final post...

i guess this will be my final post since i have now left senegal. after working through the weekend, we succesfully assembled the first prototype of the oven. a few mishaps, some things took much longer than expected, but it was at a state that i tested it on monday before i left. there are a couple other things that still need to be done to the oven, putting on the seal and supports for the reflectors, and also adding more screws or rivets to fasten the aluminum insert to the box. but i'm glad i stuck around the extra two and a half weeks and got to see a working prototype. the senegalese team will continue the work of testing it and making improvements for the next prototype. my major concern is how heavy it is. we definitely failed on that goal of making the oven lighter...

after a marathon travel day that began with ronald taking the airport at 1 am and me finally arriving at adair's place at 6p, i am in new york. it's nice being back to a place where i can understand everyone and communicate, but also a bit weird. already senegal and life in seems like a distant memory even though i left there a little more than a day ago. it's a little scary how quickly it is to adapt to life back in the states.

i will post pictures of the oven when i get home and later post my senegal pictures.

locusts!

the locusts have descended upon dakar. they're causing major problems in northern africa, eating all the crops, etc. they must be on a similar cycle as the ones on the east coast, since this hasn't happened in 15 years. yesterday i saw a few at the university, then driving back to yoff in the taxi, i saw a couple swarms of them flying around. didn't think too much of it until this morning. they're swarming everywhere. the sky is just this yellowish cloud of locusts flying around. marian's balcony is littered with locusts that flew into the wall and can't move, children are trying to kill them and collect them. the garden in front of CRESP is covered with them, it's scary just trying to walk from the street to the door. sounds like they're going to be around for a long time too, they're trying to kill as many as they can before the juveniles mature. scary site, i think i'll try to stay indoors as much as i can until i leave...