el queso es vida
In Honduras, the rainy season has begun. On a daily basis, the bright sky overhead darkens with ominous rainclouds before the entire campus is soaked for an about hour. I can hear the rain outside even now, through the screen in the window. I love the sound of storms, and the open architecture of the buildings creates a perfect auditorium for the rolling thunder. The weather here has been surprisingly similar to Auburn, despite the distance. Yet none of the student buildings have air conditioning, and shockingly, I don’t find myself missing it. (Partially due, no doubt, to the stunningly cold water of a shower with no water heater). Surely this is at least partially due to the design- open windows and breezeways run the length of the white or cream-colored buildings, and the thick concrete floors and walls that remain cool easily. Only in very old buildings in Alabama do you find this clever usage of air currents and building materials. I won’t say I wasn’t jealous while I paid the power bill for my home today.
Today’s assignment was in the Planta Lacteos, or Dairy Processing Plant. Like the other agricultural commodities here, most of the milk comes from Zamorano’s own herd of dairy cattle. The students are incredibly knowledgeable about the process and the maze of equipment used in this operation, and why certain decisions are made. One of my favorite examples was a simple engineering adjustment to deal with a recurrent issue on the campus. During rain here, the power frequently shuts off- according to the students, the result of a maladjusted sensor detecting debris falling near power lines- and since it is rainy season, power interruptions occur on a daily basis. This can cause issues specifically in regard to pasteurization equipment, as power interruptions can allow milk to pass through the pasteurizer without reaching the appropriate temperature. Here, however, the pipes transferring raw milk to the heat exchanger have simply been angled slightly up, such that an interruption to the pump will simply cause the raw milk to return to the tank from which it came. A simple fix, but one for which the students understand and appreciate the importance.
Like the fruit processing plant, this plant produces a variety of products for student consumption and sale. I was truly in heaven today as we sampled cheeses- sporting names such as “Zamorella” mozzarella and “Zamodelphia” cream cheese-, yogurts, and ice creams. Students explained a focus on products quite similar to that of back home, a shift to “natural” preservatives, colors, and flavors. One group demonstrated their product development project using a local tropical fruit as a new yogurt flavor, resulting in a dazzling and completely natural bright purple color. And so, on the second day working here, I continue to be struck by how truly similar our worlds seem to be- and yet, how wildly different the knowledge and work ethic of these students compares to those back home.
Certainly, I’ve got some catching up to do.
