Te Reo Maori

The government puts on free language classes for Te Reo Maori (the indigenous language of New Zealand) and I met some students who go on Tuesday nights, so I’ve been taking language class with them and learning more about Maori culture, history, and how to speak te reo! I love languages and I’ve found it to be really helpful in pronouncing NZ place names and learning cultural conventions.

The thing I love most about it, though is meeting people that I normally wouldn't have the chance to meet. We are one big happy whanau (that's maori for family) and the food is always bountiful! It feels like I am stepping onto the set of a sitcom every time I enter the classroom. There are the archetypal characters and then there are the quirky comedians, and everyone seems to have a different perspective and a different history. I've decided that I fit in as the quirky foreign kid who pronounces everything oddly, and I love it!