This Jan term I really enjoyed my class about pilgrimages. I learned a lot about pilgrimages in different faith traditions and we went on some neat fieldtrips. We went to The Grotto and the synagogue in Portland. We walked a labyrinth in Salem and visited the Trappist Abbey here in McMinnville. I am very glad that I took this class before going abroad next fall, because we talked and read a lot about how to make the most out of traveling.
Swimming went well for me during Jan term. We went to Whitman and Whitworth one weekend, and both dominated our small team, but there were some good individual swims. Our bus broke down on the return to McMinnville and we waited several hours on the side of the highway for another bus to come pick us up. This allowed for some good team bonding time, although we all got rather thirsty and was exhausted when we finally got back to school at four in the morning.
I celebrated my birthday with a meet at Lewis & Clark, and my parents came to watch our home meet the following week. Our last home meet and the last duel meet of the season is this Friday. Then we will begin tapering for conference, which is the last weekend in February.
Jan term break is nice and relaxing. The swimmers are on campus along with a few other sports teams. We are enjoying the meal vouchers we get to local restaurants. I am excited for spring term to start, and I am almost, but not quite, ready to be really busy again. I am looking forward to taking Spanish again, although I am sure it will be challenging since I have not taken Spanish since last spring. Last year swimming ended the first weekend of spring semester, and this year it ends several weeks later, so the whole month of February will be quite busy. A couple teammates and I will have to be making up practice time as well since we will be missing it for a one-credit class for going to Costa Rica next year. So I am enjoying this break to do nothing but eat, sleep, and swim, before launching into spring term!