Friday 27^th October, 2017 2100

I must remember the clocks in the UK retard this weekend. Only because it will mean I can start BBC downloads an hour earlier here!

I entertained Annie for a quick dinner here before English corner last night. Black pepper salmon, mash and the Chinese version of runner/green beans. First time I had tried the beans, they always look so anaemic but I must say they were actually quite good – as was the salmon. The potatoes in contrast, could more accurately have been described as potato soup! And honest Guv, not one drop of milk did I use! God, I will be glad when proper spuds come back in season in this Philistine of a city/province for potatoes!

The “room” the students had been given for the corner turned out to be the stairwell of the teaching building! Ok, the central heating is now on and it was warmer than outside and it was lit, but bloody hell – standing around with stark walls and a bare concrete floor?

I approached Iggy, the leader of the society. No, it's a girl. Explained my suggestions and she seemed interested, although as to implement them it would mean being given the use of a proper room with seats, she was dubious. I asked why and was told they had been informed all classrooms are in use for evening study. Utter rowlocks. They aren't all in use during daytime classes so how the hell can they all be occupied at night?

Trying to be constructive and not garner a reputation as a troublemaker just five weeks after arriving on this particular campus, I emailed Delia the vice dean with my suggestions. There was of course a Plan B in case my request was refused but that involved getting the students to barter with the Shijia hotel for a good price on a conference room once a month – and probably me paying for it. I am willing to do so but would rather not of course. But I hate telling students I will try to arrange something and then failing.

Blow me if Delia didn't call me at lunchtime while I was on east campus. She loves my ideas, Iggy had relayed some of them to her when she put in an appearance after I left last night and she is going to speak to the chief librarian with a view to getting the use of a first floor room in there. You know, the school encourages the students to set up and run these things, the least they can do is provide adequate facilities.

Talking of facilities, the teacher training room (my temporary classroom) wasn't locked this morning so I never bothered getting the keys. At lunchtime I left my books in there and when it was time for afternoon class I returned not only to find it locked but not a bloody soul about for me to get the keys! I was livid! Add to that 20 students missing as they had been seconded to cheerleading practice (how many cheerleaders does a team need – there must have been 100 working out on the sports track???) and I was highly disgruntled. My views were made clear to Janet and next week even if it is open I will get the damned keys. Everybody else (teacher-wise) seems to decamp at noon on Friday and I am the only one actually working after that.

With so few students, I gave them a choice of having a lesson or a film. I would have been poleaxed had they elected for the lesson, although I could have given one from memory anyway if needed. But that's not the point. It's the computer guy doing it, I am convinced of that because today he rearranged my office – he has keys because the computer in there doubles up as a station where people take their card to top up their electricity. He's got the hump because I have been given the teachers room to teach in. Well, tough – should have fixed my classroom computer.

Joanna tells me that tomorrow the global CEO of her company is interviewing her for a promotion. She is naturally nervous but she wouldn't have been asked to interview if he wasn't impressed by the reports on her. So, very publicly I would like to wish her all the best for tomorrow and say that I am confident she will soon be on a higher salary with more responsibility. If anyone is capable of doing the job (which involves dealing with people in English) then she is.

I in the meantime am back to Cigargate. The jing jo shop can't locate any and I will run out on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Allan Sillitoe eat your heart out. I did give them a fortnight's notice so don't blame me. Tomorrow I will need to waste a couple of hours going to the big China Tobacco shop, praying they have fresh stock.

If it isn't one thing it's another.