As we start the 2023 academic year, the Confucius Institute at Rhodes University says goodbye to one of its most welcoming staff members, Ms Sasha-Lee Schafli, or simply, Sasha. After working for Confucius for the last three years, Sasha is now embarking on a new journey in Cape Town. On Monday, January 30th, the Confucius staff organised a farewell party for her, filled with joy and celebration rather than tears.
Prof Dexue Liu, Prof Patrice Mwepu, Ms Zou Hanyang, Ms Zhu Jingjing all shared their cherished memories during this event.
The celebration started with a speech from the Director, Prof Mwepu, who said: “in French, we say à bientôt, which simply means we will meet again.” The Confucius team celebrated Sasha’s contributions to the Institute and wished her success in her journey. The farewell celebration started in the traditional Chinese way: with cups filled with steaming Chinese black tea and gift-giving. The staff presented her with a special card thanking her for the role she played at the Institute. As the celebration continued, staff members exchanged gifts and speeches. Sasha was surprised when her colleague, Ms Hanyang, gifted her with Chinese black tea. Hanyang shared that she learnt from Sasha to be comforting and to share stories to make others feel at ease. “Sasha made me feel so welcome, you are a very happy person, “said Ms Zhu Jingjing, another colleague.
The former administrator reflected on her time at the Institute in three words: “Kindness and growth”. She said she learnt how to get things done and experienced amazing growth. She also noted that the Confucius Institute gave her the opportunity to meet wonderful people and that kindness was constant in her experience. “I will forever be grateful”, she added. With emotions and joy, Sasha took us back to one of her fondest memories of the institute: the mid-autumn festival, where they made moon cakes in an air fryer. “The food and the people were amazing”, she said.
Sasha spoke about meeting each staff member and how they each played an important role in her life. “Prof Mwepu and Prof Liu were like father figures, while Jingjing and Hanyang were like sisters to me”. Sasha explained that she learnt the importance of unity and family while working with them. Prof Mwepu echoed this sentiment, quoting the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “the beauty of any profession is to unite people”. Sasha emphasised that family is one of the core principles at the Confucius Institute, and that was what she would miss the most.
The celebration was filled with laughter, memories, and stories, as well as encouraging words for Sasha’s new journey in Cape Town. Prof Mwepu ended off by saying: “We celebrate your farewell with a naartjie, which is symbolic of getting together in Chinese culture".
