A photo bonanza

These first photos (edit: which unfortunately appear in reverse order, so the last photos) are from Villa Maria (Matsu Utsumi school, blue) from my visit there on Friday. They have a little room that has recently started functioning as a ceramics workshop, which I think could find a way to integrate itself with the Conectados project.

There was a meeting in Cieneguilla (La Libertad school, yellow) today so I went along with Isaac to check things out. These are a bunch of photos from there. The area is much smaller than the photos make it seem--I was a bit surprised by that. Right now the connection is a bit unstable because the modem is connected directly at the computer, but the plan is to get an extension cable so that it can go up to the roof or outside and get a better signal. They're getting speeds of about 500kbps when it should be around 1300. Of course when the lab isn't open they'll keep it inside, locked behind two padlocks and a deadbolted iron-barred door. Without tempting fate, I challenge someone to break through that.

The teachers (appearing the Cieneguilla photos) are exceptionally motivated by this project becoming reality. There was a lot of uncontrollable smiling in the meeting, and they're already coming up with ideas of how it can expand into other aspects of the community and school. Word is getting out, they say, and kids from outside as well as adults have been asking if they'll get to use it. Happily the answer is yes! We just need to work out a system of when and how to teach them and a schedule, etc. The teachers joked that next year their enrollment will double because of the internet connection's appeal. Although there are still issues to resolve in regards to who takes responsibility when things go wrong, the energy is very positive and everyone wants this to work now that it's actually there and not just hot air.