I needn't have panicked: It's 10.30 am, the sun's shining brightly in a clear blue sky, and, in those immortal words: "My work here is done"! All lectures completed; all 67 students' scripts marked. Not bad eh, considering I only collected them last night.
In fact, I'm so euphoric and light-headed that here's an arty shot of my patented washing line:
Just because I could.
And a couple of slightly different views out of my window:
Above: that's the hotel janitor with his hi-tech car-park-cleaning equipment. Those brooms may be primitive, but by gum they don't half do the job. They're used everywhere. I was on the bus one day and even saw an automated contraption based on them being towed behind a tiny tractor - in much the same way that a rotavator or farrow might, in a farmer's field. It was efficiently sweeping one of the busiest roundabouts on our route to the univesity. Unortunately I didn't have the presence of mind to whip my camera out.
Well, this afternoon I'm making one last trip in to see the students and say goodbye. Maybe I'll show them a few more photographs as well. I'll be sad in a way, but at least a goodly number of them are destined to come to Manchester next year.
Other than that there's not much to report yet, today.
One thing I should probably mention though: once I leave Zhengzhou (on Sunday, for Xi'an and Beijing) I may or may not have a broadband connection, so if the blogs mysteriously dry up that will probably be the reason. But Even so, I'll try to keep a record for adding on my return home. So you haven't escaped that easily. I'm priviledged to have been able to make this trip, so I feel it is in a way my duty to report my experiences in as much detail as I can for those who might not get the chance to come to China (and maybe to prepare those who haven't yet got here!); try to convey something of what it's actually like to be here. That's my excuse anyway.
Lunchtime: it's a glorious day. Even the view from my window is quite striking today:
And still the temperatrure is holding up. The sun was burning through the windows of the coach to the south campus, and nearly all the curtains were pulled to provide shade. It is the 1st of November, isn't it?
Although I was going to the university for my "regular" Thursday slot, this time it was to say goodbye to the students. When I got to the building they were all there waiting for me. I couldn't believe the welcome I got. You may find this hard to believe, but they really didn't want me to leave them. They are so lovely. They took me for a walk around the campus, but mainly this was to get their photographs taken with me. So now for the commercial break: if any of my colleagues is reading this, and is having doubts about following in my footsteps to teach at Zhongyuan University, just have a shufty at these:
Above: the young lady on my left is Jennifer, their regular teacher.
One of the students said the most touching thing as I was leaving for the bus: "I'll miss you". Well I'll certainly miss them.
The bus-journey back to the city was long this evening owing to a horrendous traffic-jam. Given that Chinese driving is done primarly on the horn at the best of times, you can imagine what it sounded like. We were on our way to eat: Jennifer and the gang (Yang Le, Gao Xiao Yu and Judith) were taking me for a "hot-pot" at what is reckoned to be the best place in town. We got there though.
Above: Gao Xiao Yu (centre - the "dumpling chef" from a previous evening) and Judith.
Above left: Yang Le. "Yang" is of course his family name as they do things the other way round from us. "Le", he told me, means "Smiling". It's an appropriate name for him.
Doesn't look a lot like a Lancashire hot-pot now, does it?
Jennifer.
Now this is the way to make special noodles:
That's about it for today. I need my beauty sleep for the big trip to see the Yellow River tomorrow. (No singing, please!)
Good night all.
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