Week 3 of the program (and week 2 in San Cris) is over, and oh boy the number of water samples and tables and testing procedures and pipettes and vials and tigers and bears, oh my! As an engineer, it’s been a while since I’ve had to set up testing procedures, data collection tables, charts, and everything else, but it’s been good fun to relearn and it was a great exercise in patience, though it did not come naturally.
One data point for our time-series analysis of UV water purification with exposure to the sun.
The primary learning from my time so far here has been the countless factors preventing or hindering communities in the global South from building and maintaining systems that provide safe, drinkable, and consistent water. These range from policy concerns to fragmented infrastructure (including communities with different views on the cultural importance of water and how it should be handled) to the expense associated with water quality certification and monitoring. It’s been eye-opening how hard it is to surmount these difficulties from the ground floor, and it’s also been great to see how local NGOs and non-profits work to improve what they can.
The following is a photodump of sightseeing over the weekend and some visits with local organizations!
Visiting Tseinan, an organization focused on getting care to children with cleft lip and palate, with the products of various engineering design teams over the past year!
One of the many beautiful dining plazas, all but hidden from the street!
Visiting the newly-constructed water treatment system Cantaro Azul put in place at El Encuentro, a private nature reserve on the outskirts of San Cris.
Entering the canyon here in Chiapas, right near Tuxtla Gutierrez.
Another view from inside the canyon. My phone wasn’t good enough to pick them out, but we got to see spider monkeys and crocodiles while being surrounded by 3000+ foot sheer cliffs. Absolutely magical.
The inside of a church in Chiapa del Corzo, a town we visited after boating through the canyon!
The entrance to the cave system at El Arcotete, a natural area in San Cristobal with rock climbing, a zipline, a natural land bridge, and more.
A view from the cave at the top of the natural bridge! It was pouring.
Adorable cat who lives in El Arcotete, keeping hikers and climbers company as he sheltered with us under the natural bridge.
Dinner at Restaurante Las Pinchanchas, serving traditional Chiapas cuisine (with Dr. Loyo, Vanny, and Ashley in the background!)