4 -Massive scary changes and finding new friendships

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From Liz B

In 2011 I married my husband, Steve. He was a captain based with 26 Regiment Royal Artillery, in Gutersloh, Germany.

I remember the times before we were married weighing up the pro’s and con’s of me moving out there to Germany or staying in Sutton Coldfield. 

I decided to go for it and six weeks after we were married I arrived in Germany. I cried the entire way there. The other people on the flight must have wondered what was wrong with me. I was so sad to be leaving my family behind, and leaving my dream job and team with only uncertainty ahead. To compound these feelings of loss and insecurity, Steve was late picking me up from the airport.

Within the first week I had discovered I would be unable to work as a Physiotherapist in Germany, the second week Steve left for an exercise in the UK, and 10 weeks after that, he left for a seven month tour in Afghanistan. I felt so alone and so anxious about his safety. 

The day he left, I was introduced to Aimee and her 12 week old daughter, Grace. We drank rather a lot of gin that night, and from the hangover that followed, a friendship blossomed. We literally spent every single day together from then on, supporting each other, laughing together, crying together, seeing Grace grow and develop.

​Those were precious times and so from the initial worries and upset I had moving to Germany, I will forever be grateful and glad because I found my best friend there. 

We are still best friends and now godparents to each other’s children. 

The BeGlad project is aiming to collect 100 stories of good coming out of bad and reasons to be glad by the end of 2018 to help support each other with our experiences and to raise money for the Samaritans and Action for Happiness. If you would like to donate it would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you!

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/beglad