Friday 12^th January, 2018 1200

Of course, with an early start, it simply had to be that I was unable to sleep until the small hours and getting up was painful.

I made the right decision to wear the suit, this was apparently the first ever visit by the Foreign Affairs Bureau to the school and I was one of only two foreign teachers present. There was Olga, the Russian married to a Chinese teacher and myself. Nordine was in Xian, having gone there presumably in the hope of catching a glimpse of President Macron, Annie as you know is away training and the others (I learnt today there are seven of us in total) are not in Lanzhou either. Sometimes being a stay-at-home works against you, others for you.

The trip to the main campus was dreadful, today it is bitterly cold and the 121 bus was full and I had to stand most of the way. Being one of the older buses also meant it was a very jerky ride.

Brenda did a good job of translating what was being said for me, just as well because I was unexpectedly asked for my opinion of what had been discussed! Basically there were two main points, the fact they want yet more foreign teachers/experts and the Dunhuang culture which has been incorporated by the fine arts department into their works in clay. Dunhuang is famous for being an important point on the ancient Silk Road. In the last five years alone, the school has filed thirty patents for their designs in clay, indeed one such example sits in my display cabinet, a gift given to me during the Rewi Alley epic journey.

At the end were the photo opportunities (I never took my camera, it didn't seem right) and the presenting of gifts to Olga and myself. She received a silk scarf embroidered with Dunhuang art and very nice it was too.

I got the best of the bargain though, of that there can be no doubt. I was fully expecting a trinket I would politely thank them for and which would be stowed away at the back of a cupboard for evermore.

What I got though was absolutely exquisite. Two decorative display plates about 6” in diameter, gold plated and adorned with colour etchings of flying apsarases, both set in a lovely wooden case. I had never heard of apsarases and had to Google them – they are Hindi/Buddhist mythical female angels often depicted playing various musical instruments.

Ok so the gift serves no practical purpose but by God it very pleasing on the eye and henceforth shall take pride of place in my display cabinet alongside the other items I have been given during my time in China.

Well worth the effort of putting on a suit!