goings on

Tourist attraction: about a 30 minute drive from Phebe is an ecotourism location called Pwanatee (I think that is how you spell it). It is a huge waterfall that really appears out of nowhere, but it is beautiful. During the rainy season, there are not too many sunny days, but this day it was sunny, warm and perfect. Along the waterfall are large rocks perfect for sunbathing, if the water level is just right, which it was this time. So, awkwardly and anxiously, I swam against the current toward the rocks, trying not to take in water. (Later, I discovered small, worm-like creatures in the water, so I'm glad I kept my mouth shut).
No mosquitoes were to be found, but these tiny black flies that happened to land all over my legs. Little did I know that they were feasting on my body, until later that evening when I thought I had a rash on my legs, but it was nasty, itchy bites.
It was a great experience, a truly rejuvenating one.

Ganta: 2 hours away from Phebe is another hospital established by the Methodist church, in Ganta, Liberia. Here, a few of us from Phebe toured the hospital to compare and contrast. We also visited a Leprosy colony. I had no idea that people are still being diagnosed with Leprosy. The bacteria that causes leprosy is such a slow growing bacteria, people do not even realize they have it until years later. It can take up to 5 years for the bacteria to manifest. It is a curable disease but takes about 9 months to 2 years to effectively test negative.

Monkeys: to see monkeys, one most not announce that "today, I am going to see monkeys" because the monkeys can sense your coming and they will hide from you. This was the reason given to a group of us that went to see monkeys at a nearby village. We hiked 30-40 minutes to get to a village that protects monkeys from being hunted. However, when we got there they were already back up in trees. I did see some movement in the trees as a monkey jumped from limb to limb, but that's as much as I saw. It was still a great opportunity to see another village and talk to the people who lived there. Plus, I got to see how rubber is collected from rubber trees along the hike. A groove is dug into the tree where the rubber (sap?) runs down and collects into a small metal cup. then, however many months/weeks later, someone comes around to the collect the rubber in the cups and takes it to Firestone to be processed.