CHIÈVRES, Belgium – Taking advantage of the sunny lobby of the Army lodge at Chièvres Air Base July 28, spouses enjoyed wine and talked over the peculiarities newcomers face when living abroad and specifically living in Belgium.
Jokingly titled Wine and Whine Wednesday, the event began at the beginning of the PCS season in June and is planned as a bi-weekly beginning in August and is part of a larger informal program called the Mon Ami Spouse Sponsorship, which helps spouses acclimate to their new home through networking and shared experience.
Coren Yastrzemsky, the wife of the U.S. Army Garrison Benelux commander, began the program four months ago. She recalled that before she arrived to Belgium, the formal nature of the official sponsorship relation seemed to preclude a lot of questions, things such as whether slow-cookers and hair straighteners work in Europe.
“And you don’t really want to put those types of questions on a public Facebook page necessarily,” said Yastrzemsky. “That’s what this (program) is for. It could just be a texting relationship, social media messaging, you could talk on the phone, email – whatever you want it to be.”
The program is simple. Spouses who are soon to arrive in the USAG Benelux community can email monamiprogram@gmail.com. Yastrzemsky then pairs up the requesting spouse with a spouse volunteering to sponsor. She works with the garrison’s Army Community Services to organize the event and the program.
Unlike a spouses’ club, both Yastrzemsky and members of ACS emphasized that this is much less formal.
Nadia Krajewski, the Volunteer Corps coordinator with ACS, elaborated on the name “Mon Ami,” which means “my friend” in French.
“We were wanting to plan a better spouse sponsorship program, and we decided to do something more informal so people feel comfortable,” said Nadia Krajewski, ACS. “They can talk and get some assistance when they first arrive here.”
Krajewski went on to say that making friends is important to successfully integrating into Belgium. And making friends right away can help with the transition to Belgium.
“I know with me, I made lifelong friends in the lodge because it’s the easiest place to meet people, especially when you are in need and trying to figure everything out,” she said.
Yastrzemsky said the program is not limited to spouses and could be open to single Soldiers and civilians who do not yet have a line in the community. The program and the wine event are merely bridging the gap that many members of the community might feel upon their arrival.
“It’s open for everyone – the more the merrier,” she said. “The wider audience we can reach and the different types of people we can get, the better – and the sooner the connection, even prior to arriving to the Benelux, the better.
“If you’re a mom and you’re at the playground, you learn a lot of things,” she continued. “But if you are not at the playground socializing and you are getting here and you are totally stressed out, this is an outlet. At least the wine and whine is one outlet to help you get answers to those quick questions that will make a difference.”
The Wine and Whine Wednesday event usually lasts two hours. To start the conversation going, Yastrzemsky talks about issues newcomers to Belgium might face, such as finding trash and recycle bags, how bottles are recycled, and more. Representatives from ACS; housing; Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation; and other garrison directorates are there to join in the session as well. Questions are answered and new relationships are built.
U.S. Navy Capt. Corey Keniston and Sarah Keniston joined the event. They had moved to Belgium before, and Corey has been at the lodge since April, Sarah since early July. They were appreciative of this and other programs that have met them as newcomers.
“The hospitality of the community doing this, the churches rotating through and providing meals on Monday nights when nothing is open – all those things are great,” said Capt. Corey Keniston.
Yastrzemsky made clear that despite difficulties newcomers face arriving to Belgium, the rewards win out.
“Somebody told me once that it’s really hard to move here, but it’s even harder to leave,” said Yastrzemsky. “It’s going to be very difficult your first couple of months, but then you are going to fall in love with the beauty of the Benelux, and you are not going to want to leave.”
Although the wine and whine event is limited to the Army Lodge at Chievres, the Mon Ami program fosters spouse connections across the entire Benelux community. To join the Mon Ami Spouse Sponsorship program, email monamiprogram@gmail.com.
Social Sharing