Dan Patch TM Zooms to New Zealand

Early last year when Covid made it necessary to meet online via Zoom, the Dan Patch Club received a request from a Toastmaster living in New Zealand to attend one of our online meetings. Dan Patch Club meets on Wednesday evenings and in New Zealand it is mid-morning on Thursday.

Without hesitation we said, “Of course!” Robert Wong enjoyed the meeting and he has been attending when his schedule permits. He joins us so regularly he takes roles and offers a different perspective from which we all benefit.

About a month ago it was suggested that we hold a joint meeting with his club, Maungakiekie Toastmasters. With assistance from the Dan Patch members, Robert organized everything and assigned his club members to roles as well as our club members.

So, Friday evening, November 12th, Saturday early afternoon in New Zealand, several members of Dan Patch Toastmasters met with Maungakiekie Toastmasters for over 120 minutes.

It is safe to say that we all enjoyed two hours of fun and made interesting connections. I hope that other clubs will reach out to clubs around the world. If you don’t, you are missing an amazing learning experience.

One of the Maungakiekie members, Ms. Lindsay Ng, used a word that I didn’t understand, “Pepeha.” When I asked her about it, she responded, “Pepeha is a way of introducing yourself in Māori. It tells people who you are by sharing your connections with the people and places that are important to you.”

She also sent me this URL to listen to a beautiful song explaining this expressive term.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_CJFEKNvX8

I urge you to listen to the music and create your own Pepeha. I know that I will.