Yes, I know, it’s only day three here on the field in India, yet I feel that I already have some wisdom to impart to you.
1. Eat LOTS and LOTS of chili peppers that burn your taste buds every day for at least a month before you come.
Wow. Food here is SPICY!! It is delicious and wonderful, and I am SO thankful for it, but shoot! I can hardly taste it after a few bites, and I thought I was used to spicy foods. Wrong.
2. Do not wear your watch – or even jewelry – for days and nights without taking them off.
My mom got me this really awesome watch before I left for the race. It has two times on it, so I can see what time it is here in India as well as where my mom lives. It also has a stopwatch, alarm clock, light, and it’s waterproof. Pretty much, it’s the best watch to have on the world race. However, though it is great, it is not made for wearing all the time. Today was day six of wearing it and not taking it off. Two words: bad idea. I have bumps on my wrist where my watch was. Learn from my mistake and take off your jewelry to have it cleaned at least once a day (especially if it’s hot and you’re sweating profusely).
3. Bring lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of baby wipes.
Do yourself a favor. Go to Wal-Mart right now. I bought a three-pack of baby wipes from Wal-Mart for less than $4. This WILL be your makeshift shower if you like to shower every day. Even if you don’t care about being super clean all the time (like me), people on your team will thank you for them. I’ve used them for so many different things. From face wipes to cleaning off dishes to wiping down computer screens to cleaning my body, these may be God’s third best gift to man. (To clarify, the first would be Jesus, the second would be woman, and the third is baby wipes). Hand sanitizer is a must too. We’ve gone through two bottles already. Let me remind you that it is only day three on the field.
4. Get ready to change everything you know about cleanliness.
Embrace the culture by respecting it. Here, in India, water is scarce. You will want to use it mostly for drinking purposes (my team goes through over a 20-liter bottle a day and we are still dehydrated), but it is also important for so many other things. I’ll list a few:
Buckets. Buckets become life. You have bucket showers, bucket hand washes, bucket clothes washings, bucket flushing of the squatty potty. Get ready to conserve water and leave a smaller footprint, because you will use less water when you shower than you ever thought possible. And the weird thing is, you will probably enjoy it and even get a sense of pride out of it.
Face washing routines. I am a proud user of Mary Kay. I like to clean my face with it at least once a day and then put on the night serum and then the day serum. I haven’t touched my Mary Kay products (sorry Brittany). There is not enough water, but if there is, and you wash your face, I can bet you that you won’t be able to tell in three minutes. Sweating is normality. Profuse sweating is even more normal.
Stench. We no longer stink, we stench, like a bouquet of armpits. Bugs crawl on us and flies land on my face. It’s just something you get used to. My clothes all reek, but that’s ok because everyone’s do and no one can smell anyone else over their own smell. Just accept it, embrace it, and carry on.
Iguana Oil. Trust me on this one. It’s not made out of iguanas, but it protects you from bugs. Everyone on my team is struggling with bug bites. The mosquitos here are different from the ones in the states. One teammate is wearing deet and still getting bitten. I have put on my iguana oil only three times and have absolutely no bites. A guy on my team counted 69 bites on one leg yesterday. Please, if nothing else, trust me on this one. It is one of the best investments I made. Check it out on google and order it.
5. Spend time with God.
Seek His face and His love in all that you do, and even if you are being thrown out of your comfort zone and challenged every second of every day, you will know that God is in it all. I have only been here three days and already have grown so much. My team sees it, and I see it. I have become more assertive and bold. I am trying to be less of a people pleaser and God is helping me. Make God your rock. Make him your fortress. Run to him when you are full of joy and celebration, and also run to him when you realize that you definitely have traveler’s diarrhea. Realize that he is going to love you through it and carry you when you can’t carry yourself.
P.S., yes, I said it. I am already a victim to the diarrhea bug. There was nothing I could do. It just happened to me, even though my team has all been eating the same stuff. Mom, I’m taking cipro and I believe that I will be healed up tomorrow, so please don’t worry. I love you!
