Last night as I said, we went for a Japanese meal. Arm and a leg at 350y but very enjoyable. This time it was planned so there are a few photos. I really must order something with either rice or noodles to fill me up next time but the problem is there are so many things to choose from and you can’t (as far as I can tell) just order rice as an accompaniment. Actually, thinking about it as I typed there, I am sure that as a (now) regular laowei patron it would be possible. We even drank sake. I still never tried the oysters although I did see two being cooked so I may not bother - I like them raw with lemon juice. I will definitely sample the huge tiger prawns though, they made my mouth water! I could easily eat there twice or thrice a week but for two people the bill would take a days wages each time.
I went to bed early last night but not early enough bearing in mind I needed to be up for six. I duly set my alarm for EIGHT! Damned good job I awoke just before six and realised the idiotic thing I had done otherwise what with my phone being turned off there could have been one extremely disappointed school.
However they were none the wiser as I turned up at the west gate at precisely 0740 as arranged and was met not by a taxi but one of the teachers driving a reasonably rare car here - a Ford Focus, and his aircon was great which was a blessing as today must have hovered around the ton.
The format for the day was the same as both occasions last year; everyone in the “boardroom” for an introduction session, teachers and students included (I even got Prof Wu to reintroduce himself!) and then me giving a brief history of my life followed by a Q&A session. That lasted about an hour and then we all went out, complete with school baseball caps and two large flags on standards. I confess to being concerned they were going to drag me up the mountains again (bad enough if it was cold but in the heat……) but it was just a short walk to the vegetable patch so the fitter ones could pick lunch. Actually I think it was their dinner because whatever it was - unidentified and nobody could tell me the name in English - it was green and the only green thing I saw at lunch was celery.
From then until lunchtime it was my show and of course games were expected. I had been a little disappointed to see one chap from last year because he had seen two of the three games I had prepared. He must be deliberately naughty so as to get sent there more than one summer, as indeed were I a kid I would do likewise because it is so idyllic. The picture game went well but Countdown not so much so we cut to Family Fortunes which was extremely well received. So much so that Prof Wu came in and tapped his watch - lunch was ready!
Now I have to say I don’t particularly enjoy the food they offer although of course everyone else does. I confined myself to rice, potatoes, cabbage and aubergines. It is always nice though to sit gambaying bin pijiu (cold beer) with Prof Wu who today declared me his “werry good friend”. and wouldn’t you know it, my Mother woke up early and telephoned me right in the middle of it!
Before we finished Prof Wu was at pains - through one of his uni students as he has a little English but not enough - to ascertain when I will return from the UK. They want me to go twice more next month and to be honest I will be disappointed if I don’t receive the call. It’s always a good few hours. By the way, Prof Wu is in the hooped shirt giving the victory sign in one shot. I noticed today that unlike last year where the only shop in the village was China Mobile, that has also closed. On enquiring how on earth anyone living there could buy food other than what they grow or rear unless they had a motorbike or car (I don’t think an e-bike would cope with the gradients) the answer was that they have to ask someone else to get it for them. It is ten minutes even by car to the nearest shops in the town of Maya (pronounced My-er) so you can imagine how isolated and quiet it is. But oh, so utterly beautiful!
When lunch was over I was given my pay. I always do it for free even though last year they offered, because they don’t charge the students or their parents, all the teachers are volunteers and the premises are given free because it is the village school normally but of course is empty now. My “salary”? Another school shirt but a slightly different design. For the first time since they gave me one last year, I wore it today as promised. I will in fact take it on holiday with me just to see how many people ask me what the Chinese characters mean.
On my return I was dead on my feet, Joanna told me last night that she was bringing a student of hers to stay the night before she rents her own room in town. As the only food I had at home was sausage rolls, spuds and peas and only enough for two she said don’t worry, they would sort themselves out. I in turn said I would think of something but as I desperately needed a nap I decided we could all go to the sweet pork place for dinner and accordingly sent her a text to say so. She never replied at the time but I knew she was teaching. At six however I was at the restaurant outside having an ale with Pepsi and still no reply so I sent another message. Nothing. I called her. She had just had her dinner at school! Great. I can only order two dishes where I was (because I always have them so to do it I simply hold up two fingers and they know) but they are expensive and far too much for one person. Dinner tonight has been cheese and biscuits. Women……..
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