Monday 30^th September, 2019 1330

So, yesterday afternoon I had to catch up the classes missed due to the army overrun. Half an hour after I finished, the freshmen welcome concert began at 1900.

I hosted the egg game with five volunteers (including my cleaner Andy and a small girl, a child of a teacher I think) and Delia the Dean who I had cajoled into taking part. The dean was of course the one destined to get the raw egg smashed on her head and only I knew what was to happen. The audience of freshmen were quite vocal when I asked them at the end should I smash it on her – I heard not a single “no”!

Of course, I had lied and the egg was boiled but she didn't know that. Her prize for being such a sport was a box of Ferrero Rocher. You are spoiling us, Mr Steve.........

I got home at about 2130 and opened a bottle of plonk, determined to enjoy a lie in this morning on the first day of a week off.

But have I dropped a ricket?

When I turned my phone on at 1000 I received a message from a student in one of the classes I had yesterday, advising me today's classroom was on the 3^rd floor and not the 1^st.

What??

I sent a reply asserting it was a holiday! Oh, sorry, I forgot, enjoy your holiday.

I am now wondering if he was doing exactly what I would have done in light of an unexpected windfall of a class off because the teacher had made a mistake! I have had no enquiries as to my whereabouts yet from the powers that be. I have no idea whether the texting student is in my morning or afternoon class as somehow my attendance book has gone missing, however if I get another text when I don't turn up at 1430 I will know for sure I have committed a sin.

If that is the case, in my defence, yesterday I said to both classes to have a good holiday and I would see them in a week's time – not a soul corrected me and said we will see you tomorrow (today). And I have had no official notification of exactly which days off we have, I simply know it is a week and Monday and Friday classes need to be caught up yesterday and Saturday 12^th. Yesterday was this coming Friday's classes but as I don't have any on Fridays I took the opportunity to get the Monday backlog out of the way.

There was a time I would have fretted a great deal but now, if I did, I simply made a mistake. And I will blame the school for not telling me!

Life is now much more complicated for me. Currently I teach three majors – English, Translation and Chinese Teaching. And guess what? They all have their own English corner every week! If they had their way I would be attending each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. As much as I like to be an active part of the student activities, I don't live on their campus so getting home at 1900 generally means I am too tired to cook for myself or prepare a lunch box for the following day. It's fine for them, they can simply go to the canteen, eat five minutes later and be in bed by seven if they wish!

I will go to them but probably one of them every two weeks, which means each major will have me every six weeks. The young Peace Corps kids can go every week, they are a third of my age (and they eat canteen food).

Nordine the French teacher doesn't go to anything – he never even went to last night's concert.

1415

News just in – just had a call from a student in the class I should be teaching in 15 minutes!

I am in disgrace........