Olympic spirit

After a couple deceivingly balmy days, the weather has turned again. Hopefully this chilly blast will be short-lived. However, the warmth lasted long enough to bring out buds. The short season of cherry blossoms is one of my favorite times in China...hopefully this cold snap doesn't make this season even shorter! Yesterday, the Clements and Mark took part in an Olympic torch race. I tagged along as photographer. A student had planned the project as a creative homework assignment for Mark's class. A group of about a dozen students, Mark & the Clements, and the chair of our department, Queen, participated. There was little fanfare and few adoring fans, but we all enjoyed the taste of the Olympic spirit. Jude got the privilege of keeping the Olympic torch.

This morning I had the fun experience of going to the hospital (a place I usually try to avoid at all costs) to have a TB test done (required by Wheaton for participation in the program this summer). A senior student offered to take me--and it's a good thing she was there! There is absolutely no way I could find my way through the red tape of the hospital. After a series of conversations at a series of desks and in a series of offices, I successfully received my injection. We'll go back on Saturday to see if I'm TB free.

With my junior students out on their student teaching assignment, my teaching schedule is reduced to two days a week. It's been nice to have a little bit of a break and to get back into the grad work. It's hard to believe it's already April 10th! Before I know it, it will be time to take that long journey back to the States again.