Firsts always memorable experiences

Everyone loves a first. I think because it is more memorable.
You remember your first kiss, your first home, your first hospital visit or being awarded your first special prize.

The media love firsts too. Most journalists want a scoop; they want to know something before anyone else does that can make the front page or one of the lead stories on TV or radio news.

I experienced a first on Friday when I did a karanga at a powhiri at Pungarehu for our noho marae visit as part of our Te Reo Maori exam.
Rob and I started the course in March at Te Wananga o Aotearoa and I never thought I would have such enlightening and enriching experiences.

We have many ways to learn and companies including Google and Microsoft allow employees to spend up to 20 per cent of their week on projects and interests that are not directly related to their current role.

When you're trying to learn something new, it can be easy to get discouraged.
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and chief product architect of Tesla Motors, suggests you approach knowledge as if it were a tree instead of giving up.
Musk, in a Reddit AMA interview, said, "I think most people can learn a lot more than they think they can.
"They sell themselves short without trying. One bit of advice is it is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree. Make sure you understand the fundamental principles first, the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to."

It might sound simple, but we tend to want to dive into the deep end before we learn how to swim. So when you approach a new subject, identify the trunk and branches.
Learn those things first and you'll figure out the leaves and twigs much easier.

Learning something new can be as easy as searching on YouTube, signing up for a training course, attending a night class or simply asking questions.

When Rob and I wanted to learn how to care for our roses, we googled, borrowed books, asked friends and attended a seminar at Springvale Garden Centre. We still don't know a lot about our garden, but we are learning and loving watching what happens!

I consider myself a novice in speaking te reo, but have gained incredible insight about the local Maori culture. I believe that this is due to how our tutor taught us by singing waiata, playing charades, using building blocks and coloured pens to draw because we all have different ways of learning.

Tonight, I am about to paddle in a waka for the very first time! Then, on Sunday morning, I'll be out on the river again, for the first time paddling in a canoe.
Trying these boats will allow me to decide which one I prefer and focus on learning more about Te Awa Tepua, how to paddle and so much more.