July 25, 2008
If you want to wish Jen luck in the upcoming Olympics or just e-mail a question to her you can send it to: jyee3@mail.gatech.edu
ATLANTA – While many college students use the summer to relax by the pool, go to the beach and work as waiters and waitresses, members of the Georgia Tech Softball Team are making full use of their time. Some are traveling the world, while others are getting a head start on their careers with some unique and interesting internships or jobs. RamblinWreck.com will give you a feel for what some of these student-athletes are doing with “Summer Diaries.” In part four, redshirt junior Jen Yee checks in from Japan where she and former Tech stand-out Caitlin Lever are on the Canadian National Team preparing for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Check back in the coming weeks to see what other members of the team are up to as well as full recaps and updates from Beijing beginning in August.
Softball Summer Diaries Part IV: Jen Yee Closing In On 2008 Summer Olympics
Konichiwa!
Hey guys, I’m in Sendai Japan! We flew out earlier this week from Vancouver, and after a 10 hour plane ride and a 6 hour bus ride, we’re finally here. Oh how I’ve missed being in a foreign country. Who doesn’t like language barriers, funny money, no English TV and outlets that don’t fit your plugs.
Now, it wouldn’t be a Team Canada travel day without some “adversity,” as we like to call it. So we checked into our hotel around 11:30pm, and after getting unpacked a little and settled in, it’s time for bed. There I was, half asleep when I hear banging on the ceiling. Surely I thought people were just being rude having a party upstairs. No, of course not, it was a freaking earthquake, just like the movies, the floor was shaking, pitch black, couldn’t find the light, I was going to cry. And to top it off, we were on the 7th floor! How on earth were we going to escape this one? All those earthquake drills in school did nothing for me. What good would hiding under the desk, or standing in the doorway on the 7th floor do anything for me anyways? I think our whole team ran out into the hallway at once, half naked and panicking at the same time. But, by then the shaking had stopped, and looking off the balcony, people were carrying on with life as normal. I guess something as small as a little shaking was nothing to worry about here. We find out the next morning, the earthquake was 200km away and that our hotel is perfectly earthquake-proof…or so they say.
Our last days in Canada were very short lived. After the Canada Cup ended we had 1 precious day off to be at home to repack, and buy your favorite westernized food which isn’t available in Asia. Then before we knew it, it was back to the airport for our last leg of the journey. We’ll be in Japan for about a week and a half, then it’s off to Beijing. It’s hard to believe it’s almost over, these 7 months sure went by quickly. Pretty soon I’ll be back at school and back to reality. Well, until next time, or the next earthquake perhaps.
Jen Yee
