We’re officially over halfway through this thing called The World Race—11 countries in 11 months. That means we’re in the midst of those middle months in which “racers” often hit a bit of a slump and start looking towards home and the [post-race] future. Usually by now people are tired of the traveling, tired of having somebody else planning their daily lives, and tired of living in community. Everything back home starts looking pretty amazing—family, friends, independence…freedom!
Somehow the opposite is happening for me. It’s like I’ve been given new eyes to see the amazing things right around me! I’m living in Nepal, after all. Every day I walk on beaten dirt paths winding between rice patties, hike up and down mountain trails, and sometimes even venture across sketchy bridges on the way to our destinations. In Nepal. On a clear day, I can see the snow-capped Himalayan Range as a backdrop to the beautiful landscape of rice fields terraced on a mountain, fields of flowering mustard, scattered brick-making villages, mountains, streams, brightly colored buildings, simple mud huts, distant temples, and beautiful people. I’m in Nepal.
When I said “new eyes”, I wasn’t kidding. Before the race, I’d traveled a lot. So every new country I came to in the past months, didn’t seem that new. Once you’ve traveled a bit, it’s hard to be surprised by anything. You learn to anticipate new customs, practices, foods, religions, etiquette, etc. If you come in like a learner (instead of a loud, obnoxious American :-P), you can do alright. Just expect the unexpected and take everything in stride (as if you knew it all along). That was my policy. So nothing seemed that new or exciting. I enjoyed traveling with people who were out of the USA for the first time; I felt like I got to experience more as a result of hearing their enthusiastic responses to the newness of it all.
But now I’m seeing more for myself.
Jason asked me this week, “What are you going to miss from the race when you get back home?” (This was a contrast to what’s more often talked about, “What do you miss from home?”) It got me started thinking about this incredible experience that I’m living. Sure, there are plenty of times that it feels less than ideal. Like this week when, for several days in a row, we hiked at least 10 miles/day, had plans that were changed frequently, went to 1-3 church services per day, felt exhausted and hungry, got annoyed with each other, etc. Yet, I honestly enjoyed this week more than ever. I guess it was my new inspiration. My new eyes that are appreciating what I have right here and now.
Why is it so natural to compare the worst aspects of my current situation with the best of a future or imagined one? For example, believe it or not, racers sometimes forget that, as amazing as home sounds, it typically means working a normal job. It’s a simple thing, but sometimes it’s those things get overlooked when we, as humans, pine for what we don’t have presently. Home starts to look perfect. We’ve been away long enough that any problems we left behind have begun to fade or get resolved in our absence. We long to reestablish connections with friends and relatives. We wish for the freedom to make our own schedules and decisions. We are tired of sleeping on floor mats, living out of a backpack, taking cold showers, not having reliable internet, and hand-washing our clothes. So we compare what we dislike here, to what we like there. What if we tried the opposite? What if I started appreciating what I have around me here and now that I won’t have when I get home?
I’m living in Nepal, after all. I have little to no responsibilities, I just show up when I’m told to, I don’t have to work a job or keep up a house…(Oh yeah, and I get to do this in tandem with my favorite person). This is crazy! I can’t believe I get to do this!!! I have this amazing chance to travel constantly to see new places, peoples, things. To truly experience the world. To even be changed in the process and to be a change agent for others. To gain a global perspective that I can have for the rest of my life. To develop friendships with people in every place we visit. And even greater friendships with my teammates. These are the things I’ll miss when I get back home.
I now have a new sense of wonder for my current situation here in Nepal, as well as for this race as a whole. After all, we only have 2 continents left (next month is 5 of 5 in Asia, then 2 in Africa and 2 in Eastern Europe) and I’m sure that these next 5 months will fly by. I’m ready to love all the great things associated with this phase of life and resist the urge to wish for something/somewhere else. Because, after all, there are things to dislike in every situation in life. So while this adventure lasts, I’ll enjoy it to the max. And when I get home, I’ll be even more grateful for the perks of the next season of life. Meanwhile, I’m convinced that the inconveniences and annoyances will diminish. At least for me this week, they already have.
