Nicaragua Reflections
Francis Vanek (Faculty member accompanying)
The following is a mixture of impressions from the trip and suggestions for what might be done differently in the future.
My overall impression is that the trip is highly beneficial to all involved: to the students, who get a real-world sense of the context for solar cooking, for Mujeres Solares, who benefit from the interaction, and for the other groups visiting the Centro Solar (such as the MIT team) who benefit from the cross-fertilization of ideas. Even if the students do not return to Nicaragua on a regular basis or even ever, the project at Cornell benefits each time that a group travels there, because the body of knowledge on the Cornell side grows with each visit. I had not fully appreciated the value of the trip until traveling there myself.
Suggestion 1: in a future trip it would be good to integrate solar cooking into the work days as well as solar oven construction. As long as the team is at the Centro, and there is sun (which there was almost every day, and in fact it never rained in the entire week), for relatively short amounts of extra time spent, students could be cooking simple dishes in the collection of existing ovens, to get a feel for how the technology works in practice. I cooked a dish on the last day, but in retrospect we could have been doing this every day. As the old sales slogan of various retailers says, "we use what we sell" - getting experience with using solar ovens (other than in the rarified conditions of the solar oven lab) will help the team to be stronger.
Suggestion 2: I was extremely impressed with the team of eight students' ability to form a cohesive unit, to coexist well with one another, and accomplish the task without stressing each other, in other words maintaining very positive team spirit. In fact, in future Spring break trips, if neither Tim nor I were able to go, I have confidence that a team of students could make the trip without being accompanied by a faculty member. It is especially helpful that Grupo Fenix members Susan and Erica met us at the Managua airport and accompanied us to and from the Centro, assuming this could be done in the future, the team of students could make the trip from Ithaca to Managua by themselves and be accompanied after that.
Suggestion 3: we could investigate providing a chop-saw to the Centro. This would speed up and make more accurate the building of the ovens. We could think about whether it makes more sense to bring it on the trip, or bring the funds and purchase in-country. The latter choice might do more to help the local economy, which could be of benefit. Alternatively, we might think about bringing down several basic hand tools, of the type that are commonly needed, so that students working on ovens are not short of tools.
In conclusion, I wish to express my gratitude to Tim Bond for his ongoing work to supervise the project, to the students who went on the trip, to our hosts from Grupo Fenix and Mujeres Solares de Totogalpa, and to the community that surrounds the Centro in Sabana Grande. Much exciting community development work is taking place there, of which solar ovens are just a part. I feel fortunate to have been able to participate.
Alice Yu
I think the trip to Sabana Grande, Nicaragua was a definite highlight of the semester. In many ways, it was a culmination of our technical efforts over the last academic year and also served as an effective launching ground for next year's research. From a personal standpoint, it was also extremely enjoyable and a unique cultural experience. Overall, I think the trip went smoothly and was well stewarded, and I will cherish the memories for a long time.
I was a little nervous on arrival, given that this was my first solar oven trip and my first time traveling to rural Latin America. However, this feeling quickly evaporated upon meeting Erica and Susan in the airport. They were completely at ease and took care of all logistics in a calm and confident way that made it easy to let go, not worry, and just take in the surroundings. I do think future students should be given stronger encouragement to exchange money for local currency (we were told that we wouldn't need to spend cash on anything, but this ended up causing some inconveniences), but other than that, I think the logistics were handled very well.
Erica and Susan were very generous with conversation and eager to share, giving us a feel for the local culture, ambiance, language, etc. From the beginning of the trip to the end, I was constantly pestering Susan to help me with my local Spanish; she was always very helpful and never once gave an impression of impatience. By the time we arrived at the solar center to meet our host families, I felt at ease and ready for the week. Upon arrival, we were quickly divided up and sent our separate ways with our host families for the night. Although it would've been nice to spend some time together as a large group to break the ice, I found my host family to be very warm, hospitable, and welcoming.
The language barrier was a struggle, especially at the beginning, but I personally thought the experience was greatly enriched by this challenge. Without any English speaking companions in the house, I had to push myself to reach out to my hosts and be sociable, practicing what little vocabulary I knew and finding creative ways to communicate. Things may have been easier if I had been sharing a house with a more conversant guest, but I personally think I would still choose to be the only guest in the house even if this was an option.
Our first full day in Nicaragua was spent relaxing and exploring the canyon. I found this to be a great way to ease into the week and "get our feet wet"; it helped me feel more at home with the area by the time we began our solar center work the next day. The natural beauty of the canyon was a great experience. I also had a chance to interact with some locals who were not in any way affiliated with our program, which was a great cultural experience. Despite my extremely rudimentary Spanish, I actually managed to have a decent conversation with a group of young men from Ocotal and even learned some new vocabulary that benefitted me later in the week. Similarly, our side-trips to Totalgalpa and Ocotal later in the week was a nice chance to catch a glimpse of Nicaragua outside of Sabana Grande. It was interesting to see how much the lifestyle varied even within a small geographic region; I think these experiences helped give me a slightly better rounded perception of the area.
Of course, our days at the solar center were the main substance of our trip, and I found them to be very worthwhile. I think Monday's technical exchange could've been condensed somewhat, but it was very interesting all the same, especially as I didn't know that much about the history of Grupo Fenix. Delivering a bilingual presentation with a translator was a new experience for me, but the audience seemed receptive to what we had to say. Constructing the box ovens with the women was very enlightening. I found myself constantly impressed by their expertise and simultaneously humbled by their openness to feedback and collaboration. The list of possible improvements and research questions we brainstormed over the course of the week has given us a great deal to work on for the remainder of the semester and beyond. The technical and cultural exchange that took place on the last day served as a capstone for the week, with an opportunity to talk to a lot of people I hadn't had the chance to meet until then. Overall, I think we gained a lot from the trip, and I hope that the Solar Women and Grupo Fenix found the collaboration just as beneficial to them as it has been for us.
Harrison Ko
I had a rather different experience than most of the members of our group being that it was my second time going on this trip. This is not to say of course that the experience was diminished in any way, in fact I would say that having the previous experience enhanced my trip in different ways. I believe that I approached this trip with a different mentality, and in turn got something different in return.
My housing experience was very different this time since I had actually met 3 of the members of my household the previous year. I actually worked with Rumalda the year before, and I remember Luis Miguel and Malrowe. They were very outgoing and it was very easy to get along with them and to be a part of the family. I tried to ask as many questions as I could to learn all that I could about how they do things. In fact, I actually learned how to make the tortillas which I considered to be an accomplishment. Luis Miguel and I got along quite easily by playing card games, this expanded to the others in the family and soon every night was like a party, it was a fantastic experience.
The group of people we had this time was interesting, since there were a number of people who actually had very little experience with the construction of the solar box cookers. I definitely felt like we got a lot more out of this trip than the women did, and that is not bad thing. I really liked the fact that we could learn so much to help give us different perspectives on things. Overall I was very pleased by the work our group was able to accomplish and by how well we all got along.
Tim not being on this trip did feel rather odd since he has been the most stable force of this project. I initially was a bit worried, but the trip turned out okay and everyone seemed to be able to handle the situations very well.
On the more science side of things, I finally realized this time around what our main advantage is over the women in Sabana Grande, and this was our ability to run controlled experiments. I realized that we were most certainly not taking full advantage of all the opportunities that we have at Cornell to investigate the issues with the oven. This experience helped me come to the decision that we needed to split up the team more and to design new experiments. Overall this trip was a great motivator to get things done, and helped me remember everything that our team stood for.
Abby Sterle
The Solar Oven Team spring break trip to Sabana Grande, Nicaragua has forever changed my view of the world. I could not be more thankful that I had the opportunity to share this experience with my peers.
Before going to Nicaragua, I had never traveled out of the United States. Needless to say, I was a little bit nervous about the trip to an entirely foreign culture where little to no English was spoken. I do not speak any Spanish and thus was very curious to see how communication with the women and my house family would work out.
Logistically speaking, I loved staying with a host family and would recommend that for future trips. It was very helpful having another student from MIT stay with me because she was fluent in Spanish and I was clearly not. I also enjoyed traveling with a small group of Cornell students. I think that a group of size 8 to 12 would be ideal. At times, the presentations felt a little bit long - but I think they are necessary to exchange information properly. I also enjoyed taking part of the day to go for a hike and walk around Ocotal. In future years, it may be nice to explore the area a little more or spend some time in Managua.
Overall, I cannot say enough about how positive an experience this was for me. To see people living in such poverty - only a 3-hour plan ride from the US - was shocking. No one could have prepared me for the lifestyle of the families with which we stayed. The bucket showers, latrines, wild chickens, small televisions, and open fires were among the many things that I found fascinating about my stay. I have an entirely new appreciation for the technologies and daily habits that have become staple features of the western world. However, the most astounding part of it all was that the families seem to be just as strong, if not stronger, than most that I see in this country. They are doing the best they can with the little that they have and for this reason, I could not help but to put them on sort of pedestal throughout my week's stay. I have been taking a look at my friends around Cornell and wondering what it would be like to place them in a small, one bedroom home in Nicaragua. Would they have any idea how to feed themselves? Gather water? Would they complain about the lack of air conditioning and the intermittent electricity? I think that most (including myself before this trip) will have no concept of life in such poverty until they experience it first hand.
I am so proud of the women at the Solar Center for staying motivated to make a change in their community. I think that their determination and optimism will be something I remember for the rest of my life. These women and their families have inspired me to continue working to make this world a better place for us all and for that, I will always thank them.
Drew Hart
I thought the trip was perfect. I think I learned more about development and the lifestyle and culture in rural Nicaragua than I could have any other way. Having time to hang out around the house with our families in the evenings was really important. Yelba and Skarleth were amazing hosts and there were definitely no problems. I had a lot of fun at home. Building ovens was fun and it was good to spend some days doing work to feel like we were giving something back. If we had had more time I would have liked to learn more about building the PV systems but in the week we had I thought the program was fine. Susan was a great leader and teacher. I'm definitely planning on going back next year.
Jocie Kluger
Overall, I think the procedures of the trip went very well. We were quickly met by Erica at the airport and our bus ride to Totagalpa went smoothly. Susan and the Mujeres Solares gave a warm welcome to all of us. I felt very comfortable leaving the group to go to Mayra's home. Her family was also very hospitable, and I felt at home.
The trip to the canyon was a good idea. It was exciting to see the cliffs carved out by the water, and it was great to swim in the water after walking around in the heat. It was also a good idea to go to this closer destination rather than the beach because we had just spent an entire day traveling.
Susan gave a good introduction about the Solar Center. Before this trip, I did not know much about why we researched the ovens. Now, I feel well informed on what the Solar Center is about. I found it especially interesting that the Solar Center is about creating a renewable energy research center in Nicaragua. It seems to be a unique approach to development, and it sounds like it is working well!
I liked constructing the ovens. It was exciting to get hands-on experience in building something after taking courses that don't offer physical applications. My confidence and skills with tools definitely improved. It was great to watch the Nicaraguan women construct the ovens. They were very good at it. Observing the tools, materials, and construction procedure used in Nicaragua is very valuable for directing the research at Cornell and understanding the purpose of the research. I also liked bonding with the other Solar Oven students during the construction process.
I liked going into the city Ocatal to shop around, visit their really cool garden, and eat at a restaurant with live music and flushing toilets!
It was a nice finale to the week when students from MIT, Nicaraguan universities, and Cornell came together with Solar Center personnel to summarize research. I liked learning about my Nicaraguan peers. I liked learning about new initiatives and approaches in development.
A few things that could have been different:
Sometimes, all of the Cornell students left for lunch, but the Nicaraguan women continued to work on the ovens. This somewhat undermines the purpose of giving a workshop, so it would have been better if the women took a break too.
When the Cornell group split into two teams to make the ovens, it came to 5 people per team. Sometimes, there were not enough tasks or materials for everyone to work at once. It might be better to get more tools or split the students up into smaller groups.
It would be better to contact our families in the States sooner- as in within a day that we arrive in Nicaragua- rather than a few days in, just to give our parents a break.
People were told that they wouldn't need cordobas, but it turned out that having the equivalent of $5 or $10 would have simplified some transactions.
Scott Johnson
Before I went to Nicaragua, I had never been to a "developing" country. I had never taken any formal Spanish classes and only knew a few phrases. I had been to Spain and Italy, but many people there spoke English, and being with a group, it was easy to get away with only speaking in English. So my stay in Nicaragua submerged me in another culture for the first time. When I first met with my mother, I understood almost nothing of what she was saying. I was lucky enough that my brother was learning English and could help me translate. Even so, I found myself eagerly wanting to learn Spanish, so that I could communicate better with my family. I believe that I learned more Spanish in a few days than what I could ever learn in classes.
We went to Somoto Canyon, Totogalpa, and Ocotal. The canyon was beautiful and it was great to experience the culture of the cities. It was nice to see areas of Nicaragua outside of Sabana Grande, but I am glad we did not spend too much time outside of the village. I enjoyed getting to know my family, and I think it is important for people going on this trip to spend a lot of their time with their families. Overall it was a nice balance. The people everywhere were friendly.
I knew that as part of our trip, we would exchange knowledge with the women. We would show the women what we had learned from out lab at Cornell, and the women would show us what they had learned from using the ovens and doing experiments in Sabana Grande. However, I did not realize how much I would learn from the women. Their experience with solar oven construction and use has made them a great source of knowledge about the ovens. But I learned much more than just about solar ovens. I learned about the culture of Nicaragua, the people and the impact the solar ovens have made on the village of Sabana Grande.
I left Nicaragua with a greater understanding of sustainable development, and how it can be achieved. The trip has motivated me to do more work with the solar ovens so that when I return to Nicaragua, I can bring along with me new ideas for the solar ovens and knowledge that I can share with the women.
Nicholas Chisholm
This was my third trip to Nicaragua as a member of the solar cooker team. Obviously I think that it is a worthwhile experience if I keep going back. This time around I stayed in another new household with my "mom" Frederlinda Perez Lopez, her mother, father, brother, son, niece, nephew, and a few other people I never placed in the family tree. This time around I also had a semester and a half of introductory Spanish under my belt which made communicating much easier.
The cooperative appears to be coming along quite nicely these days. Local men were making adobes for the new restaurant building throughout our stay. The group has gotten their name out and won several prestigious development awards. I am excited to see what becomes of the Solar Center in five years' time.
During our stay we constructed two ovens in under three days, which is a notable accomplishment and a testament to both our group's competancy and the women's ability to act as living construction manuals (they are very experienced now). We identified some changes to the box oven construction process, which I believe have been outlined in the report. The most difficult stage in inserting the panes of glass into their slots and production would be significantly easier and faster if the slots are made an eighth of an inch thicker. We should test the negative effects of the wider glass/wood gap on oven performance next year. Again, this was the single most difficulst stage and should be addressed.
It is difficult to get a feeling of how frequently the box ovens are used in the community because we are only in the village a short time and we spend the best cooking hours away from our home-stays at the Center. My Frederlinda used her oven to sun roast coffee. All of my meals at home came from the wood stove from what I could tell. We need to be focused on creating efficient, cost-competitive cookers that people will use. I don't know if there is a better way to promote cooker use in the village than making better ovens, or if it is our place to suggest some other program.
The people are kind, the food is good, the weather is remarkably better than Ithaca's in March, so this isn't "giving up" spring break in any sense. The best part of the trip is experiencing the Nicaraguan culture and seeing life in a developing country where solar technology can actually make a significant improvement. The trip is very important because it offers the necessary perspective for motivating our work back at Cornell.