Last week we enjoyed a fellowship meeting with four of our newer members so that we could get to know them quickly and well.
They were each born in a different country: Nepal, India, Egypt and the Philippines although Chaneg Torres barely makes the cut having been only one and a half years old, he told us, when his parents moved from the Philippines to Australia to improve their baby’s chances in life. Chaneg certainly came across as a regular Oz boy which no doubt makes it annoying for him when people, like your silly interviewer, respond to his appearance and not his reality. Fortunately his dignity and grace are such that he took it in his stride and told us amusing stories of his similarity to his brother, his ignorance of Filipino culture and cuisine and his mother’s high expectations of her sons. Chaneg was the first President of the Young Liberals to come from an Asian background and listening to his principled and very motivated ideals we could only hope that he takes his interest in politics further as it must be to Australia’s benefit.
Sharada Niraula grew up near Kathmandu, in Nepal, in a very close family and although she trained and worked over there as a microbiologist, in Australia she is working in three unskilled jobs, saving money to send back home to family members incapacitated by COVID-19. Hugh Burne met her as he shopped at the IAG store in St Ives where she works and he persuaded her to join Rotary. What an example he is to the rest of us! Sharada and her young husband are the very people who need the knowledge and wisdom that Rotarians can give, just as much as Rotary needs their youth and enthusiasm.
Nermine Toma came dressed, as requested, in a glamorous outfit reminiscent of Nefertiti whom she greatly resembled, though very much more alive and vibrant than the famous Egyptian queen of history. Nermine grew up in Alexandria on the shores of the Mediterranean and was drawn to Sydney beaches when she and her husband, both pharmacists, considered emigrating to Australia. While deeply committed to her Egyptian Coptic heritage, Nermine has determinedly embraced Australia as her homeland. She spoke of the importance of good role models in the lives of young people and of Rotary’s contribution being to model a life of service in the community.
Our fourth ‘fellow’, Anshu Saxena, was born to an army father and her family travelled with him to different parts of India during her childhood. Although she trained and worked in zoology in India, in Australia Anshu works in customer relations in the finance industry and expends her creative energies in a range of ways, including her love of textiles, as well as dreaming up and supporting new fundraising ideas for our Club.
Anshu delivered a poem as a tribute to Australia.
To read - click on Read More below.
Chaneg, Jo, Janelle, Anshu, Sharada and Nermine
The audience was warm in their reception of the four fellowship stories and spoke afterwards of the pleasure of having such fine people join the Club.
The audience was warm in their reception of the four fellowship stories and spoke afterwards of the pleasure of having such fine people join the Club.
Anshu wrote:
A Place I call Home ....
Thankyou to the generations past, present and future , especially the Ku-ring gai people
Moved more than 20 years ago to a country I call home
Far Away from Temple chants and knitted lace ,
From Namaste ' to Bon jour , to Wei Gates .Ciao to " How's it going mate !
Yes this is the land I call home the land down under !
Far away from parents friends and home to a land of dreams , where living the dream is a reality ....
Have friends here from Greece , Italy, France , South Africa , China & Spain
We have a laugh over BBQ , a quick yarn over a cuppa ,sharing the joy , pain
Over backyard cricket or an AFL game ..
Are we Aussie , where are our origins ? which land are you originally from?
Am I Aussie or is it Aunty Bella with her beautiful life story , the circle of life on her native art , joining the dotted lines just like the Bhils in Bihar ...
The changing spectrum filled with, Namaste ,Ni Hao and Good day confluence
Remember this is Captain Cooks promised land ...
He could have been turned away ...
Where many a boats have returned , many nationalities that don't have a nation , crave to call a place home ..
Not to be cordoned off in a prison as the gladiators did in ancient Rome ...
Its the red earth the warmth of the ochre , reminiscing ... the Lion king
the whisper of the Gum trees , the beauty of the Joey yawning in his mum's pouch
or the possum who loves to roll on the roof ....
Its the place that's warm , lets give everyone a fair go
Uluru calls and says yes- respect and give a chance ...
As the ancestors did to who ever walked on Oz ..
the land has a big heart , the people are simple..
Where dreams become reality
Reflection in the eyes of the” turquoise” seas ...
Ye mate welcome to your home ...
yes I call Australia home