Day 8: MIT Make in India

Day 8: MIT Make in India

Although it's Saturday, the group took no breaks as Raj led us to the "fab lab" this morning to begin our 3 weeks innovation and making. Although we had a very nice breakfast first (I had talked with the cook and her daughters the day before and had mentioned I didn't like coconut in literally everything). 

At the lab, we first organized all the materials that had been tossed into the box on the way back from the TechTop Workshop. Aishwarya also read us all the best #bobbyjindalissowhite jokes. The fab lab was three rooms: a "machine shop", an electrical/electronics room, and the main room with many tables and 3D printer. After the organizing was done, it was time to pick teams for the rest of the three weeks. Raj had us all put our names down in the two columns that were our strengths out of physical (MechE), plumbers (EE), logic (coding), and design. I put myself down for coding and design. Simply using the list he picked teams. My team members are Swapnil, Mayank, and Forest. We also received awesome lab notebooks. 

After that, as an exercise, Raj had us brainstorm of everyday problems we see and experience. We came up with a lot. Then he had us pick one that we wanted to brainstorm solutions for (crazy and feasible). As it had been raining all day (monsoon season probs) and doing our laundry was looming, we all decided on drying your clothes in monsoon. There were some great ideas brainstormed such as using an American dryer, water sucking iron, collapsable tent, nudist colony, disposable clothes, and ceiling fan dryer. Our brainstorming sessions are officially one "lungi dance" long. 

We went to lunch (a candlelight lunch!), but when we walked outside the whole road was a giant puddle of a couple inches. Bad day to wear sandals. And they said I wouldn't need rain boots... Poor Daivon skipped lunch just not to wade in the river. 

We then learned how to use the 3D design software Sketch Up, which we then used to make a design of something. I designed a wire holder that I would use to put my wires in to keep them organized in my backpack. I didn't get to 3D print it yet though. 

It rained more and more, and the light was simply not staying. We were going to do and learn more and even go to the beach in the evening, but unfortunately that did not happen. Instead some of us tried to go to the market. A few of us bought clothes. I bought my favorite strawberry flavored Oreos and cadbury fruit and nut chocolate bar (which is now finished, oops). 

We had a delicious dinner, talked, and played some more carrom. There was "barbeque water" which of course led to CHUG CHUG CHUG.

Aishwarya won.

Then a milestone in my life happened. Today, I learned to hand wash clothes. It was horrible. But now I have clothes and won't have to go with the nudist colony idea. Yet. Before I washed them, Titan and I installed a clothesline in our room beneath the fan as a solution to the problem we brainstormed earlier today. I felt proud. My mother was more proud of my hand washing. 

Finally it is time to sleep, though I am avoiding leaving my bed because of the wet and icky ground. Our clothesline is working fairly well. Until it falls on my face when I sleep.