The dreaded question for every World Racer coming home after 9 months of living overseas:
So, how was your trip?
However many good intentions may be behind this question, it actually ends up doing more harm than good.
Here’s why:
- Us Racers have absolutely NO idea how to answer this. How do you sum up an entire 9 months in an appropriate length answer? Sometimes “good” is the only thing that can come out of our mouths, but this doesn’t invite you into the impact that these past months have made on us.
- This gap year didn’t feel like a trip, at least to us. It was our life for 9 months! We packed up our lives, we put down roots, we’ve invested ourselves wholly here, and we’ve created connections that feel like family.
If you have asked this question in the past, this is not to condemn you in any way. I’m giving you the inside scoop! My teammates recently did a similar blog, and I thought this was such a cool idea because it invites others into more meaningful conversation about the World Race. With questions like this, you guys can hear more specific and meaningful stories about what God has done on the Race, what we’ve learned, who we’ve met, or fun things that have happened!
Questions To Ask Me When I Get Home From The Race:
Months 1-3: Georgia
- What went through your head the first night in Georgia?
- What did you like/not like about tent life?
- What was worship like?
- What were some of D squad’s favorite worship songs?
- Where did you hang out during your free time?
- What did you do during your free time?
- Did your team get along in the beginning?
- What did Sabbath look like for you, and what did you learn about how to rest well?
- What was your favorite teaching?
- Who were some of the people you served with at Samaritan’s Purse?
- What was your favorite part about serving with SP?
- Who are Patty and Perry?
- What is Jungle Speed?
- What did D squad do for Halloween?
- What were your favorite meals from the AIM staff?
- What did church look like?
Month 4: New York + Home
- Where did you go before for you flew to New York to visit Morgan?
- How was staying in New York?
- Why did you go to the emergency room?
- What did you and Morgan do after finding out you weren’t going back to GA until launch?
- Where did you go first thing after your parents picked you up from the airport?
- What did you struggle with while at home?
- What are some of your favorite memories from being home?
- What did the Lord teach you during this season?
- What rhythms did you set for the New Year?
- What word did the Lord give you for this year?
Month 5-7: Costa Rica
- What were the first two weeks like in Costa?
- How was the transition to having no alumni team leaders?
- What is Gallo Pinto?
- How did your team dynamic change in Costa Rica?
- What was ministry training like with the Hope Project?
- What was “the best day ever” ?
- Who are the Mixons?
- Who is Quique?
- Who is Rachel?
- What was your favorite part of ministry?
- Wait, you danced for ministry?
- What did the Lord teach you in this season?
- What did you learn about “baskets”?
- What were your favorite coffee shops?
- What was church like, and what did you learn about the Church?
- How long was the drive to the beach?
- Did you ever learn to surf?
- Who is Alfredo?
- Who are Caleb and Corrie?
- What kind of meals did your team plan on the weekend?
- What is Pasoca?
- What did you do during your time staying apart from the squad at Abraham’s Project?
- Who are Kacie and Jezi?
- What were Tuesdays like?
- What were D squads top favorite worship songs in Costa?
- What was your favorite team time?
- Why did you almost get arrested?
- How did you process your time in Costa Rica?
- What was one of your favorite memories from debrief?
- Why did you jump off a bridge?
Months 8-9: Dominican Republic
- What did your first day look like in the DR?
- Who was here the first week?
- What was your Easter like?
- What is Mission of Hope?
- Who are Tim and Alec?
- Who are Papa Paul and Mama Kim?
- Who are Austin and Paige?
- What was the spiritual atmosphere like?
- Why did you stay up all night?
- What is SMT?
- What was the most challenging part of SMT?
- What is one of your favorite stories from SMT?
- Who is Lidany?
- What was Haitian church like?
- How did you make the decision to team lead for gap year?
- What was meal planning and cooking for 30+ people like?
- What was your team’s favorite meals to cook?
- What was your relationship with the Lord like?
- How did your team bond?
- What was coffee shop ministry?
Months 1-9
- How did the Lord reveal himself to you in different seasons?
- How did your relationship with Him change over the course of the Race?
- Did the way He spoke to you change?
- How did your relationship with your squad mates change?
- How was the storytelling internship?
That’s all for now! Crazy that this thing that has been the past 9 months of my life is ending in just 10 days. I can barely wrap my mind around it.
I appreciate you!
Emma
Thanks for all the good questions that will give us many hours of dinner convos!
Praying for you and the team as you grieve well and finish strong.
11 sleeps…
Nine months sounds like a long time, but doesn’t seem like a long time. Or is it the other way around?
See you in a while.
love, nana