…I would pack half the amount of clothes that I did.
Because after countless tearful partings and prying open my clenched fists,
the majority of my clothes have made their way
either onto the free table or into the nearest trash can.
I would no doubt leave behind
my favorite Target t-shirts
that iphone I lost in month 1 (boooo),
the gallon bag full of gum that melted into goop in Haiti month 2,
and my heavy bag of valued art supplies,
which sadly never made it out of Florida for launch.
Instead, I’d replace those things with
the french press I left in my room that is now collecting dust,
more pictures of people from home,
and a pocket size Bible.
…I would actually believe past racer’s advice
because no matter how crazy it sounded to me at the time,
it turns out they weren’t kidding.
You really CAN buy all you’ll need overseas for ridiculously cheap.
And, even in Africa, you WILL be fed.
Most of the time it is actually quite delicious!
You wont starve, so eating every snack in sight is a really bad idea.
OR the most annoying but true advice of the century-
lay down your freakin expectations.
Nothing will ever be like you expect. Ever ever ever.
Type A personalities…good luck to ya!
The first 3 months I ate food
like some huge bear stocking up for winter hibernation.
In the Dominican Republic it was extra servings of rice.
In Haiti, it was ungodly amounts of bread.
And in Romania I bought the whole country out of snicker bars.
…I don’t even eat snickers at home!
But I convinced myself that I never knew when I’d eat next
and I’d probably never ever see chocolate again.
That is ridiculous, people!
Really, I learned a lot this year about how to pack my life in a backpack.
About food and culture and traveling with a mass group of people.
But truth be told, my pack is still overweight and heavy to carry
and I still get completely lost in every new place we go.
I’m not so sure that a world race do-over
would change any of those things…
But there’s other things I’ve learned as well.
Lessons that I hope will still be part of me
long after the plane lands home and my pack is empty…
Because looking back at all that I’ve learned this year
can sometimes make me wish for what I like to call my world race do-over.
I just figure that after a year packed full of
intense community living with people I didn’t choose,
fitting all my possessions into a backpack
then living under the unspoken motto that “sharing is caring”,
and dying to myself about 8,000 times in the process,
I would be the best world racer EVER a second time around!
I would stay up late and embrace more community,
I would complain less when it was time for feedback
and I’d initiate more heart conversations instead of
stubbornly waiting on my leader to do it.
I’d sleep less on travel day(s) and instead I’d soak in
all the crazy madness that inevitably occurs when
30+ people with packs on their back change continents.
I would share my crystal light packets,
even if I know you’re going to drink them all
instead of hiding them in my pack until month 9 🙂
I wouldn’t get so frustrated and upset month after month
when leadership refused to change only our team.
Instead I’d be more thankful for
more time on a team with one of my best friends.
I would do a better job at staying in touch with people at home.
I’d remind myself more that the world doesn’t revolve around me
and things like email and facebook are a 2 way street.
I wouldn’t rush for the window seat on the bus
or switch seats with anyone on planes
because some of the best memories and conversations happen
when I’m piled 40 people deep into a 15 passenger van
with my face smashed between backpacks and a foggy window.
I wouldn’t fight it when my knees get weak in worship.
I’d just let the Holy Spirit do his thing.
I would get to know more people on my squad sooner.
Even if I thought they were weird, or crazy, or different from me.
I’d give everyone a chance.
Because some of my favorite people now
are the ones I NEVER imagined would be my friends at the beginning.
I would do less crying hidden in the corners of rooftops
and more in the arms of people that love me.
I would hug the people around me often
even when they smell bad.
I would celebrate little things and big things
with dance parties and ice cream.
I would start every day with coffee and Jesus
and end every night with the thankful game.
I guess the more I think about it the more I realize
that I really will get my world race do-over soon.
Its not going to look the same
as the overcrowded buses, nomadic travels, and my 50 pound pack,
but it will be an adventure all the same!
Because in a little over a month
this feedback giving,
abundance living,
freedom walking,
life-speaking,
window seat sharing,
early morning riser,
poverty fighter,
dance party thrower,
spirit filled freak
is on her way HOME for round 2 of this crazy thing called life!
