When it's dark, we sit outside until the fog rolls in, enjoying the stars of the southern sky and the brilliance of the Milky Way. It seems small by our standards, but does a good job of supporting the college's programs in nursing, vet science and agronomy. The students don't have textbooks, since they are too expensive to own, and there is no Internet access for this remote location. Students must take copious notes in class and from the books in the library. Sometimes they make copies from books, but that, too, is expensive for them.
Classes are in session now, so the campus is a busy place.
The raw beans have been dried and sorted, and Cecilia pours about 40 pounds worth into a large cylinder. The cylinder is pushed on sliders into a huge tub, sealed tightly, and a propane fire is lit beneath it. The cylinder needs to be turned so that the beans don't burn, but the motor is broken, so we take turns cranking the cylinder. A person can only crank about 4 or 5 minutes at a time, but it gets lighter as the moisture is roasted out of the coffee beans. Gradually, the aroma of the roasted coffee tells Cecilia that it's almost done, and after about an hour, she pours the steaming brown beans into a pan.