Conclusion

The absolute clincher came when LM, appraised of "the changes" by Fraggle Rock, told T3 and me that, for the second group of students, we will return to the cave of the temporary-temporary classes. Oh, no. No, no, no, no. This is despite the fact that there are plenty of big, unused classrooms where we are now. The reason is that the Local Big Cheese wants the two groups of students kept apart.

And so I'm away. A month as course director of an ESOL summer school, and then, hopefully, six weeks pre-sessional work. And then, God only knows: fingers crossed in-sessional for the rest of the academic year at A University in North East England or South West Scotland.

"Rick", acting DoS, was really good about all of this today. I had to speak to him direct because, putting in my resignation through LM, and citing "a variety of personal and professional reasons", HD told him that because I had "professional" reasons he would have to discuss it with me. Like fuck he would. HD is the single
consistent factor in my decision to resign. I told "Rick" as much.

Indeed, I suspect that HD's need to discuss my professional reasons stem from a primitive but acute cockroach-like realisation that he's the reason, and that his handling of the Brokeback-Bulldozer affair was one bit of bullying incompetence gone too far. The chateau-bottled bastard.

It's looking good then, I'm back in Blighty for now at least, on the same money is here, and I'm celebrating tonight with no-alcohol Becks and humus from a tin. And the only fly in my chick-pea based dip is the HUDC bureaucracy which means I need an exit visa to leave the country in good order - I could actually leave without this, but that could cause me trouble if I ever wanted to return, and one should never say never again on Planet TEFL.

That would be ok. I'm still on the payroll, and not required to go in to work. The problem is that the summer school course I'm supposed to be directing starts in a week, and this visa business can take up to ten days...

I'm actually holding onto two summer school director offers, and have been havering as to which to accept, based on an algorithm around the one's slightly later start date, and the other's closer proximity to home.

I spoke to the Closer to Home organiser today, and she said they could hang on until Thursday next week. Which is ten days away and cutting it bloody fine. The other, in Southern England, could be kept at bay possibly until the following Saturday. I really should in all decency and for peace of mind email one or other of them and let them down so they can get someone else, but...

Tomorrow, I'll email the Southern England one and tell them I can't do it. The Northern England one, if the visa isn't through early next week, I'll go home anyway. Inshallah.