Lack of proper prior planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine" Old English Proverb
Unfortunately China seems to be under the assumption that it DOES…. I got a phone call this morning (July 8th the day before I depart for the US) from my boss. She asked me to stay another month because there was more of the web page stuff to do.
My apartment is all packed in boxes because they are moving us sometime this month and I am all packed for my trip home TOMORROW.
The call shocked me because I had FINISHED all the 200 plus pages of web page editing they had given me by the end of April. Since then I have been inventing jobs to do to make sure I didn’t go crazy. I helped tutor some of Andrew’s and Marian’s students, I taught the second half of some of Amy’s classes, and helped Cynthia with editing some students’ (really technical) papers that were going to be published. It filled maybe 2-3 hours a day. Not enough to really keep me busy but enough to get me out of bed and keep me semi-productive. The FAO had sent me a few other documents to edit and revise as well as weekly speeches to evaluate but generally I have been duty free for 2 months.
About an hour after the first phone call I got another call saying that I would be terminated if I did not stay for the month of July. Being almost 63 and never having been fired – it sort of shocked me. I started by having a few tears, then frantic worrying about having to repack (because I was leaving a lot of my stuff here for the summer). I finally calmed down, talked/SKYPED with the other foreign teachers (here and home) and decided that whatever decision they made I would deal. I sat down at the computer and emailed them 3 options to pick from
- I go home and they terminate me
- I go home and they pay me for July and they email the documents for me to revise
- I go home and then come back in August as planned
Last minute changes are VERY typical of China. The first year I taught in China it really frustrated and bothered me, but I have grown accustomed to it by now and will usually adjust my schedule accordingly. BUT NOT TODAY! I will be home on the island and in MY SOFT bed (if all goes according to plan) Sunday night- the 10th.
Exciting Seven Hours
I am still not sure if I will be paid for this extra month of work – but I am happy that I am coming home and not having to repack. Oh and I still have to leave a note with the guards saying that I am gone and will be responsible for my own actions while away from NUDTSide Note: As of July 31st - I still haven't gotten any pay or documents sent to me ... go figure (and never did)
