Change of Seasons

July 29, 2008

I can’t remember the last time I was more excited to see a mini bus than last Wednesday when the Solar Culture Course participants (including Kelsey!) arrived at the Solar Center. It is such a dynamic group of participants, from a ten year old brainiac to college professors, a physiological scientist to the founder of a Honduran NGO for orphans. All are eager to learn about the culture of Sabana Grande, and the immense progress of renewable energy projects in the community. The energy of this group has brought a great dynamic to Sabana Grande. I can’t count the number of times I have heard people say “se parace” (literally, you both seem the same) since Kelsey has arrived. The sibling resemblance has not changed since I left the US two months ago! Cherling and Masiel love having another older sister at the house and I really enjoy having someone here to share this experience. This morning we took a family trip to the well to teach Kelsey how to carry a water bucket. Maybe this will be an opportunity for me to pass off my well developed talent of bucket carrying to a rookie!

As exciting as it was to have the course arrive, this also meant that Dan Hensel and Matt Wills would leaving for the US. It’s incredible to think about the experience that we have all had together, autoclave testing, daily Spanish classes, new pet pigs and distributing candy to all of the neighborhood kids. It was wonderful to be working with both of them this summer and I look forward to keeping in touch this fall.

With the Solar Culture Course has come a change of seasons for Sabana Grande, called Veranito or “Little Summer.” There is a 4 week period beginning the middle of July and lasting until the middle of August in which the constant rain is halted and the days are filled with sun. After 9 weeks of clouds and rain, this is perfect news for autoclave testing. Lori, Dan, and Pete had a wonderful day of testing last Wednesday morning with temperatures reaching 150 degrees Celsius. Hopefully more to come over the next two weeks.

The days at the Solar Center never cease to amaze me. Just as we were getting back to work after lunch, there was a man walking his bike up the gravel path in front of the Solar Center. Curious, a group of us waited out front to talk. Ten seconds into the conversation, this man was sold as an inspiration to us all. 

Oscar Cañon from Alaska

Oscar Cañon from Columbia



Oscar Cañon had biked 24,000 kilometers from Alaska thus far in route to his home in Columbia. The brilliant blue solar cookers in the front yard had caught his attention and he was curious to learn more. There was a rapid firing of questions back and forth, us wanting to learn about his motivation and experience and him wanting to learn the same from us. He described his trip as a dream come to life. “Some people have dreams and they just stay dreams, but I wanted to live this.” Oscar was a motivation to us all. In addition, he stuck around to help us teach the weekly computer class to community members and aided in the construction of solar cookers with the course participants and Solar Women. A jack of all trades!

This past week has been nostalgic, seeing the Solar Center through the eyes of the Solar Culture Course participants who are experiencing everything for the first time. It brought a new wave of motivation to once again hear about the accomplishments of Las Mujeres Solares, the hours they have spent researching the solar cookers and the time spent building a place to grow as an organization. Knowing I will be leaving Sabana Grande brings everything into perspective; the necessity to experience every day to the fullest, rising early with the tortilla makers and working late with the solar cooker constructors. It’s not every summer you have the chance to spend three months living in Nicaragua.

Hasta luego!
- Anna

Posted by | Filed Under Nica2008 

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