I'm finally back at school, and I'm already missing my WindAid family. The people I met in Peru, from all over the world, really made this trip so enjoyable. We all had our quirks, and habits, and exceptional personalities that really blended well with each other. I wish everyone the best of luck going forward and I look forward to hearing about everyone's lives in the future. I hope we meet again one day!
My thoughts on the trip overall: definitely met my expectations. I talked with the right people and really had an excellent idea of what to expect while I was down there. We essentially built a wind turbine, manufactured replacement wind turbine parts, and installed it, all while getting a taste of Peruvian culture. Despite truly enjoying all of the wind turbine manufacturing, construction and installation, I really enjoyed all of the Peruvian culture I experienced in Trujillo, Cajamarca, Huaraz and even Playa Blanca. We packed so much into four weeks and I'm so glad I spent my winter break volunteering and experiencing another culture.
I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone who is interested and inclined to work in an engineering setting in a foreign country. I learned an overwhelming amount of information on wind turbine manufacturing, engineering, and construction. I was able to help with some R&D at times and also got to see all the ups and downs of installing and manufacturing in a foreign country. I would also recommend programs like this to other students, even if it isn't this program specifically. There are plenty of opportunities available to students in foreign countries doing similar humanitarian work. It's incredibly rewarding to be able to give someone the gift of electricity and see their faces as you "light up their life".
I really would like to take this opportunity to again thank everyone who supported me on this trip. Thank you to the offices at SUNY Canton, my professors at SUNY Canton, Tom Woodside, and my family and friends who all knew this trip was a dream of mine to attend. I'm so grateful to have such support behind me and to know so many people are willing to help make a difference in a student's life and educational goals.
I'm officially signing off. Thanks for following my adventure! If you're interested in any other information, or photos, feel free to contact me directly and I'd be happy to share more of my experience with you! ~ Jessica
Please enjoy some more photos from my journey! (Sorry for them being out of order)
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| Stator before it was fully cast in resin |
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| Pouring resin in the stator |
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The controls box inside the house our wind turbine
was installed in |
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The replacement wind turbine was
installed on Wednesday of week 4 |
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The blade assembly of our first installed
wind turbine at a scallop farm |
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| Group photo of WindAid team and some community members |
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Observing the vacuum and gravity system that pulls resin
through the blade mold to coat the foam core, carbon fiber
and fiberglass blade with resin |
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Sanding the resin on the Stator
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Making sure the blade mold is airtight and ready
for resin by sealing gaps with hot glue |
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Helping gravity pull the resin through the
vacuum system |
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| Drilling the center hole through the Stator |
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| Painting the blade, first with primer, then with a white finish |
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| Sanding and shaping the blade |
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| Balancing the unpainted blade |
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| The view from a tour we took in Cajamarca |
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Our ride to Playa Blanca, the first time!
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| View at the Pastoruri Glacier |
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| Me and a wind turbine blade |
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| Digging a meter hole for the concre foundation |
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