I wake up and my room is dark and I’m confused.
Why am I awake right now?
I roll over and check my watch: it’s 4:30am. Ugh, too early to be awake. I lay on my back and stare at the ceiling.
Where even am I?
I can’t see because I don’t have my glasses on. All I can see is dark and unfamiliar shapes. I roll a little again and realize my bed is on the ground.
The ground? Why am I on the ground?
And then suddenly it all clicks. I’m not at home in America. I’m not in my own bed. I’m in Zimbabwe. I’m sleeping on a mattress on the floor this month.
This has happened multiple times throughout my Race. Sometimes I forget that you live in ZIMBABWE or GREECE or VIETNAM. Sometimes the Race feels like home, you get in a routine and you forget where you are for a moment. But the sound of barking dogs or roosters or a language I can’t understand are always there to remind me that I am definitely not at home in Wisconsin.
I love being able to say “I lived in Thailand for a month.” For one whole month, Thailand was my home. And by the end I’ll be able to say that about 11 countries. It’s incredible having so many homes, families, and even beds. Thus far on the Race I’ve slept in 39 different places (yes I’m keeping track).
For a brief moment at least once a month I forget where I am. I wake up confused. But then I remember. I remember to not take for granted that I rolled off my sleeping pad onto the cold church floor in India or curled up to snuggle on my bed in Bulgaria. So grateful for all the different places I have gotten to see and experience this past year. And there are more to come!
