Q&A Part ONE
I got a lot of good questions! I plan on posting a part 2 and possibly, a part 3.
1: What is the food like?
The food has been different in every country
– Swazi: we had “american” meals along side Swazi meals.
Some of the american meals were spaghetti, chili and taco salad. Swazi meals beef something, beef, beets and pop. Breakfast was always boiled eggs and oatmeal.
– Nepal: we ate dal bhat (rice with lentil sauce/soup stuff) at every meal. We sometimes had momos and chicken and noodles. Tea and cookies were a daily treat as well.
– India: Rice, stir fried type veggies, curry, we have fried chicken once a week! French toast, oatmeal and bananas, boiled eggs and buttered toast are all breakfast items.
2: What are your living arrangements like?
– Swazi: Squad living – 2 rooms with 20 girls per room, bunk beds lining the walls, 3 toilets, and 3 showers per room. For the first month and a half we didn’t have power or hot water, but
thankfully we got both halfway through.
– Nepal: Team living – the first half of the month we lived with our host. 14 girls, 4 in one room 5 in the other two. Bucket showers (I only took 3 that month) and squatties.
the second half consisted of me sharing a tent on a mountain with a view of the Himalayas and we had no power or showers. We ate mostly off of leaf plates.
– India: Squad living/ dorms – We have a bottom hallway of a dorm with 5 girls per room. The bathrooms are 4 squatties and 3 bucket shower stalls. No hot water and the power blinks on a regular basis.
3. Whats the most fascinating thing you’ve experienced in regards to nature, weather, and the outdoors?
In Swaziland everything weather wise seemed to be on steroids. It would be extremely hot some days and freezing cold (Floridian standards) some nights.
One night there was this lightening storm… I cant even begin to describe how amazing and powerful that was. I could absolutely see God in that.
Also my favorite thing ever! The stars!!! The sky looked sooo much bigger, almost never ending. I could lay there forever.
4. What did you do when you were homesick?
I have surprised myself when it has come to being homesick. It has been harder sometimes than others and I definitely get homesick sometimes. usually it will hit and stay
for an hour or 2 and fizzle out those days I write a prayer in my journal that I can go back and read. Or, I open a letter from someone back home.
The first time I got SUPER homesick was when it was the beginning of my second week in Nepal. I had been nauseous all day, probably had a fever and my body ached. We got home from being in the city all day and did what any normal 19 year old would do
in that situation- I went to my little pallet on the floor, bundled up the best I could, held Homerun (my build a bear I brought from home) and cried. When my teammate asked
if I was okay I rolled over and said I wanted to go home. It took a few days, but I toughed it out. Now I’m good!
5. Is it normally hot or cold in the places you have been?
Swaziland: At the beginning it was cool but warmed up pretty fast. Occasionally it would get really cold for a few days but got really hot again – most days were spent drenched in sweat.
Nepal: Always COLD! We wore layers almost all the time.
India: In the morning and at night it is pretty cold but during the day its pretty warm to almost hot.
6. What was the moment you looked around and knew that this was exactly what God has planned?
One of our first days in Swaziland. I walked down to the playground right outside of the gate where we lived. There were probably 10-15 kids playing.
As soon as I walked toward them, half of them ran up to hug me. I may have cried tears of happiness, and that was the moment I know I was where God wanted me.
Part 2 coming soon
Love,
CG
