Hotmail problem

We have had trouble getting into Hotmail for the past few days. We have established a gmail account with the same name as our hotmail account. If there is something you have sent us lately and you are waiting for a reply, please send it to our gmail account also. That's jlbraun50@gmail.com. After lengthy consultation we have decided to switch to our gmail account. So, please change our address in your books and start sending to the new address. We will keep the hotmail address open because of business things attached to it but we want to be able to access the "important" emails more easily than Hotmail has allowed lately.

I don't know about Linda but I am beginning to be concerned about end of the semester things like a final examination and grades. There seems to be much to do before July 2nd. I hope I can get it all done. I, Linda, have been looking at preparations for the final exam and for end of year data that we need to provide. We have to provide our syllabus and lesson plans for next year and end of year grades. We have only 5 weeks of teaching left and one week of exams! Then we will be off to the US.

We have been riding bikes more. Although I know it is unrealistic, I feel that we can travel almost anywhere in the city now. We've spent almost an hour riding around a few days ago, seeing places we have not previously seen. Even when we get lost it is interesting. There are still some tourist areas I want to see before we finish for the semester.

The earthquake is a topic of conversation that comes up pretty often. We were invited to say prayers for the earthquake victims the other night with some friends. Yesterday we had a very nice conversation with a young lady for much of the afternoon and she was very concerned about the earthquake victims and really for those who suffered all over the world. We were able to talk to her about things we believe will help people all over the world. Watching the coverage on tv makes me wonder what would happen in Tianjin if an earthquake hit here. I know I'd evacuate whatever building I was in as quickly as I could and get as far away as I could. Having never been through an earthquake, I guess I would also have to recognize what it was that was happening. I read a report by Robert Seigel of NPR who was in Chengdu at the time. He was taking a nap on the 27th floor of his hotel and he thought someone was shaking his bed as a joke. Then he looked outside and saw people running all around, then he left. So, he was lucky that his hotel didn't collapse because he really didn't know what was happening. Thanks for all of your concern for us here when you heard about the earthquake. It's nice to be thought of.
The total number of confirmed dead as of 5/17 was 22,000, injured 168,669, pulled alive out of debris 21,125, soldiers and armed police mobilized 140,000, and number of aftershocks 4,432. The country is helping in amazing ways. We have sent doctors and nurses from Tanjin to assist, teachers and students from our university are donating money and blood. It reminds me of 911.

Our Chinese lessons progress. I still can't say much, but what I can say sounds better. There is progress. We don't study that much, but we do study so we are very gradually learning. This will be a long slow process rather than a crash course. But the more we get out and speak Chinese to people, and listen to Chinese spoken the quicker we will learn. I never thought of myself as competitive (any of you noticed that about me?), but it sure spurs me on to study when I know James is doing it. I think it has to do with us having the same tutor at the same time. It is embarrassing not to know the lesson. This is also a good way to learn about students and what they are thinking and feeling. (a hard way!) It also helps when we see progress and are able to use the language more when communicating with the Chinese people we are constantly in contact with.

We hope you are all well.