身兼艺人和军人妻子这两个角色给我带来了很多挑战，但也带给我许多见识。从学院毕业之后不久，我就从家乡纽约市坐飞机穿过整个国家来到了加州的锡赛德市与即将就读国防语言学院的丈夫同住。我们在加州已经待不了几周了，我们马上就要搬到华盛顿D.C.，这个过渡阶段让我有了很多机会去进行反思。

我在纽约长大，我已经在那里的舞蹈团体建立了人脉网，也已经开始把自己培养成该领域的专业人士，而从纽约搬到加州中央海岸的一个郊区，至少对我而言是一种文化冲击。到了一个新的地方，我花了些时间进行调整，并且重建了自己作为艺人和单独个体的角色，同时还学习适应军人配偶的生活。

我丈夫的日程安排非常严苛，而这也慢慢地渗入了我们两人的生活。我仍然在学习如何在成为一名贤内助和参与我丈夫职业生涯之间找到平衡，同时兼顾创造并探索我自己的追求。

我认为搬到加州后学到的最重要的就是：如果你真心地、深深地投入到你所热爱的事情上，那么无论你在哪里，无论你拥有什么资源，都无关紧要。事实上，生活在一个舞蹈团体非常稀少的地方反倒给我打开了大展拳脚的机会。

艺人往往倾向于向较大的城市靠拢，倾向于搬到那些人们熟知的、自我标榜在相关领域有大把机会的地方。然而，在这类城市的中心住了这么久，又搬到别的地方住了一段时间之后，我发现了为自己钟爱的艺术奉献的真正价值。为了舞蹈，我必须精心安排和调整自己的时间和空间。找到你自己的作息规律——并身体力行地去实现它——是特别值得学习的做法。

有时，这样做可能会让你感到碰上了一堵墙，像是不能前进和处于错误的地方。不过这些感觉可以推进你的做法。在这个过程中，你会有独立的感觉。我已经开发了自己的舞蹈动作词汇表，如果我不搬到这儿来，就不会有这个词汇表。我学会了行动并让事情发生，否则没有人会把现成的东西拱手送给我。

我从小到大所期待的唾手可得的东西不是随处都有的。我很幸运，能够在艺术和创作灵感如此丰富，如此唾手可得的地方长大。不过，期待这些并不应该是从事艺术工作的理由和动机。它来自于你自己，如果你热衷于寻找和倾听的话。

在创意生活和军旅生活的分裂中找平衡其实是一种矛盾的生活方式。军队是一种需要投入的、系统性的组织，而这影响到你生活的方方面面。

从你住在哪儿、你做什么，到你属于哪个社群，你基本上无法自己左右。你生活的结构都得听从军队的安排。即使是一名军人配偶，你也得服从他们的命令。

因此，找个抽象的表达，在其中发现自己，同时抽离自己——你需要走一条虽然有收获、但却艰难的路。我认为，这条路给了我很多挑战和特权。

供稿：Maya G.，24岁

艺人、咖啡师

加利福尼亚州锡赛德市

What I learned from being an artist in the military

Being an artist anda military wife is a role that has offered me many challenges and insights.Shortly after graduating college, I flew across the country from my hometown inNew York City to Seaside, California, to be with my husband who would beattending the Defense Language Institute. We are approaching our last week herein California, and our impending transition to Washington, DC has brought up alot of opportunity to reflect.

Moving from NYCwhere I grew up -- where I had built a network in the dance community and begunto establish myself as a professional in the field -- to a suburb on thecentral coast of California was a culture shock to say the least. It took sometime to adjust and to re-establish myself in a new place as an artist and anindividual while learning the life of being a spouse in the military.

The rigor and demandthat my husband’s schedule requires has trickled into both of our lives. I amstill learning how to find the balance between being a supportive wife andbeing involved in my husband’s career, and inventing and exploring my ownpursuits.

I think that themost important thing I’ve learned out here in California is that where you areand the resources that you have are fundamentally irrelevant if you are truly,deeply invested in something that you are passionate about. In fact, being in aplace where the dance community is very sparse opens a door to creating thatspace on your own.

Artists oftengravitate to the bigger cities, to places where it is known and advertised thatthere are tons of things going on in their trade. However, spending some timeoutside of that after a lifetime of being in the heart of it has shown me thetrue value of being dedicated to your art. I have had to craft my own time andspace for dance. Finding that routine for yourself -- and manifesting it onyour own -- are very valuable practices to learn.

It can feel like youare up against a wall at times, like you are not moving forward and are in thewrong place. But those feelings can fuel your practice. There is a sense ofindependence in this process. I have developed my movement vocabulary here in away that would not have happened had I not come here. I have learned to make ithappen, because otherwise no one would hand it to me.

The “silverplatters” that I grew up to expect are not everywhere. I was lucky to grow upin a place with such an abundance of art and creative inspiration at myfingertips. Expecting that should not be the reason or motivation for artistry.It comes out of you, if you are keen to look and listen for it.

Balancing thedichotomy of creative life and military life is something of a contradictinglifestyle. The military is a very involved, systemized organization, and thataffects every aspect of your life.

From where you live,to what you do, to the communities you are a part of, you are essentially attheir whim. The structure of your life is determined by what the military asks ofyou. Even as a spouse you are following their orders.

So finding abstractexpression, discovering yourself within that -- and apart from it -- is adifficult, albeit rewarding, path to walk. I believe it has presented me withas many challenges as it has privileges.

Maya G., 24

Artist and Barista

Seaside, California

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