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The flight; we flew steerage class (or at least that is what if felt like) from Seattle to Atlanta. Nobody got very much sleep with their knees in their face during the red-eye flight to Atlanta. Here Neil, Chad, Brian and Mike are relaxing in the Atlanta airport dreading the next flight. Turned out it wasn't too bad and we got a bit more room in the seats. |
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After we arrived in the afternoon the marvelous host families picked up their kids. Everybody had dinner then went to bed. We were exhausted. The next morning we all met at Rotary House (it is a house refurbished by the Rotary Club of Antigua for Junior Achievement and other Rotary Activities.) We then headed just down the street to Antigua Grammar School for our first and largest lab build. |
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The Antigua Grammar School is the oldest school in Antigua dating back to the 1860's. In Antigua a grammar school teaches students from about 8th grade to 12th grade. We were going to install a lab of 30 computers. It was in a location where there had previously been computers but the network was so broken that only three computers could get on the Internet. |
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We immediately began working on fixing the existing network since most of it was run under floors and in conduit that we could not access. Given the structure of the classroom the students decided we could reterminate the ends and use the existing wires to build the network. We spent a great deal of time using an inductive tone generator to tone out the lines to determine their location. Here Saba and Tony are terminating the ends of two wires. |
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Chad, Tori and Adam are running wire underneath the tables to the computers. Note the new monitors that we were able to purchase with money donated from the Mill Reef Club and the Ballantine Foundation. |
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Students were constantly interestesd in what we were doing. Many poked their heads inside the windows to watch. Erin interviewed several and they wished they had a Cisco Networking Academy on the Island to teach them those skils. |
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These two students were standing in front of a monument to students who died during World War I. All students in Antigua wear uniforms. |
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Saba and Neil finish up installing wire while Adam and Tori finish turning on Windows updates. |
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Here is Warren working on a computer. Acutally, he looks like he might be on facebook. Must be a break ;-) |
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The finished product. After working all day with only a short break for lunch they finished. Nice job guys! Looks very professional. There is a certain irony that this lab is better than our own. The monitors are bigger and the computers are faster than ours. Hmmm, have to do something about that. |
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After we were finished we arrived at Halcyon Cove about 20 minutes before the parents were to pick the students up. The students did not waste those precious 20 minutes of beach time. |
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The next morning treated us to a beautiful cloudless day. Note the little sailboat off in the distance. |
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Day 2--At the Wesleyan Academy where we were to build one of the next labs we arrived to students playing Cricket. The little kid has a fence slat for a bat. You can see the cruise ships have come in for the day in the background. Such a contrast. This was only one of many contrasts we saw on the island. |
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More cricket. The little kid on the right was the bowler. |
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All the students were sitting outside waiting to start class. They started the day singing sweet songs. Luckily, we have that on tape. |
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Steve Lingenbrink with his student leader, Michael and his crew unloading the minivan. |
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Here are the students singing. Wait until you hear the footage. |
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Jordan, who was working on the dictionary distribution, was able to work with Michael's team this day. Here he is making a cable. |
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Brian deep into cabling. |
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Here the whole team is making cables. |
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Brian checking off Jordan's work. |
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These little girls were constantly peeking in to see what we were doing. The little girl turned around was wearing an Antiguans for Obama shirt. The back said "you can be anything you want to be" |
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As John and I were travelling between schools I saw this woman walking along the street. |
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This was at a different school. Jim Stueve with Saba (who was on Tiffany's team). Unfortunately, Saba's ipod still worked after that flight as you can see. Think it needs to get surgically removed. |
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Occasionally, things worked as planned as Warren says. |
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The finished product (including three other computers networked in the other room) Nice job all! |
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I love it when a plan comes together!!!!! |
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We very quickly stopped by Rod Thompson's school where Chad was the team leader. They had problems because the Internet was not available. They networked the lab and will go back once we get our mobile WiMax network up and running. |
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Brian cursing at a computer that won't work. He eventually fixed it. |
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Michael's group with the finished lab. From left to right, Stuart, Neil, Steve Michael, and Brian. Excellent work hiding the cables under the desk. Ready for the prying fingers of students! |
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At the end of the day the students got about one hour to play on the beach before their parents came. |
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More playing. |
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Jordan with TWO flavors of Ting. One of the best sodas in the world! |
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Michael deep in thought. |
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Tiffany, Brian and Sara relaxing with a Ting. |
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Warren with the RayBans! |
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What could be better than an hour on the beach after a hard days work! Mike with a smile |
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Huh, who put that palm tree there? Warren with a smile on his face. |
