It is month EIGHT of the Race already; I have lived in eight countries on three different continents.
I have slept in my tent for two full months, been to the hospital twice, been on buses for 187 hours and 40 minutes, used nine different currencies, and have gone eight days without showering.
I have found freedom in control controlling my life, I have eaten more rice than ever needs to be consumed, and I have read 67 books.
I am a completely different person than when I left Seattle in September.
You asked questions, and I have answers for you.
1. How many countries have you been to? How long have you spent in each?
We have lived in EIGHT countries – Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Greece, Zambia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Colombia. Depending on the month, we spend anywhere from three weeks to four weeks in each country. With travel days, we drove through Macedonia, Serbia, and Zimbabwe. I spent a weekend in November in Florence, Italy. And if you count airports, we have been in the Istanbul, Turkey airport twice for layovers. I personally count TWELVE countries.
2. What kinds of food do you eat?
Every month is different. In Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Zambia, and South Africa we for the most part cooked for ourselves so we choose how we ate. This means typically we eat as Americanized as possible – chicken, salads, sautéed veggies, any type of pasta, pancakes, soups, etc. Occasionally our hosts or members of the church will cook a meal or two for us and we also do eat out. In Romania and Swaziland we had all squad months, so we had a cooking committee deciding on our menus – Romania we ate typically Americanized, but in Swazi we did not have an oven and often lost power so we ate a lot of rice and beans. This month, in Colombia, we are living with a host family and they make all of our meals for us so we eat very traditional Colombian which is deeeeelicious!
3. What has been your favorite foreign food?
My favorite is definitely Greek gyros!
4. What is the most memorable moment so far?
A completely awesome moment: riding an elephant in Livingstone, Zambia for over an hour along with Josh and Abbie.
A completely horrible, but now hilarious moment: when all of Team Hot Rod and two squad leaders got food poisoning and spent two days in a Zambia hospital; if you haven’t read the blog, you should.
5. If you could share one thing about the Race to incoming Racers, what would it be?
I would tell a future Racer the importance of being flexible. On the Race, it is all about flexibility. Our plan for a ministry day can change two minutes before we start ministry, a supposed 8 hour bus ride can easily become 12, and your stomach will react differently to foods on every continent. Flexibility is key, always.
6. Would you pick the same route knowing what you know now?
I actually think I would pick the same route. I never wanted to go to Asia, so any route with Asia (which is honestly most of them) is automatically out for me. Central America would be cool though.
7. What type of mission work did your squad and the parents do in Swaziland?
When our parents came for PVT last month, we actually did pretty similar things to what we had been doing all month. On Sunday, we attended church with the whole squad, had all-squad worship and several humorous skits explaining life on the Race. On Monday and Tuesday, we went to care points and spent time with the children, attended their discipleship class, and did two home visits to elders in the community. On Wednesday, our last full day with our parents, we had an adventure day and most of us went on a local safari drive!
8. What has been your favorite country? Why?
For ministry, my favorites are Greece, South Africa, and Albania.
For the people, my favorites are Greece, South Africa, Albania, Bulgaria, and Colombia.
For my own personal growth, my favorites are South Africa and Swaziland.
9. Which country had the best food? And the worst food?
So far, the best countries for food have been Greece and Colombia. Greek gyros are heaven in your mouth and we are eating mostly all traditional Colombian food (sometimes are wonderful host Mama likes to make us Americanized food).
So far, the worst countries for food have been Zambia and Swaziland. Zambia’s staple food is nshima (a very dense and dry mush made from corn maize and water) and it’s disgusting. In Swaziland due to not having an oven or consistent power, we ate a lot of rice and beans; I do not enjoy either and got very sick of both very quickly.
10. Which country would you choose to spend another month in if given the chance OR live in for the rest of your life?
In a heartbeat, Greece. The food, the culture, the people, the ministry, I loved every bit of it!
11. Would you recommend the Race to someone if they are not 100% believers or followers of God?
Yes! We are all on different walks with the Lord, even on our squad. Some people have walked with the Lord for their whole lives, some for just a handful of years, and some for just recently. This eleven months is such a huge opportunity to deepen and strengthen our walk with the Lord and such an opportunity for so much growth and change within ourselves.
12. What has this Race done to change you? / How has God grown you?
I am coming back to the PNW a completely different person than I was when I left Seattle in September. I have learned to not seek approval and affirmation from others, but from the Lord. I have sought forgiveness from family members. I have learned how much I have struggled with shaming myself for most of my life. I have found true freedom from the Lord in control no longer controlling my life. I have walked through all of these things with teammates and squadmates who have asked important questions, who have counseled me, and who have loved me well through all of it.
13. What is the prettiest scenery you have seen so far?
For the most part every country has been pretty in its’ own way. But for me, coming from the PNW where I live right on Bellingham Bay and see green constantly, I think Greece and South Africa were the prettiest. In Greece we were right on the Aegean Sea and could see Turkey (just 4 miles away) and the sunsets were pretty amazing. In South Africa everything was green like home.
14. What has changed about the way you see God?
I don’t know if anything has necessarily changed, but my relationship with God is definitely stronger in so many ways. I have learned so much.
15. What is the hardest thing about the World Race?
For me personally, the hardest thing has been being such a strong introvert. We are with our team pretty much twenty-four seven. Often the only alone time you get is putting in headphones and facing the wall, as we are typically not allowed to go anywhere by ourselves. Personally, I choose to usually stay home on at least one of the off days each week to spend time by myself, but even this is not always possible.
16. What is the thing you have learned the most so far about working with different cultures?
The language barrier is a struggle each month, but the biggest thing I have learned is that we can speak through our actions. Everywhere around the world, people understand hugs, smiles, laughter, dancing, touch, etc.
17. What was the hardest comfort thing to give up?
The absolute hardest was definitely my freedom in doing what I want and when I want, and having my own space. But also it was really hard to give up local Bellingham food, my own workout routine (running trails at my own pace and my crossfit gym), and my friends.
18. What have you learned about yourself that shocked you the most?
In South Africa, I learned I have always put God in a box. I could tell you until I was blue in the face that I gave God all the control, but really I didn’t give him an ounce of control. This sparked the journey to finding freedom, which happened just a few weeks later in Swaziland.
19. Which country was easiest to present the gospel / God in?
Shockingly, all of the countries have been really open to hearing the Gospel. I cannot think of a month where we really struggled, although Romania was pretty spiritually dark and the area we were in was widely known as a “missionary graveyard” as it is just so hard to live there and constantly feel beaten down. Many of us that month (it was an all-squad month) really struggled with sleeping through the night due to the spiritual darkness.
And just one more question (thanks to my lovely sister) to make your day just a little bit brighter…
20. How many times have you pooped your pants?
Twice. The first was in Bulgaria only a couple days into the Race; I just barely didn’t make it to the bathroom in time and thankfully had lovely teammates who grabbed me clean shorts. The second was this past week and it was more of an “I thought I just farted but I really just popped a little bit” moment. Both have been when my stomach has been upset and uncooperative; the life of a Racer with a sensitive stomach. But on a happy note, I get to continue my membership in the elite “Poop Your Pants” club.
