350+ Hours
Minute one, day one, week one, week two, hour 350 and continuing.
(It’s a long one…grab a cup of tea & take a seat)
day one // one day
Motivative has been my biggest point of struggle on the Race but the quote “day one // one day” has kept me encouraged to keep trying, to thrive. Day one is always a challenge, maybe it’s the only day full of fun, or maybe it’s the day that you just have to get out of the way. But with consistency, motivation, & mindset day one can turn into that one day dream. If one day you want to x, y, z, then you have to start on day one eventually.
It’s been 15 days of The World Race. How incredible…incredibly overwhelming. The days were hot, the nights were sleepless, the connections are deep, and the conversations are long. A mix of emotions I didn’t know was possible but now I wake up daily craving something new. I crave a sense of familiarity and knowledge. I’m intrigued to see what I haven’t before. To learn a new voice and the story held behind it. Whose story is new, or what depth of a recent one can I find. I crave knowledge but I fear chasing it. I find some comfort in these things as I discover the stories and lessons of the people around me, even if that story is one found in the pages of a Bible.
Proverbs 1:7
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction”
This has motivated me since day one as I crave knowledge and to be anything but a fool.
The World Race training camp has been in full swing, everything from daily porta potties, to early mornings, late nights, camp fires, hand wash laundry, team building, bonding, and connecting, long lecture, worship, cultural meals, windy night in tent city, 5 stack hammocks, walmart and uber-eats, bug bitten legs, messy hair, scratchy voices, squad wars, and so so many more memories. I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am to be here, with these people, in this environment, gaining and gathering perspectives and knowledge.
The past 15 days have been a rollercoaster of emotions, from the loudest laughs to the loneliest nights. Pondering God’s existence, understanding cultural norms, forming connections and conversations with teammates, leaders, mentors, and even strangers in town. To be honest there have been hours I wonder if I belong here, questioning if this is really where I want to be. Coming to the conclusion, you don’t just belong somewhere, you build a home, a family, a community, and most importantly you gain perspective and commitment. My independence begs for power, wanting to muscle through and do this all on my own. But my heart knows these strangers will become my best friends, these camp sunsets will be missed, and the long hours of listening will be processed into a new perspective, one I can take with me lifelong, worldwide.
The World Race training camp has taught me to listen, to slow my thoughts and reactions, and understand the other voices in conversations. Sometimes those voices might be the holy spirit or a teammate’s testimony. When I listen actively I start to understand why. Why people choose to have faith, why people react and respond the way they do, why traditions are made, and why their history has led them to this hour, sitting with me, showing me a new lens on life.
As many hours as I have listened though I have struggled to understand how people have so much love and commitment to faith, how they hear and communicate with God as though he is a friend. I understand the teachings the Bible provides, the lessons and boundaries to follow to live in accordance to The Word but I am struggling to feel a connection. Over the last week many of my teammates have had God encounters, seeing a new lens of God and faith. Though I haven’t had an encounter like this I have decided to commit to reading and understanding the lessons the Bible provides and how they may be applicable not only to my daily life but to the world around me.
Through my favorite verse, Proverbs 1:7 – ( The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.) I decided to dive in, read through, reread, and discuss the meaning of the book of Proverbs. Over the past week not only has it been a source of comfort to read as it discusses knowledge but it has also guided me through many encounters here at camp that have left me questioning religion as a whole. The book of Proverbs is written by King Solomon around 900 B.C based in Israel. The word Proverb means “a short pithy saying in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice.” Which then directly correlates to the purpose of the book. Written for those seeking wisdom and knowledge, asking questions about what is right and fair, who/what you serve and why you serve them. Through chapters 10-30 the book details the difference between the righteous and the foolish. The book takes a step back from faith and explains what life actions are morally right and wrong, and why they benefit not only us but the people and communities around us.
This book has been a huge source of encouragement for me, as gaining knowledge and seeking perspective are two of my biggest goals in life. I’m always asking why, where the history, how things came to be, & where they will lead us, so entering faith and religion from the point of view of wisdom has allowed me to feel connected to not only the lectures, teachings, cultures, but most importantly my teammates.
This guides me to my next topic, teammates. (hi to any of them reading!)
I am a part of World Race Gap Year, squad M (red), team Radiant. To break this down, gap year means 9 months, squad M is 35 ish people, all traveling to Malaysia, Thailand, Europe, and Guatemala together. We are then broken down into a team – roughly 10 people. As teams we will be working and living more closely with each other, doing daily life in every country and city together. As I mentioned, my team’s name is Radiant, originally named the shooting stars but switching to a more unique and powerful word…Radiant: “sending out light; shining or glowing brightly. The purpose behind our team name is this: We shine bright alone but brighter together, with God as our north star and Ava (leader) as our astrologist, keeping us connected worldwide! My teammates’ names are Grace, Ella(1), Mollie, Reagan, Karis, Ella (2), Gigi, & Maya! Such a lovely mix of girls who I’m excited to keep connecting with and learn more about throughout these next 9 months!
Thank you to anyone who has stuck through the chaos of reading this first blog, I’m excited to write and post more, ideally weekly! I’m sure there are many things I missed or didn’t mention so if you are curious I would love to connect with you over a conversation! (call, text, email, etc)I would love to hear any comments, questions, or stories in the comments below as well!
With many adventures & much love!
Aliya Koziol 🙂
Funding/Partnership
Honestly..
This topic is always hard for me to talk about because asking for funding is tough!!!
But truthfully I’m not asking directly for funding, I’m asking for your partnership with me on this incredible World Race and adventure. Partnerships can look at a weekly phone call for support, encouragement, or prayer! It can look like liking and commenting on social media posts and blogs to stay connected. It can also look like a financial commitment, no matter the dollar amount.
With full transparency I’m struggling to finish fundraising for this trip.
In total I needed about $18,000, & so far I have raised about $9,000!!
In which I am so incredibly grateful and thankful for each and every penny received!!!
A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me already! <3
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I have until roughly the New Year to complete my funding…so if you have any questions about The World Race and the purpose of it I would love to set up a form of communication and chat about it! If you feel led to partner with me and support me on this adventure I would be so beyond grateful!!
A lil perspective:
Instead of Christmas, birthday, or graduation gifts this year, I would love the gift of partnership in supporting me!
Again a huge huge thank you to each and every person, friend, family, & stranger who is partnering with me on this life changing adventure, i’m so grateful to be here and beyond excited to see where this experience leads me!
