1. Register for flyer miles with Delta, American Airlines, and United Airways and keep your frequent flyer mile number handy on travel days. You will put in the miles this year.
2. Use a Charles Swabb bank card because there are no ATM/International fees. You’ll thank me.
3. Make sure you have these apps downloaded before you leave the states on your iPod/iPhone/Droid to make calls/text when you have wifi: Viber, What’s App, Voxer, Text Free, and you’ll want Kindle and iBooks as well. You can download the Kindle on your computer but download the books before you leave. Internet sucks in Africa.
4. Figure out how to use Google voice, iMessage, Face Time, Voxer, and Skype AND TEACH YOUR PARENTS BEFORE YOU LEAVE! Check out http://www.lifeevolver.com/prepare-long-term-travel-living/ too.
5. Plan to have $150/mo for personal spending. I thought things would be super cheap in the places we were traveling to and so far that is not the case. Food is comparable to the US but beauty products are pretty expensive. You’ll also be paying for Internet and transportation so just keep that in mind.
**Europe and Asia are much more wifi friendly than Africa.
6. I love TOMS. I wear them everyday in the states but when you are in your tent you don’t want your smelly Toms in there so if you must bring a pair of TOMS bring the vegan ones because the soles don’t smell as bad as the original TOMS. Your team will also thank you for not having rancid smelling feet during feedback when you’re all crammed on one double sized bed.
7. Bring a study bible. I understand not wanting to bring your HUGE one that weighs 5 lbs but look for a small-medium sized study bible. You will be studying the word and you wont have access to Google or biblegateway.com on a regular basis.
8. Invest in an amazing travel pillow.
9. Coordinate meds and toiletries with your team. Also share clothes and accessories with your team. It’s called living in community and you share stuff. Get over your I-don’t-need-any-help-because-I’m-independent-crap right now. There is literally no room in your bag for that. I know you are allowed up to 50 lbs but you do NOT want to carry 50 lbs around airports or cross boarders with that huge thing.
10. Bring a power strip, good speakers, and a splitter for 2. The splitter for 5 means all 5 of you will have lower quality of music to listen to.
11. Bring a towel big enough to cover all of you or a sarong. I brought a small one thinking I would pick up a sarong on our first day off and I’m in the middle of month 2 and I still haven’t seen a market to buy one yet. Awkward…
12. Really try to bring a small daypack especially if you are also bringing a purse. Seriously.
13. You will need a good rain jacket.
14. You are not in America so KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR STUFF! You will stick out and professional criminals will target you. Don’t whip out your iPhone every second.
15. Don’t talk about your perception of the country your visiting in front of someone from that country. Be sensitive and aware. No one wants to be that kind of American.
16. Embrace where you are and where your teammates are too. No two racers start the race from the same maturity level, emotional state, or understanding.
17. Bring thank you cards and your prayer/support cards.
18. Download as many sermons and music as possible before leaving. Don’t think you’ll just “do it later”. (Please refer to number 3) Racers have a way of crashing internet servers where ever they go.
19. Prepare emails and blogs on a word document before going to Internet. It will save time ergo will save money.
20. You will want an Sea to Summit air porter so get one.
21. I know it’s hard but invest in a good pack and excellent sleeping pad. Just so you know the camp bed 2.5 from REI is bomb. Having a front and top loading pack is SUPER convenient since you will pack and unpack more times than I care to count. I also am obsessed with my Passage 2 tent from REI but my friend brought a Swiss Gear tent from Target and she loves hers too. (Note: Amazon.com is your BEST friend. Shop around for the best price and know that REI has sales all the time. Try to not wait until the week before training camp to buy all your gear because it’s stressful. Also note that South Africa has a different plug than the rest of Africa and you can get it on Amazon for $2.)
22. Noise cancelling headphones are absolutely the best and you're going to wait to bring a spare. Macks earplugs are also incredibly comfortable and they work! Roosters, snoring, and traffic will keep you up or wake you up. You can find those at Wal-Mart.
23. Don’t forget that your ministry isn’t only at your ministry site. Open your eyes to all of the opportunities God places in front of you on the bus, in the airport, on your team, yourself, or days off.
24. Be open and honest. I lived in fear of feedback my first month so I didn’t ever share when I was struggling with a positive attitude which is not really being real (Jesus was pretty freaking real) so don’t do that. Your team has to love you so ha! Feedback is secondary to loving each other so keep that in mind.
25. Please know that there is no possible way to prepare yourself for the Race. This month I’ve fought forest fires, worshipped in a prison, attended a South African funeral, captured a moth the size of a bat in our kitchen, and seen a man no longer have to use a cane to walk. Just know that your teammates are there for you (even if you must work for them to be there for you) if you aren’t prepared and y’all will survive. I promise.
26. A missionary here in Nicaragua just informed me that Meijer will fill Cipro prescriptions FOR FREE. Check it out because you will need it. It's the magic drug on the race.
27. Have a pastor, mentor, or wise family member or friend be on standby for issues, concerns, problems you will encounter on the WR and don't hide the bad, ugly, or uglier from them. Let them into your race and your life out here.
