Certain lessons are learned in kindergarten that are pretty invaluable for the rest of one’s life. Yes, we learn our ABCs and numbers and how to play house and how great nap time is, but we also learn other lessons, about our actions and how to deal with people. And yet, there is a small group of people (growing as we speak) who seem to forget these lessons within about an 11-month period.
These people are known as World Racers.
What sorts of lessons do World Racers forget about as soon as they step on foreign soil? Here are some examples:
Lesson learned in kindergarten: Always wash your hands after you use the bathroom and before you eat.
How it’s forgotten on the World Race: Listen, water and soap are hard to come by in a lot of places in the world! Sometimes, you feel your hands might actually get dirtier in trying to wash them. And, sometimes, laziness and general apathy towards bodily health play a big factor, too.
How it’s forgotten on the World Race: Listen, water and soap are hard to come by in a lot of places in the world! Sometimes, you feel your hands might actually get dirtier in trying to wash them. And, sometimes, laziness and general apathy towards bodily health play a big factor, too.
Lesson learned: Don’t talk to strangers.
Lesson forgotten: I think I’ve mostly forgotten the other rules that went with this- things like not accepting food from them or rides. But hitch-hiking gets you places for free, or for cheaper than the taxi would take you. And part of our job description IS to talk to strangers. To follow God’s seemingly random will and begin talking to that woman on the street corner over there, who it turns out has some questions about God and would love to meet for coffee tomorrow. Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet, and souls God loves and wants to encourage!
Lesson forgotten: I think I’ve mostly forgotten the other rules that went with this- things like not accepting food from them or rides. But hitch-hiking gets you places for free, or for cheaper than the taxi would take you. And part of our job description IS to talk to strangers. To follow God’s seemingly random will and begin talking to that woman on the street corner over there, who it turns out has some questions about God and would love to meet for coffee tomorrow. Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet, and souls God loves and wants to encourage!
Lesson learned: Personal hygiene, like “Be clean; shower on a consistent basis. Brush your teeth twice a day.”
Lesson forgotten: Again, sometimes it’s more hassle than it’s worth. The bugs don’t bother you as much if you have more of a ‘natural’ smell about you. And if you’re wearing the same clothes for five days in a row anyway, you might as well cut out the showering bit.
Lesson learned: Match your clothes.
Lesson forgotten: This one would make Stacy and Clinton from TLC’s What Not to Wear cry in shame. But somewhere in the hustle and bustle of living out of a backpack, and rarely seeing a mirror, fashion lines get crossed. My blue Aladdin pants don’t actually match my turquoise “love” t-shirt? Oh well! Patterns and prints and shapes all begin to look like that actually do match. And when you rotate five shirts with two skirts for enough months, you just start to not care. Perhaps, too, this lesson actually starts to sink in: what counts really IS on the inside, anyway.
Lesson forgotten: This one would make Stacy and Clinton from TLC’s What Not to Wear cry in shame. But somewhere in the hustle and bustle of living out of a backpack, and rarely seeing a mirror, fashion lines get crossed. My blue Aladdin pants don’t actually match my turquoise “love” t-shirt? Oh well! Patterns and prints and shapes all begin to look like that actually do match. And when you rotate five shirts with two skirts for enough months, you just start to not care. Perhaps, too, this lesson actually starts to sink in: what counts really IS on the inside, anyway.
Lesson learned: Don’t eat or drink after sick people.
Lesson forgotten: Generally, there is at least one sick person on your team at all times. Ranging from the sniffles to the flu to malaria and dengue fever, it’s hard to avoid. And if you’re sharing your air with them, you might as well be sharing their delicious chocolate or cheeseburger, too.
Lesson forgotten: Generally, there is at least one sick person on your team at all times. Ranging from the sniffles to the flu to malaria and dengue fever, it’s hard to avoid. And if you’re sharing your air with them, you might as well be sharing their delicious chocolate or cheeseburger, too.
Lesson learned: Don’t eat or drink after other people, in general.
Lesson forgotten: WHY it’s forgotten is a better question- perhaps necessity, perhaps extreme hunger or thirst. But within the first two weeks, most people are willing to eat and drink after anyone else. Some people on our squad have even picked up drinks and food off of the tables of people we don’t know, at restaurants or fast food joints, finishing them off after the original buyers have departed. A question asked today at brunch shows how far most of us have come, “Does anyone still need a fork or plate? I’m done with mine.”
Lesson forgotten: WHY it’s forgotten is a better question- perhaps necessity, perhaps extreme hunger or thirst. But within the first two weeks, most people are willing to eat and drink after anyone else. Some people on our squad have even picked up drinks and food off of the tables of people we don’t know, at restaurants or fast food joints, finishing them off after the original buyers have departed. A question asked today at brunch shows how far most of us have come, “Does anyone still need a fork or plate? I’m done with mine.”
Lesson learned: Buckle up for safety! (Wear a seatbelt or helmet always)
Lesson forgotten: I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone in any other part of the world use a seatbelt, except maybe for Jimmy from Ireland, but he was from the United States. Kids stand up on their mothers’ laps, leaning excitedly on the dashboard. We fit 17 people into a 12-passenger van , ride on tuk-tuks and in matatus or the back of pick-up trucks. Motobikes become a way to get around, and no one seems to have heard of the concept of a helmet (I did get to give a great “avoid a traumatic brain injury, wear a helmet!” speech one day in our English class, though). But the one great benefit? It really increases your prayer life and dependency on God!
Lesson forgotten: I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone in any other part of the world use a seatbelt, except maybe for Jimmy from Ireland, but he was from the United States. Kids stand up on their mothers’ laps, leaning excitedly on the dashboard. We fit 17 people into a 12-passenger van , ride on tuk-tuks and in matatus or the back of pick-up trucks. Motobikes become a way to get around, and no one seems to have heard of the concept of a helmet (I did get to give a great “avoid a traumatic brain injury, wear a helmet!” speech one day in our English class, though). But the one great benefit? It really increases your prayer life and dependency on God!
Lesson learned: Use your inside voice when you are indoors.
Lesson forgotten: What is an indoor voice, again? We forget about this rule in malls, in restaurants, on busses, walking down the street, while singing “Happy birthday” to someone on a tok-tok two lanes over on the road. Some of it is the loudness factor of having a large group of people together, I hope.
Lesson forgotten: What is an indoor voice, again? We forget about this rule in malls, in restaurants, on busses, walking down the street, while singing “Happy birthday” to someone on a tok-tok two lanes over on the road. Some of it is the loudness factor of having a large group of people together, I hope.
Lesson learned: Don’t touch or play with stray animals.
Lesson forgotten: Some of these animals are REALLY cute! That’s my only defense. And plus, most of us probably have a parasite of some kind anyways, so why not risk another in playing with the puppy that only wants to be loved? Thor, a puppy on the beach in Montenegro, was probably 7 Camel’s favorite animal on the Race. She lit us up, especially Audrey! Should we really turn away all that joy?
Lesson forgotten: Some of these animals are REALLY cute! That’s my only defense. And plus, most of us probably have a parasite of some kind anyways, so why not risk another in playing with the puppy that only wants to be loved? Thor, a puppy on the beach in Montenegro, was probably 7 Camel’s favorite animal on the Race. She lit us up, especially Audrey! Should we really turn away all that joy?
Lesson learned: Moderation (including: don’t eat lots of junk food and drink lots of pop.)
Lesson forgotten: Two words, really. Coping. Mechanism. (And I think that whoever made Coca-Cola cheaper than clean water in some areas should be shot.) Also, when you find somewhere that has a lot of food, you gobble it up. Moderation can be worried about later!
Lesson forgotten: Two words, really. Coping. Mechanism. (And I think that whoever made Coca-Cola cheaper than clean water in some areas should be shot.) Also, when you find somewhere that has a lot of food, you gobble it up. Moderation can be worried about later!
And a few others:
Get enough sleep. (Does this happen, ever?)
Get enough sleep. (Does this happen, ever?)
Don’t eat food out of garbage cans. (Really, this has happened. More than once.)
Brush your hair every day. (Harder to remember than you’d think when there aren’t any toilets around.)
Clean up after yourself. (Racers can sometimes leave a mess. If you’re a future Racer, don’t add to this!Trash cans are your friend!)
*Special apology to any and all mothers (especially my own) who read this and start to feel the beginnings of a heart attack. We’re all fine! Plus, a doctor friend of Jen Flavin said that when we get back, we’ll all have awesome immune systems!
