I can still remember riding in a bus from Santo Domingo to San Juan, Dominican Republic. That first night of the World Race, back in January 2009, seems like ages ago, yet I still remember that first night. We stopped on the street in between a homes we’d never seen, stepping foot into a new town in a new country, with our new family. At some point we unloaded and got all of our things settled. I remember we had dinner that first night. It was our first foreign meal on the race: rice, beans, boiled green bananas (juca). Was there chicken? Possibly. Fifty-two people packed in a room sharing that first meal, that first night, looking forward to the insanity that would surely take place in the ensuing eleven months. Maybe the anticipation of it all helps you remember the first nights.
I can remember getting off the plane in Malaga, Spain and sitting in the passenger seat as Dave Hearn drove us up the hill to Mijas Pueblo, passing buildings in the middle of construction and chuckling to myself that I was riding up a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. What a special time.
And of course, most recently, I can remember the late night ride across Uganda. The seventeen of us packed into the bus with our things, and got to know some of our new friends. A group of maybe five African men and one woman picked us up that night. They were strangers at first, but became quick friends with us. By the end there were laughter, tears, and hugs. Maybe we thought we were packed in the bus, but we were definitely packed into the living room we sat down at later that night at about 4 am. Tired from travel, ready to sleep, we sat down and the proceeded to serve us plates and plates of food: rice, noodles, bananas, boiled eggs, and more. Maybe chicken? It was all to be expected. Such great hospitality, even at four in the morning!
Everything was new and strange on that first night in the Dominican, but by the end of our time there we knew the town, we knew our neighbors, we had stories and stories to tell, and we were much closer as a squad. It was the same in Uganda. As we ended our time there and headed to our next adventure, we left with memories, new friends, and a shared experience including laughter, tears, struggle, brokenness, and yet, hope.
More to come soon.
