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| Everyone is healthy, happy and the team is relieved that the two days of exams are over. All of the team members feel good about their performance, Zuming and Melanie appear to be satisfied also. He is going over the papers now preparing for the judging. Judging will take place tomorrow and Saturday, results should be known sometime on Sunday.
I first heard about the tropical storm today. I will be monitoring the path and advising accordingly. We get CNN on the cable here, so we are constantly updated. Right now the weather is beautiful, as long as you call hot and humid with brilliant sunshine beautiful. It's like the worst that Washington offers in the summer, about like the worst hot, humid day in Nebraska in July or August. We had a short, intense thunderstorm yesterday, but again nothing unlike Nebraska. |
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| Not much to report here, everyone is healthy and happy still. Zuming and Melanie are working on the grading for the team, and it is going at about the usual pace, which is slower than everyone hopes. So far results are encouraging, but no scores are up, so not yet time to report anything to anyone.
Today the kids had an excursion day, tours of Mayan ruins and then a trip to the beach, which ended up bein a sort of giant pool party. Good time had by all, kids got lots of recreation. I am monitoring the websites for hurricane information and tracking it too. So far there has been no word or information from the IMO people, and no apparent concern in the city, or at the hotels. I know what to do for tornadoes, but this hurricane business is new to me! Relay the information to the parents that I am watching, listending to news, and am on top of the situation as best one can be. Will keep you updated over the weekend. Be on the lookout for scores and medal information about on Sunday sometime.. |
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| The entire IMO made a somewhat accelerated and compressed visit to Chichen Itza today. We left at 7:45, returned at 4:00. The time was adequate, included lunch, and given the heat and humidity, about the right amount of tourism possible. Weather was hot, humid, mostly sunny with some cumulus clouds, a slight breeze, basically a normal day. We encountered a mild rainstorm on the return trip, which is also normal, we have had such thundershowers everyday. Weather now is like it is each day at this time at the rainshower, slightly cooler, more humid, some ragged clouds clearing. |  |
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| When we returned, we found the windows in all three hotels taped, and some lower windows covered with plywood. All outside tables and chairs have been removed. In my room, I received instructions to pack my suitcase, and close it inside the bathroom, and at 8:00 pm to report to the Grand Salon, there to remain until further instructions. Emily is expected to hit (if it does, see below) some time after midnight. I peeked at the Grand Salon, and it is set with tables and chairs.
I have checked the forecasts, and as of the 2:00 pm storm track it appears that Merida is on the very southern edge of the expected storm path. I hope that is a good sign that Merida may be spared the worst of it. I will have to pack up my computer, along with everything else, so don't expect to hear again from me until tomorrow, assuming all goes well. It seems to me that the city and the hotels are well prepared, and are calmly executing plans which get used occasionally. Will report back as soon as I can. |
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| U.S.A. International Mathematical Olympiad Team: From Left: Zuming Feng, IMO Coach, Brian Lawrence, Thomas Mildorf, Sherry Gong, Robert Cordwell, Hyun Soo Kim, Eric Price, and Melanie Wood, Assistant IMO Coach. |
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