The Myanmar Community in Porirua
Club members were the visitors this week. We were royally welcomed and entertained by the Myanmar Community in Porirua, set up by the New Zealand Myanmar Ethnics Council. The leaders of the local group, Christalin, told us a little about Burma / Myanmar, the numbers of different ethnic groups and languages that make up the rich tapestry of the country, and the difficulties that face immigrants when they find themselves in a totally new environment with little or no knowledge of the language or customs.
President Bill also spoke and asked all of us to use the Burmese word for 'hello' - mingalaba. Christalin congratulated Bill on his pronunciation!
Members of the community had prepared plates of meat, fish, shellfish, quail's eggs, vegetables, tofu, and even some things that some of us didn't recognise. We were instructed to choose from the very many choices and then to put what we'd chosen into one or other of the soups on offer, one sweet and one spicey. It was a delightful experience and the food was delicious. Dessert followed but we didn't need to cook this time.
With the meal over, we were treated to a couple of musical numbers from some of the young members of the community who had been coached by Christalin's brother, Kim. The women then encouraged us to join them in a traditional Burmese dance and, to be fair, most members joined in with enthusiasm. It was then out turn to teach them a childhood rendition of the Hokey Pokey dance - no touching of course!
All in all, this was a lovely evening and each of us would have returned home well-entertained and perhaps a little wiser.
Poll: How should Guy Fawkes be celebrated?
While it is a fun occasion, fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night has caused much conflict over the years, upsetting our pets and disrupting the sleep of neighbours.
How should we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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28.6% With a city-wide public fireworks display
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19.7% Small fireworks displays in each community
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8.1% Keep it as is
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32.9% We shouldn't celebrate it!
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10.4% Anything but fireworks
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0.4% Other - I'll share below
Brain Burn Alert! Today’s Riddle Will Make You Think Twice!
What is seen in the middle of March and April that can't be seen at the beginning or end of either month?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
International Volunteer Managers Day
Yesterday marked International Volunteer Managers Day. So throughout this week we will be spotlighting several amazing volunteer managers from across the Wellington region.
Liv has recently started managing a diverse team of volunteers at The Free Store Wellington. Here are some words about what she loves about her role!
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