Part Two

Thursday

On Thursday morning, I went out to the greenhouse to check on the progress of the experiment.  I used a smart phone (Samsung, which is by far more popular than iPhones here) and recorded which pots had emerged.  Over 87% of the sprouts had emerged, but most of them are still tiny (yes, that is a scientific measurement J).

Afterwards, I took measurements for the aeroponics experiment.  For each plant, I measured the height in centimeters and then counted all of the mature leaves.  I also used a smart phone to input the information for easy access and analysis.

For the rest of the day, I didn’t have any other tasks, so I spent it working through various publications and readings. Also, Dr. Khan was leaving again for business travel and so he was kind enough to introduce me to CIP’s Chief Operating Officer, Michael Gerba, and I got an invitation to their 4^th of July party!

Friday

I started the morning in the aeroponics greenhouse taking more measurements of the plants.  First I used a handheld SPAD meter, which uses a sensor to calculate the chlorophyll content of the leaf. I would select the top leaf of the third newest mature leaf set to analyze.  I clamped the leaf in the SPAD meter and took the average of about five measurements from the leaf’s tip to get the most accurate value.

Next, I used an instrument to measure the stem diameter of each plant.  I took the measurement from where the stem showed above the identification tag, and recorded the value in millimeters. Then I entered the data into the smartphone. 

Friday afternoon, Flavio, Jorge, and I weighed, mixed, measured, and applied fertilizer in the greenhouse experiment.  The fertilizer supplier brought some extended release fertilizer for us to use, so we weighed and mixed the different components to create our fertilizer mix.  

Then we tracked down a scale and I weighed out 17 grams of fertilizer and put it into baggies for Jorge to distribute into each of the 180 pots.

Then Jorge showed me how they form a circular moat around the potato sprout and pour the fertilizer in, cover with soil, and lightly compress it down.

After work, I discovered my new favorite supermarket on the walk home, TOTTUS.  I had walked by it multiple times before, but couldn’t tell what it was because the concrete façade had no indications of what was inside.  So I looked TOTTUS up online and discovered that it was a supermarket, and I decided to visit on Friday.  

At first, I was a bit confused because the store doesn’t begin when you enter the doors, it’s a long corridor of small shops.  But once inside, I found the most American-like supermarket I’ve been in so far, it was essentially a Hy-Vee, and I was thrilled.  It was also a bonus that the Coke was slightly cheaper and they had a better snack selection.  Even though I keep buying snacks, I justify it because the long walks to get there must burn off all those calories…right? J

At 6:30, Michael Gerba came and picked me up for the 4^th of July party which was hosted by Dave Ellis (the head of CIP’s Genebank, who Dr. Khan had introduced me to at the Gathering Under the Tree).  The house was lovely and there was SO MUCH FOOD!! I think Dave Ellis was churning out steak, grilled veggies, chicken, and brats (we had Johnsonville brats, the perks of having a US Embassy official there!) and there was also chips and guacamole, snack mix, and so much more.

It was such an interesting group of people, with CIP employees, friends, and neighbors. About half of the people were Americans, but through their conversations I discovered that although they may have grown up in the USA they had lived in such an incredible array of countries.  It was such a melting pot of cultures and experiences, but in reality, what is more American than that?

Saturday

My weekend was very relaxing.  On Saturday, I had planned to go to a cultural dance festival in the district I live in, but was disappointed when Daniel decided to turn back because the traffic was bad.  When we returned, I went to the market with Liliam and she bought adorable baby clothes for her grandkids and some pretty flowers.