I googled “Famous end of movie lines” and that was one of them so I put it in the title.
August of 2018 I boarded a plane that was going to begin an 11 month journey around the world. With a bunch of people I was beginning to know. These people, they know what I’ve seen, what I’ve been through.. and that’s way too much information to put in blogs. They know what it feels like to live in village/town/city after village/town/city. They know what it feels like to not have a permanent home. They know what it feels like to meet people you fall in love with only to leave them one month later. For the last 11 months, my life was a season of constant change and adapting. Change of culture, environment, language, etc.. You see, there is so much people don’t know… and that’s not because I don’t want to tell you. It’s simply because it’s too much to put into words on a paper or blog. With time I will be able to share morel in verbal conversations but it just isn’t something you can write down. This was a year of our life lived.
As this season of the World Race is coming to an end, it’s been a lot of “last times”:
Last time receiving a travel day itinerary from our awesome logistics.
Last time filling out team evaluations.
Last time walking across a border (On the race)
Last time meeting our host for the first time on the race.
Last week of ministry.
And soon, our last day of ministry.
And soon, our last time being with the Squad, the people I traveled with for 11 months. (Unless the entire squad goes to PSL).
There’s much more but you get the point.
Right now, how am I feeling about coming home!?
Mostly super excited but a little nervous about the unknown. But I did just do a year of constant unknown, literally every day so I should be somewhat used to it by now haha. The unknown of how the transition will be. How will reentry effect me? A lot of “I don’t knows and we’ll cross that bridge if we get to it”.
I am really excited and looking forward to coming home and hugging my family for the first time in 11 months. For seeing friends and other family. For taking a nice hot warm shower. To brush my teeth under the sink. To not have to worry about eating or drinking something that might give me a parasite. To have access to clean water everywhere. To not have to live out of a backpack anymore, to have other clothes!! To be able to DRIVEEEEEEEE. To just be back home. Honestly though with all that is listed above, I am coming back with a greater sense of gratitude and thankfulness for what we have in the States. Seriously guys, we are blessed for what we have in the great USA.
So yeah, I am super excited about coming home and honestly I just feel ready. Which is not normally like me. Normally I am the girl who is an emotional wreck when something like this is ending because I’m not ready. BUT I know myself and I do most processing and realizing how something effected me, changed me, and really meant to me, A F T E R the fact. So please, be patient with me because I honestly don’t know how I’ll be hahah. I think my emotions will range from being super excited and happy about being back but then moments of slight grief as I am working on processing and maybe even grieving the end these past 11 months because it was a lot. A lot happened that I am still unfolding and sorting through all God did and how he used this season. I might have moments where I feel totally alone. Not because I am alone, but simply because I am no longer surrounded by the people I was in constant community with for 11 months straight who went through and experienced to some extent, the same thing I did. So be patient with me because I truly don’t know how I’ll be. I might end up being totally fine because I have been looking forward to coming home. I have heard that reentry is difficult and you experience more of a culture shock. Who knows. We will cross these bridges when we get to them.
ALSO
Life didn’t stop for you when I left.
I missed out on holidays, weddings, sports games, births, celebrations, school, ALL the things. I want to hear about everything you did, and I’m just as interested to know how you grew, how you changed, and what crazy stories you have to tell. Don’t discredit or dumb down your past year simply because you were living in the United States. I want to hear it all!! Let’s meet for coffee or lunch, etc and celebrate what this past year was for all of us. Almost a year went by for all of us.
So here we are. The last week of ministry on the race. 12 days till I am on United States soil.
Pray we finish well! This month we have been visiting churches and attending youth services, sharing our testimonies, stories about the World Race, etc. Playing soccer with the youth and doing children events. I have actually really enjoyed getting to share stories and testimonies.
So yeassssiiesss. Thank you for following me and encouraging me these past 11 months. There is some more things I want to share on here but that will be for later blogs when I am back home.
Till next time,
Much love, T.
(this blog was inspired by a racers blog I read with some of her quotes but edited to fit my experience. I can’t remember who it was but THANKS)
