For future Racers:
I realize there are a ton of blogs like this. I never read any before the race and I wish I had… here’s my wisdom on what to bring and what not to:
Bring:
– Headphone splitter (you’ll be watching movies with friends on planes, trains, and automobiles. If you are going to have any chance of hearing over the shouting outside of venders, the clucking of chickens, and the rumble of African busses, you are each going to need both pair of headphones in.)
– Ipod touch (a must for sleeping, for setting an alarm, for using apps like currency converter)
– Portable speakers (good for team worship times and movie watching)
– A hang-able travel case for bathroom stuff
– Packing cubes or airtight squish bags (I did not have either of these- so I coveted them all year J )
– Pillow and pillow case (that you can wash)
– (For girls) A white cami tank top for under stuff
– Guitar (if you play it in real life, you are going to want to have one)
– Your favorites comfy shorts or t-shirt, but realize you might want to throw them away/burn them at the end of the race.
– Also, I used my chacos- but I wear chacos in normal life. Many of my teammates bought them for the race and never wore them at all. You can make it around the world in flip flops most of the time.
My most used:
– Bottle of peroxide so stuff doesn’t get infected
– Good earplugs (you can find earplugs on the field, but the cheap ones suck- so I suggest bringing some quality ones. Again, you sort of have to be prepared to sleep anywhere.)
– Eye mask (same-sies as above)
– Probiotic
Thoughts on cameras:
I brought my Canon Rebel t1i, and most of the time I was glad for it. I got to take some sweet pics around the world. But there are a few cons to bringing a nice camera that I thought might be worth a mention:
– An increased worry of it getting stolen.
– A big camera is more obtrusive in ministry situations. Sometimes we were out in the middle of nowhere and kids would seem really afraid of my big camera while my teammates could take subtle shots of them.
– It’s harder to just hand to a stranger and ask them to take a picture of you and your team. You’re never sure what results you will get. Especially in Africa with friends that have never held a camera before.
Suggestions:
– Collect something. I had friends who collected patches, bottlecaps, rocks, and currency. It´s a fun idea.
– One of my teammates made a scrapbook as she went, which I thought was a good idea. She also kept a calendar where she wrote for each day what happened. I wished I had done that since the beginning.
– I would just say be aware of how much time you spend on your computer (internet or watching shows). The months where I spent the most time on my computer are the hardest to actually recount what I did or what the Lord was doing. Press into Him, your team, and your ministry. It’s a unique opportunity.
Okay, that`s it for ideas and suggestions. Enjoy the year, it will be an amazing one.
