DVIDS – News – 2022 in Review: Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC) Rota

The first mission of Fleet and Household Assist Heart (FFSC) is to supply assist to the fleet and their households. The Intercultural Relations Program (ICR) is regularly the primary contact newly arriving personnel have with FFSC. This program contributes to the achievements of FFSC’s major mission by offering strong assist to all new personnel stationed in Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota from the second of arrival till their departure. The ICR program welcomes Division of Protection (DoD) personnel and their households by immersing them in Spain’s tradition and lifestyle.

Arriving in a brand new nation will be extremely thrilling, but it surely additionally has its justifiable share of uncertainty and stress. After the preliminary pleasure wears off, a number of challenges involving tradition shock, language, loneliness, and extra come up. Folks start to marvel if they’ve what it takes to outlive and thrive in Spain. That is the place the ICR program is available in, because it serves as a information to make sure a easy transition and additional cut back the anxiousness that relocating to a brand new nation brings to an individual.

Energetic responsibility, civilians, contractors, and dependents over 18 find out about all NAVSTA Rota’s companies within the obligatory four-day program. They’re immersed in Spain’s historical past, geography, tradition, gastronomy, traditions, language, and journey alternatives. ICR empowers individuals to know and embrace cultural nuances and supplies individuals with the idea that they’ll conquer life of their new house nation.

This system doesn’t finish there. Assist continues by way of the months and years within the type of discipline journeys, Spanish courses, and the International Language Change Program (FLEX), the place People are paired with Spaniards to grasp the language and acquire an in-depth understanding of the tradition of the nation. All this system items are designed to assist newcomers acclimate to their host nation.

Rosa Caballero is the ICR coordinator and has been working at FFSC for 16 years. Throughout this time, she has met many individuals and encountered many various conditions. One couple she remembers was a husband and spouse who each wanted to attend ICR, and whereas the service member was enthusiastic concerning the class, the partner was fairly pessimistic concerning the takeaway for her.

“To start with, the partner was not joyful about coming to Spain,” defined Caballero. “It was not a part of the plan, and being compelled to attend the obligatory workshop worsened her angle. She felt her precedence was to discover a place to dwell and enroll the children within the college.”

Caballero met individually with the partner to clarify that this coaching was foundational to serving to her get settled. She informed the partner it will present her with the chance to satisfy different spouses and households in her precise scenario. Nonetheless encouraging, Caballero bargained together with her to remain for the primary day.

“If, by the top of the day, you continue to suppose that the coaching was unworthy of your time, I’ll excuse you for the remainder of the week,” she stated.

The partner stayed and by the top of the day, she stated she may come again the next day. She attended the following day and stayed your complete week.

After her ICR week, the partner signed up for Spanish courses, the FLEX Program, and all of the FFSC ICR excursions.

“She turned a frequent buyer and likewise a good friend of mine,” stated Caballero. “When the household’s tour ended and it was time to say goodbye, I noticed their tears that additionally introduced tears to my eyes as a result of it was at that second I noticed that they’d really loved and beloved residing in Spain.”

However the story would not finish right here. Years later, they returned to Spain as a result of they’d determined it was the place they wished to retire and dwell for the remainder of their lives.

“Once I noticed them once more,” stated Caballero, “they thanked me for the optimistic influence I had on them throughout ICR, and so they graciously identified that it was by way of my perspective they realized to like Spain and the individuals.”

Throughout her time at FFSC, Caballero has gained numerous expertise, however most significantly, she states that empathy has been probably the most helpful talent.

“I’ve turn into sensible sufficient to know that what I have to possess to perform my job and overcome many of the challenges is empathy,” she stated. “Empathy to place myself in another person’s sneakers, to point out them that I care, and their issues are necessary.”

Caballero believes that her position as a Spanish navy partner has additionally helped her perceive how households really feel when they’re new to a spot and must endure all of the difficulties that encompass acclimating.

“My private life has been probably the most important useful resource I lean on because it supplies me with an insider perspective on navy life,” she defined. “I’m a believer that every part occurs for a motive in life. The identical week that I met my husband, an officer within the Spanish Navy, I obtained this job. I do not see this as a coincidence. It was meant to be. Again then, studying about my job and navy way of life occurred concurrently at work and residential.”

By means of the years, she has seen her partner deploy a number of occasions, even to fight zones. She says she has realized what it’s to really feel lonely and unhappy and to overlook him throughout many necessary household milestones.

“We’ve turn into dad and mom of two stunning kids, now 9 and 11,” she described. “I’ve confronted sicknesses and mishaps. I’ve seen my kids cry for his or her daddy and get upset with the world as a result of they disagree with their dad having to be gone for a number of months. I’ve additionally secretly cried, out of tiredness, loneliness and desperation as a result of some days I wanted somebody may stand the look ahead to me, for possibly simply at some point, for maybe only a few hours. However it’s throughout these moments that you just perceive which you could enable your self to interrupt down only for a couple of minutes, after which you must recompose your self once more, placed on a contented face and keep it up. You need to proceed supporting your loved ones and your job.”

Nonetheless, Caballero understands she works with a singular set of shoppers, and is aware of she can’t carry her fears and issues to work.

“The shoppers do not deserve it,” she stated. “They deserve the very best of me. What sort of instance would I be to all of the spouses I meet each day at my job? I’m accountable for encouraging them to be robust as a result of we navy spouses are robust.”

Caballero stated that regardless of the challenges, she considers herself fortunate. She has her mom to lean on and lots of of her college associates nonetheless reside in Rota. She is married to a improbable husband, who can be a caring and type father to our kids.

Moreover, she appreciates her colleagues at FFSC who’ve supported her throughout good and exhausting occasions.

“All through the years, they’ve proven me their residing examples of how we will survive,” she described. “I’ve realized a lot from them that saying ‘thanks’ seems like it isn’t sufficient. Life introduced me right here so I haven’t got to stroll this path alone, and on the identical time, I may also help others in the identical scenario navigate their journeys right here in Spain.”