Sunday 18th June. 2017                                   1715

Not sure if it would be premature to perform a Hullabaloo at this juncture or not. “Hullabaloo” is a distinctly HMS Conway term but I am sure you get the drift.

At last I have baked bread that is soft in Lanzhou. It may actually be too soft but I shall find out tomorrow when I tackle my egg and salad cream sandwiches for lunch. If successful I am happy even though I am guessing it is 37y for 2kg. Without scales I can only guess as there is nothing on the box to tell me.

Sixty students to examine on the morrow, twenty per double period. Even without taking a break (I shall ask if there are any exceptions to my smoking in my office with the windows flung wide) at 5 mins apiece it will be a push as always. I could have started last week but the teacher in me wanted to teach up to the last minute. It’s not as if I have them for 2 years. Long days for me for the next fortnight.

Monday 19th                                                   1830

What a bloody day.

Ok, so far I haven’t failed any of the 60 students examined to this point. Perhaps a few should have failed  but mindful of the fact that they are not English majors I was kind. At least all but one came to every, or nearly every, class so they were awarded marks for that. The one girl who missed a load, never opened her mouth when she did attend, yet stunned me by being in the top three so far with her level of English. Her reason for not speaking in class? Because her English is “not so well”!!!!!

My day took a rather odd turn halfway through class two though when Janet turned up. I really don’t need that when I am examining and up against the clock but of course I had to hear her out.

The Chinese just love to spring things on you with no notice. She had come to tell me some people from the European University, Cyprus had arrived for a visit and there were four students  she wished I could speak to, I assumed in her office. Well for one, I was in the middle of examining my students and two, with no notice, sorry but I am busy. They will have to wait until I am finished. I can come and chat at lunchtime for a while. She left.

I actually managed to dispose of the rest of the class a little early and so called to ask if the people were still there. Yes, come down to room 207.

This was no spur of the moment thing, merely the telling me of it was. Room 207 is a meeting room with a huge boardroom table which when I entered was full of our school dignitaries, the rector of the Cyprus university Prof Costas Something and their Greek international representative for Asia. There were also students seated beyond the big table. Why on earth was I not told in advance? I could and would have rescheduled one of my classes but I wasn’t going to do it when I was in full swing.

I think I was there five minutes, had just been given a coffee when everyone started to bail out. “It’s over?” I asked. No, there is a presentation but we have to go to the 3rd floor. Lovely, it was now lunchtime. I rather wanted my egg and salad cream sandwiches.

In the screening room I sat next to Mr Zhang, the director of foreign affairs. Did I have any plans for the summer holidays? Yes but nothing has been booked yet. When will you be travelling? Probably 26th July to 8th August, why?

They have a programme. Details are decidedly sketchy as I never got time to grill much but they want me to take part in it. It lasts ten days from  18th to 27th July. That would scupper my own plans for a further week - I have to time everything so I get a weekend in both Shenyang and Shanghai.

Thinking it was some sort of summer camp (God forbid with the kindergarten kids, I would have turned THAT down flat) I asked what it involved. I need to clarify exactly what it does entail but it seems they want me to travel (alone or with persons unknown, I still have to find out) and the school will pay all travel expenses, hotels and meals. Do I have to teach? No. I have to write a report on what I/we do. What????

I thought perhaps I had entered a parallel universe! Me, write?? All expenses (except booze, smokes) paid PLUS an extra salary? Write??? It’s the equivalent of asking me to go on a beer sampling trip to Qingdao!

Yes I am interested as long as it doesn’t involve trekking for miles or climbing any mountains. And I will be happy to write far in  excess of the 300-500 words per day they expect. The inner sceptic says there must be a catch but as yet I can’t think of one. I can’t recall the places that will be visited on this whirlwind tour of China but amusingly it apparently includes 2 days in Shanghai, some other places and also includes Beijing. I don’t mind walking the Great Wall on an e-bike.

So yet again my plans are in disarray and I have never ever had this many changes since a turbocharger blew up on a ship and we were diverted in a square over two days while the company tried to locate an aircraft and landing strip big enough to fly out a replacement.

Eventually I thought I was going to get my sandwiches but no, the bigwigs were going for lunch and the party secretary was taking me and Janet to another restaurant close by. I still have no idea what my bread was like!

I may just have the busiest summer holiday yet.