Boxing Day, 2019 2130

Christmas? What Christmas???

After my last entry I lost internet, something that causes outrage in developed countries if it lasts for an hour but something I am no stranger to here. But really – Christmas Eve? Ok so I have about 30 hours of Inspector Montalbano downloaded that suddenly appeared on iPlayer last week so I had something to watch and went to bed half-confident that by ten the following morning it would be back on once IT had turned in for work.

I backed the wrong half. Nothing. Jody sent me a text asking if I had seen her email and I replied I hadn't seen any due to no internet. Then she told me main campus had no internet, power or water. That explained my not being able to go online but being Christmas Day it didn't make me feel better about it. In fact, when I got to work in the afternoon I realised the problem. With typical Chinese planning, forethought and nous they had overlooked the fact that knocking down an entire street might just knock out a whole neighbourhood, including a university nearby. Far be it for them to secure supplies to existing premises before going like a bulldozer in a teashop.

The email, I learnt, was to invite me for dinner. For once I jumped at it, provided it was to be early because I had to be up at 0530 this morning and by God it has been cold these past couple of days. It was early and I was home at 1930 having had an alternative Christmas dinner of a “posh” hotpot. I also got to meet another teacher, Maggie, who was a little (and I mean diminutive) hottie, sadly married and with a toddler and my charms could not convince her to file for divorce. At least I never ended up with chow mien on the day.

At 2000 that night connection was restored and I retired at 2215. Long gone are the days of eight hour sleeps or even seven for that matter. Four or five if I'm lucky and the rest of the time willing myself to sleep until the alarm goes off, following which I am knackered all day.

A whole day at work today and for the first time I ventured out with my Russian fur hat because it was gelid. It won't be the last either because tomorrow my fleece will be on the floor of the barber shop.

In the end I never failed anyone, I am a softie really. The school only wanted the results for three of seven classes and there was no need for the three they needed as they all passed. For the rest, it seems the results are for my benefit only so why make waves? I do enough of that as it is! I do wonder though whether my individual pep talks will yield more active classes after the break. I really hope so, I hate dreading going to work – I did enough of that in jobs I shouldn't have stayed in for so long and at this stage I simply want to get through and enjoy life.

Anyway, that's it! No idea when I start back but it won't be until February so probably six weeks. It would be nice to be wealthy enough to jet off somewhere warm but mein eyes are firmly on summer, I mean who in their right mind would want to holiday in the UK in January?

I trust everyone is bloated right now (I'm not) and you are enjoying the usual TV repeats!