May Day, 2017                       1630

I am not happy with the elements at the moment. It’s a beautiful day here at 20+C yet tomorrow is set to be colder with a smidgin of rain. I should arrive in Xi’an in 28C but then Wednesday colder and rainy. Oh well, as long as I get there and get to see the terracotta warriors, that’s what matters. Well, that and eating at Three Sisters. Whether they do dim sum or not is immaterial, I spotted people recommending the delicious sweet and sour pork. I love sweet and sour and in seven years in China have not been able to find it. Unbelievable I know but mostly it is sweet pork without the sour. There was of course the restaurant in the Business Street in Chizhou that did a passable imitation but ruined it by using awful little meatballs instead of pork or prawns.

I’ve just been out to top up my wallet and get provisions. I normally pack alcohol in my case for a short trip and I wanted some mints to suck on. In the little supermarket I came across the French teacher, Nordin. I didn’t know his name until just now and rarely see him with his miserable looking visage but this time we actually talked for quite a while. He isn’t French, he’s Algerian but born in France. Hasn’t taken up dual nationality and has an Algerian passport plus a 10 year automatically renewed French residence permit from what I could make out.

He was giving me the low down on the other teachers at Peili campus (the one I live near but don’t teach on) and it was both interesting and slightly worrying. Interesting in that the girl (Moriah) Peace Corps teacher is leaving (I knew that anyway as they sign up for two year stints) and also that Jacob is leaving after just one year. That surprised me. He is also Peace Corps and I recall him telling me he had signed for two years. Maybe teaching or China is not for him.

Of course, me being me, my first thought was what would become of the dog he adopted? I thought it most irresponsible to give a dog a home and hope for a few months and then cast it out but Nordin told me Jacob says he will take it back to the States when he goes. I expressed the opinion that if it was anything like the UK it would be prohibitively expensive but then when I got back I looked to see how hard or easy it is to take an animal into America. I was amazed, as long as your dog has a passport and is vaccinated and healthy, there isn’t even a quarantine period. You can get a dog in considerably easier than a Muslim! So maybe one little mutt DID fall on its feet!

The slightly worrying part is that this means they are now actively looking for two new English teachers for Peili campus. “My” campus is the baby of the three (by student numbers rather than age) and what I am doing is teaching extra-curricular classes and they are not degree-related. I want to stay there (if I am asked to remain here) and do not want to move to another campus, even though my commute would be reduced to a five minute walk.

One of the questions on the list I sent to Brenda covered my remaining on Rewi Alley campus so when I get answers I shall know. Maybe I am over thinking.

Well that will do for today. I have washed all the dishes so won’t be leaving any more than tonight’s for when I get back. I am all but packed with just the laptop and my medicines to go in in the morning and despite a guilty feeling about spending money, I am looking forward to a new experience, and one I suspect many people would love the opportunity to have.

Next entry should be from Shaanxi Province. If it isn’t it means either I never got there, the laptop packed in or I am having too good a time!