March 2003, we got married in his hometown in PA, stayed with his family about a month, then we drove down to Little Creek Base in VA, which was his next station . This whole trip was of course my first time for all meaning. So everything was new to me, n obviously my hubby had never been in VA either. After all day driving from PA, we got to Little Creek in late night.
We had only 2 weeks to do everything, find a place to live, buy some furniture, n the car we drove from PA just got broken, so we even had to buy a new vehicle. We had only 2 weeks because I had to go back to Japan to process for my green card, n he had to fly out to meet his new ship in Bahrain.
So we went to the housing office, n got a list of "military-friendly" apartments. I've lived by myself in Japan, but this, in U.S., and not single but as family, this thing was totally the first time for me, I didn't know anything about renting apartments or housings in U.S. So what I said to my hubby was "I don't want to live any OLD places."
We were looking for 2-bedroom apartment, n there was this one. I don't even remember if we went to check other places or not, but this one, I fell in love with. It was just behind all buildings, which they were still renovating Downtown VA Beach, in that little apartment community, there was a cute pool by the community center, n we saw a model room... it was a beautiful! So we decided that we want to live there. We couldn't move in right away, the move-in-date was after I left, but before he left.
Now we got our first place together, we got address... so next, furniture. We couldn't afford all fancy stuff, but we could buy everything we need for first-move-in, as a bed, a dressers, a dining set, a coffee table, and this camel color leather couch... We couldn't afford the love seat n chairs, but our apartment was very small, so we thought that would do it.
Then I had to leave to Japan... How many time I imagined about our first apartment with all those new furniture...
2 months later, after I finished all paperwork, I was 8mos. pregnant with John, but came back to Virginia. My hubby was still in Bahrain, he wouldn't be back another 2 months. One of his friend's wife picked me up at the airport, it was already late night, but finally I was home... in this cute apartment! I opened the door... uhhhhh... where is the light...? Hello? It's dark in here??? I didn't know that some housing don't have ceiling lights in here... In Japan, it's a standard...lol Fortunately my hubby already bought a T.V., n there was a light in the kitchen... so I could survive through the first night... I cannot stand being in a total dark place...
Next morning... OK, what I'm gonna do?lol I remembered that there are stores in a walking distance, as matter of fact, not completed, but Downtown VA Beach is just outside of this community. So I went out.
Oh, btw, I don't drive. I didn't drive back then, I don't drive now. I just didn't need a car in Japan since I lived in Tokyo... So I never got a driver's licence. I don't even know how to drive...
Anyway, there are Hallmark, Starbucks, Barns and Nobles, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Michaels, K-mart, and a small size mall... ALL MY FAVORITE STORES!!!lol I had a BLAST!!! Every morning, I woke up early(because we didn't have lights n nothing to do really...), make myself breakfast(the friend who picked me up at the airport, she took me some grocery shopping n stuff as well...), go to Starbucks n got myself a Grande size Iced Cafe Latte, then just walk around n shop around...lol It was SOOOOOO FUN! Not only that everything was all new to me, but everything I love was just outside of our apartment!
We had to move out the apartment after we found a couple of mice in the winter time, we only lived there less than a year... Then we transferred to San Diego in 2005... But... I miss living that area... yes, all of sudden...
*All pics are what I found in the Internet, Downtown VA Beach Now... Not the apartment we lived...lol
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