11. Don’t just take pictures, take video
This is a minor detail but something that I view as very important in hindsight. Pictures capture faces, but video captures voices. Seriously, when you’re home from the field, you are going to want to hear the voices of your friends from all over the world, and especially your teammates. If I could do it again, I would have had team time set aside to make videos … you know the ones you love to watch – funny music videos, flash mobs in random places, etc … capture the serious, but also capture the fun.
10. Don’t use all of your off days searching for internet (and if internet is at your fingertips, don’t use it everyday)
Internet is a trap, here at home and definitely abroad. Seriously you can waste (yes, I said waste) an entire off day finding internet and then sitting on the internet. Connecting with family, friends, and supporters back home is important, but don’t neglect and run away from your World Race family to seek out loved ones at home. It’s easy to use the internet as an escape, but in those times where I ran to my Facebook/E-mail/Skype comfort zone I wish I would have pressed into my teammates more. I missed many adventures and a lot of bonding time with my team when I opted to use my off day as an internet day.
9. Journal your thoughts and experiences, don’t just “blog”
Preface: Don’t get me wrong, the internet is not all bad and should not unplug from your community back home for 11 months … they supported you, and when you blog you are inviting them to be a part of your adventure from afar … so please BLOG!
Okay, I was an avid blogger on my Race, my teammates used to joke about how many blogs I would write, but I loved blogging. But if I’m being honest, I wrote blogs with an audience in mind. I edited my thoughts and tried to sound elegant while writing in a way to keep the reader’s interest (except that whole keeping a blog short thing… never mastered that). All that to say, I wish I would have kept a better journal so I could look back and remember my raw, authentic, unedited thoughts and experiences.
Seriously, try to write just a few sentences (at least) at the end of each day, I wish I had.
8. Find a balance between team and squad, especially when living together
I can’t promise this but I might be willing to bet you some Nutella (which is World Race gold) that your team will be paired with at least one other team (maybe the whole squad) at least one month of your trip. Case in point, my team lived with one other team for three and a half months, with two other teams for one month, and with the whole squad for half a month. Not to mention the debriefs and travel days with multiple teams/the whole squad. Needless to say, your team is not an island that stands alone; however, your team needs to fight for unity and time when you’re not alone.
Our team took breaks from team time for the most part on travel days, but if I could do it again, I would have met with my team when possible on travel days to at least check in and pray together.
Also, when living with other teams it is real easy to draw them into your crap if your team is struggling, and it is easy to try and avoid and ignore your team’s issues when you have new people to spend time with, but don’t use that as an excuse, fight for your team. Another team can’t fix your problems, and comparing your team to another team never works. Joint team time is definitely something I would encourage because new eyes can call out new things, but remember that individual team time should be your priority.
7. The first month will not necessarily be easy
This is one of those things that I didn’t know I secretly expected until we were less than a week into our first ministry in Africa and things were NOT peaches and ice cream. I just knew something had to be wrong with me because I was immediately struggling. How could I do eleven months when I barely survived the first month? never fear … there are going to be months that are hard, and one of those months may just be the first.
Don’t make the same mistake I did though, don’t shut down … open up with your team when it’s hard, and fight harder when giving up seems easier.
6. You don’t get to choose which ministries you invest in
I was under the (ridiculous) impression before I left that every ministry we were a part of would be something I instantly loved. I don’t know what I was thinking … that doesn’t even make rational sense, it’s very unlikely that every month’s ministry will be perfect for you.
Seriously, it’s in ministries that challenge us that we experience the most growth. With that being said, I wish I would have fully invested in every ministry, not just the ones I easily connected with and loved. I rationalized that in the months where I didn’t particularly enjoy our tasks that it was okay for me to step back, because that month’s ministry was meant for this person or that person. Lie. I copped out and didn’t even try sometimes, if I could go back I would have given my whole heart to every ministry, not just the ones that fit in the mold of “what I was good at.”
TO BE CONTINUED …
