Saturday 23rd September, 2017               0300

I should have known better.

When I went to bed after English Corner I could feel an attack on the way but despite previous experience I stupidly thought time in bed would see it off. Had I been teaching yesterday I would have taken preventative measures so as not to jeopardise actually getting to work because as sure as eggs are eggs it would have.

I awoke in the morning with an immobile and excruciatingly painful left ankle, brought on by standing in one spot for two hours, trapped by a steel ring of students eager to listen to the new kid on their block.

The crutches I abandoned in Chizhou would have been most welcome but instead I made my way to the study to grab a pill, swallow it and return to bed for a while. Shopping was out of the question and I had very real concerns regarding the speaking contest - well at least regarding getting there. I lay there envisaging having to ask them to send someone with a car and a walking stick!

It’s not a common occurrence, maybe once every couple of months and although it does take a few hours for the remedy to work its magic, this time seemed worse. When I did get up it was no better and I had to only make half a mug of coffee so I didn’t spill any whilst staggering to the study.

For the next four hours I sat here occasionally trying to move the joint to loosen it. Thankfully when the time came, medicine and stretching had got me to a manageable limping stage and I went to the library. When I asked students I had seen at the Corner where exactly it was being held, I nearly collapsed when they told me it was on the 6th floor! There IS a God! There was a lift!

The contest was the school final for the FLTRP cup. I had asked on Thursday but nobody could tell me. They also conducted it differently to Chizhou in that Annie (the other Peace Corps American teacher from Los Angeles) and I as usual had to ask the contestants questions after their speeches  but this was a first, we also got to score as judges. Unlike Chizhou though, I don’t think we will be paid for our time!

Pat, one of my soon to be new students (and I suspect a new “wife“) deservedly came first, another departure from the norm because girls never got picked to win in Chizhou, they preferred to select a second-rate male. I also thought another girl equally good but in a nod to the male preference the final contestant, male, was second. He delivered his speech by videophone from Beijing where he is teaching on an internship. He was admittedly good but not that good in my view.

I am now wondering if I will be asked to go to the provincial finals as a foreign mentor. Annie is seemingly disqualified for several reasons: A) She looks Chinese B) If the school wants to take a Peace Corps member to another city they have to seek permission from the Corps and most importantly, C) She doesn’t want to go! Kevin always did that because my idea of fun is not sitting for an entire weekend listening to hundreds of speeches on the same topic!

Anyway after the contest I suggested Annie and I went for dinner together. One of her students (she has freshmen, I have sophomores) had invited her so she asked if I would join them instead. Fine, I mentioned the place with the sweet pork so we ended up going there anyway. The student was a lad and later his female student friend joined us.

I was then invited to go to the cinema with them. Long term readers will already know I instantly refused because Chinese cinemagoers never shut up, been once, never again. Considering my age is probably not far off the combined total for the other three and the film they went to see was Planet Of The Apes, well!!!!

BUT.

I like Annie. We live close to each other and now I think we will be friends. Someone to have a drink with. For her, well, she can’t cook so when she learnt I can and that I make macaroni cheese she was in raptures. I have invited her here on Tuesday evening for same and what the hell, bread and butter pudding again too!

I have also offered her the use of my washing machine. She has been using Jacobs. She refuses to use the one in her flat because it is covered in mould. Even better it is a twin tub! The last example of this I saw was half a century ago and it belonged to my grandmother! I am sure if I go to her place I will find it even has a mangle!

I will suggest when I see her next that with Jacob gone, she should ask if the school will swap machines. I may be wrong but perhaps because the Peace Corps volunteers are young it is thought they will put up with more. Age and experience in China definitely are advantages, every shortcoming I have reported here has been rectified.      

I now have a bird of a feather, albeit American.