Living in Germany, at Vilseck/Graf, is a rollercoaster of emotions – excitement, stress, joy, fear, confusion, frustration, peace. This was my first official duty station and my best advice is that your experience here will be what you make of it. It won’t be like living in the states. And that is a beautiful thing if you let it be!
To have an idea of the area, the Vilseck/Graf base is located in upper Bavaria. It’s a more traditional state in Germany where rules are a little bit stricter, but it’s also the most diverse in landscape (in my opinion). You have the mountains, glacial lakes, historical cities, and more! Vilseck and Graf are separate bases but are 20 minutes apart and are connected by a community road on base.
Things to know about Vilseck/Graf
I could write a book on this section mostly because there’s so much to learn. When you move here, it can be a little overwhelming to navigate army life and German culture, but here are my three tips:
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Germans and Americans are happy to help if you just ask. We’re all learning and people are eager to teach.
- Download Google Translate. This has a photo function that you can take photos of menus, things in the grocery store, etc. You can also download various languages to use in areas without service since a good part of Germany won’t have cell service.
- Don’t just sit at home! Take a deep breath and go out. I have talked to SO many spouses who are miserable here, but they don’t do anything about it. They sit inside because they are too worried about how they’ll be perceived. You are STRONG! Take one baby step at a time.
Lean on others and be okay with asking questions! So excited for you to come here!
Kelsey
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