Tuesday 6th September, 2016                       1900

I met with Harriett at 1220 as arranged to go and open a bank account. The bank was actually a spit from the supermarket I have been using and we duly went in and enquired. We were unable to open an account because they had no debit/ATM cards left. Someone hadn’t ordered enough to cope with the sudden influx of all the freshman joining universities and needing accounts with whichever bank their school does business with.

We took a taxi to another branch which did have cards and as the clock struck one I said to Harriett this needed to be quick, the bus for my class was at 1325 and after yesterday I was not going to miss it. Well it WAS quick, they wouldn’t let me open an account because I don’t have a residence permit yet. Harriett is convinced that two other new teachers who also haven’t got their permits yet had accounts opened for them at the first branch we visited. My lie in tomorrow morning has disappeared because we will try again.

After my angst regarding the school bus it was 25 minutes late this time. Naturally Fittipaldi did his best to (and did) make up some time but nonetheless I was still late. I told the class I wasn’t going to say sorry for being late because I had a feeling I would be saying that a lot in future. I will tell you one thing, I am not going to be best pleased standing there in -15C at 0645 in the winter if it’s late.

Just two periods this afternoon but then a fifty minute wait for the bus to leave for the return trip. I used the office (not exclusively mine, I think an accountant occasionally (and had) uses it but at least I could sit and have a smoke in peace. I opened the desk drawers to see if any were empty that I could use and in one drawer found a 100y note. I have no idea if someone has genuinely forgotten it or whether it has been set as a test for me but it remains there and when I next see Janet I will mention it, not for any other reason than if it DOES go missing I wish to place myself above suspicion.

Having had fried fish with bread and butter last night which was awful because the cooking oil I bought is disgusting, tonight I settled for yet more noodles. My things should now be in transit and once I am paid oh boy, will I start cooking and freezing with a vengeance!