It’s finally here! I’m launching for the World Race! My entire squad is here in D.C. and we are doing some final training and things before we head out for Ecuador in just two days! There are so many different things happening right now and I don’t even know where to start, so this blog is just going to be a compilation of some of the thousands of thoughts racing through my head right now.
First of all, I decided to make a New Year’s resolution for the Race. I know it’s a little late, but it’s kind of fitting. I’ve decided that this year, I am really going to work at being more of a “go with the flow” type of person instead of needing to constantly need to know what is happening, when it’s happening, and how it’s going to happen. Constantly needing to know information is great in some respects, but terrible in others. In the context of the Race, having a constant need to know everything will only be a hindrance to what I will get out of it and the impact I can have with my team. Most of you who know me, know that this will not be an easy task for me. I get frustrated very easily when things do not go the way they are supposed to, but I’m working on just accepting that nothing is perfect and it’s out of my control so I just need to go with it.
Something else that I have been struggling with is the fact that I’m leaving everyone I have known for my entire life behind me. It’s really hard for me say goodbye to people because it’s also really hard for me to form new relationships. I get really attached to the people that I care about and it’s been super hard for me to imagine not seeing my friends and family for eleven whole months. But, I’m starting to realize that the people who love me and who I care about will always be there. After having the opportunity to visit some friends in California last week, I know that even though I won’t get to see my friends everyday or talk to them whenever I want, we still love and care about each other. It was like I never even left them. I also know that my family will always be there for me no matter what, so I’ll miss them, but we’ll have the same relationship as we do now, just with some distance between us.
Since getting to launch, I have also been learning how to be the treasurer for my team. I am so incredibly excited about this opportunity and can’t wait to take on my new role. Our first assignment was to buy the food for our whole team on a budget of $5 per person per day for the entire week and we only had 30 minutes to shop. Plus, the only kitchen items we can utilize are microwaves and mini fridges. It was interesting to say the least. All the team treasurers were running around the Safe-Mart at 9:30pm like chickens with our heads cut off! Hopefully we all got enough to feed our teams for the week and some things that taste pretty decent as well. (I hope my team likes hot dogs, ramen, and PB&J!)
The last thing I want to touch on in this blog is just how incredibly excited I am for this experience. I know I’ve said it before, but I am so confident that this is what God has planned for me in this season of my life and I am so ready to take on this adventure. There are just so many doors that have been opened to me in order to allow me to go, and I am so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity.
Sorry if this is too random to follow, but it’s just a little snippet of what’s going on inside my head right now. I just have to say it one more time. I am SO unbelievably excited! Wish me luck!!! And please keep me, my team, and my squad in your thoughts and prayers!
