Judy leaves for school, slightly dreading the day ahead. This last 9 weeks has been really tough. Her daily schedule has been packed with classes, with little time for planning, or recovery. The elementary classes require so much energy to keep them focused, especially the Pre-K class. She\u2019s worn out every day. She\u2019s ready for a break!<\/p>\n
I, on the other hand, can\u2019t figure out what to do with my time. After visiting with family back in the states via Facetime, I head over for a swim session. After swimming, I walked home, stopping at Subway. This is the first time I\u2019ve tried a Subway sandwich in Beijing. It tastes just like a sandwich in Arlington. I guess I thought it would be a little different.<\/p>\n
Later in the afternoon, I went to the table tennis club for an afternoon of ego \u201cbeat-down.\u201d As I walked in and headed down to the far end of the playing area (where the \u201clesser\u201d players are), someone yelled at me, offering to play. I tried to explain I wasn\u2019t a strong player, but my lack of language prevented any clarity. We ended up playing right at the entrance of the club, and since I seem to be the only westerner, there were way too many casual observers. As with most of my visits, it takes me a while to adjust to a different style of play, and when I began to get slightly comfortable, I get handed off to another player. The 2nd<\/sup> guy hit with the most spin I\u2019ve seen since I\u2019ve been playing in Beijing. I could barely keep the ball on the table. An onlooker gave me a couple of pointers, and I began to adjust with some success.<\/p>\n Player # 2 went to a nearby table and got someone else to hit with me. Player 3 just hit it back to my backhand, over and over, and over and over. I think he was told to drill me for while. Finally, some other guys took a turn at the table, and they look like Olympic players, with balls flying everywhere, crazy spinning serves, and unbelievable returns. I enjoy watching the play, but I especially enjoy watching the interaction between everyone at the club. It\u2019s so similar to being around a golf course and watching all the \u201cregulars\u201d interact. There is definitely trash-talking going on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Judy leaves for school, slightly dreading the day ahead. This last 9 weeks has been really tough. Her daily schedule has been packed with classes, with little time for planning, or recovery. The elementary classes require so much energy to … Continue reading