Pene Jnr Pati - one quarter of the accalaimed Opera-trio Sol3 Mio, tied the knot in front of friends and family at the Villa Maria Estate in Auckland on Friday afternoon.

Photos by PoppyMoss Photography

Pene married fellow Opera singer Amina Edris in the same setting where he had proposed to her just over a year ago.

With close family and friends in attendance, the ceremony and celebration was a family affair with all four of the Pati siblings involved in the ceremony.

Amina looked picture perfect in her one-of-a-kind wedding dress, with her bridesmaids in gorgeous pale blush-pink dresses.

The groomsmen, including fellow Sol3 Mio boys Moses McKay and brother Amitai Pati (the best man) looked elegant in their matching grey suits.…more

Dr Semisi Lolohea

General Surgeon, Colorectal Surgeon

I grew up in the Islands where I went to school and I was 17 years old when I moved to New Zealand. It was my first time outside of Tonga and it was quite daunting.  My English wasn’t very good. I could have reasonable conversations with people but it was very hard for me adjusting in the first year.

And did you know at that time that you wanted to pursue a medical career?

Yeah I was always quite keen on doing medicine. I worked hard with my studies but it was challenging because of the language barrier. When I made it into Medicine school I could understand what they were talking about but asking questions and actually having a conversation with the Teacher was a struggle. Sometimes I wanted to answer questions but I was a bit embarrassed because I could not speak English properly.  It remained a barrier even all throughout my career but over time I gained more confidence.…more

Susana Leota

32 years old, living in Samoa.

Legal Adviser, National District Health Board

Describe your family background?

I have 6 other siblings and we also often grew up surrounded by lots of extended family. My parents raised us with traditional fa’asamoa values but they also encouraged us to adapt in western society. They taught us to value education and encouraged us to read lots of books. We had to speak politely and use our manners. We often labeled as posh kids by our peers.

Do you have a treasured memory from your childhood?

I attended a school for kids with special needs or who had vision impairment and one year they put on a Halloween party. My parents dressed me up as a little Taupou. I remember it was raining and the treasure hunt went around the whole school. I needed crutches to walk on and my Dad didn’t want me walking the distance in the rain so he piggy-backed me through the whole treasure hunt. That’s one of my favourite memories.…more

After 32 hours travelling, 3 planes and surviving the beast that is LAX airport, this South Auckland afakasi woman arrived blurry eyed and bloated with airplane food at JFK airport New York City.

I jump into a yellow cab and head to Brooklyn as the driver ducks and dives between traffic like a pro. We trade stories about our home towns and what brings us to New York. I tell him I am a poet and here to check out one of the largest youth literary organisations in the world. 

I arrive at my friends place in Crown Heights, Brooklyn just as the sun is setting. I am greeted by smiles from the papas playing chess in front of the stoop. Clearly, my years of travelling are not evident in my overweight suitcase . . . but a girl never knows what she may need, ya feel me? (that’s me trying to ‘New Yorkify’ myself). Once settled in, I am taken for a walk and shown the nearby laundromat, grocery corner store, the subway, bars and restaurants.…more