Today is May 28th which means we only have 90 days left on the World Race! We’ve been on the field for 8 months in 8 different countries now.
Before we kick off our next three month in Central America I wanted to give y’all a little insight to some of my current life norms– and a few things I’ve learned along the way.
Here’s 90 World Race/my life norms:
1. Instant coffee
2. Believing that any meal that costs more than $4 is outrageous
3. Wearing the same shirt/pants for at least 3 or 4 days straight
4. Craving Coca-Cola even though I don’t normally drink soda (I drink it all the time now….)
5. Thinking “oh shoot!” every time I accidentally flush the toilet paper
6. Eggs. Every. Day. (I didn’t even like eggs before the Race)
7. Mystery meals….I hardly ever know all of the ingredients that is in my food
8. Buying groceries based on what they seem to be because the labels are in a foreign language
9. Seeing white people strikes me as odd….and seeing a bunch can be uncomfortable
10. Going way out of my way for that good WiFi in order to talk to family
11. Explaining my feelings….regularly…
12. Praising Jesus when the bathroom has toilet paper
13. Calling the bathroom a toilet because no one understands what a ‘bathroom’ is
14. Converting whatever currency to USD in my head every time I even think of buying things
15. Always having multiple currencies floating around my wallet
16. Applying lipstick to attempt a cute messy look…otherwise I just look like a hobo
17. Having conversations in which I only understand half of what the other person is saying and they only understand half of what I’m saying….yet we become great friends.
18. What is proper English? Sometimes I forget how to speak to my teammates.
19. Getting excited at the sight of cats or dogs even though I know I can’t touch them / not being able to love on the animals
20. Sorting through my life and packing it into a backpack every few weeks
21. Making excuses to buy and carry new journals
22. Hunting down post cards
23. Sweating – even during showers
24. Cold showers are actually preferred and celebrated
25. What is a dryer? Always gotta hang my clothes out to dry and calculate which clothes to wash when depending on drying time
26. Waiting till my off day to do laundry cause doing laundry means washing every item I own…
27. Changing clothes just to walk outside cause those shorts/tank ain’t appropriate in this culture
28. Either showering more than once a day or only twice a week
29. Watercolor painting (because it’s easy to carry in a backpack)
30. Leaving my shoes outside the house (No complaints. The U.S. should really pick up this habit)
31. What is a hand towel? I haven’t had a towel or paper to dry my hands with in 8 months. (Pants make great hand dryers).
32. Falling asleep with the light on because I’m usually always the first one out
33. Sharing a bedroom with at least 5 people..
34. At least one conversation about poo will be had every day
35. Inviting a friend to a coffee shop with the plans to sit at different tables and not talk to one another.
36. Saying I’m from “the States” because “America” isn’t specific enough. (I actually agree and appreciate learning this).
37. Actually seeking current news stories because I’m so out of touch with the world
38. Sweet tea is truly only a U.S. southern thing, but sometimes we find the means to make a pitcher. (Like that time we celebrated American Thanksgiving in Romania)
39. Worship is crucial to my spirit, and yours, and everyone’s! And I always feel it when its been awhile
40. In Asia spoons are the main utensil, not forks…..?
41. Air conditioning is like a drug. Once I’ve found it I never wanna leave it and am always looking for a way back
42. Walking all the time and never loosing weight because of allllll the bread, rice, soda, and coffee
43. I’ve been living with women for 8 months now and still don’t know how to braid hair…
44. What is a full length mirror? Although it’s probably for the best…Don’t need to be reminded of my grungy backpacker look
45. Laughing = good life
46. No expectations for anything ever
47. Saying “thanks mom” when a squad mate does something for my mom normally would
48. Never washing my water bottle (except that one time when it grew some algae) ha….
49. Eating fresh fruit/meat. I’m talkin my teammates killed two chickens for our New Years dinner kind of fresh.
50. My towel doesn’t ever get me all the way dry
51. Water is never clean….but I brush my teeth with it anyway!
52. Realizing the adult version of myself is actually a combo of my parents…
53. Squeezing twice as many people into whatever type of transportation that isn’t designed to fit that many people
54. Often wondering how I haven’t been involved in a car accident yet…
55. Talking about how “in real life I am this and that or I do this and that” knowing good and well that the Race is my real life.
56. My hair is most always in a ponytail
57. Diving head first into a new language and culture every few weeks
58. Memorizing the WiFi passwords for every place I find WiFi because it’s precious information
59. I learned how to use chopsticks!!!!
60. Being stared at every time I walk anywhere
61. Telling the rando strangers I’m married so they kindly stop asking for my hand
62. Beds that feel like a plywood board…but being thankful for them anyway because it means I don’t have to sleep in my tent
63. Pointing is really the only way to order food
64. Accidentally saying “thank you” in the language I learned in the country before instead of the one I’m currently in
65. Carrying around toilet paper and wet wipes
66. Freaking out when teammates get lice
67. Bargaining prices in the market places
68. Sex trafficking/human trafficking being a common topic of conversation
69. Boldly starting conversations with strangers on the street, in restaurants, and in cafes. (If you knew me at all before you’d think I were lying….but I’m not. This is real)
70. Telling hilarious stories about people back home who my squad mates don’t actually know and don’t think are funny
71. Stalking friends and family on social media to get pictures in order to help your team mates put faces to the people I keep talking about
72. Knowing a TON of stuff about people you’ve never met because squadmates also do number 70&71
73. Comparing “Georgia things” to other states
74. Being stoked whenever American food is found…then experiencing heart break when it’s not in budget
75. I have an ongoing list of food to eat upon my return
76. Replacing my toothbrush every month
77. Walking across international borders
78. Having to calculate what time it is back home before calling or texting people….and the excitement when time difference makes sense
79. Pronouncing everything wrong and being laughed at by locals. It’s all good, though, cause now I’ve made them laugh and we’re friends
80. Having strangers ask for a photo with you
81. Singing in front of people despite my inability to carry a tune
82. Dancing with kids….again despite my inability to dance
83. Not even flenching when the toilet is a squatty potty
84. All. The. Sweat.
85. Having bug bites that I don’t know where they came from or what kind of bug bit me.
86. The prayer before I eat is a genuine plea to not get sick
87. Building a fort out of the bottom bunk bed in order to get a little alone time. Also standing in the bathroom a little longer in order to get a little alone time.
88. Being told what I can and cannot wear
89. Traffic laws and sidewalks don’t really exist, roads often have loads of holes in them and everyone drives on the left side!
90. Showers and toilets share a very small area….we call them shoilets
Bonus: Smiles are universal and surpass any language/religious/cultural barrier
Hope you’ve enjoyed this little list! Feel free to comment below with any questions. (:
