Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Hutch Johnson | NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (December 8, 2022) Rosa Caballero, coordinator for...... read more read more
The primary mission of Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) is to provide support to the fleet and their families. The Intercultural Relations Program (ICR) is frequently the first contact newly arriving personnel have with FFSC. This program contributes to the achievements of FFSC's primary mission by providing robust support to all new personnel stationed in Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota from the moment of arrival until their departure. The ICR program welcomes Department of Defense (DoD) personnel and their families by immersing them in Spain's culture and way of life.
Arriving in a new country can be incredibly exciting, but it also has its fair share of uncertainty and stress. After the initial excitement wears off, multiple challenges involving culture shock, language, loneliness, and more arise. People begin to wonder if they have what it takes to survive and thrive in Spain. This is where the ICR program comes in, as it serves as a guide to ensure a smooth transition and further reduce the anxiety that relocating to a new country brings to a person.
Active duty, civilians, contractors, and dependents over 18 learn about all NAVSTA Rota's services in the mandatory four-day program. They are immersed in Spain's history, geography, culture, gastronomy, traditions, language, and travel opportunities. ICR empowers participants to understand and embrace cultural nuances and provides people with the belief that they can conquer life in their new home country.
The program does not end there. Support continues through the months and years in the form of field trips, Spanish classes, and the Foreign Language Exchange Program (FLEX), where Americans are paired with Spaniards to master the language and gain an in-depth understanding of the culture of the country. All the program pieces are designed to help newcomers acclimate to their host country.
Rosa Caballero is the ICR coordinator and has been working at FFSC for 16 years. During this time, she has met many people and encountered many different situations. One couple she remembers was a husband and wife who both needed to attend ICR, and while the service member was enthusiastic about the class, the spouse was quite pessimistic about the takeaway for her.
“To begin with, the spouse was not happy about coming to Spain,” explained Caballero. “It was not part of the plan, and being forced to attend the mandatory workshop worsened her attitude. She felt her priority was to find a place to live and enroll the kids in the school.”
Caballero met individually with the spouse to explain that this training was foundational to helping her get settled. She told the spouse it would provide her with the opportunity to meet other spouses and families in her exact situation. Still encouraging, Caballero bargained with her to stay for the first day.
“If, by the end of the day, you still think that the training was unworthy of your time, I will excuse you for the rest of the week,” she said.
The spouse stayed and by the end of the day, she said she might come back the following day. She attended the next day and stayed the entire week.
After her ICR week, the spouse signed up for Spanish classes, the FLEX Program, and all the FFSC ICR tours.
“She became a frequent customer and also a friend of mine,” said Caballero. “When the family’s tour ended and it was time to say goodbye, I saw their tears that also brought tears to my eyes because it was at that moment I realized that they had truly enjoyed and loved living in Spain.”
But the story doesn't end here. Years later, they returned to Spain because they had decided it was where they wanted to retire and live for the rest of their lives.
“When I saw them again,” said Caballero, “they thanked me for the positive impact I had on them during ICR, and they graciously pointed out that it was through my perspective they learned to love Spain and the people.”
During her time at FFSC, Caballero has gained a lot of experience, but most importantly, she states that empathy has been the most useful skill.
“I have become wise enough to understand that what I need to possess to accomplish my job and overcome most of the challenges is empathy,” she said. “Empathy to put myself in someone else's shoes, to show them that I care, and their problems are important.”
Caballero believes that her role as a Spanish military spouse has also helped her understand how families feel when they are new to a place and have to endure all the difficulties that surround acclimating.
“My personal life has been the most critical resource I lean on as it provides me with an insider perspective on military life,” she explained. “I am a believer that everything happens for a reason in life. The same week that I met my husband, an officer in the Spanish Navy, I got this job. I don't see this as a coincidence. It was meant to be. Back then, learning about my job and military lifestyle happened simultaneously at work and home.”
Through the years, she has seen her spouse deploy multiple times, even to combat zones. She says she has learned what it is to feel lonely and sad and to miss him during many important family milestones.
“We have become parents of two beautiful children, now 9 and 11,” she described. “I have faced sicknesses and mishaps. I have seen my children cry for their daddy and get upset with the world because they disagree with their dad having to be gone for multiple months. I have also secretly cried, out of tiredness, loneliness and desperation because some days I wished someone could stand the watch for me, for maybe just one day, for perhaps just a few hours. But it is during those moments that you understand that you can allow yourself to break down just for a few minutes, and then you have to recompose yourself again, put on a happy face and carry on. You have to continue supporting your family and your job.”
However, Caballero understands she works with a unique set of clients, and knows she cannot bring her fears and concerns to work.
“The clients don't deserve it,” she said. “They deserve the best of me. What kind of example would I be to all the spouses I meet daily at my job? I am responsible for encouraging them to be strong because we military spouses are strong.”
Caballero said that despite the challenges, she considers herself lucky. She has her mother to lean on and many of her school friends still reside in Rota. She is married to a fantastic husband, who is also a caring and kind father to our children.
Additionally, she appreciates her colleagues at FFSC who have supported her during good and hard times.
“Throughout the years, they have shown me their living examples of how we can survive,” she described. “I have learned so much from them that saying ‘thank you’ feels like it is not enough. Life brought me here so I don't have to walk this path alone, and at the same time, I can help others in the same situation navigate their journeys here in Spain.”
| Date Taken: | 12.15.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2022 10:50 |
| Story ID: | 435728 |
| Location: | ES |
| Web Views: | 351 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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