Friday 30th October, 2015 1700
Where to start?
Well I had been taking pills for the bungedupness, one night I took one but not even a shiver so the next night I took two, which is what you are supposed to do anyway. The next day as I mentioned, all that was produced was wind and so I took another two in the morning because by now even a cup of tea made me throw up. By Wednesday night all five pills combined with devastating effect. From 2200-0400 on the morning of my second visit to the dentist my woes progressed from a Colorado rock slide to a Himalayan avalanche, culminating in Niagara falls. The aftershocks are still rippling as I type.
It is my belief that the dentist never had any intention of carrying out the procedure, for when we arrived yesterday morning my mouth wasn’t even looked at and the dentist kept going off and treating other patients, then coming back to speak to Joan. Bear in mind I had stopped drinking and smoking as they had asked and you may imagine my blood was beginning to simmer. Then when the dentist was again talking to Joan a disgruntled customer came in and started talking loudly. Instead of being told to wait until I had been seen, she switched to him. Boiling, I waited a few minutes, during which time there has an explosion (no idea what it was) by one of the other chairs where a patient was being treated, they had to move him elsewhere.
In the end I said to Joan (the dentist was still dealing with the queue jumper) let’s go. She has no interest in fixing me up. Two entire mornings wasted for Joan and me and not surprisingly she is now too busy to accompany me to the hospital, which is possibly the only place I will get done. All my other possible translators are either busy or went home for the holiday so I can’t go tomorrow either. Who would have thought one tooth could present such problems? The only good thing is that whatever muck was put on it on Wednesday is still keeping the pain at bay.
The weather here is as freakish as ever - last week we were as high as 28C and this week they are forecasting 14C. Being unable to get my gob fixed I decided to utilise my time by getting my batteries checked. It was freezing on the bike. From my recent experience I knew I wouldn’t make it back again without stopping to charge up but when I got to the repair shop it was heaving. I explained using body language and a pen and paper what the problem was and I am pretty convinced they tried to get me to come back tomorrow. At this point I still held out hope of a translator for the hospital. There are advantages as well as disadvantages to being a foreigner because I simply said “tim bu dong” - I don’t understand. It worked. Someone was detailed to look at my batteries and as a result an hour later I rode out with five new 12v ones. Hopefully they will perform better for longer.
Having not been to RT Mart in a week I took the opportunity to do so and at the checkout I won a prize. I had to go to the prize centre downstairs to collect it. It was a tombola affair and my ticket awarded me any one of five glittering prizes. I was rather hoping one would be the electric lidded saucepan seeing as it was the most expensive but my choice was between a bar of laundry soap, two toothbrushes (apt), some odd sausages and two other items about which I hadn’t a clue. I took the toothbrushes.
So now the sports festival is over and I never saw a second of it and the only useful thing I did was get my bike fixed. It seems to me that since Chinese new year I have lurched from one medical problem to the next - maybe I’m on the way out!
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Wednesday 28th October, 2015 1400
After we finished Monday’s unit in Joan’s class I got them to sing Happy Birthday, much to her surprise. She told me later that she was confused and wondered who the song was for at first. She had forgotten it was her birthday. It sounds odd I know but of course the Chinese have both a Gregorian birthday and a lunar one. It would suggest she tends to celebrate the latter.
Anyway, the cake was big enough to give 32 students a slice apiece and I had bought enough juice and Coke to wash it down with.
Yesterday I felt awful. Hideous pain from my teeth and a general feeling of not being well which I put down to the cocktail of tablets I have been taking of late. Plus of course it has been impossible to sleep for more than three hours at a time because once the painkillers wore off I woke up. I was determined to go to the dentist this morning and asked Joan if she could come and translate for me.
Just before I was going to take my nap yesterday afternoon Kevin contacted me to say he had been asked to a Hallowe’en party last night in Chizhou. Obviously he couldn’t go and he wondered if either of the new foreigners would be interested. Considering I am the only foreigner on campus currently, the others having departed for Changsha and Huangshan, I didn’t want to disappoint the children and so agreed to go. So did Joan but a student union meeting was called at the last minute and she had to pull out. Anna stepped into the breach.
There was certainly a party in full flow when we got there but we were put into an empty classroom for an hour. We guessed we were being detained for a particular point in the party. Instead, eventually we heard all the kids leaving and then a girl (Lisa) came in and by then I had figured what this was all about - could I possibly go and teach there at weekends?
The answer was an emphatic “no”.
My evening had been wasted, an evening I could better have used by taking to my bed.
This morning Joan and I went to the dentist. Obviously one molar has to come out, possibly two, but I have never in my life had such a palaver. Firstly they wanted my full medical report (I don’t get that, the school does) and then they asked what medicines I had taken. Exasperated, I said to Joan all I wanted was a tooth extraction but oh no, they were worried it might kill me. They even took my blood pressure, which at 136/90 was a shade high but I had a fair walk from the bus stop. It’s hardly the first I will have pulled but all they did was clean the stump/hole up, apply some vile-tasting concoction on it (which I can still taste) and then suggested I return tomorrow having refrained from drinking and smoking for 24 hours. I was also told not to take any more painkillers so I can only hope whatever muck they stuck in my mouth will keep me pain-free until then.
That’s not going to happen anyway but what I will do is stop both drinking and smoking when I go to bed tonight, no more analgesia as of now and have nothing when I get up in the morning, I will even use snuff so I won’t be craving nicotine when I get there. And they will DECIDE whether or not they will take the gamble of whipping out the tooth. I will not be pleased if it is a waste of time because I had planned to take the bike in to have the batteries checked tomorrow.
Of course what has been a side effect of all the drugs is that I have become a bit bunged up and so far the pills I have for that have been effective only insofar as producing enormous volumes of flatulence. And so it was that at two this morning I was throwing up bile (I have eaten hardly anything for three days) and then again halfway through typing this blog. Life is not too bright at the moment!
It doesn’t appear as if I will enjoy the sports meetings or the holiday.
After we finished Monday’s unit in Joan’s class I got them to sing Happy Birthday, much to her surprise. She told me later that she was confused and wondered who the song was for at first. She had forgotten it was her birthday. It sounds odd I know but of course the Chinese have both a Gregorian birthday and a lunar one. It would suggest she tends to celebrate the latter.
Anyway, the cake was big enough to give 32 students a slice apiece and I had bought enough juice and Coke to wash it down with.
Yesterday I felt awful. Hideous pain from my teeth and a general feeling of not being well which I put down to the cocktail of tablets I have been taking of late. Plus of course it has been impossible to sleep for more than three hours at a time because once the painkillers wore off I woke up. I was determined to go to the dentist this morning and asked Joan if she could come and translate for me.
Just before I was going to take my nap yesterday afternoon Kevin contacted me to say he had been asked to a Hallowe’en party last night in Chizhou. Obviously he couldn’t go and he wondered if either of the new foreigners would be interested. Considering I am the only foreigner on campus currently, the others having departed for Changsha and Huangshan, I didn’t want to disappoint the children and so agreed to go. So did Joan but a student union meeting was called at the last minute and she had to pull out. Anna stepped into the breach.
There was certainly a party in full flow when we got there but we were put into an empty classroom for an hour. We guessed we were being detained for a particular point in the party. Instead, eventually we heard all the kids leaving and then a girl (Lisa) came in and by then I had figured what this was all about - could I possibly go and teach there at weekends?
The answer was an emphatic “no”.
My evening had been wasted, an evening I could better have used by taking to my bed.
This morning Joan and I went to the dentist. Obviously one molar has to come out, possibly two, but I have never in my life had such a palaver. Firstly they wanted my full medical report (I don’t get that, the school does) and then they asked what medicines I had taken. Exasperated, I said to Joan all I wanted was a tooth extraction but oh no, they were worried it might kill me. They even took my blood pressure, which at 136/90 was a shade high but I had a fair walk from the bus stop. It’s hardly the first I will have pulled but all they did was clean the stump/hole up, apply some vile-tasting concoction on it (which I can still taste) and then suggested I return tomorrow having refrained from drinking and smoking for 24 hours. I was also told not to take any more painkillers so I can only hope whatever muck they stuck in my mouth will keep me pain-free until then.
That’s not going to happen anyway but what I will do is stop both drinking and smoking when I go to bed tonight, no more analgesia as of now and have nothing when I get up in the morning, I will even use snuff so I won’t be craving nicotine when I get there. And they will DECIDE whether or not they will take the gamble of whipping out the tooth. I will not be pleased if it is a waste of time because I had planned to take the bike in to have the batteries checked tomorrow.
Of course what has been a side effect of all the drugs is that I have become a bit bunged up and so far the pills I have for that have been effective only insofar as producing enormous volumes of flatulence. And so it was that at two this morning I was throwing up bile (I have eaten hardly anything for three days) and then again halfway through typing this blog. Life is not too bright at the moment!
It doesn’t appear as if I will enjoy the sports meetings or the holiday.
Sunday, 25 October 2015
Sunday 25th October.2015
Well, I collected Joan from work yesterday and en route to the hotel encountered a problem. The flipping batteries on my bike started to peg out. It’s not even a year old until next month and I’m not happy but it does explain why just running about around campus and to the bus stop have seen me getting caught out and thinking I must have used it more than I thought.
I left campus fully charged yesterday and there is no way it shouldn’t have easily made the return journey two-up with juice to spare. I have no idea whether batteries are covered under warranty or not but regardless I need a new set so tomorrow Joan or A N Other will be making a call. There’s no way that I can countenance riding to town and then every time having to stop at a restaurant for a beer (as I did yesterday and indeed was no hardship because there was no hurry) and having to beg to use their extension to recharge. I KNEW there was something wrong but having bussed everywhere lately I just thought it was me going potty.
Anyway, we got to the hotel, entered and asked reception if they had somewhere I could charge my bike. Yes, in the underground car park. Eventually we found an extension (which I think belonged to the owner of the bike which was already charging!) and I plugged in.
Back up to reception to check in, where we were turned away. We were refused because there are two check-ins - one for economy customers and another for superior ones. I try not to skimp.
Off we trotted to the VIP section (OK, it had cost me more than double the cheap rate but at 288y was still very reasonable) and we were in. Where is the advertised bar? It’s a green tea bar. Marvellous. And the western restaurant they talk about on the internet? Don’t know what you mean. All ye who enter here, forget an English breakfast.
Having said that the room was capacious. The hotel carpets could do with a deep clean but otherwise it was bloody good, especially given the price. Bath and separate shower, mini fridge and we were greeted by two kissing swans fashioned out of towels on the bed and scattered with fake cloth red rose petals. The bathroom sink was full of water with real petals floating atop.
So no bar, no western restaurant and no free razor. Not a good start given that in my hurry to get to the freshmen welcome party I had forgotten to shave that day. I had gotten up after twelve because my teeth had kept me up most of the night (I think I am in danger of overdosing on painkillers - dentist visit this week regardless) and so I wasn’t happy. They did have western films on TV which soothed the savage breast somewhat. In fact the room was great.
The restaurant was advertised as a seafood hotpot place but it isn’t. On arrival Joan was told they had no tables. We were really getting off to a flying start. I made the comment that we were guests of the hotel and they had better find one fast. They did, although it quickly became apparent why they had little space. A company was having a works outing with at least thirty or forty employees and boy, were they enjoying themselves! The wine, baijiu and beer were flowing freely and they kept breaking into song. A grouch would have begrudged them but I found myself rejoicing in their unfettered enjoyment of their evening - red faces and all. See photo, the only one because I never took my camera in my haste.
We were shown into an aquarium where a vast range of seafood was on display, still alive, from abalone to really sizeable Australian lobsters at 580y per 750g. I like to do things in style whenever possible but with the probability of one lobster costing 1500y and notwithstanding that it is my favourite food on the planet, I resisted. Instead we chose baby squid, a fish, live prawns and two scallops. These were transformed into very tasty dishes and, unusually for China, brought out at intervals. It was excellent. Jane Horrocks and her husband (well she was a Chinese version) were at the next table and too late we were informed they also did steaks, plus I saw Jane thumbing through a menu with photos.
I asked for a copy and although I don’t regret the seafood option, they do other stuff such as roast suckling pig, baked horseradish and the like which I will indeed try, for this was not the first and last time I will go there. An excellent evening made better by the drunken antics of the employees cavorting not six feet away.
Back in the room it was time to do what I intended, relax and watch a film. Sadly my mouth problems interfered with sleeping and so when the alarm went off not only had I been desperately trying to get back to sleep since darkness but I was plumb tuckered out.
Joan of course needed breakfast and to be frank even if they had western food on offer I doubt I would have eaten it, I felt dreadful. She managed two plates of traditional Chinese fare, I smoked a cigar. I could have had a fried egg on toast. I really wish the internet would stop lying.
Then we left. I pictured the map in my mind (never took the computer) and got us back. Joan had a computer exam in the business street followed by a class so I dropped her off there - the battery held out.
At dinner last night the translation company had phoned with a 4,000 word job that is apparently vital for them, they have translated it several times and the client is furious because it is not ok. I wanted to go back to bed on my return but against my wishes I cleaned it up and can see why the customer isn’t happy, it was shit. Maybe one day they will learn to send it to me first instead of trying to do it themselves to save money. It may still be but I can only mop up the translations I am given, not easy when these days all I get are medical studies with vocabulary I am unfamiliar with. It’s done now (I hope) and some more in the pot for the Harbin Ice City fund which will require at least six weeks’ salary to undertake. I am hell bent on going though even if I have to spend more than a day on a train to get there.
It’s Joan’s birthday tomorrow, she thinks I have no idea and of course doesn’t realise this weekend was part of it and she has no idea about tomorrow’s party in class. With luck the right things will arrive later for me to make fudge but if not we still have the cake. I would love to buy her one of the bracelets I saw her admiring a couple of weeks ago but given the 600y it will cost me to get Bristle spayed and the spending on Harbin/Shenyang, I really can’t splash out at present. I WILL get her a bracelet, just not now.
Well, I collected Joan from work yesterday and en route to the hotel encountered a problem. The flipping batteries on my bike started to peg out. It’s not even a year old until next month and I’m not happy but it does explain why just running about around campus and to the bus stop have seen me getting caught out and thinking I must have used it more than I thought.
I left campus fully charged yesterday and there is no way it shouldn’t have easily made the return journey two-up with juice to spare. I have no idea whether batteries are covered under warranty or not but regardless I need a new set so tomorrow Joan or A N Other will be making a call. There’s no way that I can countenance riding to town and then every time having to stop at a restaurant for a beer (as I did yesterday and indeed was no hardship because there was no hurry) and having to beg to use their extension to recharge. I KNEW there was something wrong but having bussed everywhere lately I just thought it was me going potty.
Anyway, we got to the hotel, entered and asked reception if they had somewhere I could charge my bike. Yes, in the underground car park. Eventually we found an extension (which I think belonged to the owner of the bike which was already charging!) and I plugged in.
Back up to reception to check in, where we were turned away. We were refused because there are two check-ins - one for economy customers and another for superior ones. I try not to skimp.
Off we trotted to the VIP section (OK, it had cost me more than double the cheap rate but at 288y was still very reasonable) and we were in. Where is the advertised bar? It’s a green tea bar. Marvellous. And the western restaurant they talk about on the internet? Don’t know what you mean. All ye who enter here, forget an English breakfast.
Having said that the room was capacious. The hotel carpets could do with a deep clean but otherwise it was bloody good, especially given the price. Bath and separate shower, mini fridge and we were greeted by two kissing swans fashioned out of towels on the bed and scattered with fake cloth red rose petals. The bathroom sink was full of water with real petals floating atop.
So no bar, no western restaurant and no free razor. Not a good start given that in my hurry to get to the freshmen welcome party I had forgotten to shave that day. I had gotten up after twelve because my teeth had kept me up most of the night (I think I am in danger of overdosing on painkillers - dentist visit this week regardless) and so I wasn’t happy. They did have western films on TV which soothed the savage breast somewhat. In fact the room was great.
The restaurant was advertised as a seafood hotpot place but it isn’t. On arrival Joan was told they had no tables. We were really getting off to a flying start. I made the comment that we were guests of the hotel and they had better find one fast. They did, although it quickly became apparent why they had little space. A company was having a works outing with at least thirty or forty employees and boy, were they enjoying themselves! The wine, baijiu and beer were flowing freely and they kept breaking into song. A grouch would have begrudged them but I found myself rejoicing in their unfettered enjoyment of their evening - red faces and all. See photo, the only one because I never took my camera in my haste.
We were shown into an aquarium where a vast range of seafood was on display, still alive, from abalone to really sizeable Australian lobsters at 580y per 750g. I like to do things in style whenever possible but with the probability of one lobster costing 1500y and notwithstanding that it is my favourite food on the planet, I resisted. Instead we chose baby squid, a fish, live prawns and two scallops. These were transformed into very tasty dishes and, unusually for China, brought out at intervals. It was excellent. Jane Horrocks and her husband (well she was a Chinese version) were at the next table and too late we were informed they also did steaks, plus I saw Jane thumbing through a menu with photos.
I asked for a copy and although I don’t regret the seafood option, they do other stuff such as roast suckling pig, baked horseradish and the like which I will indeed try, for this was not the first and last time I will go there. An excellent evening made better by the drunken antics of the employees cavorting not six feet away.
Back in the room it was time to do what I intended, relax and watch a film. Sadly my mouth problems interfered with sleeping and so when the alarm went off not only had I been desperately trying to get back to sleep since darkness but I was plumb tuckered out.
Joan of course needed breakfast and to be frank even if they had western food on offer I doubt I would have eaten it, I felt dreadful. She managed two plates of traditional Chinese fare, I smoked a cigar. I could have had a fried egg on toast. I really wish the internet would stop lying.
Then we left. I pictured the map in my mind (never took the computer) and got us back. Joan had a computer exam in the business street followed by a class so I dropped her off there - the battery held out.
At dinner last night the translation company had phoned with a 4,000 word job that is apparently vital for them, they have translated it several times and the client is furious because it is not ok. I wanted to go back to bed on my return but against my wishes I cleaned it up and can see why the customer isn’t happy, it was shit. Maybe one day they will learn to send it to me first instead of trying to do it themselves to save money. It may still be but I can only mop up the translations I am given, not easy when these days all I get are medical studies with vocabulary I am unfamiliar with. It’s done now (I hope) and some more in the pot for the Harbin Ice City fund which will require at least six weeks’ salary to undertake. I am hell bent on going though even if I have to spend more than a day on a train to get there.
It’s Joan’s birthday tomorrow, she thinks I have no idea and of course doesn’t realise this weekend was part of it and she has no idea about tomorrow’s party in class. With luck the right things will arrive later for me to make fudge but if not we still have the cake. I would love to buy her one of the bracelets I saw her admiring a couple of weeks ago but given the 600y it will cost me to get Bristle spayed and the spending on Harbin/Shenyang, I really can’t splash out at present. I WILL get her a bracelet, just not now.
Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Wednesday 21st October, 2015 1700
Well we finally got paid a week late on Monday, much to my relief. I had plans for this weekend and next Monday and without knowing I would have money or not, I couldn’t move.
However, all is well with the world again (and the Chinglish translations have started up again, even if they ARE stultifyingly boring scientific reports on research into diabetes mellitus) and I have now booked a night in an hotel in town for Saturday ( a western restaurant is advertised and I can but live in hope of getting a semblance of a western breakfast) because it is Joan’s birthday on Monday so I am treating her. On the day itself, provided my internet shopping arrives in time (mainly Lyle’s golden syrup) then her class will be treated to juice, cola and if I don’t screw it up because I have never tried to make it before, fudge.
I know it doesn’t sound like it but I am actually trying to save up enough to visit the ice city in spring festival as well as going to see Steve in Shenyang again. I just hope I can do it. The problem is, whenever I search for dates for flights or hotels during the festival, they are way above what I would pay if I was going or staying tomorrow. I really can see us taking a sleeper train to get there, if not on the return as well. The only good thing is that if we go by train it can be timed so that we won’t need a hotel in Hefei on the outbound leg and if Joan is sensible she will not return here, rather spend a night in Hefei with me and have already bought her train ticket to Suzhou. Hefei is five hours on the train and it is en route to her home, so she would have four hours or less to travel.
I have three pieces of pork to turn into ham but I had forgotten the sports holiday next week so again it will be left curing for ten days or so. This time I am trying with some honey in the mix. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
For the past five days I have not slept well. A molar broke some time ago and because it caused me no discomfort other than a sharp edge my tongue kept worrying and also the lack of a medical card (I didn’t want to spend my own cash), I left it. I now have an abscess which is quite painful and which I am treating with antibiotics and of course painkillers. I know it is pointless going to the dentist until the infection is gone so for the present it is a case of grinning and bearing it. When I do finally go I reckon it will cost a packet because I will ask if they can make me some dentures which are not like the NHS ones I have never worn with the metal clips to hold them in place. If I am going to take the plunge I want the ones that stay put by themselves without needing superglue.
We are having really nice weather at the moment, mid twenties every day with no rain in sight. In fact if it was like this all the time it would be perfect.
Tomorrow and Friday I will shop and the Lingdian society had scheduled a freshmen welcome party for Friday night. Due to class commitments they have now rescheduled to Saturday afternoon which is a pain because I am collecting Joan at 1630. I have told them I will have to leave early. Richard I think can attend the entire thing but Juliette, if she turns up at all, will be late. I do wish they would get their act together.
Well we finally got paid a week late on Monday, much to my relief. I had plans for this weekend and next Monday and without knowing I would have money or not, I couldn’t move.
However, all is well with the world again (and the Chinglish translations have started up again, even if they ARE stultifyingly boring scientific reports on research into diabetes mellitus) and I have now booked a night in an hotel in town for Saturday ( a western restaurant is advertised and I can but live in hope of getting a semblance of a western breakfast) because it is Joan’s birthday on Monday so I am treating her. On the day itself, provided my internet shopping arrives in time (mainly Lyle’s golden syrup) then her class will be treated to juice, cola and if I don’t screw it up because I have never tried to make it before, fudge.
I know it doesn’t sound like it but I am actually trying to save up enough to visit the ice city in spring festival as well as going to see Steve in Shenyang again. I just hope I can do it. The problem is, whenever I search for dates for flights or hotels during the festival, they are way above what I would pay if I was going or staying tomorrow. I really can see us taking a sleeper train to get there, if not on the return as well. The only good thing is that if we go by train it can be timed so that we won’t need a hotel in Hefei on the outbound leg and if Joan is sensible she will not return here, rather spend a night in Hefei with me and have already bought her train ticket to Suzhou. Hefei is five hours on the train and it is en route to her home, so she would have four hours or less to travel.
I have three pieces of pork to turn into ham but I had forgotten the sports holiday next week so again it will be left curing for ten days or so. This time I am trying with some honey in the mix. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
For the past five days I have not slept well. A molar broke some time ago and because it caused me no discomfort other than a sharp edge my tongue kept worrying and also the lack of a medical card (I didn’t want to spend my own cash), I left it. I now have an abscess which is quite painful and which I am treating with antibiotics and of course painkillers. I know it is pointless going to the dentist until the infection is gone so for the present it is a case of grinning and bearing it. When I do finally go I reckon it will cost a packet because I will ask if they can make me some dentures which are not like the NHS ones I have never worn with the metal clips to hold them in place. If I am going to take the plunge I want the ones that stay put by themselves without needing superglue.
We are having really nice weather at the moment, mid twenties every day with no rain in sight. In fact if it was like this all the time it would be perfect.
Tomorrow and Friday I will shop and the Lingdian society had scheduled a freshmen welcome party for Friday night. Due to class commitments they have now rescheduled to Saturday afternoon which is a pain because I am collecting Joan at 1630. I have told them I will have to leave early. Richard I think can attend the entire thing but Juliette, if she turns up at all, will be late. I do wish they would get their act together.
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Sunday 18th October, 2015 1730
Now a shopping trip to town has more plans:
Plan A - bus to and from south gate (only during the week at off-peak times)
Plan B - go to the terminus to guarantee a seat going and hope for one returning
Plan C - for weekends, go to the terminus, go shopping then when finished get another bus away from school to the commercial centre, cross the road and catch another bus going in the opposite direction to guarantee a seat back. Plan C costs an extra half an hour and 1y
Plan D - Don’t go at all
Plan C was born yesterday. I had absolutely no intention of going shopping this weekend but what with not being paid I had no option. Joan has very kindly and very trustingly helped me out but she didn’t do so until Friday night so I had two choices - actually three - don’t go, take the bus or take the bike. I took the bus both days and never stood once. And for 20p extra for the weekend.
As for not being paid, I may have been told the truth of the matter. Here they have a ludicrous system whereby to even get a penny authorised for payment, five signatures are required (presumably accompanied by official stamps using red ink). The president of the university is currently abroad on a jolly (Canada, Australia or somewhere) and so because of lack of forethought about six hundred teaching staff cannot be paid. Utterly idiotic and when I enquired as to what would happen should his flight back crash and he was killed, I was told not to be a bad omen. It wouldn’t be as bad had they at least warned everyone so they could prepare but officially there has been nothing and it was only when I sent Anthony a text mentioning breach of contract that I got the true picture. The Chinese attitude is that you should save just in case. Well I did but I spent it all having a great summer holiday and they picked the worst ever month to do this in my case! Thank God for my other interest which will see money in my account before the month’s end.
In fairness, I have to say I have never once thought I wouldn’t ultimately be paid and yes, occasionally it has been a day or two late but like the Pony Express, it always comes through in the end. Far be it from me to be a troublemaker.
On Friday the English speaking competition was held. As usual the true winner was not chosen. As a question master I have no influence over the scores but the best speech went to Carol, who again let herself down with the delivery of same. Best performance overall and the winner by far was Anna. But of course they are girls. Naturally my third placed contestant (ok, one of my students) won it because he was a boy. I really wish the university (or at least the foreign language department) would grow a pair and actually pick the best performer instead of almost always leaning towards the males just because they think the rest of China does the same. Joanna could have gone far had she not quit (and I never blamed her), Daisy could definitely have made it to the nationals, as could Rinka have done. They competed in the days you could take two to the provincials and every time there was always a boy in there. Our winner this year will not go further, of that I am certain. I feel really sorry for Anna. Elizabeth tried for her first time this year but sadly was too nervous, she should have had a bash at it for her previous three years and she would have been more seasoned. I just hope they don’t want me to go to wherever they hold the provincial heats - that was Kevin’s bag, certainly not mine.
So this weekend I had the contest on Friday and then sitting for a couple of hours both weekend days on the Lingdian society’s recruitment stand at the annual freshman “suck ’em in” weekend. They have societies for all sorts of things from Tae Kwon Do to Art to guitar playing. One of the stalls was for cosplay. What the hell happened to calling it fancy dress? Anyway, please see the two weddings I staged in the two photos. It’s the nearest I will ever get, the closest before has been as best man and father of the bride.
Embarrassingly I was the only foreign teacher to show support by going to the stall, Richard having decided spending a single night with his girlfriend took priority and Juliette I am guessing tied one on last night after dinner with friends because despite having said she would attend today, she didn’t wake up until mid-afternoon. It happens.
Now a shopping trip to town has more plans:
Plan A - bus to and from south gate (only during the week at off-peak times)
Plan B - go to the terminus to guarantee a seat going and hope for one returning
Plan C - for weekends, go to the terminus, go shopping then when finished get another bus away from school to the commercial centre, cross the road and catch another bus going in the opposite direction to guarantee a seat back. Plan C costs an extra half an hour and 1y
Plan D - Don’t go at all
Plan C was born yesterday. I had absolutely no intention of going shopping this weekend but what with not being paid I had no option. Joan has very kindly and very trustingly helped me out but she didn’t do so until Friday night so I had two choices - actually three - don’t go, take the bus or take the bike. I took the bus both days and never stood once. And for 20p extra for the weekend.
As for not being paid, I may have been told the truth of the matter. Here they have a ludicrous system whereby to even get a penny authorised for payment, five signatures are required (presumably accompanied by official stamps using red ink). The president of the university is currently abroad on a jolly (Canada, Australia or somewhere) and so because of lack of forethought about six hundred teaching staff cannot be paid. Utterly idiotic and when I enquired as to what would happen should his flight back crash and he was killed, I was told not to be a bad omen. It wouldn’t be as bad had they at least warned everyone so they could prepare but officially there has been nothing and it was only when I sent Anthony a text mentioning breach of contract that I got the true picture. The Chinese attitude is that you should save just in case. Well I did but I spent it all having a great summer holiday and they picked the worst ever month to do this in my case! Thank God for my other interest which will see money in my account before the month’s end.
In fairness, I have to say I have never once thought I wouldn’t ultimately be paid and yes, occasionally it has been a day or two late but like the Pony Express, it always comes through in the end. Far be it from me to be a troublemaker.
On Friday the English speaking competition was held. As usual the true winner was not chosen. As a question master I have no influence over the scores but the best speech went to Carol, who again let herself down with the delivery of same. Best performance overall and the winner by far was Anna. But of course they are girls. Naturally my third placed contestant (ok, one of my students) won it because he was a boy. I really wish the university (or at least the foreign language department) would grow a pair and actually pick the best performer instead of almost always leaning towards the males just because they think the rest of China does the same. Joanna could have gone far had she not quit (and I never blamed her), Daisy could definitely have made it to the nationals, as could Rinka have done. They competed in the days you could take two to the provincials and every time there was always a boy in there. Our winner this year will not go further, of that I am certain. I feel really sorry for Anna. Elizabeth tried for her first time this year but sadly was too nervous, she should have had a bash at it for her previous three years and she would have been more seasoned. I just hope they don’t want me to go to wherever they hold the provincial heats - that was Kevin’s bag, certainly not mine.
So this weekend I had the contest on Friday and then sitting for a couple of hours both weekend days on the Lingdian society’s recruitment stand at the annual freshman “suck ’em in” weekend. They have societies for all sorts of things from Tae Kwon Do to Art to guitar playing. One of the stalls was for cosplay. What the hell happened to calling it fancy dress? Anyway, please see the two weddings I staged in the two photos. It’s the nearest I will ever get, the closest before has been as best man and father of the bride.
Embarrassingly I was the only foreign teacher to show support by going to the stall, Richard having decided spending a single night with his girlfriend took priority and Juliette I am guessing tied one on last night after dinner with friends because despite having said she would attend today, she didn’t wake up until mid-afternoon. It happens.
Thursday, 15 October 2015
Wednesday 14th October, 2015 1730
Well although I still haven’t been paid for this month I feel slightly better after being informed nobody has been paid, so it’s not just us. It still leaves me scratching around and unable to do any serious shopping but hopefully it will be resolved tomorrow or at the latest Friday, otherwise I am in shtuck.
Anthony came a couple of nights ago and presented me with a week’s worth of China Dailies. Thinking he had bought them for me, I thanked him but he told me he had just happened to go to the campus post office and they had been arriving and the woman had no idea how to get them to me. Apparently I had subscribed to the paper. It was the first I had heard of it and I said that I hoped nobody was going to be looking for me to pay the 2y a day it costs, especially as I can read it online.
When I arrived at my class today a student gave me a letter and the envelope stated it was from the State Administration of Foreign Affairs. I thought bloody hell, what have I done now? Am I to be deported unceremoniously for some infraction?
I opened the envelope and pulled out the letter, which had helpfully also been provided in Chinese as well. It was a standard letter every foreign expert has been sent, thanking us for our work in improving social conditions and bridging the culture divides. It went on further to say that selected experts would be sent free copies of China Daily from now until the end of the year! Mystery solved. They are trying to elicit foreigners’ views and experiences of and in China. As I think they pay a couple of hundred yuan for the tales they publish, I may have a crack at submitting one.
The preliminary round of the national English speaking contest takes place on Friday. This evening Queenie (one of my students) and Anna both want me to go over their speeches and critique them. Queenie I can understand but Anna does this with everything, she leaves all to the last moment and she has known the topic since before the summer holidays. She will also read this and Anna I hope you are embarrassed by your lack of application! I will go over both speeches tomorrow after my class, following which Anna will probably do what she did last time - recite it ad infinitum all night and not go to sleep.
The Borrowers (Andrei and Juliette) have this afternoon more or less wiped out my supply of crockery, cutlery and glassware. I can’t wait for her to get paid so she can buy her own! However they have bought tonight’s food and he has spent all day preparing a Romanian soup, main course and two rather large apple strudels currently cooking in my oven. Sadly I need to conserve funds, so I will be taking one bottle of Aussie wine and one of my cheap stuff. It also seems that they will know within a week whether in fact he will be given a job teaching here or not. Quite where the classes will come from I have no idea but if they can rustle up a position for him I for one will be happy. It makes a pleasant change not to have to cook at all for the Bucharest Beanfest (I couldn’t find any cities in Romania beginning with W to pair it with Wednesday!). I will remember my camera this time.
Thursday 15th
Still unpaid.
However, eight of us sat down for dinner last night, from left to right in the two photos are Richard, Andrei, Juliette, Anthony, Jane, Ann and Joan. Having never tried Romanian food before I was a trifle concerned I might not like it. It was certainly different!
The soup was a strange chicken affair with liberal amounts of lemon juice in it and with which you are meant to eat vinegared chillis with (blew my tongue off), whilst the main course was a crock-pot of fatty pork, cabbage and rice filled dumplings accompanied by a very salty yoghurt sauce. Both were tasty and of course apple strudel is apple strudel but naturally there was no cream or custard seeing as they are difficult to obtain. Anthony had brought a bottle of baijiu to the party and both Andre and Juliette sampled it. Whether they will repeat the experience remains to be seen.
Just before my class this afternoon I had a call from Jane (another one, this is the Dean’s assistant) asking me if I could be a question master at the speaking contest tomorrow afternoon. I can, although if the salary is in the bank in the morning I will go shopping first. I was also asked to tell Richard about it, which I did about an hour ago. He can’t do it because they have scheduled his initial medical exam in Anqing for tomorrow so I have no idea whether I will be the only one or they will get a Chinese teacher to take his place. Annoyingly the first time I will see the speeches will be when the competition starts. In the past Kevin and I were given them a couple of days in advance so we could ensure our questions weren’t the same, not to mention that coming up with questions on the hoof rapidly isn’t easy when they expect you to ensure they aren’t too hard for the speakers. Puzzlingly, this is only the first of two preliminary rounds and normally we aren’t asked to be question masters until the school final.
So my three days off will be anything but. The contest tomorrow and then Saturday and Sunday I am expected to put a couple of hours in manning the language stall. It could be worse, at least the weather is nice.
Well although I still haven’t been paid for this month I feel slightly better after being informed nobody has been paid, so it’s not just us. It still leaves me scratching around and unable to do any serious shopping but hopefully it will be resolved tomorrow or at the latest Friday, otherwise I am in shtuck.
Anthony came a couple of nights ago and presented me with a week’s worth of China Dailies. Thinking he had bought them for me, I thanked him but he told me he had just happened to go to the campus post office and they had been arriving and the woman had no idea how to get them to me. Apparently I had subscribed to the paper. It was the first I had heard of it and I said that I hoped nobody was going to be looking for me to pay the 2y a day it costs, especially as I can read it online.
When I arrived at my class today a student gave me a letter and the envelope stated it was from the State Administration of Foreign Affairs. I thought bloody hell, what have I done now? Am I to be deported unceremoniously for some infraction?
I opened the envelope and pulled out the letter, which had helpfully also been provided in Chinese as well. It was a standard letter every foreign expert has been sent, thanking us for our work in improving social conditions and bridging the culture divides. It went on further to say that selected experts would be sent free copies of China Daily from now until the end of the year! Mystery solved. They are trying to elicit foreigners’ views and experiences of and in China. As I think they pay a couple of hundred yuan for the tales they publish, I may have a crack at submitting one.
The preliminary round of the national English speaking contest takes place on Friday. This evening Queenie (one of my students) and Anna both want me to go over their speeches and critique them. Queenie I can understand but Anna does this with everything, she leaves all to the last moment and she has known the topic since before the summer holidays. She will also read this and Anna I hope you are embarrassed by your lack of application! I will go over both speeches tomorrow after my class, following which Anna will probably do what she did last time - recite it ad infinitum all night and not go to sleep.
The Borrowers (Andrei and Juliette) have this afternoon more or less wiped out my supply of crockery, cutlery and glassware. I can’t wait for her to get paid so she can buy her own! However they have bought tonight’s food and he has spent all day preparing a Romanian soup, main course and two rather large apple strudels currently cooking in my oven. Sadly I need to conserve funds, so I will be taking one bottle of Aussie wine and one of my cheap stuff. It also seems that they will know within a week whether in fact he will be given a job teaching here or not. Quite where the classes will come from I have no idea but if they can rustle up a position for him I for one will be happy. It makes a pleasant change not to have to cook at all for the Bucharest Beanfest (I couldn’t find any cities in Romania beginning with W to pair it with Wednesday!). I will remember my camera this time.
Thursday 15th
Still unpaid.
However, eight of us sat down for dinner last night, from left to right in the two photos are Richard, Andrei, Juliette, Anthony, Jane, Ann and Joan. Having never tried Romanian food before I was a trifle concerned I might not like it. It was certainly different!
The soup was a strange chicken affair with liberal amounts of lemon juice in it and with which you are meant to eat vinegared chillis with (blew my tongue off), whilst the main course was a crock-pot of fatty pork, cabbage and rice filled dumplings accompanied by a very salty yoghurt sauce. Both were tasty and of course apple strudel is apple strudel but naturally there was no cream or custard seeing as they are difficult to obtain. Anthony had brought a bottle of baijiu to the party and both Andre and Juliette sampled it. Whether they will repeat the experience remains to be seen.
Just before my class this afternoon I had a call from Jane (another one, this is the Dean’s assistant) asking me if I could be a question master at the speaking contest tomorrow afternoon. I can, although if the salary is in the bank in the morning I will go shopping first. I was also asked to tell Richard about it, which I did about an hour ago. He can’t do it because they have scheduled his initial medical exam in Anqing for tomorrow so I have no idea whether I will be the only one or they will get a Chinese teacher to take his place. Annoyingly the first time I will see the speeches will be when the competition starts. In the past Kevin and I were given them a couple of days in advance so we could ensure our questions weren’t the same, not to mention that coming up with questions on the hoof rapidly isn’t easy when they expect you to ensure they aren’t too hard for the speakers. Puzzlingly, this is only the first of two preliminary rounds and normally we aren’t asked to be question masters until the school final.
So my three days off will be anything but. The contest tomorrow and then Saturday and Sunday I am expected to put a couple of hours in manning the language stall. It could be worse, at least the weather is nice.
Monday, 12 October 2015
Monday 12th October, 2015 1800
Well the students weren’t too happy about the make-up class on Saturday and as you know I wasn’t pleased at having been given no official notification. I was even less pleased when I received nine text messages from students telling me they would be late because their form teacher had told them to go to his office at precisely the time my lesson started. Perhaps it was something important but my beef is with the fact that their head teacher could have easily obtained my number from the website and forewarned me out of courtesy. Once again it is shown that foreign teachers don’t count for much in the grand scheme of things in the faculty’s eyes. Somehow I doubt they would do the same to their Chinese colleagues. I may be wrong.
Yesterday morning Joan came to bring me the nutmeg I had ordered online. She commented that she had just seen a foreigner who at first glance she thought was Ollivier. Once again the laowei were not informed a new colleague had arrived so once again we were unable to welcome our new neighbour from the outset. In fact, later when I was putting my rubbish outside, I met him coming back from his guided walking tour of the campus. Richard is a young lad, slightly shorter than Ollivier but with a fuller beard and I could see why Joan initially thought he had returned. Younger also, being but a stripling of twenty-six and with a far weaker accent than I had expected. The reason he was late was the time it took to process his work visa. Whether that is down to the foreign affairs office here or when he actually accepted the job I know not.
He has been in this game for two years already but I have forgotten where he taught in China, so he’s not a complete newbie, only to Chizhou. He has a Chinese girlfriend who lives and works in Changsha and he is most disappointed to learn it will take six or more hours travelling to get there to visit her. It may not look too far on a map but in fact it is 700km away. He is from Port Elizabeth and I suspect he was surprised when I told him I knew it - a long time ago I went to look at a whaling station there and got soaked in blood when a whale being retrieved from the harbour rolled over and with the gas build up in the carcase, it farted blood and gas from the harpoon wound. I was about ten feet away.
I never went to town all weekend (which was the plan) and good job too because today is payday and I haven’t been paid. This happens every sodding year, they forget to tell payroll which foreign teachers are still here. Had I gone shopping I would have been up the creek and in fact I had left a month’s pay in advance for Mulan doing my housework and had to ask her to wait in case I needed it. Another fine example of how we are treated differently and yes I should be inured to it by now (and to an extent I am) but nonetheless it aggravates me that they never ever put systems in place to help things run smoothly. I want to go shopping tomorrow afternoon but that looks doubtful now.
Andrei and Juliette have just advised me they are having a Romanian food evening on Wednesday. I’ve never eaten Romanian cuisine so I hope I like it (and I hope I have been paid so I can take some wine!) - if it’s similar to Polish grub then I may well be ok.
The weather now is decidedly autumnal with daytimes in the low twenties and the nights a bit chilly. Perfect, although now I may have to start using a quilt on the bed instead of just the cover.
For now though, it is situation normal - nobody tells us anything!
Well the students weren’t too happy about the make-up class on Saturday and as you know I wasn’t pleased at having been given no official notification. I was even less pleased when I received nine text messages from students telling me they would be late because their form teacher had told them to go to his office at precisely the time my lesson started. Perhaps it was something important but my beef is with the fact that their head teacher could have easily obtained my number from the website and forewarned me out of courtesy. Once again it is shown that foreign teachers don’t count for much in the grand scheme of things in the faculty’s eyes. Somehow I doubt they would do the same to their Chinese colleagues. I may be wrong.
Yesterday morning Joan came to bring me the nutmeg I had ordered online. She commented that she had just seen a foreigner who at first glance she thought was Ollivier. Once again the laowei were not informed a new colleague had arrived so once again we were unable to welcome our new neighbour from the outset. In fact, later when I was putting my rubbish outside, I met him coming back from his guided walking tour of the campus. Richard is a young lad, slightly shorter than Ollivier but with a fuller beard and I could see why Joan initially thought he had returned. Younger also, being but a stripling of twenty-six and with a far weaker accent than I had expected. The reason he was late was the time it took to process his work visa. Whether that is down to the foreign affairs office here or when he actually accepted the job I know not.
He has been in this game for two years already but I have forgotten where he taught in China, so he’s not a complete newbie, only to Chizhou. He has a Chinese girlfriend who lives and works in Changsha and he is most disappointed to learn it will take six or more hours travelling to get there to visit her. It may not look too far on a map but in fact it is 700km away. He is from Port Elizabeth and I suspect he was surprised when I told him I knew it - a long time ago I went to look at a whaling station there and got soaked in blood when a whale being retrieved from the harbour rolled over and with the gas build up in the carcase, it farted blood and gas from the harpoon wound. I was about ten feet away.
I never went to town all weekend (which was the plan) and good job too because today is payday and I haven’t been paid. This happens every sodding year, they forget to tell payroll which foreign teachers are still here. Had I gone shopping I would have been up the creek and in fact I had left a month’s pay in advance for Mulan doing my housework and had to ask her to wait in case I needed it. Another fine example of how we are treated differently and yes I should be inured to it by now (and to an extent I am) but nonetheless it aggravates me that they never ever put systems in place to help things run smoothly. I want to go shopping tomorrow afternoon but that looks doubtful now.
Andrei and Juliette have just advised me they are having a Romanian food evening on Wednesday. I’ve never eaten Romanian cuisine so I hope I like it (and I hope I have been paid so I can take some wine!) - if it’s similar to Polish grub then I may well be ok.
The weather now is decidedly autumnal with daytimes in the low twenties and the nights a bit chilly. Perfect, although now I may have to start using a quilt on the bed instead of just the cover.
For now though, it is situation normal - nobody tells us anything!
Friday, 9 October 2015
Friday 9th October, 2015 1745
So yesterday it was back to work and the only holidays between now and spring festival are three days for the sports meetings and a day off at western new year.
After I finished my class I spent two hours preparing dinner ahead of time. I had changed my mind on pasties and decided to try my hand at a steak and vegetable pie. With a rump steak I bought ages ago, a sirloin Kevin donated in exchange for some dinner I had cooked for him plus two fillet steaks I think Ollivier forgot were in my freezer, I had plenty of meat.
I improvised with the filling, with no Worcestershire sauce I used HP in the stock and to be honest it wasn’t a bad thing to do. I overdid it (for my taste at least) with the rosemary and thyme but my biggest problem was the pastry. I have only ever made it once before and by hand - regular readers will recall the pastry turned out splendidly but the filling was awful.
Well this time I decided to be lazy. All that crumbling and kneading by hand didn’t appeal to me so I used my cheap food processor. What I succeeded in doing was making not quite enough dough to line the casserole dish although ultimately the base turned out well. That left me with a problem - having failed to find any butter on the last shopping trip, I now had to make more dough. Sunflower spread for some reason doesn’t seem to work that well - I ended up with too thin a top which, when I transferred it from the chopping board to the pie, sort of laddered like a pair of tights. I had to then go overboard with a surfeit of ingredients when making yet another batch to cover the abortion I had already put on the dish.
Aside from being too herby it wasn’t bad and next time I think I may get the pastry right - it sounds idiotic when housewives and mothers the world over can do it with their eyes closed but I suppose they had to learn sometime. If only they sold frozen readymade pastry here it would be so much easier!
Anyway, Joan left me when she was full to the gunwales but not before she dropped a most unwelcome information nugget in my lap. We have to make up Wednesday’s classes tomorrow, Saturday. Had she said nothing for sure I would have been in town enjoying myself (or taking an afternoon nap) whilst Nancy’s class waited patiently for me to appear. Not one of the faculty thought to inform the foreign teachers and I have become inured to that but considering I check the school website every single day and nothing at all is on it to indicate catch-up classes, it’s a disgrace. I had to tell Juliette about it and also the fact that we have now moved to the winter timetable so afternoon classes now start at 1330 rather than 1400. It really is something when, as a teacher, you get more accurate information from your students and absolutely nothing from your employers. Nothing has changed since I arrived in that respect.
I went downtown for a swift shop just before noon, not that I needed to but I thought I would get a baguette and have a sandwich for dinner tonight following too much pie last night.
Joan sent me three texts she had received regarding the arrival of two packages in the basement area on campus and one in the bookshop in the Business Street. Yesterday she had already collected my nutmeg, the two arrivals together in the basement were probably cinnamon and maybe vanilla extract, the one in the Business Street definitely 15kg of cat litter. I wasted thirty minutes of my life fruitlessly trying to collect the items because both places swore they had no parcels. If they hadn’t received them why did they send texts telling Joan to collect them?? She will make enquiries later tonight, since noon she has been in town celebrating a classmate’s birthday so no doubt they will end up in a karaoke bar.
When I got back home a female Chinese teacher was going next door into Ollivier’s old flat. I asked her if she was moving in and she said no, the new foreign teacher will live there, maybe in five days or so. Would I be sure to help with any problems he might have? Certainly, I thought, as long as I don’t dislike him! What I did actually say was that I would if he spoke English, being a Yarpie but naturally that was completely lost on her.
So back to the grind again tomorrow afternoon it is.
So yesterday it was back to work and the only holidays between now and spring festival are three days for the sports meetings and a day off at western new year.
After I finished my class I spent two hours preparing dinner ahead of time. I had changed my mind on pasties and decided to try my hand at a steak and vegetable pie. With a rump steak I bought ages ago, a sirloin Kevin donated in exchange for some dinner I had cooked for him plus two fillet steaks I think Ollivier forgot were in my freezer, I had plenty of meat.
I improvised with the filling, with no Worcestershire sauce I used HP in the stock and to be honest it wasn’t a bad thing to do. I overdid it (for my taste at least) with the rosemary and thyme but my biggest problem was the pastry. I have only ever made it once before and by hand - regular readers will recall the pastry turned out splendidly but the filling was awful.
Well this time I decided to be lazy. All that crumbling and kneading by hand didn’t appeal to me so I used my cheap food processor. What I succeeded in doing was making not quite enough dough to line the casserole dish although ultimately the base turned out well. That left me with a problem - having failed to find any butter on the last shopping trip, I now had to make more dough. Sunflower spread for some reason doesn’t seem to work that well - I ended up with too thin a top which, when I transferred it from the chopping board to the pie, sort of laddered like a pair of tights. I had to then go overboard with a surfeit of ingredients when making yet another batch to cover the abortion I had already put on the dish.
Aside from being too herby it wasn’t bad and next time I think I may get the pastry right - it sounds idiotic when housewives and mothers the world over can do it with their eyes closed but I suppose they had to learn sometime. If only they sold frozen readymade pastry here it would be so much easier!
Anyway, Joan left me when she was full to the gunwales but not before she dropped a most unwelcome information nugget in my lap. We have to make up Wednesday’s classes tomorrow, Saturday. Had she said nothing for sure I would have been in town enjoying myself (or taking an afternoon nap) whilst Nancy’s class waited patiently for me to appear. Not one of the faculty thought to inform the foreign teachers and I have become inured to that but considering I check the school website every single day and nothing at all is on it to indicate catch-up classes, it’s a disgrace. I had to tell Juliette about it and also the fact that we have now moved to the winter timetable so afternoon classes now start at 1330 rather than 1400. It really is something when, as a teacher, you get more accurate information from your students and absolutely nothing from your employers. Nothing has changed since I arrived in that respect.
I went downtown for a swift shop just before noon, not that I needed to but I thought I would get a baguette and have a sandwich for dinner tonight following too much pie last night.
Joan sent me three texts she had received regarding the arrival of two packages in the basement area on campus and one in the bookshop in the Business Street. Yesterday she had already collected my nutmeg, the two arrivals together in the basement were probably cinnamon and maybe vanilla extract, the one in the Business Street definitely 15kg of cat litter. I wasted thirty minutes of my life fruitlessly trying to collect the items because both places swore they had no parcels. If they hadn’t received them why did they send texts telling Joan to collect them?? She will make enquiries later tonight, since noon she has been in town celebrating a classmate’s birthday so no doubt they will end up in a karaoke bar.
When I got back home a female Chinese teacher was going next door into Ollivier’s old flat. I asked her if she was moving in and she said no, the new foreign teacher will live there, maybe in five days or so. Would I be sure to help with any problems he might have? Certainly, I thought, as long as I don’t dislike him! What I did actually say was that I would if he spoke English, being a Yarpie but naturally that was completely lost on her.
So back to the grind again tomorrow afternoon it is.
Wednesday, 7 October 2015
Tuesday 6th October, 2015 1715
Two major news stories have caught my attention of late. Firstly that geek who owns Facebook being so presumptuous as to endeavour to get Xi Jinping to give his unborn child an English name and while I have reservations about his anti-corruption motives I applaud him for smearing egg all over Zuckerberg’s face.
Secondly, the loss of the MV “El Faro“. Not because she foundered (which is of course a tragedy for those involved and their families), it was awfully bad fate for her to lose propulsion and I am sure plenty of my readers will have weathered typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes in their time with no more than an unpleasant ride and all thei stuff in their cabins being unceremoniously dumped on the deck.
What amazed me was the comment from a Junior Engineer from her home port who was interviewed by the BBC, when he stated “We don’t sign up for that.” Forgive me if you disagree but I would have thought the inherent risk in putting to sea means you have precisely “signed up” to take whatever Mother Nature sees fit to throw at you. A tragic loss of life which but for a mechanical problem may never have happened but ever a risk when men (and women) set sail the world over.
Today is one of my lazy days. All I have done is make poached eggs on toast for my sick house guest and go to the business street and whilst in the office attracted rather a lot of attention from families of freshmen who have brought their little darlings back a day early and were treating them to lunch. Surely they are fully aware that in colleges and universities all over China they are likely to encounter people who are not quite cut from their mould?
Wednesday 7th 1720
Ill-advisedly I stayed up until 0430, keeping an eye on the rugby. Quite why I know not, for England have managed arrange their early departure. It would have made more sense to go to bed early given tomorrow I am working and will need an early night. Having said that I don’t think I will have many problems visiting Nod this evening.
I knew I shouldn’t venture to town today. Naturally the great unwashed are all returning to school today and causing chaos on the 29 and 7 bus routes. However I have had an urge to try and make Cornish pasties for the first time, possibly tomorrow, so off I went. I cheated and rode 2km to the remote terminus in order to get a seat (and now the bus only costs 1y because there’s no heating or aircon switched on) yet presumably because of the students I had to wait for ages for a bus to actually arrive. What amazed me was the volume of students going INTO town - it was rammed.
Not needing any cheap wine desperately, I decided to remain aboard until the commercial centre in order to “cheat” both ways and ensure I had a seat. In all it took me two hours in order to spend ten minutes and 15y buying some vegetables, sugar and salt! Plain crazy but then I don’t like to spend the entire day cooped up at home.
Speaking of which, Joan is yet again asleep next door. If she has been awake more than 24 hours the entire week I would be surprised. She says she is going back to her dormitory tonight and doesn’t want dinner but something tells me despite her protestations she will probably scoff the leftovers I am reheating now - cottage pie and one chilli enchilada from last night. If she does and she is really hungry I can see me being left with a toasted ham and cheese sandwich for my dinner! That reminds me, I must buy some pork and make more ham - or even try my hand at bacon.
The weather lately has been gloomy, rain and with temperatures in the low twenties. I know we don’t get a long winter here but I do find myself increasingly valuing summers, even the scorching days provided I can get some respite with aircon on the buses and in restaurants.
And yes, as predicted I will be sharing my dinner!
Two major news stories have caught my attention of late. Firstly that geek who owns Facebook being so presumptuous as to endeavour to get Xi Jinping to give his unborn child an English name and while I have reservations about his anti-corruption motives I applaud him for smearing egg all over Zuckerberg’s face.
Secondly, the loss of the MV “El Faro“. Not because she foundered (which is of course a tragedy for those involved and their families), it was awfully bad fate for her to lose propulsion and I am sure plenty of my readers will have weathered typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes in their time with no more than an unpleasant ride and all thei stuff in their cabins being unceremoniously dumped on the deck.
What amazed me was the comment from a Junior Engineer from her home port who was interviewed by the BBC, when he stated “We don’t sign up for that.” Forgive me if you disagree but I would have thought the inherent risk in putting to sea means you have precisely “signed up” to take whatever Mother Nature sees fit to throw at you. A tragic loss of life which but for a mechanical problem may never have happened but ever a risk when men (and women) set sail the world over.
Today is one of my lazy days. All I have done is make poached eggs on toast for my sick house guest and go to the business street and whilst in the office attracted rather a lot of attention from families of freshmen who have brought their little darlings back a day early and were treating them to lunch. Surely they are fully aware that in colleges and universities all over China they are likely to encounter people who are not quite cut from their mould?
Wednesday 7th 1720
Ill-advisedly I stayed up until 0430, keeping an eye on the rugby. Quite why I know not, for England have managed arrange their early departure. It would have made more sense to go to bed early given tomorrow I am working and will need an early night. Having said that I don’t think I will have many problems visiting Nod this evening.
I knew I shouldn’t venture to town today. Naturally the great unwashed are all returning to school today and causing chaos on the 29 and 7 bus routes. However I have had an urge to try and make Cornish pasties for the first time, possibly tomorrow, so off I went. I cheated and rode 2km to the remote terminus in order to get a seat (and now the bus only costs 1y because there’s no heating or aircon switched on) yet presumably because of the students I had to wait for ages for a bus to actually arrive. What amazed me was the volume of students going INTO town - it was rammed.
Not needing any cheap wine desperately, I decided to remain aboard until the commercial centre in order to “cheat” both ways and ensure I had a seat. In all it took me two hours in order to spend ten minutes and 15y buying some vegetables, sugar and salt! Plain crazy but then I don’t like to spend the entire day cooped up at home.
Speaking of which, Joan is yet again asleep next door. If she has been awake more than 24 hours the entire week I would be surprised. She says she is going back to her dormitory tonight and doesn’t want dinner but something tells me despite her protestations she will probably scoff the leftovers I am reheating now - cottage pie and one chilli enchilada from last night. If she does and she is really hungry I can see me being left with a toasted ham and cheese sandwich for my dinner! That reminds me, I must buy some pork and make more ham - or even try my hand at bacon.
The weather lately has been gloomy, rain and with temperatures in the low twenties. I know we don’t get a long winter here but I do find myself increasingly valuing summers, even the scorching days provided I can get some respite with aircon on the buses and in restaurants.
And yes, as predicted I will be sharing my dinner!
Tuesday, 6 October 2015
Monday 5th October, 2015 1515
From Saturday being gloriously warm, we have now had two days of rain and very chilly temperatures in the low twenties. Amazing to think that five years ago I used to think 22C was positively hot yet now 24C is bloody cold!
We went early to town for breakfast, the allure of which is definitely waning for two reasons: firstly a big breakfast for two costs 51y and secondly I can cook better and tastier for half that. However I did need to shop for food either today or tomorrow. I have frozen chilli for enchiladas but today I have decided to make hamburgers. No beef mince available so pork it is. This, the second time I will make burgers, it will not see me repeat the mistake of omitting breadcrumbs for binding. Having checked online for burger recipes it astounded me to see just how many different varieties you can make, given that they are “only” burger patties.
I think Joan has been bitten by a tse-tse fly. I swear she is sleeping longer this holiday than the cats. Mulan is not happy. She is coming at some point to clean but coming back from her uncle’s her e-bike ran out of power and she had to push it to her rented place near the station. I am patiently waiting for her to recharge it and get here - I told her of course she can plug in at mine. Maybe she has learnt the lesson to keep the bike fully topped up if she is making a journey of any distance. In five years I have only come close to running out of steam and that was when I took Joan to the airport and back - one-up instead of two and it would have been a breeze.
It turns out that Richard was initially expected to arrived on Thursday but now it is thought he may be delayed. Whether that’s down to him or the school not processing the invitation letter and contract in a timely manner, who knows?
Oh, and the 29 buses are back! Brand new yellow ones still with the plastic coverings on certain screens. But the penny pinching is evident - they aren’t hybrid, not automatic gearboxes and the seats, although new, are nowhere near as comfortable as those on the repossessed ones. It is also difficult to know what to believe here. For five years I have been told the local government owns all the local buses, yet now I am being told there is a bus company and it is them who failed to pay for the hire of the old buses. Which is it?
Tuesday 6th 0115
Well the pork hamburgers turned out ok but I must tame myself and make them thinner next time. Poor old Joan tried manfully to eat two (I was always only ever going to eat one and I had to leave some of that!) because I had told her to feed a cold and starve a fever.
I showed her Toy Story before she went back to her room but then I got to thinking. She has been feeling ill all week, complaining of a heavy head (presumably from the medicines we bought her this morning from the chemist - yes, my temporary card worked) and other symptoms. As it has been an ongoing thing I just had to look online for meningitis symptoms and went to her on her “deathbed” to check. For some strange reason she thought me odd and wasn’t too happy over my frightening her but the last thing I want is her pegging out regardless of whether it is in her dormitory or here - if it was here the consequences to me compared to the grief would be as nothing.
Thankfully there are no tell-tale symptoms and my diagnosis is girl-flu. She will recover tomorrow.
I strongly suspect I will be cooking her a breakfast of either scrambled or poached eggs on toast in the morning but bugger all for myself because I won’t be hungry - can anyone tell me how to get my appetite back aside from running marathons? Not going to happen, ever.
And Haha! Mulan came this evening (finally) to clean. Bless her she does a good job and I pay four times as much as the supermarkets but she makes full use of my (yes I bought it) washing machine. She did two washes, the first was her uncle’s clothes from working in the fields harvesting the rice and the second was her bedding which she left in mid-wash. Yep, I hung it up and as for the uncle’s gear? Any time. Any man who gives up his chance of marriage and happiness to bring up his brother’s three kids when he and the wife buggered off and arrange for the fourth baby to be raised by his sister deserves my respect, if nobody else’s. I really have to meet this man and by God I will at some point.
From Saturday being gloriously warm, we have now had two days of rain and very chilly temperatures in the low twenties. Amazing to think that five years ago I used to think 22C was positively hot yet now 24C is bloody cold!
We went early to town for breakfast, the allure of which is definitely waning for two reasons: firstly a big breakfast for two costs 51y and secondly I can cook better and tastier for half that. However I did need to shop for food either today or tomorrow. I have frozen chilli for enchiladas but today I have decided to make hamburgers. No beef mince available so pork it is. This, the second time I will make burgers, it will not see me repeat the mistake of omitting breadcrumbs for binding. Having checked online for burger recipes it astounded me to see just how many different varieties you can make, given that they are “only” burger patties.
I think Joan has been bitten by a tse-tse fly. I swear she is sleeping longer this holiday than the cats. Mulan is not happy. She is coming at some point to clean but coming back from her uncle’s her e-bike ran out of power and she had to push it to her rented place near the station. I am patiently waiting for her to recharge it and get here - I told her of course she can plug in at mine. Maybe she has learnt the lesson to keep the bike fully topped up if she is making a journey of any distance. In five years I have only come close to running out of steam and that was when I took Joan to the airport and back - one-up instead of two and it would have been a breeze.
It turns out that Richard was initially expected to arrived on Thursday but now it is thought he may be delayed. Whether that’s down to him or the school not processing the invitation letter and contract in a timely manner, who knows?
Oh, and the 29 buses are back! Brand new yellow ones still with the plastic coverings on certain screens. But the penny pinching is evident - they aren’t hybrid, not automatic gearboxes and the seats, although new, are nowhere near as comfortable as those on the repossessed ones. It is also difficult to know what to believe here. For five years I have been told the local government owns all the local buses, yet now I am being told there is a bus company and it is them who failed to pay for the hire of the old buses. Which is it?
Tuesday 6th 0115
Well the pork hamburgers turned out ok but I must tame myself and make them thinner next time. Poor old Joan tried manfully to eat two (I was always only ever going to eat one and I had to leave some of that!) because I had told her to feed a cold and starve a fever.
I showed her Toy Story before she went back to her room but then I got to thinking. She has been feeling ill all week, complaining of a heavy head (presumably from the medicines we bought her this morning from the chemist - yes, my temporary card worked) and other symptoms. As it has been an ongoing thing I just had to look online for meningitis symptoms and went to her on her “deathbed” to check. For some strange reason she thought me odd and wasn’t too happy over my frightening her but the last thing I want is her pegging out regardless of whether it is in her dormitory or here - if it was here the consequences to me compared to the grief would be as nothing.
Thankfully there are no tell-tale symptoms and my diagnosis is girl-flu. She will recover tomorrow.
I strongly suspect I will be cooking her a breakfast of either scrambled or poached eggs on toast in the morning but bugger all for myself because I won’t be hungry - can anyone tell me how to get my appetite back aside from running marathons? Not going to happen, ever.
And Haha! Mulan came this evening (finally) to clean. Bless her she does a good job and I pay four times as much as the supermarkets but she makes full use of my (yes I bought it) washing machine. She did two washes, the first was her uncle’s clothes from working in the fields harvesting the rice and the second was her bedding which she left in mid-wash. Yep, I hung it up and as for the uncle’s gear? Any time. Any man who gives up his chance of marriage and happiness to bring up his brother’s three kids when he and the wife buggered off and arrange for the fourth baby to be raised by his sister deserves my respect, if nobody else’s. I really have to meet this man and by God I will at some point.
Monday, 5 October 2015
Saturday 3rd October, 2015 1230
Kevin arrived on Thursday but I never saw him until last night when he came to pick us up to go for dinner. The hotpot restaurant he and Vivi had elected to go to was mobbed when we got there (olden Week) so we ended up going to Love in Town, which had been my original suggestion.
I never got a look-in when it came to ordering although they did find the sweet and sour pork along with eight other dishes. Clearly that was going to be too much food for four yet in fact there wasn’t that much left over, certainly not enough to bother with a doggy bag. Not a bad meal at all and including five pints of pizhou cost a shade under 200y which Kevin footed because (I had forgotten) I picked up the tab for the last meal before he left for Huangshan.
He has been staying in the Phoenix Country Garden hotel, an impressive edifice less than five years old (I watched as it was built) with architecture in Italian Renaissance style and where Steve Magor stayed when he visited. Great room prices, I think Kevin paid about 400y for two nights, but Steve had warned me about the quality of breakfast. I am thinking of treating Joan later this month for the weekend before her birthday. Naturally I was curious as to the food and reports rapidly came in from Kevin at dinner time on Thursday. He said the food might have been fine if it was actually served hot and after he had eaten, he was informed that they started cooking western food at 2100!
Breakfast was, as Steve had stated, appalling by all accounts - Kevin decided simple bread, butter and jam would have to do but even that had to be specially obtained. I will cross that off my list of places to visit but I look forward to reading Kevin’s review on Trip Advisor!
I got up this morning intending to cook an English breakfast for Joan and me but found I wasn’t hungry so, martyr that I am, I cooked her one and had zilch myself. She enjoyed it but as yet has failed to notice there is only one dirty plate in the kitchen. Shortly we will take the bus to town (should be quiet with most students having left) and I can buy stuff for tomorrow’s dinner, hopefully a ham and potato casserole affair I found the recipe for online.
Monday 5th 0015
Well what a great World Cup England had. When I went to bed early in order to get up at 0230 to hopefully watch our crunch match live I had a premonition I was being an idiot. I should have slumbered on and been an oblivious idiot.
Yesterday Joan went to visit one of her young students she teaches at weekends. Being the warm and cuddly person I want to portray myself as (and knowing I wouldn’t be giving her breakfast - got back to bed at 0800) I cooked a bread pudding beforehand. Yes, she will eat that for breakfast any time, I suggested she take some for her pupil as well . She left just enough for a few slices for me to take to the office which if truth be told I don’t think went down very well - the older generation are not so much into sweet foods as their younger counterparts.
Anyway I made the ham and potato cheesy thing for dinner. It was ok but nothing spectacular and I won’t be doing it again. I am regretting telling Joan we will get up early in the morning for a McBreakfast if she can shift her arse because I have changed my mind - I could make her a breakfast burrito but when I looked at her door at 2130 the light was out! That girl can sleep for China. Now I have wake up early myself but I will shop to make sure Tuesday is a completely free day for me.
The vet told Joan over the phone that he won’t spay cats until they are 6 months old. Well that’s wonderful news considering I have a rampant Zorro who still has testicles and was last seen trying to shag Tigger on the loose. Bristle is biologically capable of spawning at four months so shortly porkies will be told to the vet. How the hell do I know how old she is? I picked her up off the stairs at how many weeks? Can’t see a Chinese vet taking in kittens to sell - hardly a pet in China.
Oh and then of course we have the anaesthetic price system depending on whether Chinese or imported drugs are used - 600, 800 or 1,000. Sorry Bristle but as long as you are asleep , 600 it is. Bloody ridiculous.
Andrei and Juliette never got to Huangshan and their 10,000 steps, there were no train tickets so they went to Hefei, didn’t like it and went on to Huainan. I can think of more interesting places but having spoken to Andrei last night I ascertained they are going to Bagong mountain and I stressed the one place they need to see (at night particularly) is the piano house. They are doing it on the cheap at the 168 Motel (book early and the rooms are only 168y a night) and I hope they enjoy their sightseeing, sadly they won’t be back until Tuesday night by which time Kevin will have left.
To be quite honest, this holiday is most unwanted, coming so soon after the long summer vacation. No money to go anywhere and no desire to either for that matter. At least I changed my bedding six hours ago.
Kevin arrived on Thursday but I never saw him until last night when he came to pick us up to go for dinner. The hotpot restaurant he and Vivi had elected to go to was mobbed when we got there (olden Week) so we ended up going to Love in Town, which had been my original suggestion.
I never got a look-in when it came to ordering although they did find the sweet and sour pork along with eight other dishes. Clearly that was going to be too much food for four yet in fact there wasn’t that much left over, certainly not enough to bother with a doggy bag. Not a bad meal at all and including five pints of pizhou cost a shade under 200y which Kevin footed because (I had forgotten) I picked up the tab for the last meal before he left for Huangshan.
He has been staying in the Phoenix Country Garden hotel, an impressive edifice less than five years old (I watched as it was built) with architecture in Italian Renaissance style and where Steve Magor stayed when he visited. Great room prices, I think Kevin paid about 400y for two nights, but Steve had warned me about the quality of breakfast. I am thinking of treating Joan later this month for the weekend before her birthday. Naturally I was curious as to the food and reports rapidly came in from Kevin at dinner time on Thursday. He said the food might have been fine if it was actually served hot and after he had eaten, he was informed that they started cooking western food at 2100!
Breakfast was, as Steve had stated, appalling by all accounts - Kevin decided simple bread, butter and jam would have to do but even that had to be specially obtained. I will cross that off my list of places to visit but I look forward to reading Kevin’s review on Trip Advisor!
I got up this morning intending to cook an English breakfast for Joan and me but found I wasn’t hungry so, martyr that I am, I cooked her one and had zilch myself. She enjoyed it but as yet has failed to notice there is only one dirty plate in the kitchen. Shortly we will take the bus to town (should be quiet with most students having left) and I can buy stuff for tomorrow’s dinner, hopefully a ham and potato casserole affair I found the recipe for online.
Monday 5th 0015
Well what a great World Cup England had. When I went to bed early in order to get up at 0230 to hopefully watch our crunch match live I had a premonition I was being an idiot. I should have slumbered on and been an oblivious idiot.
Yesterday Joan went to visit one of her young students she teaches at weekends. Being the warm and cuddly person I want to portray myself as (and knowing I wouldn’t be giving her breakfast - got back to bed at 0800) I cooked a bread pudding beforehand. Yes, she will eat that for breakfast any time, I suggested she take some for her pupil as well . She left just enough for a few slices for me to take to the office which if truth be told I don’t think went down very well - the older generation are not so much into sweet foods as their younger counterparts.
Anyway I made the ham and potato cheesy thing for dinner. It was ok but nothing spectacular and I won’t be doing it again. I am regretting telling Joan we will get up early in the morning for a McBreakfast if she can shift her arse because I have changed my mind - I could make her a breakfast burrito but when I looked at her door at 2130 the light was out! That girl can sleep for China. Now I have wake up early myself but I will shop to make sure Tuesday is a completely free day for me.
The vet told Joan over the phone that he won’t spay cats until they are 6 months old. Well that’s wonderful news considering I have a rampant Zorro who still has testicles and was last seen trying to shag Tigger on the loose. Bristle is biologically capable of spawning at four months so shortly porkies will be told to the vet. How the hell do I know how old she is? I picked her up off the stairs at how many weeks? Can’t see a Chinese vet taking in kittens to sell - hardly a pet in China.
Oh and then of course we have the anaesthetic price system depending on whether Chinese or imported drugs are used - 600, 800 or 1,000. Sorry Bristle but as long as you are asleep , 600 it is. Bloody ridiculous.
Andrei and Juliette never got to Huangshan and their 10,000 steps, there were no train tickets so they went to Hefei, didn’t like it and went on to Huainan. I can think of more interesting places but having spoken to Andrei last night I ascertained they are going to Bagong mountain and I stressed the one place they need to see (at night particularly) is the piano house. They are doing it on the cheap at the 168 Motel (book early and the rooms are only 168y a night) and I hope they enjoy their sightseeing, sadly they won’t be back until Tuesday night by which time Kevin will have left.
To be quite honest, this holiday is most unwanted, coming so soon after the long summer vacation. No money to go anywhere and no desire to either for that matter. At least I changed my bedding six hours ago.
Thursday, 1 October 2015
Thursday 1st October, 2015 1700
With a third of yesterday’s class having decamped early for the national holiday I may as well have taken the day off myself but didn’t. Instead I abrogated my responsibilities and showed those who turned up a film, including two freshmen (their major unknown) who appeared outside my room looking lost and dazed. If they were English majors my guess is they came because they still don’t have an oral teacher because he has yet to arrive.
Today China is 66 years old (and if a UK citizen, could retire on a measly state pension) so the day itself is special and the week is called “golden week”. Joan is staying over for the holidays and as I needed some shopping today I bribed her to get up early and come to town for a McBreakfast this morning. “Are you sure?” she asked, “there will be so many students on the bus”. I guaranteed her a seat by way of Plan B and told her we would leave at 0915.
We all know what women and timing means - they never coincide. Certainly she was up and showered in a timely manner but then there was the returning to her dormitory to get a jacket and change her shoes which would “only take a minute”. I did comment that if we didn’t get breakfast (McDonald’s here has a bad habit of switching to the lunch menu well before 1030) I would not be pleased. Off she went while I took the rubbish out and rode down to her dorm. Sitting outside on my bike, I was taken aback when I received a text informing me that she was outside her dormitory and waiting for me! What? Had she changed location and not said anything? Unlikely. Having sent back “so am I” I then tried to call her just in case I was going loopy but the call was rejected and she sheepishly came out, presumably having thought I would stay at home until she sent me a message.
I reiterated that I would not be pleased if we missed breakfast because of her.
Exiting the south gate we witnessed the arrival of a 29 (ex number 6 - yes, they have pulled them in from everywhere following the repossessions) bus and the utter swamping of it by students with suitcases heading off home for the duration. Well, we were going to get a seat come what may and we rode to the terminus. For the first time, there were more than two people waiting at the actual bus stop in the middle of nowhere but being a stupid laowei I pretend not to know I can’t get on at the “bus station” and 98% of drivers let me, especially as I say hello and thank them instead of treating them as invisible.
The bus left late due to the fact the driver and Joan exchanged phone numbers. It turns out he had asked her if I could teach his son English privately. Good girl that she is (and out to make money for herself to boot!) and knowing I wouldn’t be interested, she told him that I was very, very expensive but she on the other hand could do it for him for much less. I hope he calls her and no, I would have refused even 200y an hour had it been offered me.
When the bus left it was already half full so when we got to south gate and encountered a heaving mass of humanity which otherwise could be described as students, there was always going to be an overloading dilemma. The driver did his best but ultimately had to call a halt to packing in the sardines. In fact the bus was so full that we had to sail past everyone at subsequent stops who were waving frantically for him to stop - until we arrived at the train station and suddenly everyone who got on could find a seat.
We arrived at McDonald’s at 1015 and as we approached I could see they had already gone to the lunchtime menu. A big mac and fries is not my idea of breakfast and I hope the staff saw their best customer halt in his tracks and turn away, annoyed at both Joan for delaying us and them for not sticking to the 1030 breakfast rule. Hit and miss re timing is no way to run a business.
Seeing as Joan WOULD be wanting a breakfast I did something I said I wouldn’t do again - I took her to KFC. The one at the commercial centre is ok but the one at RT Mart is awful. Being miffed I didn’t have much appetite anyway but I suggested we bought a small chicken bucket and a couple of coffees. What we were given was a chicken burger in a box, thus ensuring my mood darkened further. She was happy to accept the situation but I wasn’t and in high dudgeon returned to the counter to get what we had asked for. They couldn’t even use the excuse that they couldn’t understand because Joan is funnily enough, Chinese. Definitely, absolutely the last time I set food inside that place.
Anyway, when shopping I bought things which gladdened Joan’s heart. I could see it sink when I said we would have breakfast tomorrow (she was thinking God, I have to get up early again) and saw the utter joy when I said she could get up late as I will cook it. Soft boiled eggs with toasted soldiers it is then, haven’t had that for years!
Kevin is back in town this evening so tomorrow we will make a foursome for dinner. Andrei and Juliette will not be coming, for whilst he was making his way from Huangshan to here, they were travelling from here to Huangshan! They are off to climb some mountain there which apparently has 10,000 steps. I could probably manage 50 or so.
Joan is currently exploring (in the dark now) Qi Shan with a freshman from her hometown of Suzhou (the Anhui one) who has pestered her to introduce him to Chizhou. She is far better able to climb that mountain than I, given it is at least three hundred feet high - I did it once under duress and never again!
With a third of yesterday’s class having decamped early for the national holiday I may as well have taken the day off myself but didn’t. Instead I abrogated my responsibilities and showed those who turned up a film, including two freshmen (their major unknown) who appeared outside my room looking lost and dazed. If they were English majors my guess is they came because they still don’t have an oral teacher because he has yet to arrive.
Today China is 66 years old (and if a UK citizen, could retire on a measly state pension) so the day itself is special and the week is called “golden week”. Joan is staying over for the holidays and as I needed some shopping today I bribed her to get up early and come to town for a McBreakfast this morning. “Are you sure?” she asked, “there will be so many students on the bus”. I guaranteed her a seat by way of Plan B and told her we would leave at 0915.
We all know what women and timing means - they never coincide. Certainly she was up and showered in a timely manner but then there was the returning to her dormitory to get a jacket and change her shoes which would “only take a minute”. I did comment that if we didn’t get breakfast (McDonald’s here has a bad habit of switching to the lunch menu well before 1030) I would not be pleased. Off she went while I took the rubbish out and rode down to her dorm. Sitting outside on my bike, I was taken aback when I received a text informing me that she was outside her dormitory and waiting for me! What? Had she changed location and not said anything? Unlikely. Having sent back “so am I” I then tried to call her just in case I was going loopy but the call was rejected and she sheepishly came out, presumably having thought I would stay at home until she sent me a message.
I reiterated that I would not be pleased if we missed breakfast because of her.
Exiting the south gate we witnessed the arrival of a 29 (ex number 6 - yes, they have pulled them in from everywhere following the repossessions) bus and the utter swamping of it by students with suitcases heading off home for the duration. Well, we were going to get a seat come what may and we rode to the terminus. For the first time, there were more than two people waiting at the actual bus stop in the middle of nowhere but being a stupid laowei I pretend not to know I can’t get on at the “bus station” and 98% of drivers let me, especially as I say hello and thank them instead of treating them as invisible.
The bus left late due to the fact the driver and Joan exchanged phone numbers. It turns out he had asked her if I could teach his son English privately. Good girl that she is (and out to make money for herself to boot!) and knowing I wouldn’t be interested, she told him that I was very, very expensive but she on the other hand could do it for him for much less. I hope he calls her and no, I would have refused even 200y an hour had it been offered me.
When the bus left it was already half full so when we got to south gate and encountered a heaving mass of humanity which otherwise could be described as students, there was always going to be an overloading dilemma. The driver did his best but ultimately had to call a halt to packing in the sardines. In fact the bus was so full that we had to sail past everyone at subsequent stops who were waving frantically for him to stop - until we arrived at the train station and suddenly everyone who got on could find a seat.
We arrived at McDonald’s at 1015 and as we approached I could see they had already gone to the lunchtime menu. A big mac and fries is not my idea of breakfast and I hope the staff saw their best customer halt in his tracks and turn away, annoyed at both Joan for delaying us and them for not sticking to the 1030 breakfast rule. Hit and miss re timing is no way to run a business.
Seeing as Joan WOULD be wanting a breakfast I did something I said I wouldn’t do again - I took her to KFC. The one at the commercial centre is ok but the one at RT Mart is awful. Being miffed I didn’t have much appetite anyway but I suggested we bought a small chicken bucket and a couple of coffees. What we were given was a chicken burger in a box, thus ensuring my mood darkened further. She was happy to accept the situation but I wasn’t and in high dudgeon returned to the counter to get what we had asked for. They couldn’t even use the excuse that they couldn’t understand because Joan is funnily enough, Chinese. Definitely, absolutely the last time I set food inside that place.
Anyway, when shopping I bought things which gladdened Joan’s heart. I could see it sink when I said we would have breakfast tomorrow (she was thinking God, I have to get up early again) and saw the utter joy when I said she could get up late as I will cook it. Soft boiled eggs with toasted soldiers it is then, haven’t had that for years!
Kevin is back in town this evening so tomorrow we will make a foursome for dinner. Andrei and Juliette will not be coming, for whilst he was making his way from Huangshan to here, they were travelling from here to Huangshan! They are off to climb some mountain there which apparently has 10,000 steps. I could probably manage 50 or so.
Joan is currently exploring (in the dark now) Qi Shan with a freshman from her hometown of Suzhou (the Anhui one) who has pestered her to introduce him to Chizhou. She is far better able to climb that mountain than I, given it is at least three hundred feet high - I did it once under duress and never again!