An Injection of Positive Thinking

The view from 1603, G Block.  Most of the buildings in the foreground belong to CAFA.

It's not so easy to write when your head is foggy.  Fortunately the sunshine outside the window is helping me to think clearly.  Strange how the weather affects our mood but we all know that it does.  It is still cold.  There was another burst of snowfall over Beijing on Tuesday, and this time it has hung around.  You know how in England, when it snows, we are always taken by surprise... traffic halts and tailbacks develop.  Breakdown services are obviously called into overtime, but how many individuals do you see physically shifting snow from one place to another?  Well here the snow seemed to create a day's work for thousands of shovel-wealding volunteers.  Those who duties are not specific seem to get roped into the general demand for the transportation of fresh white stuff to less inconvenient areas.  It snowed again on Thursday but it was wetter and didn't really settle, but we have all had a slushy kind of week.  The downside to this for me is not that it is cold outside and I have to wrap up warm.  That's easily managed.  But I do have to suffer from intolerable hot fans and air conditioning.  People all seem to feel the cold before me and always overcompensate by turning up the artificial heating.  My throat is the first part of my body to complain.. and I have been going round the campus in just a T-shirt (short bursts only!) just to make a point.  The university are offering us free jabs of H1N1 vaccine.. but I am reluctant to take it.  I am sure it is perfectly safe but it undoubtedly will make whoever takes it feel groggy for a couple of days and I don't want that.  And, I know where I can consume kimchi easily... which is my prefered immune system upgrade.

The situation at work becomes clearer in one aspect... we know what we are dealing with.  My line manager (Director Of Studies) has decided to quit, however, which leaves a potential problem.  She leaves next month and has already interviewed one candidate.  I am not technically qualified to take over and I wouldn't want to, because I have other commitments on my time.  But I may have to undertake a caretaker role.  Positive thinking continues to be required.. up til now I have been absolutely fine, resolute, unshakable even.  But a change like this can unsettle me.  I feel really sorry for her, because she has been beaten down by the circumstances in which the whole course was set up.... it's exhausted her and she needs to return home to Australia for this and other more personal reasons.  This leaves the other staff wondering what the future will hold, but I think we can do it, and I know that I will 'step-up' to the challenge of assisting the Chinese teachers to do their jobs.   No.. I'm NOT taking over, not this time... because I know my limits and I don't fancy banging my head against the proverbial brick wall.

I am a bit concerned that I haven't told the local police that I have moved into 1603.  My woman says 'no problem' but I am not sure she knows what my concern is.  The Chinese like to fine foreigners large sums if they don't obey rules and I kind of know I am breaking one... but maybe I will wait until after next weekend.  I fly to Hong Kong to get my Visa upgraded... and not before time.  I have been told about a bit of proofreading work going at a translation company based in Leeds, but with an office here in Beijing... but I wouldn't be able to do that until I am 'all clear'.  I will be away for 3 days inclusive (Sun - Tue). This possibility of work comes through my Saturday friend who I meet at the Bookworm for language exchange.. i help her with IELTS exam practice and she tries to teach me the chinese word for 'left' and 'right'.  I am a very slower language learner.  Great teacher, but poor student!

So, I must continue to think positively... it has done me very well up til now.  I will continue to take the medication knowing that, whether it is responsible or not, I am remaining fairly calm.  It might be 2 weeks before my next blog, by which time I will be legal and also have something more to talk about.

Go back to the top and click on the heading 'An Injection of Positive Thinking' to see a short clip of the view from 1603.

Bye for now.

Phil.