Working over Christmas
This weekend sees a high percentage of the world’s population celebrating Christmas, but it is not a holiday here, it is not officially celebrated in China but most Chinese people know of it. A lot of Chinese people unofficially celebrate Christmas in some way. I had some private work to do so the Saturday morning saw me up at 4.40am, eat some breakfast and then go to catch the first bus into Wuhan around 5.45. Once I arrived in the city I then had to take the subway to Hankou railway station in the north of the city across the other side of the Yangtze River.
From Hankou it was a one hour train ride to the small city of Yingcheng. I have worked there several times before and had some classes from 10.00am and through the afternoon. The students I teach in Yingcheng are all from junior schools and it is always a pleasure to teach them. They are mostly enthusiastic to learn and happy to see me. It makes a nice change from the classes I have to teach in Wuhan.
That evening the school had booked an activity for the students inside a McDonald’s restaurant. I
had to give a class to 40 students; they were learning English words they might use in a fast food outlet. They then each had an opportunity to make their own chicken sandwich before being given a take away meal. I then had to repeat this for a second class of 40 students, all this time I was dressed as Santa Claus. It was good publicity for the school and a good way for them to try and attract more students.
After going to a nearby restaurant (not fast food) to eat, I was happy to then go to my hotel and rest for the night, I was very tired, it had been a long day and I was sleeping by 9.30pm. I knew I had a long day ahead of me on the Sunday, at that time I did not know just how long it would be.
I had classes on the Sunday morning from 8.00am until lunchtime, then a break and then a few more classes before finishing at 3.00pm. I then had to take a bus to the nearby city of Xiaogan for my next job. This next job had been agreed on the proviso that I be driven back to Wuhan that same evening as I had classes the next morning (yes, it would be Christmas Day and I am in a
classroom). About ten minutes after leaving Yingcheng I had a message to say he couldn’t drive me back and he was sorry, for the next hour I was constantly sending and receiving mixed messages full of excuses as to why he had changed his mind and how he still wanted me to attend his function. I had already checked my phone and there was a train from Xiaogan to Wuhan at 17.30 and unless he agreed to drive me back to Wuhan that evening I would be getting that train (the event was due to begin at 18.30).
I got the assurance from him and arrived at the venue, I had been told I do not need to prepare anything, I didn’t know anything about the event he had planned except I would be wearing a red Santa outfit. As soon as I arrived I discovered it was a show being put on by students in front of their parents and could I do a performance for about 5 minutes (so much for not needing to prepare anything), and could I sing and dance with one group of students to a song I had never heard previously let alone knew the words to. We had a short discussion about these problems and I went on stage to say a few words of encouragement and that was my performance.
The rest of the evening I mingled with the crowd and handed out candy and other goodies. The event was over by 21.30 and I hoped to soon be on my way back to Wuhan. First we had to go and get something to eat, the boss of the school had promised to feed all the staff involved so instead of being driven back immediately the delaying tactics began. Eventually we left at about 12.30
getting back at about 2.00am including his sat-nav sending us the wrong way. One amusing thing as we were about to leave, he clearly had not told his wife that he was driving me back and on telling her just a few minutes before we left she was not amused. It was an interesting Christmas weekend with a difference.
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