I’m coming home soon. In 5 days, I’ll be on American soil. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve been to a lot of countries. I have stories to tell. And while it may be easy to ask, “How was the Race” or, “How was your experience” when you see me, please don’t; that is not an easy question for me to answer. It’s the equivalent of me asking you how the year of 2017 was for you. It’s impossible to summarize a year’s worth of experiences into a couple of polite, conversational sentences.
But I understand that you care and want to know more. And I want to share! So I’ve developed a list of questions that will help both you and I talk about this past year on the Race. Ask some of these questions are you are likely to find out more about my year, than if you only asked, “How was the Race.” Some are serious, some are fun, but all relevant to a year on the field.
GENERAL
What was your favorite ministry?
What lessons did you learn as a treasurer?
What were some of your favorite moments with Rhemas, Bamboo, and Zeal (my three teams)?
What places and moments broke your heart?
What places and moments made you come alive?
Who are your closest friends you made on the Race and why?
What were some of your best living conditions? Your worst?
Ask about the bathrooms.
Ask me to take you through a travel day.
Which ministries were most challenging for you? Which most fit your passions?
How many countries did you end up going to?
What were some ways that you saw the Lord work in your life and in others?
What are some of the biggest lessons that you learned?
Ask me for the conversion rates of every country (as treasurer, I have wasted brain cells on this, so let me put them to use).
ASIA
What was the weirdest thing you saw being carried on a motorbike?
What was public transportation like?
What is traditional (Thai, Vietnamese, Indian) food like?
What’s one of the funniest bad translations you saw (these often appeared on T-shirts)?
Ask me about a ministry that intrigues you! We worked in a Fair Trade Factory in India, did prayer ministry and worked in dance clubs (where women are trafficked) in Nepal, taught English to University students in Vietnam, taught pre-school, English and music in the slums of Cambodia, and taught English to children in Thailand.
What did you see in nature that amazed you?
Ask me about my adventure days! Going bungee jumping in Nepal, or going to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
What is it like to use a squatty potty on a regular basis?
How do you survive a 24 hour bus ride in Vietnam?
Ask me about the major cities we visited in each country (Hyderabad and Bangalore, Kathmandu, Ho Chi Minh City and DaNang, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Bangkok)
Ask me to describe the cheapest meal I could buy in each country.
What new foods did you try?
Ask me about our overnight layover in Malaysia.
What does a rest stop in Nepal look like (one of the best stories)?
What was it like to live in Cambodia during their hottest month of the year?
EUROPE
What did you do during your layover in Rome?
What is it like to go grocery shopping for a week of food while being jet-lagged and right after a 60 hour travel day?
What is it like to live in a rural Roma village?
What familiar foods were you excited to have again in Europe?
What surprised you about the Balkans region?
What route changes did you have?
Ask me about a ministry that intrigues you! We worked with the Roma (gypsy) community in Albania, worked with refugees from all over the Middle East in Greece, and did outreach in Kosovo.
Ask me about our first “vacation” on the Race – Montenegro.
What was it like to go to Athens?
How was it to celebrate July 4th and your birthday in Greece?
What unique foods did you try?
Which friendships were the hardest to say goodbye to?
Ask me to tell you a bit about the history of Kosovo and Serbia.
AFRICA
What did you do during your layover in Qatar?
How did Africa surprise you?
What was the train ride like to Victoria Falls (this is a good story)?
What did you do while you were at Victoria Falls?
Ask me about a ministry that interests you! We worked at a children’s home for abused kids in Zimbabwe, served at care points for children in Swaziland, and worked at an Adult Literacy School in South Africa.
Ask about the border crossing into Zimbabwe!
How was your trip to Cape Town?
How was cage diving with Great White Sharks?
What was it like to have your parents come and see/work with you in Swaziland?
What was it like to live in the African Bush?
Ask about the Swaziland drought, and what happened as soon as we entered the country!
Ask me about my favorite children and moments with them from Zimbabwe!
Which people were hardest to say goodbye to from each month in Africa?
How did Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and South Africa differ from each other?
What were some of the weirdest bugs you saw?
What wild animals did you see?
What is it like to be charged by an elephant?
Ask about Team Zeal!
Ask questions! Ask away! And please, let me ask you! Life in America might seem routine and mundane, but I sincerely miss the routine. I want to know what you last purchased at Target, your favorite new restaurant, and what you have learned in the past year. I want to hear all about you too, friends! See you in a few days!
–Caitlin
**This blog was adapted from my former teammate McKenzie Tritt’s blog.
