CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE KENYATTA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WELCOME THE VISTING CHINESE VICE PREMIER

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan

From left is Mr.Jia,Miss Li MIng,Prof.Wu,CI KU director Dr.Njoroge,CI Chinese Director Prof.Panghui,Miss Lu Ming and Sophie

The dancers on stage performing for the visitors

  On Thursday the 17^th of March 2011 the Confucius institute Chinese Language students went to Milimani, Nairobi to receive the visiting Chinese deputy Prime Minister, His Excellency Wang Qishan. His Excellency Vice Premier Wang Qishan and his delegation was in Kenya for official state visit. He was received with pomp and colour by the Kenyatta University Chinese Language Students led by the Kiswahili department lecturer Dr.Babusa.

The dance troupe which had been under thorough preparations under the watchful eyes of Dr.Babusa for the event made its way to town on Thursday afternoon led by the Confucius Institute directors Dr.Njoroge and Prof.Panghui. The initial arrangement was to go to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to receive the visitors but later it emerged that there were changes in plan. The students were informed that they were to perform at Crowne Plaza, the grand state of art hotel in Mililani where the visitors were to board. This news of changed plans and the pouring afternoon rains did not spoil the party which was jubilant and anxious to entertain the guests.

After long waiting, the visitor’s convoy arrived at around 5.30pm.On arrival the song and ululations from the elated Kenyatta university Chinese Language students led by Achachi and Koki, amidst the rhythmic vibrations of the drum played by Charles and Nathan rented the air.

Although the visitors were taken away into the hotel before they could enjoy the song and the welcome, the music never stopped. The mood was high as the remaining visitors took the chance to enjoy the song and dance.

Dr.Njoroge and his team which included Prof.Panghui, Prof. Wu, Chinese lecturers Mr.Jia, Miss Lu Sharon, miss Lu Li Ming, Miss Sophie and the dance directors Dr.Babusa and Dr.Andango and the students were happy with the performance.Dr.Andango from the Music department of KU who was responsible for the last minute fine tuning of the dance was very much pleased with the outcome.

Early in the day, the Chinese Consul Official responsible for the success of the reception was unhappy with the last minute switch of soloist from what she had seen the last time she was in KU and the presence of the black zebra patterned dancing costume which she did not prefer. But after the performance she expressed her joy and gratitude that the reception by the students had been marvelous.

Speaking after the reception, the Chinese lecturers pointed out that the dance had been great, colourful and full of warmth. They appreciated the effort that had gone into the preparation for the reception. Prof. Wu said, “The whole performance was full of friendliness and quite attracted the guests. Voicing views similar to these was Mr. Jia who said, “The dance was good and I hope the Vice Premier’s visit to Kenya would enhance the relationship between Kenya and China.” They lecturers wished long life to the good relationship between China and Kenya.

While expressing their views most of the students interviewed by this media observed that the day had been fun. “We stepped on the red carpet for the first time and we are honoured to be here at Crowne Plaza Hotel. It has been  pleasure to sit and lounge with the executives and mingle with high profile visitors from abroad," the students interviewed said.One student observed , “I  never dreamt that today I would step in such a palace. The place is so cool, elegant and it is hard to imagine that Kenya has such like palaces.”

However, many of the students expressed their displeasure at the fact the high profile visitors they had braved the cold and the rain to welcome with song and dance never stopped to appreciate the performance. One student said, “It is like the visitors did not feel our presence.At least they should have joined the dance even for a second.”  

The students and the entire crew that represented the Confucius Institute Kenyatta University,being the only group invited by the Chinese Embassy to welcome the vice premier, felt greatly honoured. Although the bus came late to take them back to the campus, the little token the student were given crowned the eventful and what many labeled ‘a well spent day.”

Students with Dr.Babusa(far right) pose for a photo

Prof.Wu(extreme right),Prof.Pang(far back centre)and miss Li Ming(second right) pose with students

Sophie tries the drums while Freddie observes

Dr.Andango,Mr.Jia and Dr Mbithi

Miss Lu Ming(centre)and her students

Prof.Wu and Miss Li Ming with their students

The dance in progress

From Working Nation to Derailing Nation

So you thought that the February political standoff between the Kenya’s premier’s and the president’s brigades on the president’s appointments to key constitutional office was bizarre? Then you did not watch the news yesterday on Citizen TV.

Unbelievable! I have never come to imagine that in this world people can use polythene bags for packing sugar as a means of protection against sexually transmitted diseases and HIV virus and as a family planning method. Some even wash an already used condom to be used again.It beats logic. And the fact that they were saying it so confidently leaves a sour taste on my lips.

From what I know, even the condoms themselves are not secure.Researchers say that these precious "personal effects" have tiny holes which can let through the HIV virus thus making them not to be a 100% secure. That mean s even if you use a condom for once and dispose it off chances of getting infected by HIV virus are still high.So if one is going to use sugar bag which is very thin and less studded like the condoms are, I wonder who has misled the lot of men and women in Mashambani village in Isiolo county.

I would have wanted to dismiss these folks and their actions as bizarre but humility tell me to practice caution. A friend of mine reminds me that it is only when humans and other living organisms are confronted with challenges in their survival that they develop adaptive responses.This seems to their way of adapting. These people might be as innocent as  other Kenyans who have been neglected and forgotten by the minority political class who think of themselves as better Kenyans than anybody else. As they told their story to the scandalized nations it was obvious that they were informed about family planning concerns and the need to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS,but how to do that is the challenge.The problem is the economical disempowerment-having to feed the family and spare money every day for buying condoms and the lack of proper government mechanism to ensure that such services such as family planning is brought closer to the convenience of ordinary people.

Using a condom and washing it to use it again or using the polythene paper for making love? It is bizzare.No! It is so wild to be true. But I wouldn’t be surprised if in KU people come out to say that they have invented a better way of having “fun” while protecting themselves. After all, when is the last time the condom dispensers were “uploaded” with fresh supply. And given that sex is everyday thing around this place you wonder if the next generation of Kenyans here on campus are really safe because you can bet on it that students most of the time are as broke as the folks in Isiolo they cannot afford the condoms.

This Is gross negligence and it means that somebody is bagging the tax payers money for a job he/she is sleeping on.

Is it that Kenyans and especially the people concerned with making decisions on  behalf of Kenyans are politicking too much that we have reduced our nation from the working nation to a derailing nation. Perhaps you too should wash and reuse a condom then come and give me a proper response to my question.

Chinese Bridge Contest Auditions Held in Kenyatta University

The Confucius Institute,Kenyatta University organized the Chinese Bridge Contest auditions for the Chinese language and Culture students. The event was held on Saturday 12^th March 2011 in OML 6 and graced by the director of the institute Dr.Martin Njororge. 

Twenty three students participated in the event. They all battled out for the slot of the five students needed to represent Kenyatta University and the Confucius institute at Nairobi University in May during the Chinese Bridge Competition. The students were drawn from the various programs the institute is offering. There were students from the Beginners in Chinese Language group, the Certificate students and the Proficiency group. The day's activities were staged in three levels: the speech event, question answering session testing common knowledge on Chinese culture and the last being the talent show. The events which drew much attention were the speech contest which was done purely in Chinese language and the talent show. The talent show was the peak of the whole display with the participants performing songs, poems and riddles from the Chinese culture.

The "Chinese Bridge"Competition is an international contest sponsored by Han ban, and is well-known in the cultural and educational exchanges worldwide. It consists of 3 events: "Chinese Bridge"Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign High School Students and "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Students in China. The competition is held yearly, organized and carried out by the Organizing Committee. In the case of Kenyatta University, the Chinese language students will be participating in the Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students .The students who excel in this contest will get scholarships to go and study Chinese language in China. 

The contest held on 12^th March this year is only the first step in the three staged journey to China. The five students who excel in the contest will progress to the second leg of the contest to be held in Nairobi University in May. They will compete with students from the Confucius Institute in Nairobi University and those who succeed will progress to China for the final leg of the competition.

Prior to Saturday, the institute was a beehive of activities as teachers and the students dashed to make final preparations for the day. It was a race against time given the fact that  other important activities such as classes to attend and lessons to teach.However,by Saturday morning its was evident that the preparations were ready. In attendance was the Chinese director, Prof.Panghui, Confucius Institute Kenyatta university director, Dr.Njororge and Prof.Wu and all other Chinese language and culture lecturers. 

Speaking during the event Prof.Pang said that he was very much impressed with the performance. He said to the students, “You are a nation of artists and your performance is much impressive.”

While giving the closing remarks, the director, Dr.Njororge said that the event was another step made by the institute since it was officially launched on 3^rd June 2010. In September 2010 after the launch, five students went to China on Confucius Institute scholarship to study Chinese language and culture for one year. They are due to come back in August this year. He offered his appreciation to the teachers who had worked hard to ensure that the event materialized. To the participating students he said, “We need to work on our confidence to be able to scoop awards during the contest and have a chance to represent our institute, university and country.”  He further said that, “We also need to work on our stage presence, posture and learn how to introduce ourselves to the judges in Chinese; all factors that will go into helping us do well during the competition in May.”

 He was confident that the five to be selected from the group of students who participated in the audition will do a good job to ensure that they represent Kenyatta University well both in Nairobi and China come the time for the competitions.

The names of those selected for the May competition will be released on Wednesday the 16^th March, 2011.

Love is a Concept of Convinience.

Yesterday during the debating club meeting,an interesting table topic came up which took the floor to its highest moment.Even those asleep had to wake up and get absorbed into the mind intriguing argument that characterized the floor.When a man is interested in a woman why would she play hard to get?Is it because people prefer things that they have worked for rather than things they have got so easily?And is chasing after a woman really worth it?If it is worth it,is it that then love is in play?All these questions engaged us in a journey of theorizing and debating our ideas but the more we got deeper into the discussion the  more we got confused given it was not clear what we meant by love;and whether this lack of a clear definition and understanding of love throws doubt into the subject of its existence.

Emerging from the discussion was that there is no an acclaimed universal definition of love.How we have experienced,perceived or conceptualized love and what it represents to us is relative and differs from one person to another and from one context to another.However, notable in each speakers labyrinths of theory was that love has to do with feelings.

In proposing my views on what might be the definition of love,I would begin by saying that love exists,but only as an abstract concept outside us.It only jumps into life and becomes real when human beings with feelings and emotions and need to belong come into a mutual coexistence where they share the bond of feelings and acceptance that attracts them to rely on each other for happiness and emotional satisfaction and security.However,this view only make sense when we depart from the abstract sense to its concrete form when individuals feel each other.

Thus love to me is a concept of convenience.Why?First,I will note that every man and woman has a preconceived idea of the kind of person they want to relate with,be intimate with,have good time with,depend on emotionally and materially and feel appreciated,cared for and wanted and perhaps live with.All this desire that we put into that idealized situation when we should be happy and life should be sheer fun,full of charm and glamour by virtue of this one amazing person who makes our world stop and turn around  forms the basis of what is the best for us.According to the Long man English dictionary,the idea of what is  best for one forms the basis the term convenience.

As a consequence of this preconceived ideas that forms our dreams and expectations,we go out meeting people and  judge them to find out that person who,based what they have and are,meet our already formed criteria of who they should be and should have.Interestingly,to me,this preconceptions are deeply buried in our subconscious we barely take note of their continued existence and operation in our lives but they are there sorting,classifying and judging.At the same time, during our interactions people we meet are always making a statement of themselves though unconsciously in their talk,attitude,beliefs,dressing style,educational,social and economic achievement and class and physique.The hallmark of these aspect which form the persons personality is projected into our  minds and then is interpreted on the basis of the ideas we already want.When these projections are not concurrent with our desires and idea of what is the best for us.These people are rejected and that is why women and men alike are not falling in love everyday though they meet many people who are great in many ways.

However,when the right person comes along,what they project is taken in,analyzed and readily accepted.Given the person has what we desire in a ,then it seems we are operating on the same frequency and so we connect,that is get attracted to the person through appreciation and desire to have them in our lives.This connection embodies the acceptance of the other person hence a strong feeling of attraction to the other.Thus we desire and want to be with the person because we like them and feel special bonding.It is this connection,acceptance and liking that now combines to form that wonderful feeling of an involuntary attachment to there person such that make us feel nice and elated.But even so choice comes into play as we decide whether to make the connection mutual by letting the other know that we have connected with them and make them too get connected with us.When the connection becomes mutual the love ceases to be an abstract term and become real though we cannot touch it but many would profess the feel it.

However,this definition might seem so idealistic in a world where our perceived world and the real world are incompletely incongruous.The building up of the idea of what ones life should be is in itself an idealization.Thpreconception of what is the best for one such as lots of love,happiness,peace and tranquility in a stable relationship is an ideal construct.However,these ideals we prop up do not last when we get into the real world where different forces in life pull heart breaking stunts on us we get disappointed and disillusioned.But the good news is that people adjust in all situations.Thus in the real world we would still judge things base on our ideals but we settle for that which is still the best for us though not the actual thing we ever dreamt of.We go for that which will work for us.Unfortunately,some people never accept the reality and learn to live within the limitations of the real world where the interplay of so many factors makes it hard to find that which we ever wanted.Such individuals get tired with waiting for that which they cannot find and is never coming their way,sometimes,and they conclude that love does not exist.

A friend of mine concluded the discussion by noting that most of the time we go for people who share a lot of things with us.These are people in who, like the mirror,we see the reflections of ourselves in them.Before we find these people love is there but only it exists outside us but once we find that person whom we want and have connected and decided to be with them,then love is conceived in us

This is how I see love to  be.How is for you.

Charl Chotto

3/3/2011