Why the World Race?
As I said in my short bio in the About link, I am currently in graduate school. I started in August 2012. It is a six semester program and lasts two years. So that means we go through summers. Only a couple short weeks off between semesters and then it’s right back to hitting the books again. It is exhausting. I have been so burnt out on school since pretty much day one of grad school and it’s a struggle to get through each semester. As I get closer to graduation (August 9, 2014 wahooo!!) I have to think about my life after school. I started thinking about where I would move, what kind of setting I wanted to work in, what age population I was most interested in, and on and on. The more I started to think about those things, the more I just really did not want to start my career. I began questioning if this is the right path for me. Am I really supposed to be a Speech-Language Pathologist? Is that what God has in mind for my life?
A while ago, one of my friends from Indiana and I were talking about traveling. We talked about taking a trip around the world. We said we would stop in every place we went and help at least one person there. Whether that was finding a local family and supporting them with whatever struggles they were facing at the time, finding a community in need, or passing out fruit to people on the streets that used a park bench as a bed each night. Basically doing our very own mission trip. I couldn’t imagine a better way to do what I want to do most: see the world. This idea got the wheels turning in my head. I began researching things I could do after graduation.
I have a friend who is currently teaching in a preschool in South Korea. I asked her a million questions about it. She sent me the link to the website that she used to begin her journey over there. I constantly went to this site and read everything multiple times. I also considered joining the Peace Corps. I sent emails asking for information on how to join. The Peace Corps sounds great, but I wasn’t sure if I could spend 2 years away from everyone back here in the states. The more I thought about those two options, the more I was set on teaching in South Korea. But then… I went to Downtown Disney with a few friends and one of the girls I went with told me all about how she is doing this thing called the World Race. (She is in one of the January 2014 groups!!) I asked her question upon question with increasing excitement.
I went home that night and it was all I could think about. Here it was. A trip exactly like the one I had dreamed about going on. I was hooked on the idea. I knew God had led me to Disney for a reason that night. What better way to see the world than to do it by spreading God’s word and helping those in need? Not only do I have the opportunity to live my dream, I have the opportunity to reach out and inspire others along the way. Does it get any better than that??
I still have doubts about my chosen career path. I don’t seem to have the burning passion for it like others in my field do. However, I feel like I am on the right path with the World Race. I think God has something big in store for me on this trip. And I’m putting my faith in Him. This is my calling. It is perfect.
