New Year’s Eve 2016                          1400

I am laziness personified.

I am currently working up enough enthusiasm to actually go out shopping. Yesterday I never even cooked, instead I went to the street stalls and bought a fried roll. I was actually after a pancake but I guess they are mainly for breakfasts as I saw nobody making them.

I hadn’t tried one before and was given the option of having the roll put into the oil or simply warmed above the shoreline. Having no idea I simply shrugged my shoulders and the vendor decided to whack it into the oil. Next time I will choose the other option. Considering they managed to stuff an egg, chicken, potato slices, mushrooms and something else I was assured wasn’t tofu into it, I had a veritable whopper to take home and eat, and for the princely sum of 7.5y. You wouldn’t want to make that sort of thing your staple diet unless you have pipe cleaners on hand for your arteries though.

It turns out that Rico is now in Shanghai so my chance of a free meal tonight has disappeared. As a consequence (and not for any particular reason) I have all but decided to stay in tonight and cook myself a roast something. Probably wise, because I reckon the buses will be rammed tonight. Tomorrow I really must have a crack at cleaning the floor……..or maybe Monday……

As 2016 draws to an end I am sure many people will be reflecting on the past 366 days and the happenings in their life so I decided to take a look back on my own year.

January: The disappointment of cancelling a big trip to Shenyang and the Harbin ice festival. This was replaced by trips to Nanjing and Wuhu.
February: Subjected myself to a solo Chinese new year and a sleepless night at Don Rong hotel, Chizhou
March and April: Started the unwelcome task of trying to find another job.
May: School concert and a round of graduation parties to attend. Speech time at Molly’s wedding.
June and July: The job search continued with many disappointments and the spectre of having to find another country to work in loomed.
August: Capitulated and took a job in Lanzhou which I initially turned down. Then the farce of leaving Chizhou and my friends for a visit to Shanghai and thence flying to Lanzhou, only to be told days later I needed to go to Hong Kong for a work permit.
September: Started the new job and realised my task was all but hopeless. Already thoughts of trying to find another job after my contract was completed were forming.
October and November: Started to feel a little more at home, decided to make my thoughts known to the school on the way forward.
December: Santa time and also the news my little campus are not releasing me into the big ponds of the other campuses. Bodes well, I wait to see if they will implement any of my ideas and also whether I will get my course books. Thoughts now turning to possibly staying on for another year if they want me. I’m worth keeping if only for a guaranteed Santa each year!

The above doesn’t really convey adequately what a tumultuous year it has been for me but it was every bit as fraught as the year I left the UK to come to China. 2017 will I hope be sprinkled with much happier occasions. At least I never broke any bones this year!

All that remains is for me to wish all my readers a very happy New Year. I hope you all enjoy health and happiness throughout the coming 365 days and that each and every one of you tries at least one thing that’s new to you.

Keep safe and keep on buggering on, as someone once said!!