Hi hello!
Though I may not know who's reading this, I'm glad you're here. I hope you stick around and get to know me and follow along as this enormous journey unfolds. I can't believe I have the priviledge of writing this as an official World Racer. I launch in January 2014 (the anticipation is already driving me crazy) but I have a long way to go before then and I know where I end up after this trip will be far and away from where I am now. Scary, but absolutely a good thing.
I will certainly be writing more about myself in other longer posts but, for now, I'll give you some quick bits about me:
I am 24 years old and a graduate of Messiah College in Grantham, PA. I was a Broadcasting Major with a concentration in Media Studies and a Minor in Journalism. My degree is fairly telling of my interests and, by extension, another little glimpse of what makes me tick. Music and movies, as much as I can get my hands (eyes/ears) on. I've found that photography is a favorite little hobby of mine and one that I have been lucky enough to use throughout the years to record some incredible, memorable, and life changing moments.
I live in Harrisburg, PA and have lived here since I was 5. I grew up in a Christian household with the unending support and love of my Mom, Dad, and twin bother. As much as it may worry them, you will most definitely be hearing more about them on my blog sooner or later. I love my family with all of my heart and, though there have been ups and downs, I wouldn't trade them for the world.
Traveling has always been a pretty large part of my life. As long ago as I can remember, my parents have encouraged us to try new things, go new places, and "broaden your horizons." I used to cringe every time my Mom said that to me. This reaction may have been caused by how frequently that phrase was used relating to vegetables or something else at which I had turned up my nose, but that is beside the point. Family vacations were a staple of my childhood and one of the larger factors that has instilled a desire to explore and a hunger for new experiences. At 24, I am now only a few states away from visiting all 50 United States, I have lived in Thailand for a month, toured a respectable chunk of Europe, visited Belize, and Canada as well as countless road/camping trips either with my family or on my own.
Thanks to those family vacations and trips, I now have a massive travel bug issue. It's a beast. I'm so excited to go on The World Race because with it comes a lot of "firsts," a lot of learning, and, I can only imagine, a ludicrous amount of horizon broadening.
It's a little difficult to think about surrendering control and abandoning the ease and comfort that I have grown accustomed to. God has started making it abundantly clear that there are parts of who I am that are not from Him. It's almost like He's showing me His to-do list. I may do or think something and, inside of me, I hear something along the lines of, "Yep, that definitely has to go." God's house cleaning will be another topic of discussion that will most likely come up again in other blog posts.
Before I get too caried away, I'll just stop my introduction here and say thank you so much for reading. I look forward to writing more, even before launch, and I hope you feel like coming along for the ride. A ride unlike any other.
Cheers,
Doug
