Gazing out of my window in
seat 12A, I am seeing flashes of the last year of my life flash
across my eyes, while outside the window we are followed by the sun
as we race across the Atlantic Ocean. “This is it…” I tell
myself. This is how it all ends. I am really coming home today. Then
again, more flashes of the moments we had on the race.
I had been avoiding dealing
with the reality of coming home all day as we traveled through
Romania to the airport and made a connection in Poland before making
our way to JFK in New York City. I tried to be upbeat, and act like
it didn’t bother me we were going home. “This is all normal, and
I am ready to go.” I kept telling myself and others that asked me
how I was doing.
I sat next to a stranger on
the plane away from all of my squad mates, and wanted so badly to
tell him what had just happened to me over the last year. I quickly
realized he was only interested in taking over the armrest and
sleeping (I mean Snoring really). I tried to sleep but so much was
going through my head. I doze off for a few minutes and wake up to
find 3 notes laying on my chest. They were notes my squad mates had
written me. “I can’t read these right now, I will save them for the
right time!” I thought to myself. Back to sleep I go….a few
moments later another pile of new notes has been placed on my
motionless body. This time, something hit me. I began to tear up a
bit, I fought back the tears as much as I could and tried to stare
out the window. Then another person came by to give me a note, she
tapped me on the shoulder as I starred out the window. I didn’t
want to turn around to expose the tears running down my face. So I
just stuck my hand out to receive the letter, and she handed it to me
and just held my hand.
It was in this moment that I
realized a few things about my Squad. First of all, how much we love
each other, and we have been there for each other over the last year.
Then, also how much I was about to miss all of them! I was starting
to feel the impact of what was truly happening. When we land in JFK,
My family…the people I trusted, loved, fought for, laughed with,
cried with, was sick with, and got vulnerable with, were about to be
ripped apart at the arrivals hall in JFK!
“Flight Attendants,
Prepare for arrival” The Captain says over the PA system. My heart
starts racing, in just 15 minutes I will be on USA soil for the first
time in 1 year! A rush of emotions comes flooding through my head. I
am excited to see my friends waiting for me in the airport, and I am
also freaking out thinking about the 34 goodbyes I have to say to my
Squad Mates in the airport.
The wheels Squeak as we
touchdown on the runway at JFK. The coach cabin explodes with Cheers
and clapping from all The World Racers onboard from both Q and R
squad! The anticipation builds as we wait for a gate…I just wanted
to see my friends so bad now!
“Ding…Ding” The
seatbelt sign is now turned off and I am towards the front of the
plane, ready to make a quick exit to the Arrivals Hall. Myself and
many other racers begin to run down the jetway down a long hallway to
customs. It was a moment that made us feel like we were on “The
Amazing Race” a TV show we are always being confused with.
In the Customs Hall there
was a large American Flag hanging from the ceiling with the words
written underneath “Welcome to The United States of America!” I
wait in the line marked “Citizens Only” for the first time in a
year, holding my passport and paperwork to enter America officially.
The agent calls me up and looks at my paperwork, and then flips
through all the pages of my passport, then he looks up at me and
says…”you’ve been busy this year!” I just gave him a goofy
smile as I was exploding with excitement to receive my last stamp of
the trip in my passport. He smiles back and stamps my passport and
says “Welcome home Mr. Hughes”
I walked towards the arrival
hall in a complete daze. I could see a huge sea of people, everyones
family, and friends were there waiting to welcome us home. I started
to look around and wondered how I would ever find my friends in the
mass of people before me. As I was looking off in the distance,
behind me I heard a voice yell “Ryan!” and then I got Hug Jumped!
It was my friend Jordan. Then, another Hug Attack…Erin. Standing in
the middle of hundreds of people in the JFK Airport squeezing the
crap out of my friends as if though I would loose them if I let go.
We all started to tear up with Joy and laugh a little like it wasn’t
real. I was the happiest man in the room….I’m home, Im really home!
(Friends showing some love for the Q as they welcome us all home!)
That night I had my first
meal in America, at a New Jersey Diner. My friends and I picked up
right were we left off. It was like we had never left each other. It
felt so good, to see the faces again that had been praying for me,
sending me encouragement, and loving me from across the world. Here
we are!
I was only in the USA for 2
days though…My friend Jordan and I went on a little adventure
through Europe for a few weeks before my permanent return home
recently. It was a great time to share about the memories of my trip
and testimonies of what God had done in my life over the last year.
(Hanging in Amsterdam)
(The Coliseum in Rome)
(view from our hotel in Paris)
I am thankful for my
friends, family, and supporters from all over that have shown an
overwhelming warm welcome to me home, and have supported me
financially, emotionally, and covered me in prayer. All of you know
who you are and I am humbled by the outpouring of love and support
since my return home. THANK YOU ALL!
(Jordan, Ashley, and I enjoying some fun time on the lake!)
God is so good! I am
thankful I was able to complete The World Race, and see the rewards
that came with it. I am forever changed. God is so faithful.
(Some fun on the lake on my first day home in Virginia!)
