Today, it’s off to the Consulate this afternoon to introduce my Chinese Chengdu audience to Marshall, Illinois, my hometown. Everything is ready to go, including the powerpoint tour of our trip together (loaded into the lecture room computer), materials for the drawing in our after-presentation quiz, prizes for those who answer correctly, and hand-outs with Marshall websites if anyone wishes to receive further information about my Mid-western town.

Naturally, on that website list is my own connieinchina.org. There are many past stories of Marshall, not to mention different parts of China, that others might be interested in reading. So those of you visiting for a first time, welcome!

There might be difficulty for some of you as the pictures are blocked in China.  If you don’t have the software to get around that, when the Consulate IRC (Information Resource Center) is finally open, please use the in-house computers there to visit my site.  You will then be able to see everything, including a review of our Marshall, Illinois, journey from today. 

I am honestly looking forward to being in front of the room as the presenter instead of hunkered down in the seats as a student.

Once a teacher, always a teacher!

Hope you all enjoyed the talk this afternoon.  And, as is my customary exit, “祝你平安!”  (My non-Chinese speakers can most likely make a guess at that one — I wish you Ping An, Peace!)