So the last few weeks i have felt G-d wants me to write a word of encouragement for all of you about to go on the race & give you some helpful tips & advice about what you’re walking into.
So if training camp freaked you out AND/OR got you incredibly excited/nervous then you’re right where you need to be. The world race is going to change your life and in my opinion will be one of the best, most stretching, refining, decisions you’ve ever made thus far. Get ready for laughing, crying, heartbreak, weakness, new friendships, feedback, fears coming to the surface, learning, dying to yourself, dying to your rights, and seeing G-d move in your life, move in the ones around you, and move in the people you’re about to meet.
G-d is going to shake you up like you’ve never been shaken. He’s going to challenge you in ways you’ve never been challenged. & He’s going to teach you things you’ve never been taught.
He’s going to share His heart with you like He’s never shared it before.
Take a deep breath.
G-d led you to The World Race for a reason. He has gotten you to this point & provided this much so far. Even if you haven’t been fully funded yet or gotten close to making your deadline, stick in there because if you’re like me, G-d waits till the midnight hour & my full reliance on Him.
I believe if G-d has given you peace about this trip, you’ve been accepted, & money is coming in, then you’re supposed to go. Remember peace & comfort are two VERY DIFFERENT THINGS. This trip is not comfortable and signing up for this is knowing you fully surrender the next 11 months to whatever He wants to take you through.
[You can have the peace of G-d without being comfortable.]
This next 11 months will WOW you. You’ll live in community, being challenged in community, learn about how important the body of Christ is, live in circumstances where things aren’t always easy, but you get through it and you learn to love it.
Sometimes you’ll get a bed & other times you won’t.
Sometimes you’ll have AC & a lot of times you won’t.
3-4 times you’ll use you’re tent & most of the time you won’t.
Sometimes you’ll get WIFI & other times you have to take a bike or walk or run to a nearby coffee shop or restaurant, which a lot of times is better :]
So all this to say, welcome to the journey. This year will go by quicker than you can ever imagine and wreck you for His Kingdom come. Squeeze every bit of life out of this trip and do things you would never do before. Enjoy the journey, enjoy the process, and even enjoy the tears, because it will be worth it. I know this decision you’ve made is not easy and some would even say stupid or not safe, but G-d called you, so now its your turn to pick your cross & follow Him. You’ll be fine & your Daddy will take care of you.
So be blessed brothers & sisters, stay focused on His face, and be obedient to His voice – you won’t ever regret it.
After being on the race for 6 months, i’m no where near an expert on things to bring, but here is some tips & lessons learned that i wish i would’ve known before i came. (& for past & present racers – please feel free to add to anything)
I also broke everything down by section – enjoy & i hope this list helps:
Electronics:
1. Laptop – i would say this is almost a must. One of the girls on my team didn’t end up bringing one because she thought her iPhone would be enough, but regretted not bringing one. Even if you go by a little netbook, something is better than nothing.
2. Camera – 2 different types of people on the race: Pre-Race photographer & not. If you don’t take pictures at home (specifically through dslr, you probably won’t on the race) If your content with just photos from your iPhone then bring your iPhone. Either way get a camera you’re comfortable with and you know works, play around with it before you bring it so you know if you like it & if you don’t you can always return it & get another.
3. Ebook – Nook or Kindle – This is one thing i didn’t bring on the race, but really wish i would’ve have! Books get SOOO heavy and there a pain in the butt to carry around, so save yourself the hassle, & buy yourself one (or have a friend/family member buy you one). It honestly is one of the best investments to have on the race, because when you have down time, you want to dive into a good book. & you can buy one for as cheap at $99-$200 depending on if you want it to have sweet options or not.
(p.s if you get the $99, make sure you get one with the reading at night option where it lights up)
4. iphone/blackberry/phone that can do wifi – If you have one, you should bring it. They come in handy when you want to check something really quick and might not want to bring your laptop. It’s a little bit of a risk to bring, but no more of a risk then walking down the street in a big city. You just have to be wise with your things and use discernment on when to bring it out & when not too.
5. ipod/itouch – You don’t need an iPhone/blackberry if you have an itouch, but i definitely think it is very important to bring a source of music! So bring an IPOD, you will regret it if you don’t. It is the one way to get away from everything & disappear when you put your headphones in.
6. Extra Headphones – MUST. i brought 3 & i wish i brought more.
7. Speaker – External speaker is genius & i think almost everyone should bring one because if not, everyone will want to borrow yours. I have Goal Zero – Nomad 7 that came with a solar panel where you can plug anything in that connects to a usb for charge. i love it & if you have $60 put down on a speaker/solar panel for when your out with no electricity – this would be what you spend it on.
8. Hardrive & Case for hard drive – GET A HARD DRIVE. If you don’t you’ll regret it. I have a 2 tb, but i’m a photographer, so if you don’t take that many pictures & you just want to go back & forth with movies & some pictures, you would be fine with a 500 gb, but i say pay the extra $20-$30 bucks & get yourself a big one. (Costco/Sams club is your friend) i recommend seagate.
9. Surge protector/Power Strip with USB – i wish i would have bought one of these. Usually they have 3-4 outlets & 2 USB outlets & there friggen genius for traveling & plugging your stuff in. i recommend Belkin.
10. Splitter – get one with more than one jack, super useful on long bus rides. i have a Belkin 5 splitter & love it.
Toiletries:
1. Shampoo/Conditioner – i personally brought 2 normal sized shampoo & conditioner’s & am glad i did. I haven’t had to buy either one of those yet on the race & probably in the next week will be the first time i’ve needed too. Especially for us women who wash our hair a min. of 3-4 times a week, you’ll be glad you brought this.
p.s you’ll pretty much be able to buy toiletries anywhere in Asia, Europe, & Central America & depending on where you’re in Africa. So don’t freak out that you’ll have to bring.
For men – Use whatever you use at home, if you use both, bring both. If use shampoo only bring shampoo.
2. A bar of soap – i would recommend a bar of soap vs. body wash because it lasts a lot longer & it’s not as heavy. Bring maybe 2 or 3 & 2-3 different scents so you don’t get bored. :]
PLUS a SOAP CASE – hard shell – easy to buy from walmart.
3. Lotion/Baby oil (with aloe)/or Aloe – No matter what your route looks like, you will at some point (if not multiple times) get burnt on the race. There are times where you get incredibly dry skinned and need lotion. You don’t need to bring a lot, but bring some, i promise you’ll need it or want it.
4. Tooth brush/Tooth paste – i personally brought 2 of each & am glad i did. You can also buy this practically anywhere in the world so if you’d rather be lighter than bring one & that’ll be sufficient, but if you’re like me and don’t want to spend your money on the race bring 2.
5. Loofa – This one sounds funny, but i’m glad i brought it. Both for men & women. A loofa (for those who don’t know) is a spongy thing you put soap on to lather on your body. It makes your soap last much longer than it would without one.
6. Razors – i brought one for each month & i’m glad i did. Razors tend to be more expensive around the world.
Also for men – i heard from men on our squad that they are glad or wished they would have brought an electric razor, take your chances, but from what i heard, you’ll want one.
7. DivaCup – Great Investment. However compact tampons are great & very difficult to find anywhere in the world or there super expensive.
8. Dental Floss
9. Body Spray – Bring something you would use from home. Men this even goes for you, bring some cologne or some sort of body spray.
10. Hair Spray – i love my hair spray & there are times you want to get out of the missionary look, so i would say bring some if you use it at home.
11. Foot Scrub – i wish i would have brought one. Your feet get gross and there are times where your like why didn’t i bring one of those foot scrubbers.
12. Bobby Pins – Super expensive other places in the world.
13. Don’t bring a ton of headbands, you’ll find them around the world
14. Nail polish & Nail polish remover. – only like 1-2
15. Chapstick with SPF – but you only need to bring like 2 or 3, so don’t go crazy.
16. Sunscreen
17. Bring makeup ladies – The common rule of thumb for the world race is, if you use it at home, you’ll use it on the world
race, whether its make up or something else. It doesn’t have to be a lot but you’ll want just a little bit. Basic essentials: Mascara, bronzer/blush, maybe eyeliner, & some girls like foundation.
18. VIX – Good for colds & stuffy noses.
19. Deodorant – i brought 4-5 & i’m glad i did. i have almost used all of the ones i bought & were almost 6 months in, so i would say that was a good investment.
20. Sanitizer – you want this, trust me.
21. Mirror with stand – girls, you want this. Just remember to wrap it in some sort of shirt because it will break in your bag if not. First country my mirror was found shattered in my bag because i didn’t wrap it properly, thanks a lot REI mirror.
22. Bugspray = bring the good kind, don’t be cheap & don’t be organic. Deet will be your best friend. The more deet the better!
23. Tweezers
24. Nail Clippers
24. Quick Dry Towel – get as big of one as you can.
Clothes:
The rule with clothes is honestly bring what you wear at home. Believe it or not for the most part you dress just like you would in America except more modest.
If you’re going to Asia – Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal, India & any similar country, they sell everything you’ve ever wanted & its cheap. If your going to any of these countries by month 1-5, don’t bring as much clothes on the race because you’ll be able to buy whatever you need or don’t have in these countries. If not, your more than likely going to buy it anyway & have to get rid of stuff you brought.
1. Underwear – Go to REI & get the slightly more expensive underwear, both for men & women. Brand Exofficio. i bought 4 & they’re great. HOWEVER, i also brought normal undies & the kind i also wear in the states. i think everyone should bring a min. of 7. i brought 10 & i’m glad i did. There are times when you can’t wash your clothes & there is nothing like a clean pair of underwear.
2. Running shorts is a must. Bring at least 2 pairs
3. Long Shorts/Bermudas – Bring at least 1
4. Capris – Bring at least 1
5. Pants – i love the pants i bought from REI that zip off into capris. They are lightweight & easy to wash & not that heavy. However they are very backpacker style looking pants. When it comes to clothes, take time to think about scrubbing everything you own and how much work it will be to clean it & then how long will it take to dry… Then decide if you would want to bring it.
6. Vneck’s are my best friend. i brought 3 champion brand, light weight, quick dry v-necks & they’re amazing. i would recommend only bring 4-5 shirts.
7. Skirts – i recommend bringing 1, you can buy them anywhere in the world.
8. A cute dress/top – Ladies, there are times your going to want to look cute & completely have the opportunity to do so & if you don’t bring anything cute you’ll be angry. Remember, a lot of what you wear in the states is what you’ll wear out on the world race, just a whole lot more simplified version.
Men – You’ll want to bring a nice top too
9. Leggings – 1 long pair & 1 pair that goes to your knees.
10. Jeans – my opinion on jeans. i brought 1 pair because back home i always wear jeans, however, if your route is like mine & your in humidity/spring/summer you won’t wear them. They are heavy, a pain in the butt to carry around, and like me you’ll probably ditch them. However if you’re in a colder route such as Europe, i would definitely recommend bringing jeans.
11. Spaghetti strap/under shirts – i love the ones i brought & they’re great for hot weather. Mine are like 95% spandex & i bought them from costco – easy to wash & quick drying, super good for sleeping at night, lounging, and under shirts. bring at least 2.
12. Razorbacks – In Central America i used to wear my razor backs all the time, but be ready for more strict dress in parts of Asia/Africa because of culture sensitivity. However if you go to Central America on your route & wear razor backs in the U.S bring at least 1.
13. Sweater – At least 1 good sweater that you love & enjoy
14. Rain Jacket – i love mine & in areas that are cold it savors heat. Make sure if you go to humid countries which a majority of you will, make sure you ask about a jacket that has sweat material on the inside so you don’t turn into a steam house & get as wet on the inside as you would if you took the jacket off.
15. Sports Bra/Bra/Strapless – i would bring at least 2 sports bra, 2 real bras, & i would recommend bringing at least 1 strapless for those cute dresses you’ll find in Asia.
16. Socks – Bring 3-4 socks
p.s – Make sure you are okay sweating in any clothes you bring because you will sweat ALL THE TIME. So be aware of sweat stains and shirts that show more sweat than others.
Shoes:
1. Bring good flip flops (i.e. rainbows) You’ll be wearing these 99% of the time.
2. Chacos/Tivas – There not that cool. You’re not on a camping trip, you’re really living life just in other countries. If your a big outdoors, adventurous, mother nature kind of person – maybe you’ll like these, however for us normal folk, flips have done just fine.
-Heres the rule: If you have owned a pair before the world race, bring them, if not, don’t. They suck to break in, there heavy, and there ugly.
3. Plastic flip flops – super cheap walmart or old navy flip flops for shower/bathroom. Bathrooms in 3rd world countries are disgusting, if you step like stepping on crap or other peoples pee, especially if you want athletes foot – be my guest, however, i’ll take the high road & carry my plastic flops.
4. Tennis shoes – Bring a good pair of running shoes. You’ll want to go running or if you get assigned a month where you do a lot of out door work, you want a good reliable pair of tennis shoes.
5. Toms – i love my toms. If you use toms at home (especially if your like me – wearing them everyday) bring them. i wear mine all the time. Personally i would say go with cordones because they don’t get ruined as fast vs. classics.
Medicine:
Just a tip: you can buy medicine for cheap in asia, central america, & europe so don’t worry about overloading, but it is good to bring for convenience.
1. Benedryl
2. Benedryl pen for bug bites
3. Pain killers –
4. Niquil Tablets
5. Antibiotic ointment/neosporin
6. Probiotics – If you have any sort of problem with digestion, you should go buy some. They will make foreign food go down better in your belly.
7. Vitamins – Atleast bring vitamin c, but i would recommend for both men & women getting a daily vitamin. You eat a lot of rice & beans & with that comes a lack of nutrition. Even if you don’t take vitamins at home, it is wise to get in the habit of taking them because you lose a lot nutrients.
8. Advanced Acne remover – the little tube that you only have to put a little on & it zaps those babies… i wish i would’ve brought one.
9. Malaria Meds – If you have a membership to Costco/Sam’s Club, you can get Malaria Meds for the whole year for like $25 bucks which in my opinion is worth finding someone who has this.
Other:
1. French press for you coffee lovers. i love mine. i didn’t have it the first half of the race & then i had my mom send it to me when we had a layover in LAX, so save yourself the hassle & bring one.
2. Travel mug with handle – if you like tea or coffee this is a must.
3. Silverware – fork & spoon are totally necessary
4. Plastic bowl or REI collapsable bowl/cup
5. Umbrella – Ladies, i’m glad i brought mine, but its not for everyone. If you think you’ll use it, bring it. If you don’t then don’t.
6. Cinnamon/Spices – Believe it or not, sometimes food needs a little spicing up, so bring cinnamon/salt/pepper & if you like your food a bit spicier, bring some good creole seasoning because you’ll want it in Africa.
7. Duct Tape – I wish i would have brought this, but a friend had it on the race & we used it for everything.
8. Jewelry holder/box – It was one of the best few bucks i spent at walmart. Ladies if you wear necklaces, earrings, or rings you’ll want to get one of these. It’s like a plastic tackle box & you can get a little rectangle one or a circle one. & guaranteed whether you bring jewelry from back home or not, you’ll buy it overseas. & btw – if you have some jewelry that is meaningful to you & not super expensive where it wouldn’t kill you to lose it or give it away, bring it. you’ll wear it, give it away to that cute little girl you meet, & then you’ll replace it.
9. Journal – Bring one. Whether your a guy or a girl, you should jot down your thoughts & what G-d is doing in your life/teaching you. It’s neat to look back and see how much you’ve grown.
10. Ziploc baggies both big & small – THESE COME IN SO HANDY. For your sake, please bring them.
11. Little Scissors
12. Crazy Super Glu – BRING THIS & stick it in a plastic ziploc.
13. Little Tissue Packets – It comes in super handy anywhere in the world because i guess around the world people don’t believe in supplying free toilet paper so you get stranded a lot of times if you don’t have it.
14. Bible – If you use a study Bible at home bring it. Even if it is huge, you’ll be glad you did. i was super close to not bringing my big study Bible but it has saved my life in more cases then one & theres just nothing like having a concordance & a Bible your used too. As for those of you who never used a study Bible don’t get one, take a Bible you use at home.
15. Headlamp – You will use this all the time so don’t be cheap, spending $30 is sufficient.
16. Watch with alarm & water resistance
Packing items:
1. Tent – You don’t use it that often, but you will use it. i bought a Kelty 2 person & i love it. Others got the 2 person REI & they like it too, so take your pick. DONT BUY A TENT FROM WALMART.
2. Sleeping bag – You’ll read on some blogs not to bring a sleeping bag, but i would HIGHLY recommend you bring one. Depending on your route (make sure you double check the weather pattern by country & month) get one that is sufficient for the weather you’ll be in. i got a Kelty Cosmic Down 20+ & i think its perfect & light
-Pay attention to the weight of the sleeping bag & tent. Weight really does matter! Don’t save $20-$50 bucks because its 2-4lbs heavier. Pay a little more & get it lighter. Its far more worth it & you won’t remember what was spent on it.
3. Liner – absolutely necessary & it comes in handy in the oddest times. Especially when your not using your sleeping, you’ll use your liner. i would recommend getting one that feels at least 10+ degrees warmer.
4. Sleeping pad – You’re sleeping pad will be one of the best things you have. i would recommend getting nothing less then 2.5 inches. A lot of people got 1.5 and regret it. Personally i bought a 3inch & i have a friend who bought a different brand of the 3 inch and ours get just as small and weigh as much as the 1.5, we might have just paid $20 more, but it is so worth it. The farther you can get off the ground the better! Don’t be cheap when it comes to your sleeping pad. My pad is a kelty 3 inch with hand pump & insolation & i would highly recommend this pad.
5. Travel Pillow – Bring the biggest one you can find that folds down in size. i bought mine from REI & i’m happy with it. HOWEVER, a friend of mine bought a travel pillow from brookstone that is a down pillow & it cost her $50 which was about $20 more than mine. i wish i would have known about this pillow before the trip, so do yourself a favor & go to brookstone.com or go to the store & buy one. Regardless of what you do, bring yourself a pillow your going to be happy with because it turns into your comfort everywhere you go & is probably the most used thing on the race, so again don’t be a cheapskate when it comes to your pillow, you’ll want the best & in my opinion a decently sized pillow at that.
6. Airporter/duffle bag – Get one. Personally i have an airporter, but wish i would have figured out a light duffle bag to fit my pack.
2 reasons to get a duffle bag over an air porter =
-1. Everyone has a black air porter & it is ridiculously hard to find your pack when 50 other people have the same thing.
-2. Its much easier to carry a duffle bag then an air porter because of the 2 straps vs. 1 strap
7. A hanging toiletry kit – These come in really handy in almost every bathroom i’ve been in because foreign floors are GROSS & you don’t want your stuff touching it. Do yourself another favor and buy a hanging toiletry bag (even you men!), i’m really glad i took the advice of one blog i read.
8. Packing cubes – Let me start with, in the beginning, pre-race i bought stuff sacks because i was trying to save a few bucks and i thought whats the big difference? i was wrong! Don’t save the extra few bucks. Buy yourself packing cubes. The one thing you can control on the race is how organized you are & you might not think you like organization, but its something that will keep your sanity. When you can pack everything up in these genius things called cubes & you know where everything is at, it makes a world of difference. One girl on my team decided to get rid of a bunch of stuff, including her packing cubes so i bought them off her & it was a great change.
9. Bring a small sac for your underwear
10. Laundry bag – it doesnt need to be very big, but big enough to hold at least 4 days of dirty clothes.
11. Sacks – If you wear TOMS, you know the sac that sometimes comes in the shoe box with them? Bring those. i brought 3 & i use each of them. Sometimes there are little things that you just don’t know what to do with & it is so nice to have a little sac to put them in, so if you have something like that bring it.
12. Mosquito net – you should most definitely bring one of these.
My advice when it comes to buying ANYTHING that is more expensive go to REI or an outdoors store: feel, see, and try out what they have at the store – write it down & go look for the same item online because you can probably get it cheaper if you order it through some outdoor website.
i hope this helps ladies & gents. Please feel free to add anything if i missed it or didn’t touch on it. :]
Enjoy your race – your going to make it. ;]
