The weather has turned quite nice lately: sunny, warm, and thankfully not yet humid. However it has precipitated an increase in the quantity of insects, and the mosquitoes are back in full force.
Two nights ago my friend Jia Jing and a friend of hers needed to take photographs of peoples' hands doing "rock, paper, scissors" for the purpose of making a poster for an upcoming sports meet.
She decided to take pictures of hands of three different skin colors so she and her partner could sell the event as being all inclusive.
I don't know who did the "scissors" hand (might have been her or her partner). I got my friend Frank (a med student and friend who lives just across the road) to do some hand poses as well (he's the "rock"). And looks like my "paper" hand is what made the final cut.
Yesterday I met with a group of sophomore English majors that wanted to speak with me to improve their conversational abilities. They decided to take me on a walk up the mountain (the first time I've been up there in several weeks). I thought it was great to get away from the hustle and bustle of life on the campus.
The change in my behavior was quite palpable. Up there, after a brisk walk, and a nice comforting sit on the rocks I felt my mind settling down, and my thoughts becoming still. I just looked out over the hills (it was a very clear, sunny day) felt the gentle breeze, and spent some time just breathing.
When I came here in August the temperature actually wasn't as hot as it is now, but the humidity was more intense at that time so it actually felt hotter. Now it's a lot like a Southern Oregon summer: sunny, hot and dry, but with a gentle breeze to keep you at an ambient temperature.
Next week I have an oral test in Chinese, so I need to study up some this weekend when I find time in between personal apartment maintenance and class preparation. I don't know what my grade is in the class (probably not very good) but at this point I'm more concerned with how I do on the HSK standardized test near the end of June.
