Wednesday 11th May, 2016                      0410

Nothing quite like going to bed three times in 12 hours is there?

Having promised Alice I would meet her at the station at 0115 I duly hit the sack at seven, having set my phone to go off at midnight. The alarm went off, I got up and after a few minutes I looked at the computer. It was showing 2110. So was my watch. What????

Ok so I made a mistake. I watched half an hour of TV and went back to bed. I tried to set my alarm for 2400 but it wouldn’t work so instead I made it 2359. Now my head is clearer I realise I should have tried 0000hrs. Anyway I fell unconscious again and only woke when Alice called me to ask where I wasat 0115! Well still in bed, obviously!

No idea what happened and hugely embarrassed. I hate promising something and then letting someone down. Thankfully with the bike I was able to collect her fifteen minutes later although given it is mid-May I have to say riding the bike was freezing!

She has been fed pizza, showered and is now sleeping in the spare room. Doubtless I will take her to the graduation photo in a few hours but today is going to be a whirlwind. First the photo, an hour break and then class, then the job interview, then another class and then the graduation dinner. Somehow I think by the end of today I will be somewhat jaded. And hopefully a little drunk when I bid farewell to what was my most active class after two years here - the ones that feature in my video. I still hate seeing my classes leave even though it should be more a case of opening the cage and letting the bird fly free.

It is doubly poignant of course knowing I also will be “graduating” soon.

On the job front, prior to the Suzhou job being brought up they had offered me an interview with a uni in the capital of Hebei province. Impossibly long name I can’t recall but they required me to return to the UK and reapply for a visa. At least £3,000 cost to me and simply not on. Pity because it pad a lot more but not that much more to cover that inconvenience.

The contract in Suzhou only has two sticking points. One is that they have a 15 day sickness get out clause (only time off here in 6 years was in hospital after an accident - not illness) and second was the first month’s probation at less than half pay.

The first I can handle, the second  is taking the Mickey and is clearly aimed at 23 year old backpackers. Nobody takes the piss out of this old seadog. The third is that should they actually employ me, I will emend their Chinglish in the contract for free but I won’t tell them that unless they employ me. Might not happen but who knows?

Nearly 0500 now so tine for sleep three and two hours before the photocall.