Life on going...

Thursday 4th January (or Wed 3rd February, take your pick depending on where you are!)

We had a sort of day off yesterday so I took advantage of it and had a pretty laid back day. The students were supposed to use it as a study day but they had their photographs taken in various groups: university, sea deck (each deck is a different sea) and also the whole pack of us. So as there are many different universities represented and 4 different seas the tannoy was going all day, students rushed from deck to deck, and it seemed, rather like the government pronouncments in China!

I have watched 3 or 4 documentaries about about the events leading up to the Tienamen Square Massacre...all pretty disturbing. Just left a class where we watched yet another and was disturbed by our Chinese professor's comments. He feels that although it was a Chinese tragedy and the Government must take the brunt of the responsibility, the students must also be held partially responsible. A student asked why. He replied that they should have applied for a permit to hold the gathering and they didn't. Would the government have given permission he was asked....No, he said?!

Did I tell you about my revolt in the 'News' committee? Actually I never did attend a meeting because I was busy each evening reading for the theatre class or watching Chinese documentaries! However Erika promised to keep me in the loop. Ultimately I was asked to report on Japan's transportation system and sustainability. This was not what I had volunteered for! All that information can be had by going to Global studies, the logistical pre-ports and by picking up a guide book. The students are wonderfully efficient and creative when planning what they're going to do. So I said no and emailed the head honcho to that effect. Someone then approached me in the dining room to try and explain what they were trying to do but they didn't convince me and I stuck to my guns. Eventually after I had said for the twentieth time 'What this community needs is a daily news bulleting" he asked if I would forward news to him daily and he would put it somewhere where everyone had access. However it is so accessible that I have no idea where it is. To cut a long story short that's what I'm doing but I suspect it isn't appearing anywhere! So many times I have read a piece of information relevant to what is being discussed in Global Studies or one of my classes that is obviously not known by the presenter...frustrating. Oh if only you and I ruled the world and could sing truthfully "And we say to ourselves....what a wonderful world!"....sorry Nat!

Thank you so much to all those of you who insisted on resurrecting February 3rd and reminding me that I am indeed a 'tottering biped'! Seriously I was very touched to open my email this morning and find your good wishes. thank you, thank you. Lisbie reminded me that last year I had decided to go backwards which was true....so Lisbie I think I'll stick at about 55, if I can take the disbelieving stare of anyone who enquires!

George's gift to me today is to be nice to me for the rest of the voyage. He looked really doubtful as though it would be a frightful strain so I have cut it down to this week.... We are having a special dinner with Liz and Audrey, Lynn and Marc tomorrow evening. They really do a great job on board so it should be good. I only wish I could spirit you all in to share it. Jo I'm remembering our pre-departure celebration at Mole End just before Christmas and oh yes we'll definitely share some South African Franschhoek champagne in our cottage in Franschhoek! We shall also be tasting wines from Paarl and Stellenbosch so I anticipate a loooong and very cheerful party........you, Chris, Jeannie, Liz, Audrey, possibly Ali and Jeff and us...lovely!

We had an amazingly calm night last night and it has lasted until now. It is warm and the sun is shining brightly, almost relentlessly, on to our little deck. George is out there (hush) in his birthday suit, with no sun screen on (I know, I know but I'm sick of nagging....) and he's obviously blissfully happy. He is without doubt the most devout sun worshipper I know.

We met our very small ship board family last night. We are supposed to have four students in our family and at one time there were not enough 'parents' to go round which was causing some concern. I invited our four to our cabin before supper but only two came: Heather and Kirsten, two beautiful and delightful young women. Apparently the other two had been "double booked" as it were,so were in two families and one at least was sent to the other family last night....I now know that this inefficiency would be terribly frowned upon in China and Japan. Actually I frown upon it myself because I know there are about 40 students who have no family members at all. At the other end of the scale a friend of Kirsten's (Katie) joined us at the end of the meal and I asked if she had a family "Yes' she said 'But there are so many of us it's no fun because you hardly ever get to speak' , so ...yes you've guessed it, I invited her to join ours and she accepted! Two can play at this game. I shall also make enquiries among my theatre classmates and make sure they are taken care of.

I must go and join George and test his nicenesss. ....will he make it through the day? Tune in tomorrow.......