Three days til my happy self will be on a plane to the USA.
Due to this joyous time..
I have been reminiscing on the more trivial times of the race that will
be with me forever.
So, here you go.
I have been reminiscing on the more trivial times of the race that will
be with me forever.
So, here you go.
One night in India….
We went to a creepy carnival where we were immediately
famous
and everyone and their mom decided they wanted pictures with us…
Because most have never seen a white person.
So there were lines around the entire place.
People snapping pictures everywhere.
People begging us to hold their babies.
Although it was strange…
We greatfully accepted free rides, icecream, cotton candy and a camel ride.
I’m okay with ittt.
I’m okay with ittt.
One night in Nepal…
I was exhausted and fell asleep with gum in my mouth.
I was exhausted and fell asleep with gum in my mouth.
I am apparently five years old and
I woke up with a huge knot in my hair due to it.
Yes I indeed had to cut a chunk out of my hair.
And no one judged me.
Welcome to the world race.
Another day we were climbing one of the nearby mountains
when a lady invited us into her yard to try a “Nepali specialty.”
She brought out warm curdled milk.
We all attempted to choke it down.
Phil tossed his in the bushes quickly when she wasn’t aware…
She naturally assumed he thought it was delicious
and brought out seconds.
Thank you Philip Cron.
Two of the last nights in Romania…
part of our ministry was staying up all night chilling on the trampoline to
part of our ministry was staying up all night chilling on the trampoline to
“keep watch for gypsies”
that may try to enter the compound to steal the
“good will” style fundraiser we had been setting up all month.
“good will” style fundraiser we had been setting up all month.
Snow appropriate weather.
All black attire.
Binoculars.
Coffee.
To our relief and disappointment
there were indeed no crazy gypsies
To our relief and disappointment
there were indeed no crazy gypsies
and we were not given the opportunity to test our ninja abilities.
Oh, the memories.
In Moldova…
Playing cards are inappropriate
due to a ton of gambling among the locals.
World racers love card games.
This month was hard for us in general
And there is always a desire for a little bit of rebellion each month.
We found ourselves desiring to play cards even more
Since we weren’t supposed to… naturally.
So nightly after our “mama” had gone to bed
We would rebelliously pull out the cards
while one of us would be on guard.
It’s amazing how something so innocent as hearts
can give you a rush.
We would stay up to wee hours of the night…. just because it was rebellious.
Sipping on berry tea and eating bread and jam.
Oh the rebellion of God fearing adolescents.
One of the weekends in Swaziland…
We packed up at 4am… got in two vans
We packed up at 4am… got in two vans
and roadtripped to South Africa to go on a Safari.
We were so pumped about the escapade that we
didn’t think through where we would be sleeping that night.
The day came and went and it was now late and we had
no reservations.
There was no where to go.
We ended up stumbling upon a golf course next to the safari.
Where we set up our tents for the night and camped out…
and lived to tell about it.
Clearly God is sovereign and is constantly blowin us up.
and lived to tell about it.
Clearly God is sovereign and is constantly blowin us up.
One night in Mozambique…
I was innocently attempting to fall asleep
I was innocently attempting to fall asleep
when I heard a ton of rukus and girly man screams.
I naturally am intrigued and waddle to the next room.
I find three of my BOY teammates all crammed in the bathroom
throwing furniture and jumping like girls.
I soon enough see a rat running towards me.
I freak naturally and understand their girlish responses.
We end up trapping it and stabbing it with the opposite end of a broom.
A joyous murder.
We then decide it would be cool to take it to the roof
and cook it.
Midway through cooking it… we decided we should taste it.
You know.. so the question “what was the worst thing you ate on the world race”
could change from chicken jello to street rat.
So we did.
Judge us. You would have too.
One morning in South Africa…
us girls got locked in our gate.
Not a little picket fence..
but a 10 foot tall 3 foot thick stone wall.
The boys were dramatically honking because we were going to be late
for church.
We had no phones on the inside of the gate…
And naturally our voices wouldn’t carry over the monstrous gate
and into the car.
We hike up our skirts and climb to the two story roof of our house
Where we climb into the neighbors roof.
Where we then hop onto the roof of the garage..
and onto the trashcans.
All in our sunday bests.
Our lives are average.
Another South Africa.
So we lived in a pool house for the month and there were no
plugs that worked.
So, we naturally moved the microwave outside
so we could warm up our meals when necessary.
(Still inside the monster stone wall)
Midway through the month,
our microwave vanished.
Yep, someone had the audacity and patience to enter the gate
the way we exited on the roof
steal the microwave…
and proceed back over the stone wall.
Homeboy you can have the microwave after that escapade.
One night in Thailand….
We went out for Kerris birthday one night to a
$5 Hibachi buffet.
It was thoroughly fun and delicious.
We soon found ourselves on stage for Kareoke.
Which soon enough drew a crowd because you know…
we don’t look like the typical Thai.
I do have to say Justin Beiber is something that everyone
in the entire world has not only heard of but they have memorized.
Also, we were within a few miles of the most gorgeous beaches known to man.
On the weekends we would all cram in the back of a truck
set out on a beach escapade
Where we would mindlessly lay around all day and catch rays.
Get $1 pad thai.
Loving our lives.
One day in Cambodia….
My teammate Tina and I were innocently walking through town
searching for a grocery store
when a monsoon hit.
Downpour like you wouldn’t imagine.
Sidenote: Transportation on the race is anything you come across.
A couple feet away we saw two guys just sitting on their mopeds.
We naturally hop on.
One dollar poorer and 30 minutes richer.
We arrive extremely dryer than we could’ve been.
I don’t think this would be acceptable in the States unfortunately.
Another brilliant one for Cambodia…
There are stands at the market that say
“Let our fish eat your deadskin..”
And that’s exactly what they mean.
For $1 you stick your feet in this tank of hundreds of fish
who live off of peoples dead skin.
Needless to say I had to do it.
Who needs to spend $20 on a pedicure when you could get fish to eat it?
On our last day in Australia…
we went to this place called Crocodilis.
we went to this place called Crocodilis.
Basically a crocodile park.
The place was vacant so one of the ‘park rangers’ if you will
took us on a private tour…
Where we fed the 2,000 pound crocodiles entire ducks.
We held baby kangaroos.
We pet sea turtles.
We held baby crocodiles…
I got bit by a Ostrich.
and got peed on by a Lion who was
“claiming us as his territory.”
No big deal.
Malaysia was interesting for many reasons…
but one in particular just so happened to be our next door neighbors.
Don’t be fooled they weren’t human.
They were freaking birds.
Not only were there a ton of birds
but they also had entirely too large of speakers to
attract MORE birds to this location.
Entire houses were built for these strange birds.
These said birds would make nests in these houses
with their saliva
then these “bird keepers” would then take these nests.
and sell them.
A kilogram sells for 100 dollars.
They then take these saliva birds nests
clean them
Cook them
and it is now a “Chinese delicacy.”
mhm they eat it and say it’s good for you.
and yes, we were indeed fooled into trying it.
Don’t be fooled they weren’t human.
They were freaking birds.
Not only were there a ton of birds
but they also had entirely too large of speakers to
attract MORE birds to this location.
Entire houses were built for these strange birds.
These said birds would make nests in these houses
with their saliva
then these “bird keepers” would then take these nests.
and sell them.
A kilogram sells for 100 dollars.
They then take these saliva birds nests
clean them
Cook them
and it is now a “Chinese delicacy.”
mhm they eat it and say it’s good for you.
and yes, we were indeed fooled into trying it.
As I brainstormed for these…
I had about 12 stories for each country but I’ll save those for coffee dates.
Overall these were just funsies but it’s so funny to look back and realize
that although we had some entirely hellish moments…
there was never ever ever a dull moment.
These experiences will been with me for life.
Which leads me to this:
Freaking thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you
Overall these were just funsies but it’s so funny to look back and realize
that although we had some entirely hellish moments…
there was never ever ever a dull moment.
These experiences will been with me for life.
Which leads me to this:
Freaking thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you
For all of you who have sacrificed to get me here.
I have never felt so loved and supported in my life.
I have never felt so loved and supported in my life.
You are all ballers and I am so thankful.
For real. Thank you.
God is so good and has showed up in the most ridiculous ways.
In the hard things and the trivial things.
He is good.
For real. Thank you.
God is so good and has showed up in the most ridiculous ways.
In the hard things and the trivial things.
He is good.
