Day 6 (6 February 2015) in Petrolina, Brazil

I woke up around 10:00am this morning. Acacio came to my hotel to pick me up. Since we learned a lesson last night, we decided to stay together at the same hotel. We picked his hotel for many reasons. I checked out from my hotel. We then headed to a combined high school and university campus to be reunited with AMBER instrument box. We decided to test a site if this campus has a good one. They offered to host AMBER. We tested one site but it has a lot of interference from the cars and pedestrians. We were about to leave for the INPE site (about 20km out), which was initially planned where to put the instrument. Then, the campus management teams offered us to see another site, which is reasonably quite place. At the time of writing, I'm testing the site and it looks very nice. Although the campus will be closed for the weekend, we already secured permission to come in tomorrow and work.

I just made a friend with the IT person (on my left), and generously agreed to come in tomorrow and help us with the IP configuration! 

Guess what, just before we leave for the day, we just connected it and asked Matt if he can access the instrument and he did indeed. We left the instrument (including my laptop just to see the overnight dynamic spectra) for day with good hope for tomorrow.

Day 5 (5 February 2015) in Belem, Brazil

We did a lot today. We bought the tube and other necessary accessories to cover the cable just outside the building. The mag is recording data but it is not yet transferring to BC. Crhistian, the IT person, is exceptionally helpful guy. He tried everything he could to get the data flow possible. It sounds that UCLA network is blocking us somewhere, which we do not understand it yet. I made a bold request to Crhistian, which is to give me a dedicated IP address and open the firewall for it so the Matt can ssh data from BC. He happily agreed to do that. We took the beagleboard to the IT department to test it with dedicated IP address and see if Matt can see it, which he successfully did. The next step is to connect the port at the room, where the mag is located, with a dedicated IP address. Unfortunately, the guy who does the VLAN configuration was not available today and he will be back on Tuesday. So, we have to wait until then. The good news is once the VLAN configuration is done, we can ssh the data the bad news is we’ll not get real-time update on our website unless UCLA solve the mysterious problem. 

  

The sensor in-place and protected!

 The GPS antenna is in-place

Electronics stored inside a rack! With Crhistian (the IT guy) very helpful person!

Now, I’m on the plane heading to Petrolina to deploy the second AMBER in Brazil. The good news there will not be similar bureaucracy, the permission is already approved. However, unless miracle happens, I’m expecting similar connection problem. But let’s see if that happened.

 Now boarding my connection flight around midnight!

 Inside the plane, we are searching our seat!

Arrived at Petrolina airport (3:00am) 

We safely arrived in Petrolina around 3:00AM local time. We rented a car and start driving to my hotel. The GPS took us some where instead of my hotel, wa! GPS! Then! Then! I don't think I need to write it on public blog, but I can say this; 'The almighty God saved us!!' Lucky us, no harm occurred, and we finally got into our hotel. Lesson! don't ask stranger during the local time I'm talking about.

Day 4 (4 February 2015) in Belem, Brazil

Today is the crucial day for us. Before, we go to the site, Acacio suggested to go and see the deputy general director, who gave us permission to start the installation while the permission process is underway. We went to the Botanica, and since we arrived early, she was not at her office yet and we decided to go to the site. On our way to the site, we bought a few materials required for installation. We went to Flavio’s office, and sadly told me we had to freeze the installation process which makes me muted and disappointed. Then he picked up his phone and called the director general, which fortunately got him online and explained the situation in detailed. He finally authorized the installation process. We then rushed to the site and continued our pending work. I have to say, the admin and service people are exceptionally helpful. They provided everything we requested right away. We successfully completed the installation process. One more thing left still unresolved; the connection issue. Guess what the problem this time is not from this end but from US side, we are blocked not to push data. Our engineers (at UCLA and BC) are working on it, and hopefully they will have a solution for me when I wake up tomorrow. At the end, we were told that INPE branch director wants to see us. We went there and she generously provided us a moral support and gave us INPE souvenir. On behalf of AMBER team I thank the director so much for everything.     

 The INPE branch director in Belem gave me souvenir!

With INPE Belem branch director and Flavio (the negotiator)

 At Doca brewery company!

  Celebrating with beer!

But now we have a lot to celebrate. Acacio, Flavio and myself went to the Doca. This is a place that used to be port at the shore of Atlantic Ocean, but now it is changed to a romantic and homemade brewery site. We went there for the beer and have dinner and celebrate the successful winning of the obstacles to AMBER mag in place. We had a wonderful evening. 

Tomorrow, ya! Tomorrow, we are hoping to solve the connection issue. Let’s hop big.

Day 3 (3 February 2015) in Belem, Brazil

Big problem. This morning we went to the site and for the reason I do not understand it yet, we can't start doing our job. Acacio told me we have to go to Botanica office and talk the general director of the campus. After a lot of traffic hassle we arrived at the Botanica. We follow the procedure to see him, i.e., we went to the reception and the receptionist called the director office. We were told to wait and we sat down, and a moment letter the director office called the receptionist and informed us that since we do not have schedule to see the director, he can't see us today as he has other meetings. Thus we returned back with nothing.
We went back to the campus to see the lady whom we had a meeting with yesterday but her secretary told us she went for a meeting with general director (the guy who did not have time to see us). Hopefully they raise our issue on their meeting. While we were hopelessly waiting to meet one of the director (who had a meeting with us last Monday), Flavio (one of the administrative chief who showed us the site at our first visit) suggested that he can talk the deputy general director on the phone. We hopelessly said ok (because at that point we were deciding to change our flight to Petrolina and comeback on Sunday, hoping the permission will go through until then) and followed him to his office. He did call her and proposed to let us make the installation while the permission process is underway, she generously agreed. We rushed to the site with a few more human power to start digging. We accomplished significant amount of work

 Public bus in Belem

 Look how much we did after we get the go ahead green light!

 This how many people participated!

Another good sign is the INPE director is now aware of our issues and he called the general director of the campus  (again the guy who did not have time to see us) but he couldn't got in touch with him as he was on the meeting, but he left a message, hopefully he calls back. Now 1:03 pm local time we are waiting, waiting, and waiting, though the time is ticking and ticking. Let's see what will happen tomorrow.

Day 2 (2 February 2015) in Belem, Brazil

Thanks God, there was no any jet-lags this time, only two hours difference any way. I met Acacio, an engineer who came to Belem from San Luze to help me deploy AMBER instrument in Belem, at around 8:20am. We went to the proposed site to see by myself. We quickly identified a potential good site. The next step is to get permission to access the nearby building and to dig the ground, because the earlier planed site is not good. While someone is working on to secure permission, Acacio and I went to INPE (equivalent to NASA for Brazilian) branch office in Belem. We met the director of the branch and she told us AMBER instrument was delivered to her residence; and we had to go there and picked it up. As expected the traffic was enormous, and when we returned back to the site it was already lunch time. We went to the campus's cafeteria for lunch which was really good.

This is the main gate of the campus where AMBER resides!

  AMBER sensor site!

 This is where INPE branch office in Belem is located!

This is where AMBER instrument has been stored since it arrived in Belem!

After lunch we decided to open the AMBER box and lay it down on the site and make a test, which we did successfully. While I was doing testing on my computer, I was asked to go and see the director and explain the purpose of the instrument. I went to the director, a very nice lady, and tried my best and explained about the purpose of the instrument. She generously welcome my instrument, but she need what kind of support I need from the institute in writing so that she will approve it right away, and she gave me her email to do so. BTW, I sent her list of support that I need from the institute about an hour ago and didn't get her response yet.
Finally, we disconnect the testing setup and packed up back and went into our car to head off to our hotel. Then I think (it was in Portuguese and did not understand) Acacio was asked to make a phone call to somewhere, it was another director from facility department. It was a kind of problem, asking explanation who will be responsible for power and internet service, etc. I was told it is minor and will be address smoothly.
Anyway, this was my first full day in Belem. Cross your fingers for me that tomorrow will be a productive day for my mission in Brazil.

Day 1 (1 February 2015) in Belem, Brazil

I'm on the road back again for AMBER mission, of course. After comparatively short flight, I arrived in Belem, Brazil safely. Belem is a city at the shore of Atlantic Ocean and is just south of the famous Amazon forest.

When we approached to Belem, I heard normal announcement, i.e., we are about to land make yourself ready (just to put it in short) etc. The plane descended safely and got out of the cloud, unfold its Tyre, approaching the run way, and then all of a sudden it folded its Tyre back and start ascending. Wow! what happened? that was a question for many of us. Shortly, the pilot came on the speaker and told us this "while we are approaching to the run way, very heavy rain start pouring and we have to rotate around until the heavy rain pass over". Actually, that was a good opportunity for us, which gave us an opportunity to tour around Belem from low altitude. Otherwise, no problem at all on my journey to Brazil, everything went out smooth. I'll kick off my scientific mission tomorrow, and hope it will go well.

 Partial view of Belem airport!

    Just some view on my way to my hotel

View of Belem downtown from my hotel room!

Day 10 (19 October 2014) in Xi'an, China

Just kicked off my long journey back to home. So far so good, all my connection flights are on time. We are now approaching the US from west side, heading to our destination, Chicago. I Expect to arrive home later in the evening. 
Finally, I made it home safely. What a memorable experience

.                                                                                  Xi'an airport