So, so similar! This is all off topic below, but related to Lori Dee's reply to my modest acknowledgment that Nikki had a good experience at her first HS reunion.
As youngest of a military man's children, I had eight different DoD schools in the NATO countries and America. Primary and secondary in Germany, Tennesee, Alabama, Texas, Delaware. Only had 11th/12th year in the same school and only half a day at that. Tech school half a day you see.
I really wanted to be back in Europe. But what did I know? I graduated easily enough but we lived in a very rural area so bussed in to school. No social life. No dances. No parties and worst of all, only a few friends and then only during school hours. To busy bailing hay, milking cows, picking cherry peppers, shelling butter beans, baby sitting for a small pool of neighbors, and splitting firewood for income. I do have to say, in spite of my stepmother's abuse her surety that I was a sissy (and other such words) she did teach me sewing, cooking, cleaning, child care, etc. Prepping me to be a good little wifey.
The mid to late 70's were the same in the states as they were in the UK. Economically unsound, unpredictable, and unsupportive to the folks with no generational wealth. I really wonder how my father made ends meet. We built our own house, modest but livable on the 50 acres of swampy woods bought cheap from Granddad when he sold the farm in '68. Of course I knew nothing of any of this. I was just living my life praying for escape from my stepmother's despotic oppression, mental and physical abuse. Work and school were my escape. So graduating with a high school diploma (honor roll) was my ticket out. At 17 Dad signed for me to enlist. I was gone. naive and unprepared. I received five year, ten year invitations to a high school reunion. But I was overseas and didn't care to go anyhow. Defense Language Institute, Regent's College (University of New York) and much later my Masters.
Thanks for listening.
