Were you wondering what quiet time on the world race looks like? I'm sure you were! Well let me tell you all about it:
The number one way to get quite time, or alone time would of course be headphones! Want to be alone? Pop in your music, and turn your back to the five other people sitting in the room. Sure you might not actually be alone, but if you can't see them then they aren't there right?! (I learned that from horror movies!)
The number two way to be alone is to get up crazy early when no one else is awake. This seems like a flawless plan, but in most country's people get up unreasonably early. In Nepal everyone will be up by 4:30, so if you get up at 6:30 to sneak in some alone time prepare to have natives all over you.
The number three way is to try and sneak away for some alone time. The problem with this is that you can't tell the hildren that don't speak English that you want to be alone. One morning in Nepal I went outside to journal, I found a nice quiet spot all by myself, and I began to journal. The next thing I know I have ten nepalee children hovering around me, and two of them reading out loud everything I was writing, as I was writing it.
The number four way is to try and go for a walk. Usually you have to be with someone all the time, but if you check with your team leader, and promise you are just going to the end of th
e block and that's it they might let you. Sounds like a good plan right? I thought so! Just tonight I was in the process of walking to the end of the road to get some alone time, when one of our contacts Vicente came riding up on his motorcycle asking me where i was going. i explained to him i was just going to the end of the block to get some alone time. i then walked down to the end of the road, and sat down in the little gazebo thing in the field and was having some me and Jesus time. After about five minutes I noticed Vicente driving up and down the road in front of the gazebo. I chose to ignore it, and he rode away. Then Vicente and our team leader drove past. Again, I ignored it, they must just be going for a ride.
A couple more minutes go by, and Thomas our pastor, and mike the other guy on my team go walking down the street. At this point I yell out 'hey! You're not looking for me are you?' They were. Apparently they thought I was missing. Mike then gave me his phone and told me I was fine having alone time, and to just call if I needed anything. He then left with Thomas. As they walked off I saw Vicente hide in one of the nearby bushes. He then started slowly creeping closer and closer toward the gazebo until I finally just said 'what's up Vicente?' At which point he stood up straight and walked over to me and asked what I was doing all by myself (in very broken English of course) I tried to explain to him that I just needed some alone time, but he went into this long explanation about how there are drunkards inside the houses here. (Keep in mind that I am about half a block from home.) so then he looked at me and like 'were you crying?!' And I was like '…..yes?' And so he proceeded to pry until I told him what I was talking to God about. With love, Vincent then tried to give me advice. At this point Thomas pulled up to the gazebo on his motorcycle. Vincent then turned to me and goes 'ok, lets go' so we walk up to Thomas, and he tells me to get on the bike (only half a block from home keep in mind!) so I get on the bike, and Vicente has a brief conversation with thomas, and then walks away. Thomas then turns the bike off, and turns around in his seat, and goes 'Vicente tells me you were crying. Why?' So then I have to re explain everything all over again to Thomas, during which Vicente pulls up in the van, and opens the door, and they both sit there and council me, giving me advice! And then drive me home and wait there until I walk into the door. It was soooo not alone time.
It is impossible to get actual alone time on The World Race.
