Wondering if you have what it takes to survive the World Race? You might be spending a lot of time prayerfully considering if God is calling you to the race. There are a few basic skills that every racer should have before leaving the country. With that in mind, I've developed a simple test to help you determine if you have the math aptitude necessary to sign up for the race. Having a little trouble with a question? Don't worry. If you get accepted on the race, you'll figure out all the answers to these questions and more as you travel around the world!
You might want a pencil and some scrap paper to help you figure out the answers. Some of the questions are multiple-choice and some are open-ended. The answers can be found at the end of this blog.
Good luck! Ready… BEGIN!
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If you have to keep your pack less than 50 lbs when traveling between most countries, and then take a flight within the continent of Asia, where your pack must weigh less than 20 kg, how much weight should you drop from your pack, in lbs?
a) It's anybody's guess, you should probably just use up all your shampoo, wear most of your clothes on the flight, and invest in a very large bag to carry on the plane as your “1 personal item.”
b) It doesn't matter, because your pack magically gains weight anytime you have to travel. Plan on smiling pretty and saying a little prayer in order to get your pack on the flight.
c) Hahaha! Your pack? Your pack?!?!? This is a TRICK question because your pack got lost on the first flight into Asia. [Honestly, we thankfully haven't had ANY major issues with losing luggage, but I've heard stories from other squads.]
d) The difference is approximately 6 lbs, which is a lot of weight. Utilize advice given in option (a).
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You borrowed 50 Romanian leu from a teammate at the end of the month and agree to pay them back when you arrive in Guatemala. If you both share a gallon of bottled water that costs 10 Quetzales, how much money will you owe them in American USD when you remember to pay them back at final debrief?
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Approximately how long does it take for a rumo… I mean, for NEWS… for NEWS to spread throughout the entire squad if all the teams are at separate locations and only half of them have the internet and one of the squad leader's phones is on the fritz?
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Using the “Hurry Up and Wait” Principle discussed at Training Camp, how urgent is your arrival at the Mozambiquan bus station if your bus leaves at 3:00 P.M.?
a) You should arrive at 4:00 P.M. because the driver will just be arriving then.
b) You should arrive a half-hour early, but expect to leave 4.5 hours later, after they repair the drive shaft.
c) You should never travel on buses in Mozambique.
d) Wait for the rooster to crow once and 5 mangos to fall. (It's all very mysterious.)
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If you put 20 racers in a van going to church up a mountain road in Guatemala, and the average racer's weight is 150 lbs, is it any wonder that dang van can't make it and you have to get out and walk?
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How many people can safely fit on a school bus?
a) 45
b) 45 plus some chickens
c) 80
d) 80 plus some chickens and whatever/whoever else you can fit on the roof
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At what decibel level will your teammate scream when they find the largest, hairiest spider on the planet?
a) 65 dB
b) 85 dB
c) 105 DB
d) WHAT? WHAT?!?!?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!! SPIDER!!!! SPIDER!!!! SPIDER!!!!
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In your living situation, what is the ideal racer to square foot ratio in order to maintain the basic peace yet still get on each other's nerves enough to keep feedback lively?
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If the race is 326 days long, at what point on the race is it not ridiculous to start a countdown?
a) Day 1 (your first day on the race)
b) Halfway through
c) When you're finally into double digits (99 days until home)
d) When you reach single digits (9 days left…)
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If you're told at Training Camp to post two blogs a week, and you are lucky if you post two blogs a month, on a scale of 1 to 10, how guilty should you feel?
How do you think you did? Here are the ANSWERS:
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Well, all of them are correct in different circumstances, but, D is probably the MOST correct.
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I'm not figuring that out. But might I suggest you get a currency converter on your iPod touch if you have one, and remember to pay people back ASAP.
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All information is disseminated throughout the squad in a timely and efficient fashion. That is all you need to know right now.
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B
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I blame the rice and beans.
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Trick question. In first world countries, the answer is A. In third world countries, the answer is D.
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D, obviously
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If every racer has enough space to sleep, but not enough space to keep their pack's contents from mingling with other racer's pack's contents… well, you're setting yourself up for a great month!
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I did C. (But factor in that I've been away from my fiance for a LONG time!!!)
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It's impossible to post two blogs a week, especially when you have months without internet and months when the internet barely works. [And, dear friends, I'm pretty sure that although you love me, you are grateful that you haven't heard from me 8 times a month.] So, there's no need to beat yourself up if you're not blogging constantly! Zero Guilt!!!
I hope that you found this quiz enlightening and it helps you determine whether or not you have the math aptitude required to go on the World Race!!! Like I said, if you struggled a bit, you'll have plenty of time on the race to improve your skills. And, good ol' U.S.A., I'll be seeing you in 292 hours and 52 minutes.
Not that I'm counting.
