Hi! It's been a while since I wrote a blog/update, I've been at Isla another month now and have enjoyed it a lot, and I'm even accompanied now by another intern which is great news. I'm just going to write about what I've been up to in terms of my internship in this post.
In the Isla office (above), everyone here is so passionate about what they do and the way they have built the organisation themselves and the way they run it is really inspiring. Below is Dave walking through Itzapalapa, one of the communities Isla works in, this day there was a community event/concert held by Isla in conjunction with other local organisations.
Here's Meztli enjoying the concert, a really talented guitarist from the States who played a mix of flamenco, classic US and Mexican guitar
Group picture
Another group picture with Matt (the guitarist) and myself
After this concert we went to a local mountain and did a bit of sand-boarding! Here's Enrique, one of the founders of Isla giving it a go.
In the office we've been having product design meetings and discussing new projects. One of the things I've been working with is the modelling of these products in Solidworks (a 3D design program for engineers). It's been interesting as I first had to learn how to use the program from scratch but I've got a basic grasp of it now. I can't share my work as they're future products for the company but when they come to fruition, hopefully by the time I leave, I'll be able to share the final products :). For now some rough sketches during brainstorming can get the idea across of what we're designing, they're products to improve the rainwater harvesting systems that Isla install.
We've also been carrying on the cistern (water storage container) design in el Ajusco, a neighborhood of Mexico City at a higher altitude, I really enjoyed going there to work on the cisterns as the higher altitude and location on the side of a mountain means the air is fresh and lovely compared to the centre of Mexico City, and also to be honest Hiram (from Isla) introduced me to an amazing taco stand there :), as you can guess I've really taken to the Mexican food.
So here's the cistern we're trying to improve, increase its strength and reduce its cost (the ideal and seemingly impossible goal). Hiram (below, juggling) is the man behind the madness.
This is our first idea for a central support for the cistern, to avoid the centre/lid from falling in on itself.
This second design was favoured over the first, due to fitting issues.
Here it is with the central support added.
One day per week I was visiting UNAM, the national autonomous university of Mexico to write my masters dissertation/thesis. It got pretty intense at the end with working 10am-6pm and then 7pm-11pm for the last month but I got it done and am happy with how it came out. Being in Mexico meant that I couldn't print it and hand it in myself but a kind friend (thanks Yiannis!) did the favour for me.
I was sometimes confused whilst at the UNAM if I was studying at a university or was at a festival, with dancing (above), sports groups, free afternoon concerts, open air dance classes and ping pong tables (below) all over the place. I even miss it now to be honest!
Random interval picture: Breakfast Mexican style, quesadillas and fresh guacamole
So back to el Ajusco and we were trying to improve the cistern again, as the metal 'net'/'malla' that makes the main structure of the cistern proved to be too weak, and started folding in on itself as shown below.
Dismantling the cistern to try a new, stronger mesh.
Getting inside the cistern to help attach the central support
Here it is finished (above). We're still considering new cistern designs and today I'm going to the hardware store to pick up another metal roll/malla for us to try.
Here are some pictures of Mexico City, above from el Ajusco and below from the centre
Manchester United advertisement in Mexico City, they have fans everywhere.
Ecobici rental bikes
Walking through Coyoacan on the way to a private rainwater harvesting system installation
Using a double first flush design (above) for cleaner water delivery to the cistern
Leaf filter (above) and downspouts/drainage pipes (below)
Digging for the plumping/pipe delivery to the underground cistern/water storage.
Above we've been working on a new first flush design, to make a smaller one for small roofed houses and rural areas with less pollution/contamination that don't need to filter so much initial rainwater. Below is the full size version that we're working on adapting. Again I've modelled the first product draft but can't/shouldn't share it.
Here's a picture from our building rooftop on a clear day! Incredible view. In the evening the volcano was just incredible to see..
Here's Meztli enjoying a rest while at work
Here's me at work, Renata took this picture to put on the Isla Urbana facebook page and asked me to write some words about myself which I've placed below. It's in Spanish but it describes my background and says that I'd like to thank Engineers Without Borders for their support and for helping myself and others have the opportunity to have these experiences (thank you!).
and to end here's a group photo (above) we took with a newspaper article on a community event Isla did over the weekend and their involvement in a documentary on water in Mexico that was released in cinemas here (trailer below, definitely worth a watch!)
All in all, so far my time here in Mexico has been a crazy learning experience in terms of personal development, more so than any other time I've spent abroad or in general. But I suppose it's these experiences that make working/being abroad such an enriching experience that can change you and your perceptions of things.
So, thanks for reading, I'll write another update sooner with the projects we're working on at the moment :)
