stay at home mother, in the same regards, being a Marine wife is different from being a wife. One is not better, but one usually works better for some than others. Everyone faces their own unique challenges given their situation. As a Marine Wife I had never faced as many challenges as the day I was smack dab in the middle of Ramona. This was the first time my husband and I had lived together, the first time I lived in California, and most notably, the first time I didn’t live in a city whose name was known.

I went to high school in Phoenix and was often asked if people got shot at my school. They did not, in case you were curious. I went to university in Boulder and was often asked if I had my medical marijuana card or if I knew where to get the “good stuff”. I did not, in case you were curious. Once I moved to Ramona, the conversation often went like this:
“You live where?”
“Do you know where Poway is?”
NO.
“Do you know where Escondido is?”
NO.
“Do you know where Julian is?”
NO.
 “Well, Ramona is near Poway, Escondido, and Julian. And on an unrelated note, you should buy a map…”

It is nice to have the small town feel, but for many of the Marine Wives that live in the Military Housing of Ramona, this small town can be a big scare. I was not an exception. It is hard to identify with a town you may only live in for a few months or years. It is hard to settle in when the movers might be back sooner than you had hoped. A lot of the Marine wives keep to themselves and never become a part of the community because it seems too scary or too hard.

That is why I am here; hopefully, I will be able to fill in the gap between Ramona and the Marine community within. I want to get these women out of their homes and into the town, and I want this great town to be ready for them! So here goes everything.