Thursday 1st June, 2017                     1930

Not the best day I have had here it has to be said.

I got answers to my questions that I have been waiting for but it was a mixed bag. And of course at this time of year and having already promised I would stay, very little I can do about it unless I want all the cost and upheaval of moving yet again - which I don’t. It has been very much a “this is China” day.

Ok, my exams need to be completed by the 30th June and the term officially ends 14th. Near enough what I expected and I am happy with that, happier still that I actually forced an answer so I wasn’t caught on the hop.

The pay rise for the second year? I have to say it is derisory and there is no budging on it. Worse, the foreign affairs director has instructed Brenda to ask my dean if I should receive an increase! I have no doubt she will say yes (did their Santa and went to all their sports days - and have taken apple pie and bread pudding to school to share) but I have pointed out that there will be ructions if it is not forthcoming because the ONE question I asked when I arrived before signing was if there was a rise and the answer was yes. Ergo, I am pissed off that they are trying to cast doubt on it and believe me this will cause bad blood and I will do whatever I can to make them see the error of not thinking a promise is a promise - especially as of course they expect me to keep mine.

I cannot complain about the answer for the annual flight payment, I signed the contract and must abide by it but before I sign the forthcoming contract there will be an addendum. I did ask if they could increase the allowance over what they pay if you don’t go home and also what the upper limit was for fares. I do not expect them to pay more than an economy return but there may come a time I wish to book business class and will expect a proportion to be paid. I also asked if it was possible to fly somewhere else and be paid more than the default amount. No budging there either. Ok, can’t complain, at least they pay something if you don’t fly home, Chizhou never did and they had a ceiling on the amount when you did.

However what has really got my goat was Brenda telling me the travel allowance would be paid next term!!

By inference that also means any flights taken to your home town are paid the next academic year which is nonsense. Firstly, I need that money to conduct my holiday in China and secondly if my plans succeed next year I will need to be reimbursed because I intend to spend a lot of money travelling to the UK. Brenda didn’t seem to understand when I asked what happened to teachers who were not renewing their contract for another year, did they get paid after they had returned to stay in their home country? Utterly preposterous. She has however said she thinks she can solve this one for me. She had better. I will be stipulating when I sign again that the air fare is paid before official end of term.

I forgot to ask (she did phone me unexpectedly) if I will get paid my salary in August during the holidays and accordingly I have emailed her and await a response. If they say no and I don’t get my flight allowance next month then my summer plans are cancelled and they won’t like me if I have to do that.

Add to that the uncertainty that I will be reimbursed next summer before I fly off and perhaps you may understand my bad humour this evening. In Chizhou I knew the score and what I could expect and the biggest problem was getting the useless FAO to actually do her job. They seem to have different rules here and unless there has been a language problem then they are unacceptable. Telling me they can’t pay my flight next month because I might not complete the contract (when my work ends the end of this month and I have 8 days to submit exam results after before payday) is incredible. I have stressed that there has to be trust both ways. Well, doesn’t there?

I mean for God’s sake, I have taught all my classes, attended voluntary functions when I have been told about them and even did what even Chinese teachers didn’t - attended all the sports days and damned near put myself in hospital in so doing! I am fulfilling my contract as always and I expect them to play fair.

Ok, I need to calm down. These edicts are coming from the west campus, not mine. I think I now have a friend in my dean and also the party secretary so if necessary I shall get Janet to explain to them.

But I really don’t need this crap just when it is becoming too late to change my mind and look for another job. They have no idea just how committed I can be to a place when treated right. Mind you, Chizhou never did either, or if they did they didn’t care.