Just a quick update. Yesterday was the get into class mode: wake up around 6:45, go exercising, come back, shower, be at the EWC offices for an 8:30am meet and greet (the rest of the mornings start at 9), and then the first lecture. This one was by the esteemed Roger Ames who spoke about Confucianism and the sense of self and self-identity. The one thing I like about these Infusing Institutes is that they throw you in the deep end on day one, and trust you to find your way. The speaker quoted an ancient Chinese scholar (and I am paraphrasing) that summed up the experience:
"You must learn to swim while swimming."
Then it was a luncheon, the inevitably meet and greet, and then I went with a few people to do some administrative trivia: get an University of Hawaii ID Card, go to the bookstore (and I avoided getting all the books I wanted but did break down and buy the one book I saw on life in Shanghai in the early 20th century), and finally go to the bank to cash our stipend check. Then it was some more grocery shopping (yesterday included some beer--one of the Kona Brewing Company beers I haven't had before), then back to the dorm around 4:30. Except for a brief walk in the evening for an hour (7-8pm) I spent a quiet night at home, finishing up my book on Japanese sci-fi I bought over the weekend and watching some tv.
Today it is off to class from 9-noon, another luncheon (then the meals stop) including a lecture on Hawaii (this one will be the 3rd time I have heard this particular lecture), then we are free from about 1:30 until 6 when we have a movie tonight. Since I woke up earlier than normal this morning (thank you Suntrust for trying to sell me a credit card on the phone at 5:30 am) it may be a bit of a struggle to stay awake until 10 tonight. But tonight's movie is about the history of modern China, so I am looking forward to it. I'll give you the title later on...
Anyway, Aloha for now...
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