Learning te reo Maori as a Pākehā born and bred in Aotearoa was a life changing and humbling journey. The generosity of my tutors at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and the whānau that I grew in my fellow tauira felt like a moment to treasure. In order for us to keep coming closer to difference I feel that as New Zealanders, whatever background we may come from, we should all make an effort to learn from each other and keep progressing forward as a bilingual nation. Learning te reo Māori not only enriched my experience when traveling around this beautiful country by being able to read te reo on signs but it also strengthened my connection with nature and my understanding of the Māori culture.