Hello future racers! As my race is coming to an end, one of my best
friends is preparing to leave on hers.
–say hi to michelle everybody–
(www.michellelasko.theworldrace.org)
I wrote out my version of the World Race packing list for her and
thought that it could be beneficial to you all getting ready as well.
I remember stressing out about what to pack for a couple weeks and
then I got rid of more than half of what I brought.
So here are my comments, suggestions and ideas…take them or leave
them…
🙂
-
Don’t
hold on too tightly to anything…things change instantly, you have
little to no control over anything. Also, along those lines, get
your alone time right now, because come September…you’re not going
to have any…for eleven months. -
Make
sure your time with the Lord is your number one priority. I
understand that you will be living with 5-6 other people and they
will be around all the time and you will want to be part of the fun,
but know that they are around aallll the time and that you can hang
out with them AFTER you get your time with Papa God. He is your most
important relationship. Prioritize your life like this: 1.
relationship with Papa. 2. relationship with team. 3. whatever
ministry you’re doing. You will quickly learn that the World Race is
far less about you changing the world and much more about Papa
changing YOUR world. -
Be
vulnerable. This whole experience will be a lot easier if you just
open up and let people see you. They have no choice but to love you,
so there is really no risk. -
The
Diva Cup. Yes, yes…it’s gross and scary and big…but it’s a life
saver. Get one before the race so that you can practice in the
cleanliness of your own home. That cleanliness will soon be lost, so
you should get used to that thing while you can wash your hands and
stuff. But, trust me…it’s worth it. -
Your
route is different than mine, and even teams on the same squad have
really different experiences…but, just a note…I sent my sleeping
bag home at the end of month one. If you get cold easily you might
still want to bring this. I sent my tent home at the end of month
five. I have, however, used my sleeping pad for two months. I
bought a ginormous mat…that sucked to lug around, but when it came
to those months where I was sleeping on the floor…everyone was
jealous. -
Clothes.
Ok, this is hard. Number one…you will get sick and tired of your
clothes really fast. Bring things that you like to wear, that you
will feel like yourself in…but also know that you are going to
want to get rid of things. You will buy clothes on the race and you
are not going to want to lug around mass amounts of clothes. People
trade clothes all the time. So, bring things you like and feel
comfortable in…but also bring clothes that you don’t care if you
get rid of. Bring crappy ‘construction’ or workout clothes as well.
But…really…don’t bring that much. Think through the outfits
you’re bringing…bring pieces that are versatile. One pair of
jeans, one sweatshirt, a couple knee length skirts and a knee length
dress or two. A couple t-shirts that you can wear with anything and
a cardigan. Tank tops are usually ok, but we had about three months
in a row…no four months in a row where we couldn’t show our
shoulders or our knees. Keep that in mind. Bring a pair of exercise
shorts, but make sure they are ‘modest’. -
Also,
bring lightweight, inexpensive jewelry and accessories. They will
help you feel like yourself even if the clothes you are wearing are
not things you would ever wear. Head bands and scarves are great.
And as far as makeup goes…I don’t really wear it at home, but I
brought it…and guess what, I don’t wear it on the race. You will.
Once in awhile, but I would recommend not bringing all the makeup
you have at home. It’s just not worth is. Mascara and concealer will
probably be plenty. You just don’t need it. You stop caring what you
look like really early on. -
Bring
lots of underwear. I brought 14 pairs…some have said goodbye.
These panties are going to get worn out very fast because of hand
washing and constant wear…sooo…bring plenty. -
You
are going to be dirty. You can say goodbye to hygiene now. Don’t
bring a years supply of anything. You can buy everything overseas. I
brought way too many toiletries and that is where a lot of my weight
was. Bring bar soap instead of liquid soap. I bought that stupid
crystal deodorant…and hated it. My teammates are recommending
bringing extra sticks of deodorant because you can’t find good
deodorant any where. But, you can find everything else
overseas…don’t bring full size anything…a months supply or so
will be fine. Plus! Team budget will cover your toiletry refills! -
I
brought a french press. That was stupid. I brought the plate and
bowl and silverware that they told me to bring…and have yet to use
them. Though, we have used our collapsible bowls for bucket showers.
Other teams have used their bowls often, but not a plate. The spork
thing is useful for eating peanut butter out of the jar. Which you
will do. Also, if you don’t drink out of a water bottle at home,
you’re probably not going to start on the World Race. I brought two
water bottles and have now given them both away. -
Bring
a raincoat. -
Um,
as far as shoes…I don’t know what to tell you. Bring tennis shoes,
a pair of sandals that can handle Africa (chacos, tevas, keens…)
and then a pair of flip flops. I would recommend bringing a pair of
‘cute shoes’ but that’s up to you. I didn’t and I regret it…but at
the same time, I would have hated lugging them around. You are going
to realize quickly that you care less about variety and more about
having a light weight pack. Plus, you will share everything with the
girls on your team. -
Meds.
Bring what you need. Whatever you take regularly at home. I brought
so much more than I needed. Aside from anything that you take at
home, I would bring Ibprofen (or the like) and …nothing else.
People on your team will have everything you need…mostly because
they won’t have someone telling them not to bring this stuff. So
don’t worry about diarrhea meds, or allergy meds…unless that’s
something you have issues with all the time at home. Also, in
regards to malaria medicine. I almost never took mine and we were in
malaria zones the whole race. Other people on my squad have taken
their pills everyday…and they still got malaria. If you get
malaria, you go to the doctor, they give you medicine and you have a
week in hell and then are better. Also, I feel like a First Aid Kit
is unnecessary…bring bandaids and neosporin and that should
suffice. Remember someone on your team will have brought everything. -
Bring
a dirty clothes bag. It helps. I wouldn’t bring a clothes line. I
didn’t…it didn’t matter. Two girls on my team have and have never
needed it. -
Don’t
bring a mosquito net. Or a pocket knife or whatever it’s dumb. -
Target
has an all country electrical convertor…it’s been incredible. -
Bring
an REI extra large pack towel and bring a small pack pillow.
MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS I BROUGHT ON the RACE
-
My
study Bible. The Lord took me on a journey through this Bible. You
won’t really be able to get ‘fed’ spiritually from church on the
Race. Most of the time your team will be preaching. So your Bible
will be a source of a lot of strength. My study Bible is big and
heavy, but sooo worth it. Also, I would recommend getting a Bible
Reading plan, I totally recommend mine
– http://www.Bible-Reading.com it
has been wonderful. Also, bring highlighters and pens and a journal.
All very important. -
My
computer. My roommates bought me this tiny little one and it’s
perfect. You will have internet access more often than you think,
but even when you don’t (like I don’t right now) you can write your
blogs or emails on your computer and then go to the internet and
send everything…saving time. Also, make sure that you have Itunes
on your computer and I would get Podcasts now. It’ll help you get
fed. Also, this is something I didn’t really do…but get an
external hard drive and put your music and movies on that. Bring
movies. (Not discs…get them on your hard drive.) Also, even if you
don’t have movies, bring the hard drive anyway, other people will
have movies and you can get them from them. -
My
Ipod. You don’t really get alone time on the Race, so it becomes a
rule that if your headphones are in…it’s your alone time. (I’m
laughing, because that is the said rule, but no one follows it.) So,
put your worship music on that and keep it charged. I lost my
charger and lots of my teammates have lost headphones…you loose
things a lot on the race, so if you have extras, bring them. -
I
love my sleeping bag liner. I have used it almost every month. You
don’t need a sleeping bag, but you will use that liner. -
My
head lap. I lost it once…and thought my world was coming to an
end. -
Card
games and the like. You will be amazed at how much ‘down time’ you
will have on the Race…and a lot of the time you won’t be able to
go explore the country. So, bring things that you can do with your
team. Skipbo, Phase Ten, UNO and Banana Grams all seem to be crowd
favorites. -
Books,
books, books. Bring your favorites…take up space to bring two or
three. They will get passed around your squad a lot, but will be soo
worth it. I would recommend bringing one that is purely
leisure…they are nice to just escape into.
I
would check the weather for the countries that you are going to
visit…closer to when you launch (because your route will change)
and that way you can see what you’ll need.
I
think that’s all I’ve got. All I know is that I brought WAY too much.
Anything that you don’t have, your teammates will have. And if they
don’t, you’ll be able to get something like it somewhere. The World
Race is much different than a short term trip. You live and get
settled in each country.
Also,
the weight gain you may have heard of is not a lie. Girls gain weight
on the World Race, boys loose weight. Your diet will be carbs and
rice all year. Very little protein and very little vegetables.
Usually plenty of fruit. Some people take multivitamins…I have them
but don’t take them. Try to get into the habit of exercising, but
it’s hard. I suck at it.
anyway!! have fun!
