So, I decided to write one more pre-race blog and this one is more for me than you readers. I want to list out the things I am looking forward to the most and the things that I will regretfully miss the most. Then, maybe you can get a glimpse of the emotions and feelings I am having as I embark on this journey.
Things I will miss the most
1. People. Let’s be honest, I already do. I said goodbye to my Nashville friends and my church two weeks ago. My family almost one week ago and a few others along the way. Even the people I have said goodbye to, I have been able to chat with on the phone. That will not be as much of an option anymore until next December.
2. My closet. I just packed everything in a backpack that I am taking for 11 months. Even though my backpack is 65 gallons, that still doesn’t lend itself to having a lot of room. Especially compared to my closet. I also am only taking 1 pair of tennis shoes, 2 pairs of Toms, and 3 pairs of flip flops. You may think 6 pairs of shoes is a lot, but for me it was really hard to limit myself to that assortment.
3. My bed. I actually no longer have a bed because I sold it when I sold all of my furniture, but when I say “my bed” I really mean a mattress and box springs of any kind. My new bed will be a sleeping pad and sleeping bag.
4. American Sports. There is a good chance I will miss the Super Bowl for probably the first time everin my life. I also doubt I will have the opportunity to fill out my March Madness bracket and follow along during the tournament. I know I won’t be able to sit at home and watch game after game after game. Somebody cheeron my CATS this yearfor me! I may have to become a soccer fan.
5. Convenience. Iwon’t have a car. I won’t be able to go to wherever I want to. I will be living on a budget with my team and may not always get to eat what I want. I may not always be able to exercise because of safety. I won’t be able to watch Netflix before I go to bed at night. (Netflix is not international, if you didn’t know. I learned that when I was in Colombia.) I probably will wash my clothes by hand. I will constantly be surrounded by people and won’t get a lot of “me” time. Welcome to out of my comfort zone living!
Things I am most looking forward to.
1.Meeting new friends from all over the world. For the most part, everyone in the world is now connected in some form or fashion to the internet. Therefore, I can meet people and stay connected. The first time I traveled out of the country was in 2002. I met people then that I never thought I would be able to talk to because it is so expensive to call internationally. Just today, I spoke on facebook chat with one of those people. We also have skype, viber, and many other ways to connect. This changes everything for me because I won’t just be spending a month with someone, it can be a lifetime.
2.Seeing & Experiencing God in a whole new way. God is very real in my life. He is my savior, but He mostly is my friend. When things are rough and all of my other friends from home aren’t there, I think I will learn to lean on God in ways I never have before. I know I will experience God through His creation and His amazing people I will be traveling with.
3. Trying New Things. I love trying new foods and doing things I have never done before. Sometimes, I am scared of new things, but also I am excited and usually the excitement pushes me past my fear. (This is probably what I am feeling most right now.)
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4. Seeing beautiful and famous places. I love going places that I have seen on TV. I am not so content to just see things on TV and never actually experience them. This past week, I went to Washington DC for the first time. I loved standing in front of the White House, Washington Monument, andLincoln Memorial. I just kept saying, “it’s so awesome to experience things I have only seen on TV.” I hope to see wild animals on a safari, beautiful temples in India, oceans and beaches, volcanos, and most of all beautiful people.
5.Sharing my experience with others. I am so excited to share my experiences with people who read this blog, my friends in e-mails, and in any other forms that I am able to communicate. I am the person that will find out someone went to a place I have always wanted to go so I will ask them a million questions so that I can live vicariously through their experience until I have the opportunity to do it for myself. :O) So, please ask me questions. Write me e-mails ([email protected]). I may not get right back to you depending on when I have internet access, but I will get back to you eventually.
6. Helping people. If you know me, you know that I love doing thingsfor others. I definitely have my selfish tendencies as well, but I know this trip is not about me. I am looking forward to making a difference in people’s lives. I always tried to make a difference in the lives of my students and this is no different in my motive. I know the circumstances will be different because I may be working with people of all ages, but the mission remains the same. I may only be in each country for one month, but when I leave that country, I want every person I met to have had a better day, month, experience, or maybe even better rest of their life. I have been asked thequestion about only being there for a month and how much can you really do in one month. My response is always, “A person sometimes just needs a little bit of good to create hope in them.” I often have days that are so good that they keep me going. This is my mindset as I go into this journey. Help others to have a better life when they are with me, because if they experience the God that is always with me and giving me a better life, their lives will be better too.
I don't want to check in my hotel today. I am putting it off until I have to bethere because I am scared. However, I will not be so scared that I don’t go. So many people do that. I can’t be like everyone else that is not what God has called me to. All of those things I am anticipating will never happen if I don’t go to launch and join my team. One of my favorite songs says, “I just can’t give up now. I’ve come too far from where I started from. Nobody told me the road would be easy and I don’t believe He’s brought me this far to leave me.” That’s how I feel today. I know it’s not going to be easy, but God would not have led me to do this if it was something that was going to be too hard for me. So, I guess this is see you later. My next update will be from Costa Rica. Hasta Luego!
