8 April 2005 2:07p

...The rest of the night, however did not favor us.

After a gleeful and certainly eye-opening evening we return to Shanghai Second Medical University [now Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine]. The guard at the entrance of the university I am sure was wondering why these four Americans were out so late on a school night. But we laughed and joked and Edward, Shaheen, and I bid our goodnights to Audrey for she stayed in the oh-so exclusive and posh women's dorm), and made our way jovially to our's.

Locked.

Locked with of all things, a bicycle lock.

Crap. The three of us males immediately see if Audrey shares our fate. At best we could bunk with her and at worst we could commiserate together.

"Is your locked too?!" a still happy albeit a bit taken aback Audrey calls out to us. "I forgot, they told me to be in by midnight the first day!" Us boys had no such warning so we found ourselves at a loss for words at 1:05 in the morning. So, in true American style (i.e. a disregard for rules and a go-it-alone mentality) we thought it best to break into our dorm and of course stow Ms. Sung in Shaheen room since he had an extra empty bed. With the sort of agility only reserved for acrobats and tax-evaders each of us one by one wiggle in the crevace between the not-so-thoroughly secured glass doors. First Audrey, then myself, and followed by an apprehensive Edward, and an equally awkward Shaheen. Despite muling over possible Chinese felony convictions and the impossible to exclude potential of execution by firing squad, we trailed to our room glowing, gleeful, and thoroughly exhausted. Both Edward and I had pleasant dreams of north-western Chinese prison camps. It remains to be seen if that will indeed come to fruition.