im not white, im shiny

There are a few things you should know about Liberia... 1. Starring at the white person is totally accepted. In fact, instead of just starring, literally drop EVERYTHING you are doing to stare... Its not uncomfortable at all. 2. Being called "shiny" does not mean you have overactive sweat glands. No, they are literally insinuating that you are so white that you shine. 3.Liberia might as well be located on the sun. 4. Telling a Liberian "you think you're getting tan" is the funniest of jokes. (But I swear I'm getting tan) 5. Liberians are the happiest people I've ever met. Lastly, 6. Don't come here unless you're planning on falling in love with the country. :-) now that that's taken care of, I'd like to share my first market experience..... I was on a mission: operation buy lapa (cloth) and take it to a tailor to get a skirt made. Well my friends, when you're shiny, unobservant and have the Liberian English proficiency skills of an infant, you struggle. A lot. As we walked around this massive market, I found myself in the narnia of Liberia. I was SURROUNDED by pig feet, chicken feet, puddles of animal blood and enough flies to populate Utah. My nose hairs instantly fringed off from the funk... Rough. Luckily, we made it out of meat hell and began wondering around something similar to a very large flee market. Here I learned that "Obama lapa" does not mean that Obamas face will be made into a skirt. (Disappointment). From there we got mildly lost but Alas finally found home:). The best part about getting lost though is you can just about ask anyone in your community "where do I live?" And they know.....which begs the question, is it because Im shiny?

It's for sure a third world.

So I've been in Liberia for 3 days and it has been the most eye-opening, scary, tiring, exciting three days so far! When I arrived, we all piled into a bus and drove into Kakata for our training. Liberia is the greenest most humid place I have ever been to! It's pretty beautiful!

Since I've been here, I've been tangled in a mosquito net, encountered at least 3 elephant sized bugs , seen what 3rd world looks like, learned that there are 8 types of diarrhea and have seen countless colorful lizards! It's been quite exciting..... :)

3rd world conditions are unlike anything you'll ever encounter in the United States. People are everywhere selling things like eggs, meat, bags of water and bags of nuts ON THEIR HEADS. There is trash everywhere, broken down cars left to rot and children younger than 8 doing more labor than I've ever seen a grown man do. However, aside from the overcrowding, bizaar smells and dead rats(which I STEPPED ON), you encounter people that are so friendly and happy to be alive. During our walk around, many kids ran up to us like we were celebrities and wanted to high five us and hug us. I've never seen so much happiness radiate off a child than when we all put out our knuckles to pound their knuckles. Though the city scared me shitless because I was so out of my comfort zone, I am so beyond humbled and ecstatic that I get to be apart of something SO MUCH larger than myself. :) everyone should travel to Liberia at least once. If not for the cute children, then for the pineapple and for the fact that $20 US looks like a million dollars when you exchange it for the Liberian Dollar.... :)

That was for sure the deepest thing I have ever wrote... Someone call Oprah.

The Final Countdown

Through my application process, I'm pretty sure I stalked every possible blog known to mankind to figure out how long I would have to wait for a final acceptance. For those who may be interested in applying for the Peace Corps, know that the application process takes a LONG TIME! Apply early and expect to wait during each step of the application process. All together,  from application submission to departure took 10 months for me! Keep on keepin' on, the Invitation at the end is so worth it!
mid August 2013: Application submission
early to mid October 2013: INTERVIEW! (mine took 3 hours....but I talk too much..)
November 8th, 2013: NOMINATION to be a Math Educator in Liberia (Accepted immediately, of course)
(legal packet was sent to me. Finger prints and background info)
Early January: received Legal Clearance
January 13, 2014: Education Desk needs more info... aka an updated resume and a filled out questionnaire about my skilllz
January 17, 2014: INVITATION to be a Secondary Math teacher! ACCEPT, ACCEPT, ACCEPT..... SHIT JUST GOT REAL.
but wait..... it's not over.... now comes the MEDICAL CLEARANCE. Sweet baby Jesus, I am immortal from all the shots and tests.
April 25, 2014: I finally submit my final paper in my Medical Portal
May 1, 2014: SYKE, I need one final submission to prove I am physically able to go.
May 2, 2014: SUBMITTED (hopefully) final medical paper.
May 2, 2014: (4 hours later) MEDICAL CLEARANCE.
Next stop: LIBERIA.
June 13, 2014: leaving for staging and off to Liberia on the 15th! Can't wait!!!