And Basketball Continues...

Recently, on the way to watch Ellie's basketball game, we drove through downtown Tianjin.

And yes, that is a Ferris Wheel--the world's largest that is built on a bridge.

We've not ridden it yet, and I don't know that I want to,

but the view would be great, on one of the 10 days each year when there is no smog.

 Ellie's team is doing well this season.  They've won all games except

one.  Last weekend in Beijing they had an overnight trip, playing one game on Friday evening

and one on Saturday morning.  They lost the evening game.

They play other international schools--BIS (Beijing Int. Sch), BISS (Beijing Int. Sch-Singapore; there were several Muslim girls on their team with long-sleeved shirts and leggings);

THIS (I never did find out the actual name, but it is a Chinese international school for the 

kids of the wealthy or government officials), and there are British schools, German schools, etc.

I had no idea how complex the international school scene is!

 Our school, Tianjin Int. (TIS), doesn't have a gym, so they contract with a nearby

Chinese school to use their gym.  The facilities are adequate, but there is hardly any heat, which the players don't mind, but the girls sitting on the bench wear their coats,

as do the sprinkling of parents who come to watch.

 And meet Mr. Zhang, our driver.   

 TIS won this game, in their typical manner.  By halftime, the score is 20-5, and 

the second string gets to play almost the whole second half,

with the final score 28 to 18 or so.  

Ellie pulls down rebounds.  She has shot a couple of 3-pointers.

She's scrappy on defense, getting some steals

or at least tying up the ball and getting a jump ball.

It's been fun to watch her develop, and

it's interesting that if she hadn't been required to take the extra PE credit

she would never have known how much she likes basketball.

Sometimes what looks like a setback turns out to be a blessing.