New Year's Day 2021 1215

I am now wondering if my English majors ever paid attention in their maths classes. Last week I took great pains to explain exactly how I would conduct the testing and confirmed with them that they understood what I had said. I had no problems with my five translation major classes so English majors would surely comprehend?

Their three classes have all been on Thursday this term and all three comprise thirty-two students. I always like to do slightly more than half the first week in order to make my last week easier so I told them I would do seventeen yesterday and fifteen tomorrow (the Saturday finale being occasioned by the early closure of the school).

The morning class turned up in their entirety! Exasperated, I sent fifteen of them away – with the best will in the world I cannot do them all in one hit. The middle class played ball and I thought perhaps word had spread. When I tested number seventeen of the late class I was somewhat disappointed to be told there were still four more waiting! I was told that I could send them away but they'd been standing outside in the freezing cold for two hours. I decided to hell with it, I would do them even though it meant I would finish after time. It was not entirely selfless though, it means my final session tomorrow will end early as there are now only eleven to test.

Sod's Law states that the one day – Thursday – that I have the additional weight of my computer to carry, has always been the day I have waited in vain for a taxi. Last night was no exception. It being new year's eve the dearth was exacerbated and it may have been more prolonged were it not for two Chinese teachers who suggested I walk with them, meaning when we got near the bus stop they spoke to a parked taxi driver who wasn't showing his red flag and had a woman sitting with him in front. He agreed to take me.

The traffic was appalling. There were police at every junction and the trip took four times as long as usual. By the time I gratefully opened my flat door I was dog-tired. Any thought of cooking had long since evaporated. And whilst I was at liberty to go out to a bar to see in the new year (unlike millions in other countries), that wasn't going to happen either! It was a case of slippers, cigars and a bottle of plonk and bed before midnight. I'm rather hoping to have more staying power on the 11^th February for seeing in the year of the ox in Dali.

As for today, I am not setting foot outside. The supermarket will be packed so that can wait until Sunday. The much-needed haircut can be had on Monday so I don't have to look too much of a plank by wearing the ushanka for very long, just enough to get me back home and have time to acclimatise.

I see we now have a vaccine approved for general use now here. Manufactured by Sinopharm, I don't really think I want it (I'd rather have Pfizer) but I am wondering whether the school might stage a huge inoculation drive and give me no choice.