062Y55A00 20/03 The Last King of Scotland. Movie

Someone has already posted a comment to me and said that this is not the kind of movie they usually watch: that is the reason I like to show movies in my classes.

I make a point of never showing American movies because, over the past three years, I have learned that most people honestly think that what they see in those movies is what the whole of the world outside China is like!

Africa is a huge Continent and contains many different countries. Over time many other countries have simply gone over to Africa and taken over one or more of these countries for themselves: England, Portugal, France, The Netherlands (Holland) etc. have all taken a piece of Africa for themselves at one time or other.

The Twentieth Century however, when the world finally realised that Colonisation was actually immoral, was a century during which many African countries either took back, or were given back, their Independence. In the West therefore, events in Africa have always been important.

Now, in the Twenty First century, China has become involved in Africa. Not only should Chinese therefore have some interest in that huge, beautiful and violent country, but they should know some its history.

I have had students who have told me that they want to go to certain African countries for a holiday - without having any idea of either the history or present of those places. Some of the places they mentioned are still involved in guerrilla warfare!

The art, music and culture of the many different countries in Africa is wonderfully alive, vibrant, colourful and beautiful. From Egypt in the north to South Africa in the south, there are hundreds of different cultures with their own traditions and long and proud history. But violence is also an integral part of Africa. To try to understand the people there one has to be aware that many people say that the dust or earth of Africa is red because of the centuries of blood that has been shed there.

I love many of the people in Africa very much and know how much laughter and music is part of their culture: I have also wept for many of my African friends because of the violence they are unable to to avoid.

The guy in the movie we saw knew nothing about Africa - remember how he just spun a globe around and pointed a finger to see where he would go? This movie is his story as much as the story of Idi Amin. Unfortunately, its the story of many people who go to Africa unarmed with knowledge of this complicated country.

I found it difficult to accept that many of you had never heard of Amin - so please do find out even a little about him. Now that China has established ties, with not only Africa but many other places on this earth, perhaps things will change and more Chinese people will start to look around at the world outside of their own country.

The world is HUGE. Its so full of different kinds of people, cultures, scenery, animals, weather, history, traditions...and thirty years ago China opened her doors to all of them.

The world that exists in the kinds of Hollywood movies that a lot of you watch doesn't exist anywhere except in movies themselves!! To think that they reflect the world outside China is to get an erroneous [incorrect] view not only of this incredibly diverse planet, but of your own place in it.

So, while people may not always like the kinds of movies I show, at least I hope some of you will learn that a world full of beautiful people, driving expensive cars and living in clean beautiful houses is just a fantasy. I hope some of you at least will try to find out what the real world is actually like. Its a huge adventure!