Studying the creation in the scriptures is always an interesting experience. There are so many fun and controversial topics to delve into and ponder about, because engineering seniors frequently have lots of spare time to ponder these things. There’s evolution, man’s relationship with nature and the one we’ll ponder today: man’s relationship to woman.
We finally got everyone together and working around lunch time.
The Reed team was busy showing off their new welded knife and demonstrating it to the delight of the islanders. They were also busy interviewing people to gather information for a potential second run at this project, as well as trying to get their reed whacker to work under water.
The Oven team was busy helping people cut, fold, and rivet ovens trying to get them all complete before we had to leave, knowing that the likelihood that they would get finished after we left was extremely low.
The Washing Machine team was busy demonstrating their idea and discussing its pros and cons with some of the locals.
Whitney and I had just settled into helping the Oven team, when Dr. Lewis approached with a surprise.
Me: This morning I woke up late!
You: What? How?
Me: Well I didn't have any alarm clock, didn't hear my roommates get up, and who doesn't sleep peacefully on a floating island that gently rocks you to sleep?
You: Wait why were you sleeping on the island???
Me: Well here's the long version...
Here's an update on the progress made by the groups:
Reed Group: The team came armed with gas and prepared to show off their "reed
whacker". After explaining the concept to several interested islanders,
the team pulled out their assortment of blades (all round, but of varying
surface areas and teeth sizes) and got on a boat to test against some real
reeds. Then disaster struck. When the team tried to use the first blade under
water the motor stuttered to a standstill. Concerned, but not deterred the team
put on a smaller blade (less surface area = less drag). The following is a video of the test with the big blade.
While the blade would turn while under water, it moved extremely slow and failed to cut any of the reeds. Wanting to see how it was supposed to work the team showed several islanders, and gave them a turn, cutting the reeds above the water. This display was met with great applause. The following is a test with the little blade.
Returning to work
the team scratched their heads as to how to get more power of their little
motor and make the reed whacker work under water. (The islanders wanted it to
work under water so that they could get reeds of sufficient length.) A few of
the islanders with knowledge of motors (some of the people use motors to drive
their boats between islands and to the mainland) and the team worked together
and eventually decided that the motor had not been properly adjusted for
high-altitude (I mentioned we were at ~13000 feet (4 km) right??) and something
about too much oil in the petrol. (I have no idea about more details than that,
at this point I was busy with another project and mechanical engineer does not
equal motor expert.) At any rate the islanders concluded that idea a bust. At
this point the team brought out plan B and proposed to have a mainlander weld a
blade to a sleeve and put that on the end of a pole. Luckily Nelson had a
welder friend on the main land who was happy to bend the end of a steel pipe
and weld a knife blade to it
Oven Group: The team had a day full of folding ahead of
them. Out of all of the teams the oven team got the most attention from the islanders,
because they were all rather tired of having to buy bread from town. So the
team split up and did their best to discuss the design and help all of the
interested islanders build their own. Overall they had a lot of pleased
reactions but there was still much clamoring for a test, to see if it actually
worked or not.
Day 2 in Puno dawned bright and early, and brought with it many great adventures and challenges.
The day started with Whitney and I making an empanada run down to a local bakery, because who would say no to a fresh baked empanada or two for lunch? For the uncultured an empanada is essentially a Hot Pocket, but approximately one million times better and occasionally filled with fruit.
When we got back to the hotel we were informed that we would get to go on an adventure with one of our professors to find so Peruvian stoves to take back to the US with us. I tell the following story not to mock anyone, but as a plea. To all those that every go on a study abroad please realize that if nothing else you are representing your country, and you owe it to this great country that guarantees so many freedoms and presents so many opportunities for you to be the best sort of representative. You should be an excellent visitor, you should respect all aspects of their culture, do your best to communicate in their language, and just generally realize to poor linguistic skills DOES NOT excuse DISRESPECTFUL behavior.
