Friday 2nd June, 2017                 1840

I confess I awoke in dark mood this morning after the events of yesterday. Of course as a teacher you have to be a consummate actor and leave your troubles outside the classroom door and I did find myself genuinely cheering up - especially after I terrified my first class by telling them in three weeks they have my exams!

To be fair, with the criteria I have been given for awarding marks, those that have had good attendance and were active at least a little, provided they can speak a bit of English, will pass. There are a few though who have only been once all term and they may as well not bother coming to the test at all as they will fail.

In the break between morning classes Janet came to my office. She had two things to tell me and, seeing my look when she mentioned this, she hastened to tell me they were good things. I really didn’t need any more bad news today.

She told me Brenda had phoned the Dean to ask if they wanted to continue employing me and if so could she send a report on my performance. This was immediately handed like a hot potato to Janet, who told me she didn’t know what to put in the report. I said “It’s simple, just put excellent for everything!”

She said it was going to be such hard work for her to do because she had never done it before and so jokingly I threw “I’ll write it if you like” at her.

I was stunned when she said, “Would you? Oh thanks very much!”

So this weekend I get to write my own appraisal, which Janet will then translate into Chinese to send on!!!! Unbelievable!

Then she told me to only teach one period of the afternoon class and then report to the dancing room (where students learn to dance) because there was a party for teachers to celebrate yesterday’s childrens’ day. It was news to me but I duly did as requested, to be greeted by the sight of a circle of teachers on chairs, each with a musical instrument of some sort. There were bongo drums, bass drums, tambourines etc and I was late it seems, everyone else had started twenty minutes previously.

I was given a bass drum to whack and had absolutely no idea what was going on! Apparently it was to make the teachers feel happy by letting off steam in a riot of noise. Thirty minutes after I got there it ended and we were all given a designer umbrella, costing I am told 200y each. I thought to myself how much better it would be if all my financial dealings were handled by my campus instead of people I rarely see,

Anyway, while I was sat on the bus waiting to leave for home, Janet hung about chatting. Had I heard of Big Shop? No. I think it’s very famous in the UK. It’s not that famous, I’ve never heard of it. Then I twigged, you mean Body Shop? Ah yes, Body Shop! She wanted to tell me all about her hand cream. Most interesting.

She then started telling me about “our leader” who is the chief party secretary (not the deputy one who I see regularly) who has just returned from Cyprus and the UK. It seems my list of suggestions for the programme were spot on. He was talking to the Cyprus head and was told only two of the students could understand the curriculum. My immediate comment to Janet was, “How many students did I pass?” - remember she suggested passing them all and I passed just three - and she said you were absolutely right, you were honest. Vindication.

He then asked her how many friends I had on Peili campus and she said I think only one. He thought I must be very lonely, which I denied in case they want me to move home - don’t want that hassle.

Janet then told me she had discussed the recent sports days, how I went every day and insisted on competing even with an injured arm (I didn’t, I only wanted to watch!) and by all accounts the boss was very impressed and moved. My efforts were not in vain.

I reckon my problems will evaporate in due course. It’s only the timing of the travel payment really that’s unresolved and I have pointed out what they are suggesting is in breach so I wait and see.

Suffice to say my mood this evening is buoyant.