Young scholar looks back on how far she has come

THE day she got accepted into the 2015 Government of Guyana Public Service Ministry scholarship to China, was the day she would never forget. She put down the basket that kept the 80 packs of chicken-foot she had just sold and with tears in her eyes and tears in her mother’s eyes she knew that her life had just started. To her, it was the answer to her prayers and the blessing of her faith through all the challenges she experienced as a teenager trying to get the best of her education.

Kayshell Jennings is a Linden girl who spent five years in Georgetown while attending the Bishops’ High School. That move presented many challenges, but little did she know, it was preparing her for a greater move. She then returned to Linden to complete CAPE at Mackenzie High School. She was very smart and therefore was recommended for the scholarship since she excelled at Biology and the general sciences. “In September 2015, I was now once again leaving home, this time, 14,000 kilometres away to China!”

On the plane, mixed emotions overwhelmed her, of course, she was excited, but could not shake the thought of leaving her mom, Monique Mc Pherson, who was the sole provider for her siblings. Her parents divorced when she was 10 years old, and her mother commenced a business selling the well-known Guyanese snack ‘chicken-foot’ to provide for them. She had assisted her mom greatly and felt that leaving would dampen the business. Her mom assured her, that all is well with God and nothing would bring her more happiness than to see her baby girl achieve her dream of becoming a doctor.

“What I want to thank my mom the most for, is for letting me go and letting me discover what I want to do on my own. My mom has provided guidance in decisions but never forced any of her ideas on me. I watched my mom use her hands to build a house and feed three children, never once taking a loan from the bank. She is a great chef,” she said. “I must say she’s the best chicken-foot maker I know and even though I couldn’t make it, I became the best chicken-foot packer and seller. I sold 80 packs of chicken-foot per day. I almost got stuck with the name ‘chicken-foot girl’. But thank God he never lets our circumstances define us.”

FIRST FEW DAYS IN CHINA
Being in a foreign land, where the culture is extremely different- the language was more confusing and the climate was difficult to handle- made adaptation harder for Kayshell, but she did not give up.

“When I first came, I barely understood a word of Chinese. I walked around with a fork in my purse because I didn’t know how to eat with chopsticks. I remember going to restaurants and praying there were picture menus,” she recalled. “The atmosphere was very much different from that I was used to at home. The weather was also a major adaptation point, I lived up North so the winters were very cold and the summers [were] extremely hot. However, I learned that in the midst of a dry place, you just need that mustard seed of faith. And my faith did flourish.”

On a lighter note, Jennings related that she was somewhat of a celebrity to the Chinese, especially the children who asked her if she ate a lot of chocolate to get such a brown complexion.
She figured that she had to deal with these adaptation issues since she was already there and she had a mother and younger siblings back home depending on her. She also had two other Guyanese students along with her, and they helped each other.

She commenced her Degree in Clinical Medicine in Beijing at the Peking University Health Science Centre, which is a high-ranking university in China. It’s a six-years programme and she has already successfully completed three. Once completed, Kayshell will graduate with an MBBS and is hoping to specialise afterwards in Infectious Diseases.

“One amazing fact about this Degree is that my classes are in Mandarin. It’s been quite an adventure I must admit and requires me putting in extra effort to translate information ensuring I understand it in English as well. I thank God he has given me the grace and patience to continuously keep learning the new language, writing is still quite the challenge,” she said.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
It seems as though Kayshell has adapted quite well within the three years since she has ventured off, and has involved herself in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. She has a knack for volunteerism and was accepted in a Youth Ambassador Programme and U.S Embassy Youth Action Network of which she participated in the U.S.A. More surprisingly Kayshell has commenced part-time modelling.

“My first experience was in the Peking University International Fashion Show with designers from around Beijing. I love taking pictures myself anyway, so when opportunities opened up through a favourite designer of mine to do a shoot for her jewellery line I could not resist. It was also excited to represent Guyana as a model at the DRC Diplomatic National Costume Competition in November. The display of rich culture helped us secure the Most Creative Award.”

Kayshell has also hosted various events in China, such as the Africa/Asia Pacific Awards which was watched by thousands of persons around the world, and the Miss Mama Africa Pageant. She is also an English broadcaster on the ‘Butterfly Show’ on her University radio station and she received an award for Best English Broadcaster. Kayhsell is also currently the Vice President of the Peking University African Students Association, which caters to the wellbeing of African Students and members of the diaspora in her university. She recently received the ‘Li An Shan Award for Excellence in African Studies’ from the Centre of African Studies for her continued support and contribution to the understanding of Africa and African culture. “I truly believe this opportunity has opened up after coming to China and [increased] my desire to understand more of my heritage as an Afro-Guyanese,” she noted, and even got a chance to travel to Kenya for a missionary programme.

“I am trying to get everything that God allows me to get and more. Since coming here I’ve learned a new language, begun to understand a new culture. I must say the diligent work ethic of the Chinese is one I admire; their desire to develop both personally and as a country. I hope that the medical skills and the medical technologies that I am exposed to will be an advantage for the Guyanese health system.

“Also I intend to give to the Chinese people and other nationals I meet the best perception of Guyana. All of us are diplomats and ambassadors in our own rights. It gives me great joy when I engage with Chinese and other nationals about my country and it has left great impressions. I must say the Guyanese community in China has been serving to leave a positive effect,” she said.

In 2021, when she walks across that stage at graduation, she will walk across knowing her time in China was more than medicine, it was a lifetime of experience that she never saw, even in her peripheral vision when she was walking the streets of Linden selling chicken-foot.

With this, she is encouraging all youths who may be battling challenges at home to never limit themselves and their dreams because they can become a scholar too. “Everyone says to think outside the box but I’m challenging the person reading this that there is no box. The world is yours, throw away a few of those stereotypes and be the best you can be, not only for your family, or your community or country, but the world as a whole. Be a citizen of the world.”