Bureaucratic Cogwheels in Motion

Today T. and I went to Dahlem again. We arrived fortunately in time for the office hours of the secretary in the English department; she said that there were no appointments free until after the application deadline, but she did add that we could scan in our academic records and send them as e-mail attachments to the professor in whose office she was working. Then he could quickly formally recognize them and tell us which level we should apply to study at, even though we would still need to submit the records in the orthodox manner eventually. So we returned home and, after much consideration and scanning and revisions of a draft e-mail, we sent the request and documents. After about an hour I checked my e-mail again and had a most agreeable surprise: the professor had sent a cheerfully informal answer, saying that everything was all right, and that we should apply for the third semester. In the evening T. and I filled out the online application forms for an English Philology major. Now we're not finished with the paperwork yet (we have to fill out separate forms for the minors, for instance, and then send everything off), but we're much closer.

Today was also the last day of school for Gi., Ge. and J. They came home early, and with them came three report cards, with decent though not brilliant marks. Since then they've been oddly subdued, and not in the least euphoric. J. did go out and play badminton with me in a good mood; our rallies, however, were few, partly because of lousiness and partly because rain (that issued from impressively dark grey clouds) cut our session short. Uncle Pu came by soon after we returned, and he and Papa and Mama filled the corner room with pipe and cigar smoke as they discussed the identities of some of the people whose photos now grace the living room wall, etc. In the evening Papa made, by popular demand, Chinese food: a generous dish of sweet-and-sour pork and chicken, with rice on the side. We dug into it happily. I especially liked the pineapple, which is, I think, more deliciously juicy cooked than fresh.

So it has been busy. But I'm very happy about the progress we've made with our university applications. Not only was T.'s company most cheering, but we were also both pleasantly surprised that the secretary didn't rake us over the coals for coming to her so tardily, and that the professor replied so quickly and kindly.