Wednesday 11th September, 2013              2300

Today was most odd. We had our meeting, which turned out to be purely for the foreign teachers and their assistants along with the vice chancellor, Prof Fang and some other senior members of staff. And yes, we were free to air our gripes so I gave the tale of the bank accounts and left the others to Kevin. Whether it will have any effect? Maybe not. The dinner invitation was as I suspected our mid autumn festival dinner so I decamped to home to let the mutt out for a pee and then returned to get a lift with Kevin, who was staying downtown tonight.

The meal was at the Baihe hotel, a rather nice place sporting Regency style chairs for the dining table. As normal there were dozens of dishes, among the most unusual were jellyfish (not too keen on it) and cuttlefish (quite nice actually).

Now here is what made the day both strange and for me, confusing.

Kevin and I were both asked if we would like to move into one of the new two bedroom apartments. A considerable honour to be sure seeing as the Chinese teachers had to apply and were given them based on the number of points they had - length of service, qualifications etc - but it has completely mystified me. Why? Because if I have to find another job next summer why go to the trouble of moving me? It doesn’t make sense.

Additionally, in view of Prof Fang’s comment last term after I was sacked and was seeking a reversal, she expressed the worry that drinking pijou increased my blood pressure. Actually it doesn’t and alcohol often has the opposite effect when combined with medication but that‘s another thing. Anyway, during the onslaught of gambays that are a ritual part of any formal Chinese meal, I was confining myself to half glasses of ale. When Prof Fang toasted me, to my amazement she demanded I fill my glass. Curiouser and curiouser.

Additionally it would seem there is a definite unwritten pecking order for the foreign teachers. At a Chinese meal the host or most important person always takes the chair facing the door, in this case the vice chancellor. Kevin and I were seated to his right and left while Ollivier was two seats from me and the new Korean teacher was two seats from him. I would have thought if I was on the way out, surely I would have been placed in a lower position and anyway as the Korean lady has only just joined us I would have expected this to be her welcome meal and take pride of place. Not so.

On top of that Kevin who - bless his soul - had joined in with red wine and baijiu (and who is not a drinker) came to me and said that if we played our cards right our futures are secure. I enquired as to precisely what cards he was referring to and was told I had to get more involved. What???? How much more involved can I get? I go to all the student functions and am available most of the day if I am around for them to come and chat. He withdrew after opining he would chat with me when his head was clearer!

All in all, I can only say I am confused by the signals and messages today brought.

Thursday 12th         2215

Should have been a lazy day but instead it was focussed on unblocking my loo! I have a mop dedicated to such a thing but today it was most obstinate and only after an Herculean effort half an hour ago did I finally manage it.

I took Joanna to Brownings restaurant this evening, the new western style one. We were going to bus it but it was such a lovely warm evening she relented and we used the bike. I showed her the alternative route and for a second time I managed to get gloriously lost, riding through parts of the city hitherto unknown to me! There is clearly still some of the navigator in me for coming down a road I said to her that I thought this was where she taught in the summer. Until we actually passed the estate gates she hadn’t a clue!

The verdict after two visits to the restaurant? The best bit is the little cutie waitress. They had pea soup this time but without bragging mine is far better (and I now have the split peas to make it, the ham will arrive in a few more days) and the penne Bolognese is definitely not a patch on mine. Joanna ordered the Thai seafood hot soup, liked it apart from the noodles, potato cakes which are good and sausage and potato “pie” which was not well received, being Chinese sausage on top of pork mince on top of sliced spuds swimming in the oil from the above. She loved the Tiramisu though. The food is expensive as are the drinks (I took a hip flask of Jing Jo to save needing two cans of beer) and I could forgive all that if the food was something to write home about. It isn’t. I think their biggest problem is that the kitchen is no bigger than a small UK domestic one and I don’t think they will be in business a long time. Sad really as the actual restaurant is nicely turned out. Just short of 300y for two? I expect much better. I will go there again simply to see if I can find some dishes I like but it won’t be often.

I never took my camera sadly but hopefully Joanna will send me the ones she took with her phone. In the meantime it is Fearsome Friday tomorrow with a full line up of classes.