XMUM 10th Anniversary Special Feature | My Life at XMUM

Published on August 17, 2026

My name is Kalumba. Or, as most of my friends and anyone who interacted with me during my time in Malaysia knew me — SWAZ. I am one of the first-degree graduates of Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) from Zambia. Just as importantly, I was one of the first Zambian students there to begin with. That is where my story at XMUM begins.

After completing high school in 2017, the pressure set in — What do I want to do next? Where do I want to go? How will I get there? It was the kind of anxiety most teenagers face. Months passed and I was still pondering those questions. I had options within my country and a few outside that I had started processing, yet I still felt uncertain. All I knew was that I wanted “to make cartoons and movies.”

When you are choosing your next move in life, the gravity of the decision does not fully hit you until you are already in orbit.

At the time of application, I focused on a Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering. The application was accepted, and since the intake was in September, we had to complete all the paperwork so I would receive my visa in time.

Not long after, I was informed that I did not meet the university requirements for Software Engineering. Digital Media Technology was suggested as an alternative, and I considered it, but my family opted for Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), which we eventually selected.

After medical examinations, submissions, payments, and travel arrangements, September finally arrived. We said our goodbyes to family and friends in Zambia, and on 18 September 2018, at around 10 PM, we landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA1).

Upon arrival, we first saw tall apartment blocks and one of us joked, “Hey guys, Xiamen,” only for us to realise moments later that the actual campus was just across the street. The bright blue, yellow, and white lights reflecting off the buildings welcomed us. At the time, only eleven buildings stood. A3, which was not yet operational, was to become the library — “the largest library in Southeast Asia,” as we were informed.

Exhausted from 22 hours of travel, I was taken to my room in D2, where I met my first roommate — Samson, another Zambian who had started Foundation earlier. That first night, my friends came to check on me. Later, we walked around campus and reached the stadium. Just after midnight, I realised it was 19 September — my birthday.

Orientation week introduced us to students from different countries. Clubs performed at the stage in front of A3 — and my favourite every single year was the Diabolo Club. I was often the only one in my friend group who truly loved watching them perform, but there was something fascinating about their precision and rhythm.

A month passed, and I adjusted to the XMUM routine. I would joke about the pond in the centre of campus not being blue yet, though construction on the LY buildings explained its brown colour at the time.

Because of my Additional Mathematics situation, I began attending math tuition classes in the evenings. That decision shaped my university life more than I realised.

The first person I met there was Ahmed from Sudan — whom we called Manna. He lived on the same floor as the OG5 and shared my passion for media. Through him and Enos, I learned more about Digital Media Technology. Manna was calm and collected, and over time we collaborated on several projects — from his shoots to my dance videos.

A week or two later, during one of those math classes, Manna introduced me to Sadman Shakib, also known as Rudro. From the first class, we clicked. Ironically, we lived in the same building. Ahmed Fathy was also part of that class — someone Rudro and I jokingly “hated” because he was so good at math that we wondered why he was even there. Eventually, we realised Fathy shared many of our interests, and our friendship grew stronger.

Academically, my first year in EEE was rough. It became clear that it was not aligned with me. Still, I appreciated lecturers like Prof. Ong Chong Kim and my math lecturer, who continued encouraging me even when I had nearly given up. I also had classmates like Wesley, Mianyu, Neo, Wong, JJ, and Wang, who remained friendly even after I changed programmes.

Not long before completing my first year’s stay at XMUM, my friends and I decided to perform at the Global Village Cultural Festival just as new students were arriving. This festival allowed every country to showcase something about its country and culture. While the others facilitated the Zambia booth, Luridious set the stage.

It was after the Global Village that I found myself interacting with more people, making more friends, and sometimes being invited to perform at events like orientations, Rotaract Club activities, and others. Another passion of mine flourished from this experience, and for that I am truly grateful.

Switching to Digital Media Technology changed everything. Under lecturers like Dr. Ahmad Suppli and Dr. Lim, I finally felt aligned with my purpose. I made friends like Win Yik, Fernando, Carmen, Diandra, Qoussay, Ahmad Hasnol, Zoirjon, and Shosalim. Creativity flourished.

Then COVID-19 arrived.

The lockdown period tested everyone. Campus grew quiet. Mental health declined.

Yet community remained alive. Friends became anchors. Had it not been for many friends and familiar faces around me, I genuinely do not know how I would have navigated that season.

An internship in Petaling Jaya followed, where I worked alongside Win Yik and Fernando. Returning later to XMUM, I realised how much had changed. Many friends had graduated or moved on. Rudro, Fathy, Manna, Gaygysyz, and I were among the few left from the early days.

By graduation, I had learned lessons beyond academics — resilience, adaptability, gratitude, and the courage to pivot when necessary.

Kalumba and his family in front of Tan Kah Kee statue

If asked whether I would relive it all, knowing the challenges and heartaches, my answer would be yes — exactly as it happened. Because XMUM did not just educate me. It shaped me. It gave me family, purpose, and memories that will stay with me for life.

That was my life at XMUM.