Eric Hanson, a 21 year old Phoenix resident, has just returned home after traveling to five continents. Reflecting on his year-long trip, he says: "I have seen the wonders of the world, those widely recognized, but many more that only a few have ever seen. I have seen miracles. I have seen the unexplainable. And every time I look around, I wonder, 'Is this really my life?'"

When more than 50 twenty-somethings left the comfort of their homes and possessions in January 2007, they were in search of an adventure. They called it a pilgrimage - an opportunity to find themselves and experience the Third World firsthand. The group's adventure, The World Race, was conceived by Seth Barnes of Gainesville, GA. He designed a trip that would remove young people from their culture for a year and show them the world.

"This is a commitment to a transformational discovery process," Barnes says. "The World Race taps an ancient human compulsion to take a spiritual journey."

Participants travel to 11 countries in 11 months, spending 30 days in each location. They volunteer their time and talent in the communities they visit, caring for orphans, rescuing young girls from the slave trade, visiting refugee camps, and much more.

The trip contains a competitive edge: Teams race from location to location and are rewarded for the races they win. But the majority of time spent in each place is focused on serving the local people and building relationships with them.

This past year, the second for The World Race, drew more than 100 participants. But as the adventure spreads by word-of-mouth and the momentum builds, many more are expected to participate in the coming years, says Barnes, founder of Adventures in Missions.

He predicts: "Thousands of young people are going to eventually embark on this pilgrimage around the world, because it provides a context in which they can discover themselves and how they fit in the world."

With nothing but a backpack, these young adventurers live simply. They travel from place to place in hopes of discovering a life that is authentic and vibrant. They post blogs and videos on the internet of their new experiences to share their stories.

One World Race group has just returned, two are still in the field, and three more are scheduled to leave in 2008. Each group relies on the hospitality and generosity of strangers - whether this means living in a tent in a farmer's field, staying in an urban shanty, or enjoying the rare comfort of a warm bed.

Through their experiences, World Racers learn interdependence. They also learn to care more and live with less.

It's a journey of self-discovery and worldview - a chance to explore life in a whole new way.