Girl Bosses Who Brunch: Meet Jasmine Pereira

Girl bosses who brunch is a series which seeks to celebrate the achievements of incredible Pacific women. All of my chats with the various girl bosses take place in a café and we discuss anything and everything ranging from their journey to success to how many people they pashed on the weekend (jokes, kind of). It is my hope that in sharing stories about successful women, this will inspire others to do better and be better.

Beautiful Jazz on our brunch date at The Crave, Kingsland.

When I was growing up, young girls were not really encouraged to play soccer. Netball was always the most obviously popular sport so most girls played netball. But not this young lady. Non-conforming badass Jazz Pereira, ditched the netball skirt for soccer boots instead. To be fair, she played every possible sport there was; netball, basketball, touch – everything. And of course, she excelled at every single one of them. But when she started high school, she was told that she needed to choose one sport to focus on and now as a Football Fern representing New Zealand at the Rio Olympics this year, she definitely doesn’t regret choosing soccer.

Photo by: Getty Images, Michael Bradley

19 year old Jazz Pereira is Samoan/European and grew up in West Auckland. She comes from a very high achieving family, so her epic success as an athlete comes as no surprise. Her father played for the West Tigers and her cousins Rene and Joe Naufahu are no strangers to fans of Game of Thrones, Shortland Street, NPC Rugby and AnyoneWhoStalksAllTheCoolLudusPeopleOnInstagram. After getting over the initial shock of hearing about all the big dawgs Jazz hangs out with, she casually added, “Oh and Reuben is my mentor”. “Oh Reuben, who?”, I asked, trying to type this mysterious Reuben person’s last name onto my ‘Jazz Pereira interview’ word document. “Reuben Wiki”. Of course.

Although as successful as she is, Jazz is incredibly down to earth and humble about her achievements. I asked her about the moment she realized that she could make a name for herself in this sport, she laughed and said, “I haven’t really thought about that. I’ve always been told that I have the potential but I don’t know, I don’t really think about it too much. I’ve just been rolling with everything”. Even when she received the call from the manager of the Football Ferns telling her that she had been selected for the team going to the World Cup, she found it hard to believe. “I was actually so surprised because she called near the end of 2014 and that’s when I had really bad shins, it was the worst injury I’ve ever had. Then out of nowhere I was told that I was selected to play in the qualifiers for the World Cup. It was so random, so far left field. It was actually crazy. But after that tour, that’s when I thought, ‘Ok, I want to do this. I want to be in this team'”.

 

However, playing for the Football Ferns in the World Cup did not automatically guarantee her a spot in the Rio Olympics squad. She worked extremely hard to prove that she deserved a place on the team and it all paid off when her name was announced in the Rio team.”I felt so relieved. It was so tense before because you’re thinking, oh I don’t know if I’ll make it because you know, you’re not sure. But now I feel relieved that I actually made the team. I’m happy and so excited”. She has three things on her mind when she gets to Rio,”playing, smashing teams and winning games. Just want the team to bring out the best we can”.

As a professional high performance athlete, her routine is intense. “It’s a full time gig. I train five times a week and twice a day on Sundays. There’s a lot of specific strengthening for football like, agility, muscle, balance work and injury prevention”. It’s all worth it though because she genuinely loves the sport, “what I love the most about football is the freedom to play how I want to play, it’s quite an aggressive sport where you can just go hard. I love the physicality of the game and freedom to express yourself”.

As an unco and unfit Dorito eater, I wanted to know what kind of skills you need to be a good soccer player. “Ahh.. coordination” Jazz laughs. “Eye feet coordination is pretty big. It’s a pretty intense game where you have to be one of the fittest because there’s a lot of running. On average I do about 10 kms of nonstop sprinting per game. For someone to get to the position where I am or higher, you have to have the right attitude, that passion, that love for the game because your skill is only going to take you so far. You can be the best player in the world but if you don’t have the right drive and attitude then you’re going to go nowhere. When you have your bad days, your skill isn’t going to help you get past that.”

The Womens Football Ferns team for Rio pose for a team photo during an anouncement at at Avondale College in Auckland, New ahead of the Rio Olympic Games. Tuesday 5 July 2016. © Copyright photo: Andrew Cornaga / http://www.photosport.nz

Jazz feels grateful to have the support of her family and friends. She is very close to her family, especially her brothers and counts herself lucky to be surrounded by amazing people. Her advice for all young women hoping to follow in her footsteps is, “Just go for it. Work hard and if you’ve got that dream to go and do it, you’ve got nothing to lose. Break the stereotypes of any kind of sport like I’ve done. Don’t stop, don’t look back”.

Photo: http://www.olympic.org.nz

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jazz! You are our favourite striker and we cannot wait to see you smash it in Rio. So proud of you and we’ll be cheering for you all the way! TSW xx

Girl Bosses Who Brunch: Meet Valen Wichman

Girl bosses who brunch is a series which seeks to celebrate the achievements of incredible Pacific women. All of my chats with the various girl bosses take place in a café and we discuss anything and everything ranging from their journey to success to how many people they pashed on the weekend (jokes, kind of). It is my hope that in sharing stories about successful women, this will inspire others to do better and be better.

Kia oranaaa! This Girl Boss is a proud akava’ine (transgender – equivalent to the Samoan term, fa’afafine) hailing from the beautiful of island of Rarotonga. She graduated from the University of Auckland with a conjoint degree in Arts and Law and moved to the Cook Islands to work for the Ministry of Health. I managed to catch up with Valen on her way back from London, where she received the prestigious Queens Young Leaders Award for her incredible work in establishing the Cook Islands’ first ever, LGBTQI Assocation, Te Tiare.

I haven’t seen you in so long (Valen and I went to uni together), apart from travelling across the world to receive an award from my sis Queen Elizabeth, what have you been up to?!

So I’m working for Ministry of Health in the Cook Islands. I’m the Manager for Policy and Research and Monitoring and Evaluation. I’ve been working there for 4 years. I’m in charge of developing policies and strategies for the Ministry. I’ve worked on nationwide policies, like the mental health and well-being policy and suicide prevention policy.

Wow! You must be so busy because in addition to having a full on career, you’re also responsible for setting up the very first LGBTQI association in the Cook Islands, which is amazing! What’s your association called?

The association is called, Te Tiare, which means, the flower. Flowers are integral to our culture, they’re colorful and represent the different personalities and characters that we work with. We have around 70 members in Te Tiare.

Manea! Can you tell me a bit about the work that Te Tiare does?

Well we have two campaigns; advocating to decriminalize homosexuality in the Cook Islands and raising awareness about LGBTQI in our community. There are some young people that get kicked out of their homes because of their sexuality. Our association helps to accommodate these people. We have a network where volunteers offer their homes to take people in and if they’re struggling without the financial support of their family, we help them to find jobs. The next step for us is to try to get into schools to let young people know that we are there to help.

To have your work recognized and acknowledged through the Queen’s Young Leader’s Award must have been an amazing experience as well!

Who would of thought that a small time person from the Cook Islands would be recognized for their passion! I got to meet the Queen, Prince Harry, David Beckham, Commonwealth representatives and corporation leaders from all over the world. I feel assured that there are so many people who support the vision of a world where we are equal and a world where everyone does not live in fear because of who they are. 

 

That’s incredible! I think it’s so inspiring to see young people taking such positive initiative in their communities. When you first established Te Tiare, what was the response like from your community? 

When I first started it was hard. I had to talk to my family first. I told them, ‘I’m going to be doing this campaign, I don’t know what the repercussions are for all of you’. Luckily, my family were really supportive. I’ve had threats. People ring me up and say ‘stop it, I’m going to kill you’, they call me names and they harass me at work.

When I first acknowledged that I identified as an akava’ine, I think I was quite lucky because I had a family that sort of already knew. It wasn’t a big thing for them. But I have felt the stigma and in a sense, the discrimination, ever since I was little. I’ve just learned to live with it.

That’s honestly so horrible. I’m glad that it hasn’t deterred you because your courage and perseverance has clearly helped you to change lives. What about your campaign to decriminalize homosexuality? What are some of the barriers you’re facing in relation to that?

The whole conversation around the decriminalization of homosexuality in the Cook Islands is difficult because there are a lot of people, including the government, that do not see it as an issue. The main opposition is from the religious advisory council because of their beliefs. The purpose of our campaign is to raise awareness and let them know that we may not have the same beliefs but we have the same values, like love and respect.

There are a lot of misconceptions around our campaign. People think that we are trying to create new and special rights, but it’s about having the same rights as everyone else. I guess, what we’re trying to do is demystify and correct these misunderstandings.

So in light of these issues, what are your plans for the future of Te Tiare?

I want it to be a sustainable organization so that it will always be there to support people who need help. I’m also working on securing funding so that we can employ a part time worker and also provide a safe space, because at the moment, the Te Tiare headquarters is my house. We have meetings in my backyard! (Laughs)

So exciting! I am sure Te Tiare will continue to grow and have such a positive impact on everyone that comes through. As a confident and successful akava’ine, you felt really lucky to have the support of your family. But what about those that haven’t been as fortunate? What advice do you have for people that are struggling with their sexual identity?

I think it’s important to talk to someone, whoever it may be, especially if you feel like you’re isolated. You need to know that you’re not alone. There are millions of people around the world that are going through the same thing, talk to someone.

And most importantly, any final words for people that do not believe in the importance of recognizing the rights of people who identify as LGBTQI and do not see the incredible value that you all have in our communities?

We are normal people, we are a part of your community, your families and we deserve to be treated like humans.

Yes, yes, yes! Thank you Val for speaking with TSW! Wishing you all the best as you continue to advocate for our LGBTQI brothers and sisters and support you 100 percent. I feel so proud to know you, thank you for your fierce spirit and courageous heart.

If you would like to lend your time as a volunteer or lend your wallet to the cause, please join Te Tiare’s facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/tetiare/.

TSW xx

TSW goes to Park Up For Homes

I slept in my car once. It was after a night out, I took an uber home, I only had one shoe on and barely made it to the front door. The only keys I had on me were my car keys and since I couldn’t get into my house, I decided to sleep in my car. It wasn’t terrible.The sun came up the next morning and I was able to get into my house, have a shower and sleep in the comfort of my own bed.

When I saw the ‘ Park Up For Homes’ event, I wanted to participate because firstly, it’s an incredibly important cause and secondly, I’ve slept in my car before. What’s one night? Easy.

Wrong.

I was so wrong.

On the evening of the event, I packed three huge mink blankets (you know the ones all the aunties and uncles think are great 21st birthday gifts), pillows and toiletries. Even the process of packing the car was stressful. I wasn’t packing to go away on an overnight camping trip. I was packing to go and sleep in my car because this is what several people in New Zealand are forced do every single night. What do I need to pack? Should I take more clothes in case it gets too cold? What if there’s no room?

Throughout the night, I spoke to several people about why they were volunteering or supporting the cause. Many of them were supporting because they had been in similar situations in the past. I met a working mother, she explained that she was previously renting in a private property but her landlord continued to raise the rent. The landlord eventually raised it to a point where she could not afford it and was forced to move out. She was subsequently rejected from several properties and became homeless until she was accepted into emergency housing. Since then, she has rebuilt her life with her family and was able to attend ‘Park Up For Homes’ because, “I know what it’s like and this is no way to live”.

The night was ending and I was dreading going back to the car because I knew that it would be extremely uncomfortable and very cold. I barely slept and even though I had three blankets to keep me warm, the cold was unbearable. I was also uncomfortable with the lack of privacy. When people knock on my door at home, I have the privilege of pretending not to be home and not answering (I do this a lot btw because you have to be really special to make me get out of bed and entertain you). But in a car, your private space is so accessible, strangers can knock on your window at any time. And I’m not really sure if I feel ok with that, especially if you have children living in the car too.

After failing to sleep through the night, I couldn’t even bear the thought of waking up for work the next morning. And yet there are working families and children out there that have to fight through this and get up for work or school the next morning, every single day. I mean, children do this! And here I was, a grown ass adult, complaining and irritated by one measly night.

Thank you to the Park Up For Homes Organisers, particularly my dear friend Annaliese and all the awesome volunteers, for making a stand and encouraging our leaders to take action. It was insightful, moving and courageous. Regardless of where you stand with your political views, a car is not a home. And nobody should ever have to go through this because like my friend said, this is no way to live.

TSW xx

For more information on how to support the Park Up For Homes events please see: Park Up For Homes Facebook Page

For an insightful piece on the housing situation in NZ, feel free to read ‘Toby & Toby on … the emergence of emergency housing in the housing emergency’ by Toby Manhire and Toby Morris: Home is where the car is.

TSW goes to the Manukau Police Cells

When you’re sitting in a custody cell at the police station after being arrested, it’s perhaps the last place you would expect to see works of art. However, local artists were sought to use the dark and dull walls of the Manukau Police cells as murals to inspire hope and change. I had the pleasure of meeting two of the young, talented, Pacific male artists that were selected to paint one of these cells. The artists, Francis Pesamino and Benji Timu transformed their cell into an “Aquariam of Hope”.

Francis and Benji’s Aquariam of Hope draws inspiration from their Pacific culture and experiences. The top of the walls are lined with Pacific patterns, swimming towards a large turtle, placed directly in the middle of the right-hand wall of the cell. Benji explains that the turtle “represents our ancestors coming from the islands, bringing our culture over to New Zealand. The turtle is a reminder that when we find ourselves in dark places, we swim through our struggles, like our ancestors did and despite the roughness of the ocean, the turtle always finds its way through”.

Surrounding the turtle are sea creatures traced with bold words, such as, “LIFE”, “JOURNEY”, “PRAY” and “MOTIVATION” printed on them. Francis states that these are words of encouragement and empowerment. “Most of the people that come through here, they aren’t bad people, they’ve just made mistakes. We wanted to create a space where they can zone out just for that brief moment that they’re here and focus on these positive words”.

Interestingly, the Aquariam of Hope is essentially a marriage of intricate patterns and words, which is a reflection of Benji and Francis’ contrasting artistic styles. Francis, who drew the words, has a more structured and methodical approach to his work, “I always go in with a plan, I discuss the plan with the client and then from there, I’ll work on drawing outlines”. Comparatively, Benji, the man behind the patterns, is free-spirited and relies on his emotional response to a particular place, “In terms of planning, I just do 10% of it. The rest of the 90%, I go to the site and get a real feel for the space”.  Despite these differences, Benji and Francis work well together and agree that if anyone finds themselves sitting in their Aquariam of Hope, they want them to take in the art work and feel at ease, “we want it to be a place where they can truly reflect”.

As young Pacific artists, Francis and Benji acknowledge that venturing into the professional world of art is difficult and they have some words of advice for aspiring artists who want to follow in their footsteps. For Benji, who is studying towards his Masters degree in Architecture, he believes that it’s important to be passionate about what you do, “You’ve just gotta love it 100%, not 90 or 80, you’ve gotta really love it. Be true to yourself”. Francis, as an artist that has had his artwork exhibited in Europe and has steadily built an outstanding international portfolio, states, “you’ve got to create your own opportunities. Don’t wait for them to come”.

Thank you Francis and Benji for letting me tag along with you to the cells! All the best for your next project.

TSW xx

TSW goes to Auckland Turban Day

The last time I had my earphones hanging out of the side of my handbag, a kind stranger told me, ‘hey your earphones are hanging out of your bag’. I turned around and said, ‘oh chur brah’. In November last year, when a University of Auckland Medical student Jaspreet Singh had earphones hanging out of his bag, a woman called the Police because she suspected that Jaspreet had a bomb in his bag. The Police arrived at the coffee shop where Jaspreet was meeting up with his professor and was questioned about ‘the wires in his bag’. Um, you mean his earphones?

Yesterday I went to Auckland Turban Day, thanks to my dear friend Jas Kohli for inviting me! Auckland Turban Day was organised by the Auckland Sikh community, aiming to create awareness and educate New Zealanders on the meaning behind the head coverings. As soon as I arrived at Aotea Square, I was greeted by several friendly faces and a sea of colourful turbans. The colours ranged from black to magenta. “Do the colours represent some sort of title or ranking you have in the community?” I asked one of the males proudly donning a magenta turban with rayban aviators. “No” he laughed, “it’s just fashionable”. There are some occasions where there is a standard Turban colour to wear, however, generally, the choice of colour is dictated “by whatever colour you want to match with your outfit”.

Several non-Sikh men and women came to Aotea Square to experience a beautiful and important part of the Sikh religion. I watched people from various backgrounds sitting on seats, eagerly listening to the Sikh representatives, teaching them about their faith as they wrapped their head with a cloth. Sikh teaching emphasizes the principle of equality of all humans and rejects discrimination on the basis of faith, status and gender. The turban is a distinctly visible aspect of the Sikh faith and it holds both a spiritual and practical purpose. As Sikhs have long hair, the turban helps to keep their hair away from their face but more significantly, it symbolizes discipline, integrity, humility and spirituality.

It’s unfortunate that although we live in a diverse society, there are still people who fear others that are different from them. The best way to overcome these fears is to become informed, educated and aware. The turban is not something to be feared, it should be embraced.

Jaspreet Singh, the young man accused of being a terrorist last year, wrote this immediately after he was unfairly profiled:

“I think today’s incident was driven by some racial bias, large amounts of ignorance and most importantly, by fear. A lot of the things that are happening in the world right now are scary. But we can’t let fear control our lives. I think today is not about holding that one lady accountable for what she did but rather serves as a reminder that we cannot let fear get the best of us. Experiences like this can really make [minorities such as myself] question whether they belong in our community. 

Lastly to the lady herself, thank you for bringing this issue to my attention. I don’t think we can expect everyone to understand and appreciate our diverse society on their own. We as minorities do carry some responsibility in promoting our culture and values and fight this ignorance.”

If we all took the time to learn about the different people around us, we would all be wiser, happier and lovelier. Thank you to the Auckland Sikh community for organising this amazing event. I’ll be there for the next one! TSW xx

Girl Bosses Who Brunch: Meet Ida Taefu

Girl bosses who brunch is a series which seeks to celebrate the achievements of incredible Pacific women. All of my chats with the various girl bosses take place in a café and we discuss anything and everything ranging from their journey to success to how many people they pashed on the weekend (jokes, kind of). It is my hope that in sharing stories about successful women, this will inspire others to do better and be better.

Meet the beautiful, intelligent and straight-talkin’-badass Ida. Ida grew up in Samoa, she moved to New Zealand once she had completed high school to attend the University of Auckland. After completing a degree in Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at the University of Auckland, she immediately snapped up an amazing job, working on one of New Zealand’s most iconic rail projects. From here, she was head hunted and offered to work on New South Wales’ largest highway project. After spending 4 years in Australia, Ida moved to London and is now readily making a name for herself as a freelance Civil Engineer. Oh and in addition to being a genius, she’s also an incredible athlete. She played professional netball for Samoa and competed in the World Cup. What a gal!

Thank you Ida for taking the time out of your super busy schedule to sip your fancy ass tea from England, for our virtual brunch date and sharing your story with TSW. xx

Talofa Mrs Taefu – I still need to get used to calling you that! Thank you for taking the time to share your story with TSW. So what’s the goss? What have you been up to? I hear you’re in London now?! Fill me in. 

Heeeellllloooo! Thanks for having me! Yes I’ve been in London for 7 months now on a 2 year working visa. I’m working as a Freelance Civil Engineer contracted to one of Europe’s top tier Civil Engineering Contractor’s Vinci Construction UK Ltd. I work on the Crossrail West Station Project, a 300 million GBP railway project. We are currently upgrading 13 railway stations on London’s western railway link as part of London’s greater Crossrail Project.

I am the Projects Commercial Design Coordinator. Our project is a Design and Build Project and my team’s role is to provide commercial support the Engineering Design Management team. Essentially we are responsible for ensuring our design stays within our original scope and where our scope changes, we ensure we get paid for what we do! We are the key link between the Engineering and Commercial team. It is a new role within the company and is being received very well so it has been very exciting but also hard work!

You are crazy talented. That is amazing, congratulations on all your success! How did you end up in London? 

It has always been a dream of mine to travel around the world. I lived in Samoa until I was 18 and when I graduated from uni my husband and I started looking for overseas opportunities straight away. After a year of working on one of Auckland’s most iconic rail projects I was offered an opportunity to move to Australia to work on the largest highway job in NSW at the time. I planned to stay in Australia for 2 years but I ended up spending 4 amazing years living in some of the most beautiful places in Australia and working on some exciting projects. I got married recently and while looking into Europe as a honeymoon destination my husband and I decided we were ready for a new adventure. So in the midst of planning our wedding we planned a move to the UK. 2015 was hectic to say the least but we are here! And we made it!

It’s a pretty well known fact that you are a very ambitious and hardworking lady, so it’s not surprising that you have achieved so much. Is your work ethic and confidence something that was encouraged from a really young age or were these qualities that you developed as you grew older, with more experience? 

All of the life skills and qualities I have acquired through life are due to lessons learned from some key people in my life. These people are my husband, parents, siblings and extended families. Family really is everything!

My ambitious qualities are definitely thanks to my parents. My parents had extremely high expectations! I was expected to get a university scholarship, be head girl, be a straight A student, captain of the netball team, soccer team, track and field team etc. My older sister actually achieved all these things so I grew up thinking it was perfectly normal to be the best at absolutely everything. No pressure at all (laughs). On reflection it really was a blessing. My parents obviously saw something in me that I didn’t see! Their belief and support really gave me the confidence and discipline that I needed to achieve anything I wanted. I also have a super supportive family. My siblings, husband and extended family are extremely supportive of anything that I want to pursue and they are always there to celebrate the successes and support and encourage me when things don’t work out. They are pretty amazing!

One of the most important lessons my parents taught me was if you want something go get it! No one is going to get you the things you want and things don’t just happen. You have to plan, work hard and keep going. I have an extremely hardworking family. My parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, siblings and cousins are extremely hard working people and their work ethic is something that I admire. We don’t just work, we strive to be the best at what we do and we enjoy doing it! It is amazing the things you can do and the places you can go when you put in the hard work.

I absolutely believe in the value of surrounding yourself with a strong and positive support network, such as your family. And your family is pretty damn cool! I have to ask though, why did you decide to study Engineering? Maths and logic are totally not my thing, so please, enlighten me.  

It was actually a coincidence that I ended up studying Civil Engineering. When I was in high school I knew nothing about Engineering. My best friend’s dad was a Structural Engineer and I remember asking him one day what Engineers did. I can’t quite recall the conversation but I remember him telling me briefly what Structural Engineers do, that there was a shortage of Engineers in Samoa and that there were very few females in Engineering. When I got my university scholarship to study in NZ I actually wanted to do Computer Science. I had dreams of becoming the next Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg (laughs). When I was applying for my scholarship I had to choose a second option. At the time I thought it would be a good second option in case I wasn’t accepted into Computer Science (laughs). When I got accepted into Engineering my parents received my acceptance letter and at the time offered to pay for me to visit my sister in Wellington if I pursued Engineering. Of course being the opportunist that I am I took the deal (laughs). As always my parents knew better and it was probably the best deal I ever took because not only do I love Engineering but it is where I met my now husband which is a super bonus!

That is actually such a good deal. And I’m really glad you mentioned meeting your husband through Engineering, because I totally knew that meeting hot dudes was one of the perks of studying Engineering. If I didn’t almost fail NCEA Level 1 Maths, I fully would’ve applied to study Engineering. Fellas aside, what do you enjoy most about being an Engineer? 

Wow there are so many things I enjoy about Engineering! Having worked mainly in construction I really working with a team to manage and successfully deliver the construction of amazing projects. I also enjoy the thrill and challenge of building things better than others! Building it in the safest, most efficient and economical way possible and solving problems along the way. I like having the freedom of planning the construction of a project, planning it well and watching the execution of my plans. The best thing about Engineering is that you are always learning. There is always a new technology or a new way of doing things. And there are plenty of challenges to keep you busy. There is never a dull day in the office.

Also there are so many different opportunities for Civil Engineers. You can work as a Consultant as a designer, Contractor constructing the works or you can work for a client as a Project Manager. The variety of projects available are endless! And there are opportunities around the world.

That is so true. I guess that’s the beauty of Engineering, it can take you around the world because maths is a universal language – a universal language that I, clearly, still struggle to understand. However, I have to say, one of the most obvious things I’ve noticed about the Engineering industry is the lack of females. As a working lady, what are some of the difficulties you have faced in such a male dominated industry?

Engineering is definitely a male dominated industry. However this is definitely changing! I have been extremely lucky to have worked for companies that celebrate and encourage diversity. Almost all the companies that I have worked for have had a large focus in not only recruiting females but also providing great support networks within the company for woman in Engineering. The biggest difficulty in working in a male dominated industry is not working with more females. Not having as many female role models, female support and just good old female company! In all the companies I have worked for I have never met any female Directors, Project Managers and Construction Managers. I have met very few females in higher corporate management Engineering roles and definitely no Pacific Islanders. This definitely needs to change!

I completely agree and I think that the movement towards having strong female representation in the industry is progressing readily because of women like you! So keep up the great work! You’ve travelled so much for your job you extremely lucky girl, what are some of the benefits of working overseas?

There are so many!

Career Exposure – Having worked with some of the best construction companies around the globe I have not only had exposure to how different companies operate, but I have learned from some of the best people in the industry. This has really helped with my personal development.

Travel & Culture – We live on such a beautiful planet! And there are so many exotic, idyllic and breathtaking destinations that you can enjoy when you work overseas. I love experiencing different cultures and people and I especially love experiencing foreign cuisine.

Personal Growth -Nothing makes you more independent than relocating to a new country where you don’t know anyone. Setting up a new life, making new friends and trying to make something for yourself is definitely scary! It definitely makes you responsible and you grow up real quick! I have moved 9 times in the last 6 years so I’ve definitely learned to adapt quickly and live outside my comfort zone.

Great tips! You’ve achieved so much and you’re making waves in your career, who inspires you to strive for the best? 

So many people inspire me! It’s so important to have many role models! I have inspirations for everything! Career, lifestyle, fitness, fashion, family, investing, business, travel… the list is endless! My current inspiration list comprises of Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Robert Kyosaki, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, and my late grandfather Vaai Kolone.

My life inspirations are definitely my parents and my husband.

My parents are my life coaches. I call them a lot! For everything! I ask them for career advice, marriage advice, cooking advice, travel advice…absolutely everything. My mother has an amazing outlook on life which I really admire. She is a go getter! Full of passion, faith and confidence! She is currently doing her MBA and manages a team of 30 as a High Court Civil Manager in Auckland. She is the true definition of a Girl Bawse! My father is a realist and has a very practical view on life that I admire. He has also taught me to not take s*&$ from anyone! He really prepared me for when I left home and continues to give me great advice.

My husband inspires me daily. He is an amazing man! He has really taught me to appreciate and enjoy the life that we live. We have so much fun! He is also a Civil Engineer and extremely good at what he does so he also has a great work ethic and shares my passions and dreams. He is definitely my rock and I wouldn’t do life with anyone else! I am one lucky lady!

Aw, that is too sweet! What adventure are you planning next? 

We are enjoying married life and experiencing London life. I want to retire early so our current focus is to work hard, invest and hopefully explore some business ventures. Work life balance is also a high priority! I have been away from home for almost 6 years so I want to spend more time with my family, travel more and start a family of my own. We are currently planning to move back to Auckland next year. However there are other countries I want to work in so who knows Dubai and the US are potential options we are looking into as well!

Any advice for young people who want to follow in your footsteps?

Ohhh yes! My top 5 tips that I live by are:

Invest in yourself! Take the time to plan your life and goals. We spend most of our time working for others and planning for others. If you invested that time in planning for yourself imagine how much further you would be in life!

Set your goals high! I am an avid goal setter. I set goals, research how I am going to do it and set myself targets so I stay accountable! My current goals are to have a million dollar property portfolio, be financially free, travel the world, to have abs and to start a business. The sky is the limit!

Take every opportunity you can get! There are so many out there! Don’t wait for them you need to really take the time to look for them!

Get help! I have had many mentors and coaches along the way to help me achieve my goals. Get help and surround yourself with people who will help you get there.

Plan, plan, plan and plan. I have plan A’s, B’s and C’s for most important things. I am a meticulous planner and I plan for when plans don’t work out because not all of them do!

Good luck and thanks for having me!

Thank you so much for sharing your story Ida! So proud to know you and wishing you all the best for your future ventures. Malo lava! xx TSW 

 

April: Autism Awareness

It’s no secret that people living with conditions such as autism experience high levels of stigmatisation, particularly within our community. This stigma stems from a lack of understanding, awareness and appreciation of all the great ways that autism can positively influence the way we see the world and others around us. The best way we can break down the unfair and ill-informed perceptions of autism is by learning more and loving more.

Autism is a disorder of development which affects language, social skills and behaviour. Thus children with autism interpret the world and what is happening around them, in a way that is different from other children. Every person with autism is different. They may have severe problems in language, social skills and behaviour, or mild problems in each of those areas, or alternatively more difficulty in one or two areas. These difficulties will vary as they age and they also depend on factors such as their gender, personality, family and cultural circumstances, and intellectual ability.

“Your son is autistic” the doctor announced. Loretta wasn’t rattled, startled or upset, in the slightest. When the doctor gave his diagnosis, she was watching her son, Anthony, playing in the corner with a box filled with toys. “I can still remember the look on his face”, Loretta smiles. “He was curious, excited and happy. And that’s when I realised, being autistic didn’t matter at all”.

Loretta admits that before Anthony was diagnosed, she, like many of us, knew very little about autism. “I only knew that it was an intellectual disability and that some have fixations or tendencies and many have difficulties with social skills; that was about all the knowledge I had”. She describes the whole process of getting a diagnosis as long and drawn out. When Anthony was under the age of two, he had age-appropriate language skills, social skills and was meeting all of his milestones as expected.

However, his progress began to decline after he turned two. “He started losing the language he once had and the words he did have, he would repeat them non-stop (echolalia) or use them in non-functional ways. He was withdrawing at home and daycare and was also becoming more aggressive towards everyone. He would line everything up from shoes to toys and his food. It was the small things he did like the way he could sit and stare at a spinning wheel forever and then change positions to look at it from different angles. He also had a really erratic sleeping pattern.”

Loretta and her very supportive husband Jonathan waited until Anthony was two and a half years old to raise their concerns with a doctor. By this point, she had already trawled through numerous websites and read many books about autism in children. Once Anthony was diagnosed officially, as parents, they had to make a decision about how to tell others about his condition.

Growing up in a very tight-knit family, Loretta knew that Anthony would be loved unconditionally by family and friends. She feared however, how Anthony would be perceived by others outside of her circle of family and friends. “I struggled with telling other people outside of our circle about Anthony’s diagnosis because I wanted them to see him for the individual he is first. I was also very protective of Anthony and I never wanted to put him in a situation where he would be treated or looked at differently. Although, as a parent of an autistic child I also want to create awareness and normalize autism in society so it’s very conflicting. I take it day by day. At this point I am more open about his diagnosis mostly because I want to show people that his autism is only another part of him – he is so much more”.

It is so important for autistic children to be recognized for who they are, not what they have. Anthony absolutely loves reading. He also knows how to work most electronics like a little genius, especially the trusty Ipad, and of course, like most young boys, he loves being outdoors, either running, swimming or climbing trees.

 

Yet, despite all the amazing gifts and talents that autistic children have to offer, they are often overlooked because of the lack of understanding around their condition. “Due to the invisible nature of autism i.e. there are no physical disabilities, sometimes I felt like I had to prove or justify to some people that my son’s diagnosis was correct. Many times when I told people they would say ‘oh but he looks so normal’ or ‘he’ll grow out of it’. At a recent event at Anthony’s school one parent asked me why Anthony was at special school when he wasn’t completely non-verbal. Before I found these sorts of reactions very frustrating but now I see it as a great opportunity to educate or to give a little insight into autism”.

As a parent there are, understandably, significant difficulties with raising an autistic child. Loretta was raised in Samoa and has grown up in a culture where physically disciplining children is culturally acceptable. Therein lies a cultural divide where what is considered as culturally appropriate, cannot be applied in an autistic context. As a mother, Loretta appreciates the importance of distinguishing ingrained cultural practices from what is suitable for her child, “I don’t think you can spank autism out of a child. Understanding the triggers and providing coping skills and improving communication skills is the key to avoiding meltdowns. Being a mother of an autistic child sometimes feels like you’re on a lonely roller-coaster with your child. It can be very hard juggling therapies, appointments, meltdowns, routines and finding a healthy balance can be challenging. It’s good to take a moment for yourself to recuperate and forget about your worries at home”.

Regardless of these difficulties, Loretta and her family feel unbelievably blessed, particularly with the strong bond that Anthony has with his three year old sister, Laurielle. “She is the de facto older sister, protector, teacher, cheerleader and helper. Many times we have seen her jump to her brother’s defence in the playground and even protect other kids from her brother’s outbursts. She can sense how her brother is feeling and will try to be his voice. They also have a typical sibling relationship where they tease each other, fight, laugh and play. It’s such an interesting relationship. We are sure this is a bond that will last forever. Another positive is that it has taught awareness within our own extended family and taught us all to be more compassionate and loving towards others living with difficulty”.

Loretta and her family are committed to caring for Anthony and preparing him in the best way that they can, for his future. “Naturally we have fears for Anthony’s future. We hope that we do a good job of providing him with all the tools he needs to become an independent and productive member of society. We also hope that we can help him to realise his dreams -whatever they may be”.

A heartfelt and extremely special thank you to Loretta and her family for sharing their story with us. It is our hope that in providing a platform to have discussions around widely stigmatised topics such as autism, we can learn and appreciate the amazing value that people with autism add to our world. Thank you, thank you, thank you! xx TSW

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If you would like to learn more about autism, you can look online, there are several resources available. Otherwise, Loretta has given us some tools/tips that might be helpful to know when you’re interacting with autistic children. Please note, Loretta is not posing as an expert for autism, she is simply speaking from her own experiences as Anthony’s mother:

· The number one thing to remember when interacting with autistic children is they express themselves much differently to most people. While they may not be giving eye contact it doesn’t mean they aren’t present in the moment. I know with Anthony sometimes he looks like he’s 100 miles away in his own world but once i start taking about him to someone he starts to act out.

· Anthony like many autists does not like to be touched without warning. It can be threatening to them.

· Do not yell or talk too loudly to them – it’s very jarring. For us it may be the same as having someone jump out in the dark yelling ‘BOO’.

· Sometimes being in an unfamiliar place around a lot of people can be overwhelming so remember it’s ok to let them retreat into a quiet space. It’s important to give them space when they need it. It all comes back to their sensory processing difficulties.

· Autistic children are the same as any other child – they want to be included and feel respected. Many may come from a background of being misunderstood, judged, bullied or rejected so it may take time for them to warm up to new people. Do not take it personally and remember it may take several attempts before they are comfortable around you. Remain patient and reassuring.

· When you’ve met one autistic child, you’ve met one autistic child. Every child is different so don’t assume they all have the same likes or dislikes. It pays to ask their parents if you’re unsure.

For other parents out there who either suspect or have recently found out that their child is autistic:

· People process such news very differently but remember that before you received the diagnosis you will have already been living with autism and dealing with it in your way. The diagnosis simply opens up doors to assistance for therapies, early intervention (which is critical), special schools etc.

· Surround yourself with positive people that share your own beliefs and want to support your family’s aspirations for your child.

· Never let your child withdraw from the real world. Make an effort to go out and experience different places and people. Take baby steps if necessary for example if he/she has a doctor’s appointment you might want to take them in for a visit to familiarise first or read a book about a doctor’s visit.

· You will get a bunch of advice that you never asked for from people who don’t have any real experience with autism so be prepared. I say thanks and then forget everything I just heard (laughs).

· Be a strong advocate for your child even when it means standing up to the experts. No one knows your child better than you. Sometimes I felt judged as a mother because I was so adamant that he had autism even before the diagnosis. I was even accused once of wanting my child to have autism. It’s a horrible feeling. My motherly intuition spoke very strongly to me though and I’m glad I trusted it.

· What you must remember foremost above everything else is that your child is so much more than just autistic – it is only one part of them.

12 tips from 12 Girl Bosses: #CareerGoals

It has been exactly one year since I was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the High Court so I’m celebrating one year of being a big gal. I started my career as a lawyer full of self doubt, with absolutely no confidence and in a constant state of panic and fear. Now one year later, I have persisted, I have learned and I have overcome (…just!)

To celebrate this wee milestone, I’ve asked these outrageously successful Girl Bosses to share their best tips for ladies who are just taking their first few steps in the big bad world. These are some amazing tips that I wish I had known before I started working. Thank you to all these incredible Pacific women for their valuable insight, we are so lucky to have such fantastic role models.

Girl Boss Tip 1#: Your input is valuable – speak up! Healthy discussions lead to better outcomes for your organisation. If you have experience on a topic, offer it. If you don’t, an outside perspective can be refreshing. In group meetings, remember there are many ways you can contribute. New ideas are great, but you can also add value by asking questions, agreeing/disagreeing with ideas already on the table, or encouraging others to participate.

Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i, Deputy Director, New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei. 

Girl Boss Tip 2#: Make sure you define success for yourself. Often we adopt what we think is the definition of success whether it’s attaining a certain job, salary or status and we set off chasing that in the belief that attaining it will fulfil us and make us successful and proud.

What I’ve learnt is the reverse is true, when you focus on doing work that fulfils you and can be proud of, success follows. If it fulfils you, if it’s something you are proud of, you are successful.

Filifotu Vaai-Tinitali, Country Manager of Bluesky, American Samoa.

Girl Boss Tip 3#: Don’t do it on your own- take your family and others with you on your new career journey. Let them know what you’re doing. Be real about your experiences.
The greatest support I have had at the beginning of my career was from those closest to me. My parents were my greatest support. They often didn’t understand what I was doing, but they believed in me and always encouraged me and prayed continuously for me.  My Dad is now 91 years old and he still prays for me daily.

Matafanua Hilda Fa’asalele, Chief Advisor of Pacific Health to the Ministry of Health in New Zealand. 

Girl Boss Tip 4#:

“It starts with an IDEA…

add FAITH, you get VISION…
add WISDOM, you get DIRECTION…
add ACTION, you get a PLAN…
add RISKS, MISTAKES + FAILURES, you get GROWTH…
add a TRUSTED CIRCLE, you get TRUTH + SUPPORT…
lastly add JOY, and you get COMPLETE SATISFACTION”

Ivy, Businesswoman: Owner of My Heart Follows Photography (https://www.facebook.com/myheartfollows/?fref=ts) and Confetti Love Boutique: Event Design + Styling (https://www.facebook.com/confettiloveboutique/?fref=ts).

Girl Boss Tip 5#: Believe in yourself and be confident! Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and be outside of your comfort zone because that’s when you’re evolving.

Karina Kaufusi, Civil Engineer at Beca.

Girl Boss Tip 6#: Have a teachable spirit because you won’t know it all. Know your limits but be keen to gain new knowledge and new skills. Read widely and not only about subjects that interest you. If you don’t have a personal mentor, be mentored by books written by someone, living or dead, who inspires you. I find that in my line of work being teachable takes you a long way. You’re acknowledging you don’t know it all and want to learn. Being arrogant and not willing to listen to others, can be dangerous and may compromise patient care.

Dr Arieta Fa’asalele -retrieval doctor by road, helicopter or plane with NSW NETS (Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service), Australia.

Girl Boss Tip 7#: Always make time for those who put you where you are. Your attitude, hard work, efforts, and ultimately, successes, are meaningless without your loved ones. If there is anything I am grateful for, it is my family. They are what I look forward to coming home to at the end of the day so treasure your time with them and maximise it if possible. It really is true when they say everything begins from/at home, and so that would be my advice or tip to anyone else – make time to not only be with those close to you, to not only love them but to learn from them. They will always remind you of who you are, your priorities, and what you are capable of. Everything else should follow accordingly.

‘Ana Tupou Panuve (Research & Financial Analyst, National Reserve Bank of Tonga), instagram: @go.pou/@lifeontheislandphotography.

Girl Boss Tip #8: You should explore the things that you are passionate about and don’t be afraid to find out where these things will lead you because you can achieve anything you set your mind on. If you’re not sure about what you are passionate about, that’s ok. It took me years to find the path that God was truly leading me to. Just be brave and keep searching, you’ll get there.

Ema Piutau, Lawyer – Public Defence Service, Manukau. 

Girl Boss Tip #9: Always take initiative. Always greet others with a good morning smile.

Sela Jane Aholelei, Teacher in South Korea/Travelling Journalist.

Girl Boss Tip #10: If its something you love or are passionate about then go for it; don’t regret not attempting to have pursued what you’ve always wanted to do just because the odds seem against you. Some of my closest friends in medicine came from the lowest decile schools, government housing, had worked in Mcdonalds. I used to be a cleaner and now we are Doctors; circumstances don’t dictate your life, your choices do.

Dr. Jordan Maea, Middlemore Hospital. 

Girl Boss Tip #11: If the opportunity arises, go live somewhere outside your usual environment for a time. Some people go on an O.E., or study in another city, or maybe a work offer comes up where you go get a posting overseas. A lot of my friends and family members have gone on a 2 year mission for our church (we’re Mormon) and because you don’t choose where you get sent, some people have gone to some pretty far out places (Samoans in Ghana! Tongan/Niueans in Mongolia!).

Leone, Collection Technician, Pacific Access Collections Project, Auckland War Memorial Museum. Readers are welcome to register and follow updates by clicking through to the link here – www.aucklandmuseum.com/pacific-connections.

Girl Boss Tip #12: Have regular showers and brush your teeth.

My mum. 

Duffy Kids: It’s cool to read

I’m not an expert on children (or anything for that matter). And I’m not a parent. But I do know that one of the most valuable lessons my mother ever taught me was, it’s pretty damn cool to read.

This year I had the privilege of being a Duffy Kids Role Model. For those of you that haven’t heard of the incredible work that the Duffy Books in Homes Association does, it’s a charitable foundation which provides free books to over 100,000 New Zealand children living in low socio-economic areas, three times a year. Free books! How cool is that?! As a role model, I visited primary schools in South Auckland, presented their Duffy books to them and talked about the importance of reading.

It’s no secret that schools in low socio-economic areas pass at rates well below schools on the other end of the economic spectrum. Organisations such as Duffy Books in Homes serve an extremely valuable purpose in our communities because it allows children to have the opportunity to gain access to resources, such as books.

Although the distribution of books may not seem as valuable as donating food, clothing and shelter, the long-term effects of these donations are crucial. Encouraging our children to read will foster a generation that will have the confidence to become well-educated, skilled and informed. These are imperative attributes which will help bridge the increasingly widening socio-economic gap in New Zealand.

When my family moved to New Zealand from Samoa, I could not read, write or speak English. As my family and I were settling in to a foreign country and living in a low socio-economic area, purchasing and owning books were never a priority. With the help of Duffy Books in Homes, I was able to receive my very own books and began my love affair with reading  (don’t ask me about maths, though). I will always be grateful to the Duffy Books in Homes Association, and as a role model, several years later, it’s such an honour to return the favour.

 

If you would like to become a sponsor for Duffy Books in Homes or you would like to find out more information, please see their website: www.booksinhomes.org.nz.

p.s I know that I have a lot of parents following TSW and one of the questions that one of the students asked during a school visit was, ‘What kind of advice do you have for parents who want to encourage us to read?’ I have a few tips that I learned when I was growing up.

1. Let your child choose the book. Unless it’s Mills and Boon or 50 shades, I think you’ll be ok. They’ll choose something they’re interested in and will be able to actively engage. If they cannot find books they enjoy in their school library, you can always try the public libraries. If there are books that your child is interested in reading, and the libraries do not have them, make sure you raise this with a librarian – I’m sure they will be happy to help!

2. If your child is glued to the ipad, don’t be afraid to adapt to their way of learning. There are some great resources online for electronic books and audio books.

3. Always give positive feedback. Even if your child is really struggling, keep encouraging them and don’t shatter their confidence. Once they’re able to tackle difficult words, they’ll feel more confident and will have a more positive attitude towards reading.

If you have any additional tips, please share them!

TSW xx

Girl Bosses Who Brunch – Meet Tupou Seini Neiufi

Girl bosses who brunch is a series which seeks to celebrate the achievements of incredible Pacific women. All of my chats with the various girl bosses take place in a café and we discuss anything and everything ranging from their journey to success to how many people they pashed on the weekend (jokes, kind of). It is my hope that in sharing stories about successful women, this will inspire others to do better and be better.

I found Tupou on Facebook. This is the first time that I have ever Facebook stalked a young woman and tried to get in contact with her by slippin’ into the unruly realms of private messaging for our Girl Bosses Who Brunch series. I must say, even for a well and truly seasoned prolific Facebook stalker, I was totally impressed with my work. I was more impressed however, and extremely grateful to the outrageously talented and humble Tupou Seini Neiufi for being so kind, agreeing to meet with me and allowing me to share her story with you all.

The doctors told Tupou’s parents that she would never walk again, yet here she is. Reigning as New Zealand’s youngest high performance elite athlete and fighting for a well deserved place in the Rio Paralympics 2016. She is a pioneer in her own right, a champion for change and role model for her community. Tupou is inspirational, talented and fearless. This is her story.

For anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting Tupou, one of her most striking features is her gentle nature; which is most surprising because when she is in the pool, she is aggressive and absolutely dominates. Tupou Neiufi is a swimmer, vying for a spot in New Zealand’s Paralympic team heading to Rio later this year. She has already made the qualifying time, she simply needs make it again at the Paralympics trials in April.

Tupou’s journey to becoming a Paralympian is one that she has shared with her greatest inspiration, her family. When Tupou was just two years old, she was hit by a speeding car. From the accident, Tupou suffered deep cuts and bruises to her brain. As a result of this, the way that she processes information is slow. Her coordination was also seriously affected. She has hemiplegia on the left side of her body, which means the entire left side of her body is smaller and weaker than the right side. Although Tupou’s family were grateful that the accident was not fatal, Tupou could no longer crawl, stand or walk.

Despite the very difficult circumstances, Tupou’s parents never lost in faith in her ability to recover. Through intense rehab, she began to re-learn how to crawl and eventually stand on her own. Even from an early age, Tupou showed signs of resilience and perseverance, two qualities, which have made her an exceptional athlete.

As crazy as it sounds, being ranked in the world as a para-swimmer was not always in Tupou’s list of sporting goals. Tupou actually started as a keen netball player but she had difficulty catching the ball. When her physio suggested that she should try swimming instead, Tupou had no idea that swimming was going to be a sport that would come so naturally to her. Interestingly, when asked what she enjoys the most about swimming, it’s the social aspect of the sport that Tupou loves. “I like meeting new people and travelling”. Swimming has allowed Tupou to travel to competitions around New Zealand and Australia.

 

 

But it’s not all fancy hotels and fun meet and greets. Tupou’s routine is intense. When she is not doing her homework or spending time with her family, she is in the pool or at the gym. Tupou’s mother, Lose tells me that, “Swimming is an all year sport, it’s not like netball, where it’s seasonal. She only gets Christmas, New years and Sundays off during the year. Usually after nationals, they give her a couple of days off”.

With such an intense schedule, one of the challenges that Tupou faces, as a young athlete is learning how to juggle her training sessions with school. Tupou is currently a 4^th form student at Otahuhu College. “It’s really full on. I’ve got assignments and then I also need to make time to train. I’ve got NCEA next year. I know that I won’t be swimming forever and I need something to fall back on. Ever since I was 5, I have always wanted to be a doctor”.

Planning to become a doctor in the future isn’t the only thing that Tupou hopes to achieve. “I actually want to start taking free swimming lessons but lessons for those who can’t afford it. Maybe have my own swim school or something.” Tupou recognizes that there is a lot of potential for young Pacific Islanders to excel in swimming, however one of the major barriers is the fact that swimming is an expensive sport. She hopes to play a key part in encouraging more young Pacific Islanders to take up competitive swimming.

 

 

Tupou is very appreciative of all the support she receives from her family, particularly her parents. “There’s seven of us, we’re all doing sports and for them to go out of their way and take the time to actually take us to our trainings, it’s pretty amazing”. Tupou’s mother Lose beautifully responds to her daughter’s gratitude by saying, “We want her to get the best in life. We don’t want to brush her disability to the side. We give all our children equal opportunities. It’s difficult but it’s worth it”.

She also credits her success to all the amazing people that she is surrounded by. Her coach, Sheldon Kemp from the Howick Pakuranga Swim Club, took Tupou under his wing as his first para-swimmer. “He knew nothing about my disability but for someone to go out of his way to research to give me a chance, that speaks volumes for the type of person he is. He’s an amazing person, very genuine and he has always wanted the best for me”. Alongside her coach, her great support team also includes her physio Lima and her strength and conditioning coach Emily. Tupou is grateful for all the incredible support she receives.

Tupou’s favourite athletes are Sophie Pascoe and Mary Fisher, both Paralympic swimmers and gold medalists. Like Sophie and Mary, her dream is “to stand on the podium at the Paralympics, listening to our national anthem as the flag goes up. That’s probably my ultimate goal”. A goal, which I’m sure, is well within her reach.

Thank you Tupou Seini Neiufi for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share your story with TSW. Thank you for paving the way for many aspiring swimmers, I love everything that you stand for. Looking forward to watching your journey and will be cheering you on all the way! Ofa atu!

TSW xx