Friday 2^nd November, 2018 1640

By Thursday morning I had built up a head of steam in preparation for a confrontation if necessary. I know the “correct” way of doing things in China but sometimes I have simply had enough of the “Chinese Way” and demand some latitude for the “western way”.

So my classes were to be in 402 and the computer was fixed, remember?

At eight o'clock I found the classroom locked! Not only that but a student rushed out from the room opposite – 401, the very room I said was the worst possible – to tell me my lessons were in there.

You couldn't make this up. This week's topic was ”Combating Bad Moods”!! Well, bad was hardly the term I would use to describe my feelings, I was incandescent. I fully understand that there are times when the school has to juggle and in such instances I acquiesce temporarily but Janet had told me two blatant lies (it wasn't that room and the PC was not repaired) and that lit the touchpaper. There was little acting involved in my role play that day!

I sent a text to Janet requesting that we needed to talk. I really wanted a face to face confrontation! Of course, I received no reply so about fifteen minutes before arriving home I went on the warpath, sending another text to say I would send an email and I expected a reply otherwise it was doubtful I would go to work today. I would never have done that but she was not to know it.

Later I had a response. Today's classes were in 315 – fine, everything works there. Nothing to say about her lies to me though. Maybe she thinks I will let it drop but she will have to come within touching distance of me sometime and I will not let her off the hook scot free.

Anyway, today my mood was much better although the kindergarten had a rather loud parents' day on the sports ground which pervaded my room so I still needed little thespian skills to purvey bad moods!

And of course part of the lesson (of my own insertion) is that life is never permanent happiness but a rollercoaster of emotions and I stress to them that even when things are bleak something good can always be gleaned, such are the vicissitudes.

Well even I get them! My Friday afternoon class asked me if I would mind them joining with the first morning class so they didn't (and ergo me) have afternoon lessons! It made the class the combined largest I have ever had at 86 but I agreed. After all, if I'm going to bang my head against the wall to 43 twice a day I may as well bang it once with double that number and I get to leave work at noon!

As long as nobody puts the mockers on it, I shall now almost look forward to Fridays!!