Friday 16th September, 2016       1530

I had the Skype call with Marina from the university in Cyprus last night. Just as well I am not too proud to accept advice because as it currently stood I thought I had been set up to fail in a huge way. Not deliberately of course, simply through ignorance on the school’s part.

Firstly, I was given the impression there are actually twenty students who want to take their MA in Cyprus and yet sixty turned up last Friday to the class indicated as being the Cypriot bunch. Why? I didn’t want the others in the class, they had no business being there and probably it was curiosity but it is important that I get as many of them accepted abroad. It’s a fairly hefty responsibility for someone who has no formal teacher training. Certainly if there are extra students I will lay on extra classes at no cost to the school but for the most important pupils I will have this term and for whom failure will be disaster, they have to be my priority.

We need course books and I needed to cut the hours down with the other class - I mean come on, 10 hours with one lot and 3 with the Cyprus brigade? Somehow methinks in their excitement in snaring a foreigner they have omitted the important things. That needs to change and between Cyprus and me, it will damned well happen.

Later one of my students from the small class started messaging me on Skype. It then transpired that it is in fact the small class of twelve that want to go abroad! Talk about feeling stupid. Well the big class can stay that way, all I need is for the school to source the recommended course books. The boy who keeps ducking classes is going to get a severe talking to come Monday. If he wants to fail then there’s no point in him bothering to turn up at all.

Friday 16th September, 2016                         1530

Lovely warm day in the low to mid twenties, I wish it were still the case in a month’s time. Toting heavy shopping bags every day is knocking my legs for six so I hope in the not too distant future I will be able to laugh at all the stairs.

Buses were slightly better, passengers being mainly students as workers were back to the grind. Having woken early I decided to look for a few things I couldn’t get in the supermarket. One was a double-headed USB cable which I apparently need because my laptop ports on their own don’t put out enough voltage. No joy anywhere. Another was to top up my phone. Two China Mobile shops refused to take my money. Now I know that out of province calls and texts cost more but I can’t believe I can’t top it up - it’s the biggest provider in China! Further enquiries will be made.

I got a few more bits in the supermarket (such as a bin for the bread I am currently making) and a flyswatter. Scratching around for ideas as to what to eat tonight I decided on fish and chips with (hopefully) fresh bread and butter. It should be ok as I have now got some Goldfish brand oil, the other engine room bilge slops I will try and see if any other residents want. I also bought sugar but was careful to choose a bag which actually said “sugar” on it in English. Last night when I was making my Bolognese, the last thing I did was sprinkle some “sugar” I had bought that day on top. Something wasn’t right, for the grains looked like miniature long grain rice so I tasted some on the tip of my finger. It was disgusting! However I couldn’t get it out of the pot so carried on, praying it would be edible as I had nothing else to have for dinner.

Well it did taste a bit funny and I could but hope I wasn’t poisoning myself. If truth be told I think most of the problem was the half bottle of that appalling wine I bought a week ago  - I swear they made it out of durian fruit. Anyway, when I got back I decided to try and find out what was in the bag. Monosodium glutamate.