As I mentioned in my previous post, I am a planner. My life revolves around lists, calendars, and colorful pens. So trying to prepare for training camp was nearly a disaster. I now understand why they keep everything so vague and schedule-free, but I’d like to offer a bit of advice to future World Racers who find themselves in the the midst of a panic attack as they’re about to head off to training camp.
All geared up (punny…)
1. There are two things that will become your best friend this week: packing cubes and baby wipes. On day 2 (and 3 and 4), you’ll quickly learn that showers are considered a necessity, and a backpack with clothes shoved in all available pockets is a set-up for disaster.
2. Expect to get dirty. Don’t bring nice clothes or new tennis shoes–they WILL be tainted with red dirt by the end of the week.
3. Bring what you love and what is you. With that being said, don’t compromise your style or wardrobe! I brought a few shirts that I would wear in “normal” life but also wasn’t incredibly concerned about getting a bit grungy. And I wore Forever 21 tribal harem pants (the ones pictured above) nearly every day and functioned fine, so it is possible to look yourself!
4. Don’t forget your dance moves. Great moves, silly moves, awkward moves–bring ’em all. They’ll be put to good use and you’ll be surprised at the new ones you end up bringing home.
5. Sunglasses, bug spray, hand sanitizer, SOAP. Oh, and gum. Trust me.
6. Don’t bring curling irons, blow-dryers, etc. You’ll quickly learn to embrace the untamed mess on your head, and if you feel insecure about it, just look at everyone around you. You’ll see nothing but frizz and grease, and it’s awesome. (But a hat/beanie or headband wouldn’t be a bad idea, if you wear them regularly).
7. Also, forget your laptop. You’ll be so busy (and when you’re not, you’ll want to hang out with your squadmates) that you won’t have time to mess around on it, even for blogging purposes. But if you do find yourself wanting to blog during camp, journal entries are a great substitute.
8. Embrace all emotions. You’ll be riding the rollercoaster of your life (until the Race begins, that is), and it’s perfectly normal if you experience doubt, irritability, worry, sadness, and even homesickness. It’s all part of the process of giving yourself up to Jesus.
9. Get ready to overcome your fear of bugs. By the end of the week, you’ll be grabbing spiders by the leg and throwing them out of your shower stall. (Although I will never be ok with sleeping in the woods with scorpions… ever).
10. Take squad wars seriously. The color they tell you to bring/wear? Go all out. High school and college sports you used to play don’t compare to the competitiveness that goes down on Friday night. But don’t worry, everyone loves Jesus and no one is a sore loser (shout out to my fellow G’s, cause WE WON).
That’s about all I will share because I don’t want to give anything away! All the blogs I read before going to training camp said the same thing, and I wanted to scream “JUST TELL ME EVERYTHING, DANG IT!” But seriously, friends, who enjoys Christmas morning when you already know what all the gifts are? Nobody–and if you do, I’ll pray for you.
So think of training camp like Christmas: it’s a giant present that doesn’t get unwrapped until you arrive. It’s SO worth the wait. And that’s coming from someone who isn’t too fond of surprises.
Faith, trust, and pixie dust, right? Pack those things, and you’re golden.
*And now for my exciting news…
Meet TEAM APERTURE! This is my awkward family who I get to laugh, serve and face snakes with for the next handful of months (and by face snakes, I mean they will kill them while I cry in a corner).
l to r: me, Bekah, Kelsey, Courtney, Nate, Myles, Will
Also, our route has changed–again–but this time no countries have changed. Instead of heading to Africa first, we’ll be going to Nepal! I’m beyond excited and can’t wait to discover more of Jesus in this new place. We will launch from Atlanta on July 3rd!
And lastly, my next financial deadline is toward the end of June: $7,500. Thank YOU for being a part of this journey and helping me already reach this goal! By the end of month 3 of the Race, I will need $10,000 total, so please continue to keep me in your prayers!
xo, Sarah
