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Friday 14 October 2022 was the last day of lectures at Rhodes University. And what a better way to end the year than with music and good food! Well this is what the Chinese 3 and Honours students were treated to. This was also an opportunity for the students to learn about a well-known Chinese dish, or the much celebrated “Hot pot”.
During our conversation, Ms Hanyang Zou, who is the Chinese Studies lecturer, mentioned that one could put just about anything, which one feels would tantalise their palate, to a Hot pot. She stated, “The Hot pot which we have today is not too difficult to make and I think that students will enjoy making it by themselves and eating it”. Among the ingredients used to make the meal was spinach, mincemeat, corn, chicken, tomato, butternut and some mushrooms.
While the Hot pots were on the stove, Professor Patrice Mwepu, the Rhodes University Director of the Confucius Institute, had a few words of encouragement for the outgoing Chinese 3 and Honours students: “Meeting together like this and sharing in Chinese Hot pot is good for the exploration of Chinese culture; and we still wish that you will be ambassadors of the Confucius Institute and Chinese Studies”.
As this was a farewell event, some of the Chinese 3 students also had a few words to say. Ms Chiti Kabwe stated that this was the best year that she had while at Rhodes University and that she has learnt so much about Chinese language and culture: “I want to thank my lecturer, Wan laoshi (Teacher Wan), she is awesome and I’m just so grateful to be here, and I hope that you guys will continue with Chinese studies even though it may be difficult at times.”
Ms Busi Goduka, the only Chinese Honours student who was supervised by Ms Zhu Jingjing, stated that she has really honed her Chinese writing and speaking, and this is all thanks to her lecturer; “I think that studying Chinese is more than just the language; I do feel that we are all like a family; I will cherish the memories that we have made here, it has been an incredible time”, she added.
The most common sentiment in the air was that the Chinese Studies Section is like a family, as more individual attention is given to students so that they can better understand their work. We wish all our students nothing but success for their upcoming exams, Prof Mwepu concluded.
By Sacrée Kabeya
