Clueless

[Chelly]

We are going to be PCSing for the first time this summer to go to Guam.

Can you guys tell me what to expect..what's going to happen..what should I start doing to prepare myself..what kinda things am I going to have to do?..what kind of things are essential to get more of and what stuff should I leave here at a family member's house?

Dh will be gone most of the time doing workups for the upcoming deployment. We're not sure yet if he'll have to go on part of it yet. I just want to start preparing myself and our home. I'm not going to have a lot of time until my semester is over, and I don't want to overwhelm myself doing everything last minute.

Any info would be helpful! TIA!

[Jennifer]

Living overseas is quite different. Do you know yet if you are bringing your HHG or are you living in funished housing? My BIL and SIL live in the azores in furnished housing, and their PCS experience was very different than mine. Be prepared to see local doctors at times, to deal with weird foods and missing foods too.

[NobodySpecial]

OMG...my first suggestion is to get a generator! They cost around $500 here on the mainland but can cost over $2000 there!! The tropical storms and typhoons out there are BRUTAL! They have knocked out power on the island for months, not in base housing though, never that long. But still get a generator!
You can get loaner furniture on base until yours arrives. It isn't anything to rave about but its a couch to sit on, beds to lie on and dressers to put your stuff in! Pretty sure I remember them doing pots and pans and dishes too.

You are allowed two suitcases per ticketed passenger up to 75 pounds each since its international I believe. Use that to your advantage and pack whatever you can into them. Clothes, books, whatever to get you through until your shipment gets there, we actually put some toilet paper in since we had so much and didn't want to but more there!

We did an express shipment but it only got there a week before our other stuff and we only sent it two weeks after our regular shipment. If you have a washer and dryer you won't need it, all housing on base have them because it is too expensive for the navy to ship the weight overseas. Save some room in your future home for some of the BEAUTIFUL oriental/pacific islander furniture that you are sure to buy over there.

Get your passport! If you don't already have one, you need one.

Last but not least, pack your bathing suit and put aside some money for scuba lessons! Check out MDA on base for very reasonable rates so you can check out some of the best scuba diving in the world! Also, the only place in the world where a WWI boat and a WWII boat lay in eternal rest touching each other!

If you have any more questions, I would be happy to answer as best I can!
I miss my rock in the middle of the pacific!

[Chelly]

Originally Posted by Jennifer Do you know yet if you are bringing your HHG or are you living in funished housing? Be prepared to see local doctors at times, to deal with weird foods and missing foods too.

We're bring our HHG and what do you mean by the second statement?

[Chelly]

Originally Posted by mrschiefbrennan OMG...my first suggestion is to get a generator! They cost around $500 here on the mainland but can cost over $2000 there!! The tropical storms and typhoons out there are BRUTAL! They have knocked out power on the island for months, not in base housing though, never that long. But still get a generator! You can get loaner furniture on base until yours arrives. It isn't anything to rave about but its a couch to sit on, beds to lie on and dressers to put your stuff in! Pretty sure I remember them doing pots and pans and dishes too. You are allowed two suitcases per ticketed passenger up to 75 pounds each since its international I believe. Use that to your advantage and pack whatever you can into them. Clothes, books, whatever to get you through until your shipment gets there, we actually put some toilet paper in since we had so much and didn't want to but more there! We did an express shipment but it only got there a week before our other stuff and we only sent it two weeks after our regular shipment. If you have a washer and dryer you won't need it, all housing on base have them because it is too expensive for the navy to ship the weight overseas. Save some room in your future home for some of the BEAUTIFUL oriental/pacific islander furniture that you are sure to buy over there. Get your passport! If you don't already have one, you need one. Last but not least, pack your bathing suit and put aside some money for scuba lessons! Check out MDA on base for very reasonable rates so you can check out some of the best scuba diving in the world! Also, the only place in the world where a WWI boat and a WWII boat lay in eternal rest touching each other! If you have any more questions, I would be happy to answer as best I can! I miss my rock in the middle of the pacific!

Should I just bring just the basic furniture? I was told to pack light when going over there.
We don't have a fully decorated home because we're going to gradually decorate it with every place that we go.
How is the clothes shopping over there? Was there anything that you brought that was just useless?

Did you live on base or off of base? Do you know anything about base housing?

[Germanchick]

Base housing is VERY easy to get into. At least it was 2 years ago and I doubt much has changed since. They repainted all the houses while we were there. I loved our house. 2 stories. 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath. Our yard wasn't fenced in but we had a huge grassy area behind our house which was great for bbqs etc.

[Chelly]

Originally Posted by germanchick Base housing is VERY easy to get into. At least it was 2 years ago and I doubt much has changed since. They repainted all the houses while we were there. I loved our house. 2 stories. 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath. Our yard wasn't fenced in but we had a huge grassy area behind our house which was great for bbqs etc.

Are the bedrooms big? We have a big bedroom set, so I'm a little worried about that.

[Chelly]

For anyone who has been there..do you have any pics?

ETA: do you have any tips for going through your house and figuring out what to take and what not to?

[DakotaCowgirl]

I haven't done an overseas move but I agree with the Pack Light. If it is not essential...don;t take it. I hear that Guam is wonderful.

[NobodySpecial]

Yes, pack light. But only when it comes to furniture. But I only say that because you will want to buy stuff there and bring in back and with weight allowances it best to leave yourself some leeway!

Clothes shopping sucks I'm not a big shopper so it didn't bother me. It does seem to bother the shopaholics though. The NEX is pretty good there now, they remodelled and it is certainly MUCH better than the NEX here in Groton. Islands mall is called the GPO, couldn't tell you what is there because I only went a few times. We really managed to get everything we needed on base all the time. Beer, and alcohol in general, is DIRT CHEAP. They do have a bcbg there though, thats where I got by gown for sub ball. Guam is also known for the worlds largest Kmart, but still good for nothing. There is no walmart.

Winter coat....useless! LOL Invest in a good pair of golashes (sp?)though lol

Here is a tip! I am not sure if they have increased your car shipments to 2 yet but either way. If you have a pick-up or any 4wd vehicle it is worth more than gold there! Example, I had a 94 Grand Cherokee LTD back in Canada that was at my moms house that I found out was selling for $12,000 in Guam. My mom traded it in and got $1,400!!! How sad is that? Had I known earlier I would have paid the 2K to ship it to make the 10K!

As for housing, we lived on base. It was by far the best housing I have ever lived in. Not because of the house persay but because of everything within reach. It's gated, which I LOVE. There is a pool (outdoor) which I laid out at everyday with the kids (I miss being jobless). a subway, movie theater, the dive shop, this GREAT little bar over the water called clipper landing which is just above the dive shop (you have to try the wings), mcdonalds, the self help which gives you practically anything you need for maintanence around your house, the family practice clinic and of course the NEX and Comissary, and I'm sure other things that I can't think of.

Originally Posted by blownkissez79 Should I just bring just the basic furniture? I was told to pack light when going over there. We don't have a fully decorated home because we're going to gradually decorate it with every place that we go. How is the clothes shopping over there? Was there anything that you brought that was just useless? Did you live on base or off of base? Do you know anything about base housing?