Town Makeover

Big news in town: the President of Liberia is coming next week.

This has resulted in a great deal of activity. The thick undergrowth along the sides of the roads has been cleared away and burned by armies of machete-yielding workers. Everything that can possibly be painted is getting a new coat of paint (including the sidewalk curbs, which, if the quality of the work is any indication, were painted by the town's under-five population). School is closed on Monday so that the students can beautify it for the President's visit to the campus on Wednesday.

Of course, everything that is being done is completely superficial. Potholes are temporarily being filled with dirt. The new paint jobs only cover up rust and general deterioration. The whole town is essentially being whitewashed, with little to no actual improvement of basic facilities.

Still, it's exciting that the President is coming, and it's nice to see even the minimal improvements that are being done. Stay tuned for updates on the Presidential visit itself.

In personal news: I heard back from that third medical school, and I was accepted. It goes without saying that I'm incredibly excited, thankful, and relieved (that the whole process, with the crazy cross-country interview tour, was not for naught). It's nice to finally feel like I have a direction in life. Having said that, I'm still so, so glad, for so many reasons, that I took time to work and do Peace Corps. If nothing else, I now have a much better appreciation of how lucky I am to be given this opportunity. (I only hope that I can remember that when I'm a stressed, overworked, and debt-ridden student).