New to army life and moving to Hameln

[pinkmalibu]

My Husband has been in the army for over 10 years and has been based in Hameln for all of this time. He has spent the last 6 years skiing for the British Biathlon team which the army sponsors. He has just recently been dropped from the team and we will be moving back to Hameln in feb.

We have a 6 month old son. We've been living in Ruhpolding since july as this is where my husband does his training. I however don't speak german so have found the last few months really tough!

Any advice about coping with army life? and meeting mum's in hameln?

I assume that when you are in Hameln you will be living in Married Quarters? If so, than you will find life a lot easier there....as you will have lots of english speaking people around you!Also, once wiht the regiment, you will find the supportnetwork is generally better and there will be groups, like mums and tots wihtin the british community.There will also possibly be something like the Hive which will be able to guide you in the right direction on where you find what, etc...!

However, you will always fair well to at least try and lern some german....

DONT GO!! - i spent 3 years in Hameln and HATED it.

That's not very helpful advice!

I agree - not helpful! Anyone can be unhappy anywhere and a lot depends on personal circumstances. I haven't been to Hameln, but have heard good things about it and you will certainly find more support with a regiment than you are used to. Good luck

shoptilidrop.......just because you hated it doesn't mean it is a bad place to live...
I hated it when we were living in Chepstow...and we lived there for 4 years...however, I have plenty of friends that loved it there...

incidently I loved it when we were in Cyprus...but many of my friends hated it...

everybody is different, afterall....

Yes we'll be in married quarters. In a way i'm looking forward to it, we'll be together as a family much more than we are now!

I've heard alot of people say the women can be quite bitchy. I tend to try and keep myself to myself usually anyway!

Plus, it's not like i can dig my heel's in and choose where we go. If my DH goes i'm with him.

Thanks for the advice! xx

pink...tbh....apparently ALL Armywives must be bitchy...because that is pretty much always said, no matter where you go...however, from personal experience....I found that yes I have come across some bitchy ole hags, but I have also made some very good friends...
but I agree keeping a lowish profile is probably a good idea....served me well when we lived in married quarters....

Anyway, best of luck!

I would say that the Army community is similar to others and that you will meet some bitchy women and some lovely ones.

When my first DD was little, I really appreciated living where there were lots of other stay at home mums and small children. I'm sure I would have been lonely on a civvi estate, where there is a wider age range and less children per square mile.

If you approach the situation by being nice and friendly, you will meet some nice, friendly people.

And a few very stuck up ones! You know strutting around wearing their husband's rank.

Black Lab strolling behind en route to the stables.

sorry - was short for time-
Hameln its self is ok - housing isnt great. There are hardly any jobs for wives and only childcare when i was there was the preschools.
The wifes were terrible though - i saw everything from wives sleeping with wives husbands, - wives setting fire to the mq's when the husbands were away. There are wives clubs, these are split into sq's and it is not encouraged that you mix with other sq's.

I know some people like places and others dont - but i can count on one hand the number of people i met who liked being there.

sorry

Nice! I remember a wife swapping club in Cyprus!

Oi - what's wrong with having a black Lab ?

Black labs are so stereotypically Army Officer. It's like it's part of the uniform.

There is an urban myth about someone being issued with one as they left Sandhurst...
Ours is a mongrel anyway - much nicer

And we have a black moggy that we took in as a stray 10 years ago!

I really mustn't take the piss as I am a very good officer's wife

Surely thst's the trick to being a good officer's wife - look all sweet in your twinset and pearls on the outside and take the piss behind their backs!

Oh god yes! I am venturing in to the Corporals mess tomorrow night and then the Segts mess on Saturday night. How many pearls should I wear?

One string for the corporals mess and two for the sergeants - obviously! Happy hangovers

PS: We are only joking about all this before someone comes along muttering about bloody officers' wives....

lol at hf....

as for wives carrying their husbands rank....they do exist, but tbh, I could never take them serious, lol....I mean, it is kinda sad, isn't it....

Very sad! I knew one wife who was the laugh of the camp - she used to say 'Don't you know who I am?'

She was also giving the RSM and the Welfare Officer one

sounds like a fabulous wife

I lived in Hameln from 97-00 and loved it, had a fantastic life, good job, lovely house.

Near to hannover or bielefeld for shopping.

When we were there there was 2 regts now only one regt so i guess probably max 600 soliders so probably 300 wives. Don't forget engrs move on their own so will always be new people moving in. HV will have details of creches, mums and tots etc.

Your family will love it as old town and does the pied piper play on sundays in summer.