I boarded a plane and headed toward the Philippines! It’s crazy to think that was a year ago! I met some amazing people this last year. The transition home was interesting. One of the things I noticed right away when landing at JFK in New York was the people. Now, I realize and have always known that America is a melting pot of cultules. But it’s not that way in pretty much every country we visited. In Asia…they are pretty much all Asian…same for Africa and Europe. Sure, you see a few foreigners in each place, but it’s nothing like what you see in America. I love that America is a melting pot of cultures. What else do I love about America? cold milk in my cereal any time of the day…or night! I have finally stopped carrying around toilet paper in my purse 🙂 Here is a picture of the Q squad during launch week in Manila, Philippines! I don’t even remember taking this picture lol…
It’s been 6 weeks since I’ve landed back in the land of the free and home of the brave! I spent the first 3 weeks catching up with most of my favorite people (still a few I have yet to see 🙁 Now my time is mostly spent looking for a job…I loathe job hunting. Really. It is never my favorite thing! I’m hoping to find something in the sports/recreation industry (no coaching or teaching though) something more along the administrative side. I’d really love to also get connected with a church and work in their missions department. Anyhow…on to the real reason for this blog lol….a few of my squadmates posted blogs asking their followers for questions about what all we did and saw this last year. I did the same…but I’m pretty sure my mom was the only one who asked any questions. Thanks mom! love ya. Soooo….I’m stealing the one my teammate Ashley did. Her friend emailed her some 30+ questions…here they are with my answers and a few pics as visual aides 🙂
|
1. What has been your favorite country?
That’s hard! Uganda one of the top…the people there are amazing! The kids are adorable! I met a little boy named Felix…he would come and sit with me during services. He didn’t really speak at all. I didn’t learn until one of the last days there that he actually understood some English.
 2. What has been your least favorite country?
Again…a really hard one because I loved all of them! I would say Thailand was my least favorite. There weren’t many opportunities to build relationships with people. Most of our ministry was spent cleaning up the community. But occasionally people would stop by and drop off cold sodas for us to drink!
3. Who is the coolest person you have met in a country?
I have met so many amazing people…but the two who just rocked at life were Paul and Anita. They are a married couple in India and they run Capstone Ministries. They have such a heart for India!! And their ministry rocks…literally! Paul and his team teach music lessons among other things.
4. What will you miss most when you return to the states?
all the people I have met this year…and The Q…I love that group of people!!
 5. What will you be happiest to leave behind?
My clothes!!! They were gross after 11 months…
6. What is the best thing you’ve experienced/done on your free days?
I would have to say white-water rafting the River Nile and bungee jumping over the River Nile!!
 7. What is the best thing you’ve experienced/done as a whole?
Just getting to travel the world and seeing how God is working around the world. I only got a small glimpse in seeing 11 countries. God is doing so much more and I am blessed to have gotten to do this thing called the World Race.
8. What is the most extreme “God-thing” you have experienced?
It wasn’t really that extreme..but I loved seeing people experience freedom from a life of bitterness and unforgiveness.
9. What is the coolest thing you have purchased? I have a couple of water color (I think) type paintings from Uganda that I just love!
10. What is the saddest thing you have lost? The only thing I ever lost was my camera in India…had to buy a new one…that made me sad!
11. If you could vacation in one of the countries which one would you choose?
Philippines. It was amazingly pretty there! El Nido has to be one of the most beautiful places.
 12. If you could live in one of the countries which one would you choose?
I could live in Romania…such a pretty place! I love the buildings there…especially Brasov.
13. What type of ministry was your favorite?
Sports ministry for sure. I loved doing softball camp. I also really loved doing kids summer camp sessions.
14. What type of ministry was your least favorite?
Probably open-air preaching. It’s not always easy to stand on a street and talk through a mic to people who won’t come out of their homes lol
15. What type of ministry grew on you the most over the 11 months?
Probably door-to-door…and probably because we did it every day for like 3 months in Africa lol. It’s still not my favorite…but it was nice chatting with people who were receptive.
16. On a scale of 0 to 100 how much do you think you have changed (where 0 is not at all and 100 is like you are one of those people in the identity theft commercials where you are someone completely different)?
Man, this is a tough one. I know I have changed. It’s not always easy for me to express how though. There are times though when I don’t feel like I have changed all that much. Really, I’m still me…with a different perspective and world view.
17. What have you missed the most?
Well, besides family and friends I’ve missed being able to get where I want to/need to go on my own. Constantly having to find public transportation and then fighting for a fair price because I’m white gets tiring.
18. What was your favorite mode of transportation?
Boda bodas in Uganda. They are motorcycle taxis and are super cheap and fun to ride!
19. What was your least favorite/scariest mode of transportation?
None of the transportation was that scary. Sometimes riding in a matatu (African mini-van) late at night could be a little iffy…you never know what kind of people will be riding.
20. What was the most interesting animal/creature that you saw
That’s hard to say…I don’t remember seeing anything completely strange to me…seeing animals up close during the African safari was pretty though…and there was the 250-year old tortoise in Uganda!!
 21. What was the most interesting/gorgeous natural thing/landscape that you saw?
Seeing the Himalayas (from a distance) was pretty sweet…they were still snow capped! But also seeing Lake Victoria from the lookout point of Prayer Mountain in Uganda was neat.
22. What was the hardest thing that you had to do or that you faced?
Just being vulnerable and open to a total group of strangers first thing out.
23. What was the scariest thing that you had to do or that you faced?
Bungee jumping over the River Nile…I thought I was gonna pee my pants
24. What was the most rewarding thing that you had to do or that you faced?
Just loving on people! There was a woman in the Malaysian jungle that had appendix problems. Our team prayed for her like 3 different times and God showed up and healed her! When we left the jungle, she cried as she said goodbye to us…and she gave each of us girls a gift. She gave me a pair of earrings that looked like cherries lol
25. What was the most fun/enjoyable thing that you had to do or that you faced?
Playing with all the kids in the different countries. Most of them spoke no English…but they were so loving and hilarious!
 26. What was the worst bathroom/shower situation on the race?
Rwanda. We had a mud hole in the ground (with 4 walls around it) but it was fly infested. For a shower we had a small mud hut with some holes in it and a small bucket of water to shower with.
27. Do you feel like you were adequately prepared for the race?
Yes and no. I was prepared for the living conditions, but I had no idea that self growth/community would be so important. And ministry…I had no idea what that would look like and that I would have such a variety.
28. Was there a country you didn’t go to but you wish you could have gone to in place of one you did?
Not really. I loved all the countries we went to. One day I’d like to check out South America. Or Latin America.
29. What was the best thing you ate?
I loved a lot of the food. The banana pancakes in the Philippines were awesome! But I also loved all the spicy food in Thailand. Mmmmm
30. What was the worst think you ate?
I’m not sure I ever had anything too terrible, but I am really sick of white rice. We had way too much of it in Asia and Africa. Oh and the mystery mush in India to put on the white rice was not that appetizing. Ugh…and monkey. I had a piece of monkey in the jungle. It wasn’t good. That’s all I have to say about that.
31. Do you still keep in contact with people from the countries you visited?
Yes I do. I keep in touch with people from every country. Some people more than others, but I get a lot of facebook chat boxes when I sign on.
32. How did the race change your view on America?
I think the trip has made me more patriotic. I appreciate the freedom that we have to worship and be who we want to. There are not many restraints. Good roads to drive on (not sure I’ll ever complain about any roads again!) are a blessing. I’ve also realized the influence that America has on the world especially Hollywood and that is not always a good thing. Also, we have so much here…it’s hard to see how much we have and not think of how little others I have met have…
33. How did the race change your view on other countries?
The race has given me a much more real view. I love each and every person we met. Being around them feels normal in so many ways. I will probably never understand why different cultures do different things…but America doesn’t always have the best way to do things.
34. How did the race change your view on God?
It was amazing to see how God works in each country, in each culture. It didn’t matter if the church building was worth millions or worth nothing…God still show up. He doesn’t care if you are wearing clothes donated from United Airways or if you are wearing expensive jewelry…He cares about your heart.
|
here’s our end of the year vid for you to enjoy 🙂
