1: The schooling systems. There are 2 schools on post but neither of them are DOD schools. I find it a bit weird. It is also weird that they get out at different times of the day. The blue school (Hale Kula) gets out about 20-30 minutes after the purple school(Solomon) Yet they are both Elementary schools. I would prefer that Dallas was in a DOD school, as they seem to be more geared to the military families and some even have programs which allow the kids express themselves a bit while they deal with the life of being a military child. The middle school here is on Wheeler, which is literally across the street. If you work on Schofield, you may end up living on Wheeler Airforce Base, or the other way around. We were lucky enough to live and work and go to school all on Schofield. If you attend the blue school, they have a bus system. If you are at the purple, like Dallas, you have no busing. Lucky for us, it is not a far walk for us. With rainy season almost over, it should be fine to walk on most day. Aside from all of that, there is a huge difference in the ways the schools are layed out. There are no gyms, just the great outdoors. There is not any hallways, its all outside. When you step out of the classroom doors, you are instantly outside, sheltered if you are not in a portal. Dallas is in a portal, and so to use the bathroom he has to go outside. They always have the windows and doors open, so it's like he is always outside! I personally think that it is pretty cool. So does Dallas. Much different atmosphere. They also also have a fruit and veggie program and I think it's once a week they get a delivery of a fresh fruit or veggie that the kids get to try out! They are encouraged to try them all, but sometimes I know the looks of them can be pretty intimidating for a kids in Kindergarten. I was told when we moved here that I needed to watch out for the school system here. I was really concerned that they were way behind in this school compared to the mainland. It's not as bad as I thought, and since there is homework every night, at least for Dallas, we can keep up and teach him on our own at home. AKA hotel. Kansas has a great school system academic wise. They never had homework there and so it was hard for me to know what he should know and what is not important at this time for him to know. This system is helpful and we are able to work with him at home as well. I really think that some parents think all their kids learning should be taught by teacher, when in reality there is a lot that we as parents can do at home to help them be better students, kids, and individuals. Learning style are way different now than when we were in school. You may actually learn something along the way. If you help your child at home, and stay in close contact with the teacher, I don't see why your child would be behind when you go back to the mainland.
2. Training is a little different here not just for the soldiers, but for the spouses. In Kansas, they had something called Custer Hill. This is where all the soldiers pretty much worked, trained and did PT. To say the least, you would see soldiers throughout the day at the store, on their way home and things of that nature. I have never in the 4 years I was a spouse in Kansas saw a TON of soldiers doing PT, ruck marches, or battalion runs. They don't have that kind of space here. So you see soldiers doing PT all over the post, Ruck marching in front for the housing places and running all over the place. They close half of the major road through housing to have the soldiers run in the morning. I did see some soldiers in Kansas at the park or the riverwalk doing PT tests and such, but it was never an everyday thing. It sure is weird, and sometimes a little inconvenient to have the road blocked off, or to see people running out in front of your car, but it's a small post. Something that takes a little getting used to, kinda like seeing men in uniform and combat boots driving motorcycles. :) took a little time to get used to!!!!
3. Driving here is a whole lot different than Kansas. Learn to relax and go with the flow. The speed limits here on the highway, are like all 55-60 and you are lucky when you get to even do that without getting caught in traffic somewhere. On post there are only a few ways that will get you where you want to go, so it is often hard to avoid traffic. Most all the housing is in one main area on this post. Not like riley where some way across trooper, some on main post, some on the hill ETC. There were a lot of places that you couldn't walk to in Kansas that you can here. I have 2 friends here that were my friends in Kansas. We didn't really live as close as we will now. We are all in one area yet in 3 different neighborhoods. Something to get used to. Parking is always an issue. There isn't a lot of it, and some is for motorcycles, and a huge majority is for compact cars! Good luck with that when you are driving a huge truck or something. We traded in a trailblazer for a ford fusion. Best decision we have ever made! I would never be able to fit the trailblazer anywhere close in these spots.
Like anything else that you do in the military life, you have to be open to change! Be willing to learn new things, and do things that you are used to doing a different way. All in all, we are in paradise, with my family and some close friends. There is no reason to be angry at any time!!!! PLUS TOBY KEITH is playing here next weekend!!!!
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