Learning a language other than our Mother tongue opens a window onto the collective wisdom, knowledge, values and priorities of cultures other than our own. As a European New Zealander learning Te Reo Māori, I am finding my thinking stretched, challenged and enriched - particularly as I respond powerfully to the beautiful metaphors and imagery woven into Te Reo. Metaphors are my preferred 'way in' to bigger ideas. Ideas that underpin Te Reo Māori, like the sense that the people and the natural environment are intrinsically interwoven, offer guidance for all of us in these times of Climate Change crises for example. The following whakatauki noted on the environmentguide.org.nz website expresses my own thoughts on this perfectly: 'Ko ahau te taiao, ko te taiao, ko ahau' – The ecosystem defines my quality of life (Ngāti Wai and Ngāti Whatua)*. Learning Te Reo Māori has also challenged my own embedded cultural assumptions; assumptions that are not regularly challenged, as I am a member of the 'dominant' group. If 1 million New Zealanders were able to speak and understand Te Reo Māori, we would have a much much better chance of addressing the serious inequities, power imbalances and terrible negative statistics that have afflicted Māori for many generations. I have met so many amazing people in my quest to learn Te Reo Māori - people willing to give of their precious time to help non-Māori learn tikanga and Te Reo Māori. I feel blessed. I need to pay this generosity forward! *http://www.environmentguide.org.nz/issues/biodiversity/maori-and-biodiversity/