Nepal to Fiji to California: July 19 – August 16
Please see my full year trip log Sept. 2022 – Sept. 2023
Wednesday, July 19, 2023, marking the completion of three months in Kathmandu, Nepal, and everything is changing.
The first ISECooker is being produced by NYSE, and guess who’s NOT helping? The factory has taken over production. None of the people building it have worked with me. Asok has looked over my shoulder on only a few occasions. Yet, they put the first model together with a quality, workmanship, and speed that I can’t touch. It’s beautiful to see happen.
The first to be completed is a 200 W, Grid connected Insulated Load-shifting Electric Cooker (GILSECooker), so I can test it for efficiency against an induction cooker. The little round white knob is a dimmer switch that allows us to turn down the power from 200 W to 20 W, which is what is needed to keep water boiling in the insulated container. The inside of the cooker (far right) shows
Tekuru arrives tomorrow morning. She’ll sleep and we’ll head into the mountains as I will lead an education workshop there for ~ 100 Teach for Nepal volunteers and staff. Next week, I plan to test the ISECooker made today, and compare it to an induction cooker for energy efficiency. And then we’ll leave.
Thursday, July 20, 2023, 9:00 AM, Tekuru arrives safely… so much happiness. I explained our progress at the SuperGroup meeting… 10 AM California time… starts at 10:45 PM Nepal time… bummer.
Friday, July 21, 2023
Holy Shit… we left the prototype under 200 W after lunch yesterday around 2:30 PM at about 210 C. I told Asok to check it before he leaves and record the temperature. Given the insulation, I was hoping the final temperature would attain 300 C. This morning, I discovered that the temperature at 5:15 was 445 C, and the bottom of the aluminium pot evaporated away. The evaporated aluminium deposited on the stainless steel lid as seen at left.
While this brings up safety concerns, it is really all good news. It means
- we can make the ISECookers smaller, lighter and cheaper. Or,
- we could reduce the power, lowering the equilibrium temperature.
We need to distinguish the ISECooker from the GILSECooker. The ISECooker will never receive 200 W (of solar electric power from two 100 W solar panels) for 5 hours, as the sun will move during this time, and conditions are rarely optimized. We can lower the power of the GILSECooker because it is meant to load shift, so the ideal application is to turn it on at 10 PM when you go to bed and have it hot (let’s say 400 C) in the morning, some 8 hours later. If we drop the power to 150 W, it will take that 8 hours to attain the maximum temperature and the maximum temperature will be lower than 500 C. The assumption is that 500 C is the maximum temperature given the 200 W and the insulation. However, the temperature was certainly still increasing, if only slowly, and more experiments are needed to better define the power – max temperature relationship. Furthermore, we should remove the nest to examine the nest bottom under the heater to verify that we didn’t evaporate the bottom of the nest.
I visited AHA and asked them to please make me another large pot to replace the one I damaged and to to make 8 smaller pots that will fit fully inside the STS with the ISECooker lid closed. I also visited the foundry ordering another 6 STS for next Tuesday when we return. They have recently received a shipment of aluminium to be recycled. I took a picture of the pile of parts illuminating why recycled, cast aluminium has more toxic impurities in it than pots spun from virgin aluminium.
Then I came back to Pia’s restaurant, where Tekuru has already bonded with a group of college students that lunch there daily. This month is all about henna painting in the context of romance and marriage. “If the henna is very dark, then your husband loves you very much. If it is light, well… ”
In the afternoon, Tekuru and I take a taxi to the Teach for Nepal headquarters near Thamel. The driver started off in the wrong direction assuring me this was the fastest way, and then turned down the main shopping thoroughfare choked with pedestrians… further in the wrong direction. We got there late, but not too late. I met all the T4N staff before we boarded two busses with close to 100 T4N fellows (teaching volunteers) and staff. The drive was about two hours only about 20 miles away… over a mountaintop and back into a lovely valley.
Saturday, July 22, 2023
I attend the introductory workshops while Tekuru takes a hike through the town and jungle with the T4N students and student alumni (former students of T4N volunteers)… she had more fun than I did.
Sunday, July 23, 2023
I gave my workshop from 9:30 AM – noon. I was certain I’d learn as much as the attendees… and I was right. I started off talking about how educators agree that lecturing is ineffective, and yet at conferences and workshops, we provide information in a lecture format… Thus, I was going to just run a workshop in the same student-centered format that I run my classes… something I’d never done before… taking me right into the first subject of “imposter syndrome”. I stressed the power, and beauty of authentically saying, “I don’t know… what will we do?” I asked the groups to discuss what happens when a teacher says that. I was surprised (but not too surprised) to find that there were NO positive outcomes from the groups… only that admitting that you don’t know will convey incompetence to the students. So, I tried, … “you model vulnerability, curiosity, and a genuine path to learn when you don’t know the answer.”… They seemed to like the point I made, but there wasn’t a single person there that agreed to try that some time.
Monday, July 24, 2023
The ceramics heaters have come back fired from Hari’s shop in Thimi, near Bhaktapur. They are perfect. I visit the foundry to order more STS and also see how they spin the finished products to shave and polish the surfaces. It requires that they make a cup to hold the piece to the spindle. The piece must be pressed into the cup… it would cost a considerable amount of make two cups to hold the STS from either side… while the other side is machined.
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
In the afternoon of July 15, Janu and I visited the Patan Durbar Square Museum with all sorts of old works of art, and religious statues. We noted that the entry was determined by where you were from. Janu exclaimed “that’s too much!” with reference to the 1000 NRs for foreigners that were not from the Indian Subcontinent. She was immediately reprimanded in Nepali by the woman at the desk, “Don’t tell him that! He won’t like it.” I just shrugged, “White Tax”…. given the historical context of colonization, I didn’t feel wronged… and the money goes to preserve the museum (I think).
However, the previous day, I was chased down by the tourist police (really what they are called) and directed to a booth where I was to pay a fee to enter Durbar Square. I gave the guy a whole lot of attitude. I was immediately met with other police who politely asked me if I was a tourist. I explained that I lived there and passed through Durbar square every day. They apologized and explained that the man was only doing his job. I said I understood and there were fist pumps all around… It’s my own issue that I don’t identify as a tourist and don’t like being treated like one.
Today, Tekuru and Janu booked a flight to Pokhara to visit this famously lovely town for three days. The flight was $30! And because it was a local flight, they arrived at the airport with only a half hour to spare… Tekuru called me 10 minutes before takeoff to tell me that I had to come down to the airport with $100 cash because she’s not Nepali. There was no way I could make it there in time and they wouldn’t let her on the plane. Ultimately they found a machine that accepted her Apple Pay, and they are off… But it’s just one more thing that makes me feel alienated. The Nepali people are so gentle, patient, and kind. However, I’ll never feel like I belong here…. not even in a way that I felt in Fiji or Africa. Maybe it IS time to go home…. or I’m just in a shitty mood and already miss my daughter.
Friday, July 28, 2023
Crazy day… it all happens at once. Luckily Tekuru is having a great time with Janu in Pokhara, so I can devote myself to finishing up here. After breakfast with Kristy (Anthropologist with World Bank), I returned to PEEDA to continue comparing the efficiency of the GILSECooker with a standard induction cooker. After lunch, I returned to NYSE for the ISECooker Stakeholder’s meeting. The details of the meeting are contained in this communication I sent to a WhatsApp group we established for the stakeholder’s group.
NYSE has finished manufacturing the ISECookers, in fine form. Above, from left: The closed cooker, the cooker opened exposing the heated nest, the ceramic heater in the heated nest, the 7 liter cook pot, the 8 kg STS (solid thermal storage) on in the heated nest, the 4 liter cookpot in the STS in the heated nest, the 7 liter cook pot in the STS in the heated nest. Because all the pots are made in the same shape, the pots are interchangeable. However, the insulating lid cannot be closed when the large, 7 liter pot is heated with the thermal storage.
After the meeting, Malesh (KU professor) received one of the newly-finished ISECookers, and at the meeting, we agreed that the ISECooker presently at PEEDA would go to the NIC with Mahip.
Saturday, July 29, 2023
I had breakfast with Biraj today at Mr. Breakfast… I had my very first Eggs Benedict… I ordered them with spinach and mushrooms. Biraj brought his son, who insisted on coming with Dad on Saturday, which is an agreed-upon daddy day. We spoke for two hours about future directions for the project and lessons learned. I was impressed with his curiosity and insight.
In the afternoon, I went to the airport to meet Tekuru and Janu.
Taxis… I’ve had many bad experiences with taxis. They argue about the previously agreed-upon price en route. They don’t speak English or they pretend to not speak English. They pretend to not know where they are going and to be surprised and distressed that the route is much longer than they claim they anticipated. They may not know where they are going, but I think usually they pretend to get lost… and it’s not just about the hassle of bargaining. There’s a certain hostage-like feeling in being stuck in a car taking a route that you know is wrong… with a hostile driver. I set a rule for myself that I wouldn’t take a taxi that solicited me… I’d only get a taxi that I went out and asked… at least then I’d get someone who isn’t so pushy. It’s better to hire someone through an App like InDrive (like Uber in Nepal) because there’s an agreed upon destination and price. If the driver argues about the price during the ride, I demand that they pull over and let me out… but then the argument stops.
Motorcycle taxis are different. Besides being much cheaper, and much faster (because they drive around things in traffic jams) and more exciting (and dangerous)…. The drivers are younger, and curious. I get scared when they turn to introduce themselves, ask about my life, and express themselves with their hands while we are driving. I got an InDrive motorcycle taxi to the Airport to meet Tekuru and Janu today.
Direndra: You are from California!
Pete: How did you know?
D: 805
P: Please take me to domestic flights
D: Your friend is coming into domestic flights
P: My daughter and friend are arriving from Pokara
D: And your wife
P: No wife
D: Where is your wife?
P: There is no wife. We are divorced.
D: Then you miss your wife!
P: My wife is in my past, there is no wife, I am divorced
I patted him on the back and said that I didn’t understand and that he could just drive… He complied. But then we had to wait at a jam, I asked him to explain his question.
D: Sometimes when you are lonely, you miss your wife and want to be with her.
P: Never. There’s only hostility… maybe I wish to find someone else.
We drove on for some time, and came to the airport
D: If I go inside, I have to pay for parking.
P: No worries, I’ll walk from here.
D: Are you sure it’s OK?
P: Sure. Sometimes….
- I jump off and slap him on the back
… I miss my wife.
How much do I owe you?
D: Oh no, it is my pleasure, and I am only happy that I met you.
P: That’s Bull Shit… Dude, take this
- I shove a 100 NRs into his shirt… and he shakes my hand, and I thank him … as I walk away:
D: But please if you would, I want to ask
- I’m thinking he’s going to ask for my assistance to connect with USA…
D: Your daughter
- He wants to meet my daughter….
D: Your daughter when she’s with you… she misses her mother.
I explain that Tekuru spends most of her time with her mother, and we live close to each other. He is satisfied and drives off.
It was good to see Tekuru and Janu. They had a great time. We took a Taxi to Boudha by the Stuppa, where I lived my first two weeks in Kathmandu…. to have dinner, feel a good-bye, and light some candles by the Stupa.
Sunday, July 30, 2023, Farewell Nepal… after 100 days
I meet with the three KU ME students at Pia’s Restaurant… with the little girl on my lap. Tekuru and Janu join us later and then take off to see the Barbie Movie while I introduce the students to AHA pot spinner and the foundry. I had a last short meeting with Bikram and Suman to sum up plans. I came home, took a nap, and we had a last dinner at Pizza Square before going off to the airport.
This isn’t a travel blog… BUT just gotta tell you I usually eat local food… usually. I’ve experienced no good pizza in Africa and Nepal… EXCEPT Pizza Square – wood fire oven pizza, at the back of Patan Durbar Square. It’s not just the best pizza in Nepal… it’s the best pizza I’ve ever had (with a possible exception of one place in Trenton). The vegetarian – half pesto half red sauce… Amazing.
I showed up once after they’d closed and banged on the door. The owner looked down from the second story: “what can I do for you?”
“I’m hungry! I want pizza!!”
“OK, we can give you takeaway.” The chef was changing in the restroom… they pulled him out and he seemed glad to make me a pizza to take home.
I called Epshu to tell her we would be there in 10 minutes. They had the pizzas ready by the time Tekuru and I arrived. All the same people… they smiled and seemed glad to meet Tekuru. Janu arrived and we went off to the airport.
I’d overstayed my visa and had to pay a $60 fine ($5 per day), which to me is way less than the difficulty I’d have had to extend the visa.
Monday, July 31, 2023,
We made it through Singapore OK, but by the time we came into Melbourne, Tekuru was so sick that I lead her through the crowded immigration area and asked for an ambulance… mild panic. It was complicated because we hadn’t applied for a visa to Australia, planning to fly straight to Fiji. The people there were so nice. We sat down and they quickly processed a visa while the ambulance came. I spoke at length with the terminal manager, who was wearing a mask. He was very upbeat and supportive, but explained that given the triage questions, the ambulance could take over an hour…. because Tekuru was not in imminent danger. At one point, they wheeled Tekuru off in a wheelchair to visit the rest room, leaving us alone. I asked why he was wearing a mask. He has blood cancer… no immune system. He’s in palliative care. The new drugs allow him to function outside of a hospital,… he adds, “but my days are numbered.” I offer, “like all of us.” he responds “exactly!” And I feel I have a good model of how I hope to address the end of my life.
Tekuru and I take a hotel room, and
Tuesday, August 1, 2023,
Tekuru’s pretty fit in the morning. We return to the airport, because it’s impossible to get a response on the phone once the ticket is purchased. After a sweaty hour or so of wrangling.. and some wonderful help, I was able to get us on a 1:00 PM flight to Fiji. We are able to get a bunk in a traveler’s lodge and fried fish with coconut cream ***divine*** , and we are asleep around 11 PM.
Wednesday, August 2, 2023,
Tekuru slept for 15 hours. We decided to rent the room again, to leave for Suva in the morning to visit Nemani and Mima, friends I haven’t seen for 35 years.
Thursday, August 3, 2023,
Beach yoga for me while Tekuru slept in, and we took the four-hour bus into Suva to meet my old friends, Nemani and Mima.
Friday, August 4, 2023,
Nemani, Tekuru, and I visited University of South Pacific (USP) to check in on opportunities to rent a boat or surfboard, and to visit professors in the physics department. We met Atul Raturi (renewable energy) and his wife Shikha, who is interested in physics pedagogy.
Saturday, August 5, 2023,
Ponipati Ravula (Nemani’s brother) took Tekuru and me into town. We hoped to take a hike up the local hillside but it has been raining for the past 3 weeks and the trail is too treacherous. So, we went to the Fiji cultural museum.
Sunday, August 6, 2023,
Tekuru and I went swimming at the public pool… 50 meters long. There were maybe 5 other people there. We were the only two swimming. The guard said that Sundays are usually crowded, but today was too cold…. about 70 degrees?
Tekuru beat me in a game of chess
Monday, August 7, 2023
We met Edward, who surfs the reef by the Suva Harbor light house. He took us out for a few hours… some minor injuries on my part the first time I was dropped on the reef… they call it “paying taxes”. But by and large a good time. Then we wallowed around Suva for 5 hours until we could see the three-hour Oppenheimer movie… arriving home at midnight.
Tuesday, August 8, 2023,
Tekuru and I come into USP to meet Ravika Prasad and Atul Raturi to discuss opportunities about ISEC cooking.
Wednesday, August 9, 2023,
Tekuru and I go surfing again… and I saw the best waves I never caught… but it was exercise, and the reef again claimed their tax. Afterwards, we moved to a small lodge in Pacific Harbour.
Thursday, August 10, 2023,
Tekuru and I went kayaking. We battled a strong headwind into a river mouth and explored up the river through the mangroves. Returning to the beach, was was raining, and the wind had picked up and switched directions… we battled the storm back home.
Friday, August 11, 2023,
I went back into Suva while Tekuru was being a tourist. I met at the Republic of Cappuccino (ROC) with Akisi Bolabola of the UNDP in the morning. We were met by Setareki Tuilovoni and Joji Wata from the Fiji government, who unexpectedly came at the last minute. Both organizations are interested in ISECooking for the outer islands that have no fuel and no electrical grid, as documented in this Email: Sustainable Energy for All on Clean Cooking. While they are interested in developing manufacturing capacity, they are reluctant to dedicate the more than three months we required to begin production in Nepal. But there is a new introduction model: they can import ISECookers from Nepal to see how they work before investing in manufacturing capacity. This is also now true for India and Africa… and the US. NYSE has tentatitve costs after contacting shipping agents.
In the afternoon, I gave a talk at University of South Pacific about parallel pedagogy and techniques I use to transition from lecture-based rote memorization to student-centered peer education; with about 8 attendees present and another 8 virtual. It was a little chaotic in my opinion, but that is the nature of my teaching style: shifting away from the illusion that the best education is not a well-organized presentation, but rather something that stimulates conflicts between mental models.
Saturday, August 12, 2023,
We found Usa! Usa (below, left) was my closest friend for the two years I was teaching chemistry, physics, and math in the central highlands of Viti Levu (Big Fiji), up the Sigatoka River. He was about 11 and we did everything together – planting, cooking, lots of talking. I’d been trying to find him for months on the internet. We came to Sigatoka and planned to go up the Sigatoka River Monday, because Sunday everything was closed… Saturday afternoon, I decided to visit the local market and inquire… it took three questions and about 1 minute at a booth where Tekuru and I bought potato/tuna roti:
– Do you know anyone from Nasaucoko?
– yes, her.
– Do you know Usia Kunidua
– yes, he’s my …. some kind of family relation.
and this woman (Shimi) worked with Usa in the police.
Shimi took us to the police station, and I called Usa. He was taking the girl’s Nadroga rugby team to a competition. He came to our hotel in the evening… both of us a little in shock: 35 years later, the hotel staff introduced us because neither of us recognized the other. We shared memories and Usa insisted he’d get a vehicle and take us up to Navosa Sunday.
Sunday, August 13, 2023,
Jimi, Usa’s brother (with goat, above right) showed up with the truck Sunday. No one traveled on Sunday because nothing was open. Everyone went to church and/or stayed home and drank yagona with community. The other side of the coin is that if you DID travel on Sunday, everyone you visited is home. It was crazy seeing so many people. It was an amazing gift that Usa was with us… taking all the guess work out of the day. There is an elaborate ceremony around visiting with the giving and accepting of the yagona sevusevu and other gifts. Usa acted as my “mati ne vanua” (literally “eyes of the land”) as my spokesperson.
My greatest fear was that I’d not return again to see Ratu Toka, who for two years accepted me as his son. I laid a cloth on his grave site near his family’s house while Tekuru laid one on his wife’s grave.
In this area, the parents take the name of their first born. So, in the ceremonies, Usa referred to me as “Momo Tekuru”. And more than 50 years ago, my Fijian father, Ratu Toka had taken his name from his first born son, now the family representative who tearfully accepted our sevusevu. It may have been emotional seeing me when most thought I’d never return… but also remembering their father, and meeting Tekuru, who bonded with her namesake (right). Ratu Toka was a mixture of strength, wisdom, and kindness like I’ve never known. I can clearly see his smile in three of his kids who still lived there: Ratu Toka, Simione (who was my student), and Varanisese Tekuru. Another son, Timoci, met us at the hotel in Nadi hours before we left Fiji.
After the ceremony in Tuberua remembering Ratu Toka, we all returned to their family’s shop in Navatumali… and I saw my old house, which is now completely different. Usa reminded me that I planted that coconut tree. by the house… I also remember people making fun of me for planting something I’d never benefit from. I asked them what it would be like here if people before us had planted fruit-baring trees.
At the shop, there was lots of yagona drunk, stories told, laughter, and food to eat. One common joke was my rice bag. Like many people, Fijians have a strong relationship with status. Teachers are professionals. They wear shoes, a watch, dress clothes, and carry their things in luggage. I didn’t want to look differently from anyone else. I ran barefoot and carried my things in a rice bag like the farmers did. Usa explained that folks didn’t know quite what to make of me. After 35 years, we got old, but the joke didn’t.
As the sun set, we left, but took a detour home to visit Nasaucoko, Usa’s village. Again, we were invited to “kia na bilo”… just one bowl (of yagona), which we again accepted knowing it would continue on until the yagona was gone. There was again a ceremony. Tekuru dropped off, and was immediately covered with pillows and blankets. She woke, and resumed drinking… served by the youngest yagona server I’ve seen.
Usa’s parents are still alive (below, center)… on either side, pictures from back then.
There were no cameras in Fiji 35 years ago. Luckily, I had ~ 10 pictures on my cell from my first trip (below, left). Folks couldn’t see them enough. I didn’t see my cell phone for the whole time we were there as it was passed around.
I left with a feeling of completion. Completion of my trip to Fiji… the many years in between, and completion of the past year.
Monday and Tuesday, we do some tourist things in Nadi. Rather disappointing as none of the sharks we snorkled with were even close to capable of eating us… but it was OK.
Wednesday, August 16, 2023,
My world is about to change again… I downloaded my schedule:
oops… updated to:
We were met at the Airport by Rt. Toka with gifts for us… he works near the airport… and was only home on Sunday because it was Sunday. We learned that I’d bought “light” tickets: no checked baggage included. Cost?: 350 Fiji Dollars per checked baggage (US$155), Really? We ripped into the large suitcase Tekuru brought, stuffed what we really wanted into our other bags, and left the rest with Rt. Toka. We took off around 10 PM from Fiji and arrived in LAX at about noon…. 10 hours earlier the same day. Crossing the international date line caused us to confuse the person picking us up. So, we had to get a train home.
End of trip… but the adventure continues. It’s as if I have gigabytes of data from a year’s worth of experiments, and I’m about to sit down and do an analysis. The present plan is to enjoy classes and research in the coming year while we consider what needs to change in Africa to result in the success we have in Nepal, and repeat the trip in reverse 2024 – 2025.
Please see my full year trip log Sept. 2022 – Sept. 2023