First Day of Competition

Today was the first day of the exam. That's sort of a test day for us leaders too. I was going to find out soon if I made some stupid error in my translation. Jury meeting started at nine. Soon thereafter it was announced that the exam had started and we waited for questions from students to be faxed to our meeting room. Students have half an hour to ask questions about the problems (like if something is unclear to them, they think the wording is ambiguous, or they don't understand the question). The jury then treats those questions and sends answers back to the corresponding students. This should normally go fairly fast. It is also important that the students get replies to their questions fairly quickly so that they can start tackling the problems. There appeared to be difficulties today however. A couple of questions arrived and they were projected on slides for the jury to read them and decide on appropriate answers. But then, nothing further happened. We waited and waited and no further questions came, which is quite unusual. It turned out there was a technical problem somewhere. It was more than an hour before questions started coming again, and finally, it was probably half past eleven when all the questions had been answered. Luckily, my students didn't have any questions. (That's usually a good sign!)

After this, we got to discuss the marking schemes. There was general contentment with the marking schemes for problems 1 and 2, but the scheme for problem 3 caused some stir and discussion for it was finally ajourned untill after lunch. Lunch is really late here, or from 2 to 4 in the afternoon. Having a little time to kill I stopped for a drink at the outside pool bar with some leaders. Tried one of those Strawberry Daquiris. Asked for one without alcohol, but my spanish failed me and I probably got one with extra alcohol. But, my stomach problems seem to be behind me now. Maybe I just haven't been drinking hard enough. The alcohol is supposed to keep the critters away too, and I could do with a little help fighting the mosquitos off here! But luckily I haven't had any big misadventures with them sofar. Except for last night during our dinner on the terrace where my right leg was eaten pretty badly. I have been able to keep sunburns away as well, but I am very meticulous in applying sunblock too, and I so wear my hat during the middle of the day ...

After lunch, the coordinators had made some adjustments for problem 3 and eventually all the marking schemes were accepted without apparent disagreement.

I went in the sea again in the afternoon. Then watched leaders and coordinators play football on the beach. Don't know who won or if anyone was keeping scores anyway. At dinner I found that my appetite was now back in force! Had some delicous grilled skewers, with rice and cilantro and salsa and beans. And a big plate of fruit afterwards. Heavenly.

After dinner I went with I. to see if any copies had arrived, meaning our students papers. And actually they had. I got mine, got copies of the marking schemes and a coordination schedule, then sat down to see what my students had written. Well, not much, so I closed the folders again. "Den tid, den sorg", like they say ...

Had a little Bahama Mama and sat with I. and F. for a while and chatted. Tomorrow we leave for Merida, and I am going to miss The Reef ...