18th May 2009
- Done hanging out till 2am with the crazy fellas... Packing done...4 jabs done... should be set for a 20-day trip!
- A frantic afternoon as we tried printing out the operation manuals... Bill Gates should make PPTX more consumer friendly....
- Had a meeting with Tony to finalize designs and the technical nitty-gritty....
- Will not be having internet access till June. So yeah..stay tight!
April 13th 2009
-Proposed an initial budget for grants application with Paul and Matt Owens last week. Did some "balooning figures" on the numbers...seems that it's the best way to get more $$$ .....
- Penn Relay was last weekend but was at Linford's place on Baltimore Avenue playing with concrete and testing out various tools...
- Sent it my visa application and surrendered my passport to the embassy. Also had a travel consult today with Dr. Urevick...she mentioned about various immunizations but there were just too many that i could remember.... -Wasn't really prepared for the construction manual presentation with Dr. Keenan today but we managed to pull through somehow...... lots of changes needed to be done before we leave...
- Technical design done for the piping system although Tony mentioned that we might need to make changes again once we are there...
Each dots represent a standpipe and we will linked the dots with pipes....
Project 1: Chenam Flow
Project 2: Fon ("Meta" Language for "Chief") Flow
20th March 2009
- Attended "One Water" screening today with PJ and Evan... nothing really interesting or exciting...Many left before it was all over
- Had the first course lesson with Dr. Keenan and Tony last week...Tony was there to teach us hydrology and reminded us of the water cycle we learn in high school and a bit of hydrology. The scientific formulas used were "refreshing" (P-R-ET = F which is the conservation formula for spring water ie Precepitation - runoff - evaporation - transpiration = infiltration)...considering i was taught about it in Malay 7 years ago.... Because it was held so late in the evening, we had peanuts M & M's courtesy from the profs. 
- Did some work on the water budget problem and also mechanism of Precipitation in Cameroon. It seems that June-July will be VERY wet!
- Was assigned randomly by Dr. Keenan to do the construction manual..crapsss..... 2 whole books to read before next week....
February 24th 2009
- Great news this week...Dr. Colledge from PSU sent me an email a few days ago notifying me that the CASE-IJSLE grant for the Gundom-Project has been approved! Wheeee..... Jay and Davesh were still asking if they could look at the application last week! ahaha...
- Had the interview last week with Megan and Dr. Keenan for a place on the implementation team this summer. Was probably the first to be interviewed for the program and Dr. Keenan remembered me from his ESE 210 class...free-ride here... after 15 minutes or so..everything was done... megan asked if i was interested with the materials-finance but i said i was more interested with technical designs... not sure what Tony said about me..but o well....
-Davesh scared the hell out of me today with his "sudden appearance" while i was applying for the SII position for spring break at the Towne lab. He told me unofficially that I was "in" the team. And true enough....received an email from Davesh, Paul, Joe Sun, Megan and Keenan the next day to confirm my admittance...
23rd January 2009
-First meeting after winter break. Davesh and Paul reported that the Assessment trip went well with the GPS done on the pipe grid lines. Mapping over the Kobe Valley also done amidst the first few days of classes. It seems Google Map doesn't have detailed satellite images over the valley so we are first to it! Thankfully, PGWI and EWB are pleased. Attended EWB GBM (making my $10 worth a vote). Presentation at Pennoni Engineers on the 26th - much more work piling up.
-Also heard that Boeing has granted $6k last winter =) but the Assessment trip costs us a cool $12k!! goshhh...
-Rafael suggested going for boot camp this spring break but all of us gave him a look and decided against it. ahaha..
-Submitted the IJSLE documentation though Davesh has not seen it (until today). He keeps emailing me enquiring from time to time but he keeps forgetting that it's been done and sent. Must be a serious case of forgetfulness which is probably a by-product of school hecticness anyway.
-Drafted a letter to PSU's Dean's of Aggriculture Sciences, Dr Robert Steele with Paul but highly doubt the convenience of collaborating considering the geographical distance between the schools.
12th December 2008
-Last meeting before winter break. As expected, EWB USA granted us a convincing approval. Downside - We'll be looking to raise $25k for the project!
-Looks like we'll be banking on J&J once again though the economic situation is not helping.....
-Might need to make some amendments on the MOU but it looks alright for now. The group elected Paul as the new co-leader for the project..... Tony, Dr Keenan, Davesh and Paul will be assessing the site on 4th - 13th January. Hopefuly all goes well and we can start on the design work soon.
- Boeing Grant is due on the 19th...and IJSLE on 23rd..damn...
11th November 2008:
-Received an email from Jay today asking if i would like to apply for the Co-Project leader Position. It seems PJ is no longer the Project Leader considering we are in a playing a new ball game with Gundom instead of Ntisaw. I told Davesh i can't do it because of the insane workload of classes next semester but I'll do the grants applications if needed.
-Finished the 507 and 508 forms and would be hoping that EWB will approve them a.s.a.p. Davesh doesn't seem to be worried at all. He told us that we can always postpone the assessment to May and implementation to next December IF problems crop out. Besides, it'll be the rainy season in the summer.....
-Have been procrastinating on the CASE-International Journal of Service Learning in Engineering Grant on servicebook.
10th October 2008:
- Davesh and Jay announced today that the Ntisaw Project will take a back seat at the moment as Tony Sauder, the Pennoni Engineer has received a new EWB project in the Kob Valley by MQLIF Foundation.
- I thought Gundom, located at the other side of the Kob and Tudiq mountains, will be much more accessible for the team as we have done previous assessments and implementations in the Kob Valley as compared to the Ntisaw area. Moreover, I've a feeling that Davesh is sceptical about the Life And Water Development Group for reasons I'm not sure of..
- We'll still be working on the 507 and 803 forms for the Ntisaw Project to ensure that our chapter gets the "adoption" status. Assesment date has been set for this winter while the implementation will be in the summer. It's going to be a tough hill to climb with getting the funds and grants ready......
