Chinese New Year Celebration 2009 by Malaysian Chinese Community of Volgograd State

Medical University, Russia

A report by Thien Wei Khiong (vice secretary of MCC)

Details of the occasions:

Date: 22 February 2009

Time: 12pm- 4pm

Venue: Medical Hostel No 4, Street Hiroshima 8.

CHINESE NEW YEAR 09 COMMITTEE LIST

ORGANISING CHAIR PERSON: MELVIN CHUNG HSIEN LIANG

SECRETARY: CHAI CHAN SIN

VICE SECRETARY: THIEN WEI KHIONG

TREASURER: YIM SHAO EN

FUND RAISING COORDINATORS: DORIS CHEAH YEE HSIEN

LAW SHU AN

JEENA FOO MEI CHIEN

BATCH REPRESENTATIVES:

6TH COURSE: CHAN LEED WI

5TH COURSE: CH’NG HAN NIE

4TH COURSE: TAN LI FEN

3RD COURSE: LEE JIANN WOEI

2ND COURSE: YAP TECK CHONG

1ST COURSE: DANIEL TAM ZEN KUANG

PREMED: LAI KEAN HOWE

It all began in November 2008, when the committee for Chinese New Year Celebration was set-
up. President Melvin Chung, a 5th-year student, got everyone into an early preparation. In total,
only 3 committee meetings were held to share ideas and opinions. Choices and decisions were
made based on careful enquiries and cost, for we knew we were financially limited. Hence, to
hunt for sponsorships was one of the early aims.

The planning of the menu was actually quite a headache. There were many lovely Chinese
dishes, desserts and recipes that we suggested. Sadly, little of the ingredients were available in
Russia. So what we did was to narrow down the list and get good hands to prepare them. Since it
was a tough task to be cooking, a group of boys bought and carried all the ingredients whenever
wherever they were needed. Some ingredients were bought at a faraway open market as they had
the lowest prices. Some ingredients had to be brought back by students who went home for
winter. It was indeed full cooperation from the community.

Initially, the committee of MCC agreed that each member (each Chinese student) should
contribute at least 400rubles money-wise for the celebration to come true. Of course, that amount
was not comfortable for everyone but in the end, 100 members paid-up.

By February, all the Chinese students were given their tasks. Everyone had something to do. We
had teams for invitation cards, decoration, dedication, sound system, slide show presentation,
cooking, baking, packaging, distributing, serving, performing, photographing, and of course
cleaning up.

Like how the Russians say , a special “ BIG THANKS” to Russian Resources Sdn. Bhd. and
Malaysian Embassy, Russia, who each sponsored 500USDs, to make this occasion an obvious
success. All of us really appreciate your kindness and generosity. Thanks to the helping hands, at
the start of the event, each of the 100 members was presented with an ‘ang pau’ consisting of
300rubles, which was a great delight on a Chinese New Year so far away from home. We spent
money the best we could and we are very happy too that we saved some for the coming years.

Days before the occasion, each Malaysian student received an amazingly done invitation card,
which had them all excited to come, for it was hand-made, every single one of them, and
completed with each guests’ zodiac description. The word “autumn”(in Chinese) and the theme
‘Earthen Red Ox’ made quite an early impression to all that time, CNY celebration was going to
be great, memorable. Non-Chinese students had to ask the meaning of the theme and this became
an opportunity for us to explain this little part of Chinese culture and history to them.

Guests were all awed when they finally entered the hostel hall. The decoration simply elicited the
mood for a CNY celebration. There were pink plum flowers, ribbons and tiny lanterns on
branches sprayed white. Daniel (1st year) and friends made pretty ancient Chinese coins to hang
on two big branches. About 80 lanterns were hanging on the ceiling, big and small ones, and a
terrific dragon crawling on the wall. The dragon was a decoration item for the previous
celebration and Ying Ying (6th year) remodeled it for us. 12 zodiac signs with their own
description and prediction were pasted on every corner, and of course, a big banner across the
wall which said “Earthen Red-Ox, A symphony of hopes and beginnings”.

The day of pretty ladies and smart men officially started with a short thank-you speech by
Melvin Chong. He was taken over by our MC, Kelvin Yii, a 4th –year student, revealing the menu
which consisted of Kung Pau Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Meat Balls, Dumplings, Stir-
Fry Vegetables and Egg Rolls. Vegetarians had the stir-fry vegetables and an addition of Ragu, a
Russian vegetarian dish. For snacks, everyone received a pretty little packet with peanut, butter
and cornflakes cookies. The menu was displayed on slide show for everyone to see. Our thirst-
quenching drink was the Lo Han Guo and as a sweet surprise for the guests, the Chinese students
dedicated to their friends herbal eggs. Along with the egg, they received a little hand-made paper
fish with list of names that wished them HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR. So, the longer the list,
the happier they were. Through this idea, MCC received a little extra money for the occasion.

To entertain the crowd, a slide show depicting our efforts and behind the scenes was displayed.
In it, there was also Chinese New Year songs, videos and advertisement, downloaded from the
internet.

The hall was filling up very quickly. It was definitely too small, so we had to urge our guests to
shuffle about so that everyone get a view of the anticipated performances. The first performance
was a welcoming act by a group of students dressed traditionally, carrying s fans, ang paus,
basket with oranges, charms. They presented their items to the crowd two by two and ended the
act by giving away the oranges to those that put up their hands.

Next was a display and slide show of the lion dance and our mc explained that there are two
types of lion, the south and the north and in jump our own live lion! The crowd was AWED as
this was a first and some of them had never even seen one before! A boy was patting the lion as
if to irritate it. He wanted the lion to jump and collect something that was hanging above. The
lion gets ready. The crowd held their breaths. Up goes the lion and it grasped the parcel hanging
there! The crowd cheered so loudly! The parcel opened and it was a scroll. When the lion got
down, it was hungry and so, our president presented it with a ang pau , cabbage and oranges. The
crowd watched as the lion began to eat quietly. After some time, it got up again to dance for us. It
was really an eye-opening performance from Chai Chan Sin and Sarabdev. A special gratitude to
Vietnamese students for trusting us their Lion Head.

Just before food was served, fourth year student, Tan Li Fen, our very own nightingale, sang a
beautiful but sad love song, like a calming draught. Some of us sang along with her. After the
song, everyone went to have their food at various floors in the hostel according to their year.
After sometime, they all came back to the hall for more performances. So, we presented the
chopstick dance. Also realized by Li Fen, it was a nice and sweet dance by 6 cute girls dressed in
red. They made elegant movements while hitting the chopsticks together. Then, Chinese New
Year songs were presented by the choir team which consisted of pre med, 1st and 2nd year
students. They had a variety of melody and rhythm and they sang with such enthusiasm. It was
loud and clear and from outside, you can hear the beautiful music.

One of the highlights of the event was our last performance, which was a Chinese Rap by
Charles Chong and our Mauritian friend, Shekhar Ramjutun. Both looked cool in black overalls
and they made the crowd cheer, whistles, scream, etc. Everyone truly enjoyed watching them,
listening to the beat alone was enough to groove in. In the middle of the rap, Ren Ren, a Chinese
friend from China, and Jenna Foo joined in to do a little twirl with the guys. People were
whistling to this. Some simply smiled or laughed. A big applause was heard when the rap ended.
Salute to our superstars!

We had no more performance and so it was time for everyone to snap pictures. Here, I’d like to
mention Cherrie Chan Yiru, who snapped pictures of every excellent moment of the event. With
the SLR camera, her pictures turned out to be appraisable.

Towards the end, everyone had finished snapping pictures with everything and everyone and
they brought home good memories of our Chinese New Year in Volgograd. Though the real
Chinese new year was a month ago, it didn’t feel so.
 Chinese New Year 2009
Earthen Red Ox

The first general meeting with the organizer, Invitation cards in the making.
Melvin Chung and secretary ; Chai Chan Sin
Spraying the branches of the ‘mei hua’ tree.

The setting up of the hall with latterns.

 The famous dragon,
with his creator and
helpers.

The placing of the grand welcome banner.

Melvin Chung,
Organizing
Chair Person

The Grand Chinese New Year hall of 2009

Kelvin, Emcee of the event with the stunning event Students displaying both traditional and modern
banner. outfits as they welcome guests to the event.

The sweet and

outstanding
singer ; Li Fen
Mr. Dennis (Malaysian curator) with 6th year The crowd
students.

Laughter and smiles souvenir stall

Performers of the chinese chop stick dance and

lion dance

No missing a chance to snap a picture with

the famous dragon.
Chinese Students of VSMU
The End of the event…