When they said that training camp was going to be intense, I never thought I‘d be as mentally exhausted as I am physically. The first night alone, my route and squad changed. All the emotions I have been ignoring the past few months crashed down on me when I was at my lowest. “The World Race just isn’t for me,” “You really did it this time Nicole,” “What in the world are you doing here?” I quickly learned that burring my head in an inflatable pillow would not fix anything. I woke up the next morning with a positive attitude, ready to take on what ever coaches would throw my way. That single decision to change my attitude shifted the outcome of my experience. Every night after that was filled with tribal dances around campfires, starring up at beautiful moonlit night skies, 30-minute morning yoga sessions and the warmth of friendships forming under the circumstances we were all facing. This week I gained a new squad, team and most importantly a family. I look forward to serving in all 11 countries with these amazing people.
C-SQUAD
I will be traveling to 4 continents instead of 3! My new route will begin in Honduras and follows with Guatemala, El Salvador, Albania, Bulgaria, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Thailand, Cambodia (for my birthday!) and ends with Malaysia…
This past week we were trained to handle a variety of situations that have happened during the race. For example:
-Having half of the squad’s packs not make it from one country to the next- forcing the team to lend clothes and a place to sleep for the cold night.
-Crossing the Cambodia–Thailand border and having border patrol close before all of us could make it through.
-Being pick pocketed in a Malaysian market place where we only had a certain amount of $ to buy dinner.
-Handed a box filled with raw chicken and vegetables and being told that we had to find a way to cook this meal- feeding a squad of 42 HUNGRY teammates.
Here are some pictures of the meals served this week. Every meal served would have to feed 8 teammates!
INDIAN BREAKFAST
AFRICAN LUNCH
EASTERN EUROPEAN DINNER
…. YUM!
It is safe to say, when I stepped into the airport I went straight to the food court.
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My next deadline is on December 18, I need to raise $7,500! Please support me by going to nicolebouza.theworldrace.org or by purchasing brownies @ bouzabrownies.com
