BAODING LIFE 7

Reflecting on May, it was such a roller-coaster and I feel I packed so much in that it seems an age! Starting with my visit to Seven's home town, followed by my 53^rd birthday, a raft of other birthday parties, 2 visits to Beijing, my memory lane visit to the Summer Palace and some lively evenings out with friends, this has been an exciting month. Things are much quieter afterwards and I settle into a routine of teaching, cooking and relaxing in the shacks near the campus. It's blisteringly hot so I tend to sit in the shade with a cold beer: I also make more of my own food, burgers, curry and chilli, as I really find that I prefer not to eat out unless it's a particularly good restaurant.  

 The convenience of eating cheap food in the shacks has largely worn off as most of the food is so poor, and of the few places I do like to visit, many are being closed down! However I do sometimes visit the new barbecue shack that has opened recently selling the crayfish similar to those I had in Beijing, usually with some students.

 Also as an experiment I buy a whole crab in the export supermarket and dress it myself, then take it out with some salad on a paper plate with a plastic knife and fork, and eat it outside in the shacks with a beer! It makes for an enjoyable compromise as I'm not keen on eating at home by myself, so I think I'll do this more often!

There is a feeling of saying goodbye as I begin to contemplate returning to England next month. In many ways this has been one of the most successful things I have ever done: making new friends, teaching, travelling and learning. I feel much better about myself than I did before leaving England.

The shacks are disappearing, being replaced by huge concrete blocks in which small cafes are being set up. This is rather a shame as there is a certain character about the shacks that I like and I find this development disappointing. Jack's place has closed down due to expansion of the foreign language school next to the University, and the area seems to be losing its community spirit. The colleagues I used to chat with in the shacks have all gone now, some back to the UK and others to different countries, one or two to other parts of China, one to Vietnam.  

I take Seven and Christine to a Japanese restaurant which I visited for a colleague's birthday, and we have a lovely meal as we discuss family life, life in the UK and exchange travel stories. I also invite them to dinner at my apartment where I make a vegetarian green curry which they seem to enjoy: at least they polish it all off so I imagine they do!  

We also have hot sake!

At the university it's countdown to assessment for this year, and I'm working the students hard to get them prepared. They are responding well to this and there is a buzz around the 6^th floor where I'm teaching. I feel quite proud of them.

At the weekend I will visit Beijing for the last time before I leave for the UK in July. I feel a mixture of sadness and fear contemplating the future with political uncertainty, family health matters, fear of terrorism and unemployment being just a few of the things I will have to deal with in the near future. I prefer to think about being with Sarah again and planning a summer of pleasant, relaxing and simple English holidays.

I also have to plan a round of farewell parties: there are too many people to see, too many different timetables and lifestyles to do it all at once. Again, this brings on a sad feeling of saying goodbye for the last time.