Mushrooms Banquet

Today was a full day of teaching. In Ashland, Meiwen Richards and Tang Di joined us for a skyped lunch with Brent, Tang Guangfu and Li Hantao. Afterwards I went to Professor Li’s apartment to teach three of his students. It is gratifying to watch his students’ progress. I see them once or twice a year and some students like Chen Wen I have been teaching since my first trip to Chengdu in 2003. She will have her final examinations and graduate with a bachelor’s degree in just a few weeks. Chen Wen performed the Ibert and sounded fantastic.



The last student I taught, Wang, came with his parents. I learned their home is in Deyang–nearer to the quake epicenter. They had many stories of the devastation in their town and personally knew 25 people that had perished. Their home survived but one‑half of their turbine factory was flattened. As many Chinese, they have given a lot of money to help those suffering.

The meal was incredible. We went to a mushroom restaurant for dinner. I love Sichuan food but I had never been to a mushroom restaurant. It rates as one of the finest meals I’ve had in China among many great ones. To my fellow Trillium mycophiles Jody and Alexander, wish you were here for this one. I ate over 20 fabulous mushrooms.

Tomorrow there is more teaching and another banquet with a student and family. Very soon I hope to see incoming SOU student and CMC scholarship winner Qi Wenjun. I have an experienced friend from SCCM that will coach her on the final step of getting a visa.