Guest Blogger Monday: Indy

Hi everyone! Im super excited to announce that today is the first edition of Guest Blogger Monday woo! My wonderful friend Indy has agreed to be the first guest blogger and i can't wait to share this post with you. Indy is not only one of the funniest people I've met, she's also one of the first friends i made on this move and her compassion, friendship and positive attitude has been one of my favorite parts of Pensacola. She is a yogi, DIY master, navy wife, and awesome friend. I hope you enjoy her post as much as I did :)



I've never been so confused with my idea of home since my recent trip back to the Philippines. Home is really difficult to define for me especially as an immigrant, and now, a military wife. The little house with the big tree inside, next to the church across Ilog Pasig, in Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines has always been 'home' to me. The all changed when my family and I immigrated to New York City ten years ago. My grandparents, my aunts and uncles, and my cousins live in the Philippines. It is my heritage and my culture. And I still call it home. My parents decided to leave everything - their career, our house, our home, our family, our lives. They also decided to move to great United States of America. (music cue: Star Spangled Banner) They wanted the American Dream. They wanted their children to go to American colleges. And they've done pretty well so far (I think). I graduated from City University of New York (CUNY), Lehman College with a degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. My brother Don just graduated from CUNY Macaulay Honors College at Baruch College with a degree in Business Administration in Computer Information Systems. My sister Julia is starting her first sememster at CUNY Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College. And my youngest sister is going to be junior at Irvington High School. So, that's 3 out of 4! I'm so proud of my parents! They work so hard to give my siblings and I the best life and to give us the best education. New York will always have a place in my heart. New York is where I graduated high school and college. New York is where I experienced many of my "firsts." New York is where my parents and siblings still live. And I still call it home. As a military wife, it's even more difficult to call any place home. We have moved three times since my husband commissioned as a Naval officer. We live in Florida (for now). We bought our first home here. But guess what?! We are moving again in a few months! (YAY! not!) And oooh, guess what?! We don't know where we are going! The joy of being in a military family. Everything is a surprise! But in all seriousness, unfortunately, the military sends you where they need you. Even though my husband put in a list of places we want to PCS (Permanent Change of Station), we will be sent to wherever he will fill a billet. 
**side note: there are a lot of acronyms in the military! take note! 
I'm not looking forward to packing and moving but I'm really excited about living somewhere new. I like moving because it's an opportunity for me to purge - my junk, and my closet especially. I love seeing new places and discovering new restaurants, walking in new parks and sidewalks. It's intimidating and also challenging. What worries me the most is not having a job. I know with my experience, my skills, and my line of work in the medical field (I'm an audiology assistant), I'll find a job. It's just always a source of anxiety for me, and for any military significant other for that matter. We sacrifice so much to be with our husbands (but that's another post!). 
With that said, the Emerald Coast will always have a place in my heart. Especially with it's beautiful white sand beaches! Even if we are moving in a new months, I will still call it home. I've come to realized that home has nothing to do with structure. Home is where my heart is. Home is where my family is. Home is in my husband's eyes. Home is when my puppies give me nonstop wet kisses. Home is in the footprints of my ancestors. Home is in the memories of the places that have touched my soul. Home is where my path take me. Home is where the Navy sends us. Home is everywhere and nowhere.

http://ithomsen.wix.com/indythomsen