One of my awesome squadmates had the idea for this post. Here is what the squad came up with. Can't wait to meet these people!
You know you are preparing for the World Race when…
1. You eat basically anything you want, because food will no longer be the same on the World Race.
2. You have “practiced” setting up your tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag in your room for the night to try them out.
3. You have a pinterest board with pins of backpacks and tents instead of baked goods and cute clothes.
4. You check the clymb and steep and cheap daily for discounts on gear.
5. Everytime you have a thought about the world race you wonder if it would make a good blog post.
6. You have a million new facebook notifications everyday from people you've never met in person before.
7. Shopping at REI becomes a major event.
8. You wake up every morning and wonder if it's necessary (yet) to shower as you test how long you can still smell good without one.
9. You slowly begin to trade in your fashion sense for comfortability and practically. Oh and it shows, because you're wearing a lumbar support pack instead of your Chocolate handbag with everything.
10. You realize you can't fear bugs of any kind every because they will be your roommates soon.
11. You start facing phobias to the extreme.
12. You're about to fall asleep and just as you're relaxing the thought hits you…I'm gonna be in Africa. BAM! You're suddenly wide awak and too excited to fall asleep.
13. You realized that quick dry shorts are possibly the greatest invention ever and start wearing them in daily life.
14. Every time you buy something you stop and think…"Will I use this on the World Race?" If the answer is no, it goes back on the rack.
15. You start sleeping on the floor so you can get use to not being in your ever so comfortable bed.
16. You walk into your room and are thinking "what else can I get rid of?"
17. All of your camping and outdoor gear is now too old school, too heavy, or too bulk for World Race standards.
18. Your google search is all supplies and countries you will be visiting.
19. You realize just how good you have it here.
20. You start to question exactly what is a necessity?
21. You start making yourself eat meat again after you've been a vegetarian for years.
22. You wonder who the heck everyone is on your facebook news feed until they start posting about their World Race. Then you realize they're just as crazy as you are.
23. You explain the Race to people and their first question is "you're gonna be on TV? Like the amazing race?" or "How could you ever run that much?"
24. You learn random facts about random countries from people you barely know because they want to impart their knowledge of foreign missions upon you and you end up with some of the most incredible stories.
25. You learn to ask for money from people other than your parents, including people you haven't talked to or heard from in years.
26. You realize that although it may feel like it at times, you are NOT marketing yourself when you're begging people and pleading for money.
27. The things you used to consider "blessings" begin to look like excess.
28. You start to refer to the everyday things you're accustomed to (bed, warm water, toilets) as "comforts".
29. Your arms are sore for a few days after getting all your vaccinations.
30. You pick up the perfectly beautiful sandwich you just order, see there is a black bug underneath it and you eat it anyway because on the race you won't be able to have food standards.
31. Everything that is travel size automatically grabs your attention.
32. You start sentences with "well when I'm in Africa…"
33. You are used to the looks you get when people find out what you are doing and where you are going and start to find some of them comical.
