Editorial: Family should inspire us all

Shasha Patel, Jitu Patel and Makesh Chhika have been learning basic Maori words and greetings for the past five years. Photo / George Novak

The story of Brookfield Four Square owners Shasha Patel, Jitu Patel and Makesh Chhika is an inspiring one.

The family not only speak three Indian dialects and English, but they are making an effort to learn Maori from their customers.

At school, I only took languages as long as I had to.

It is only as I get older I regret not having put more effort in to learn other languages.

The snippets I remember are not really useful at all.

Growing up in New Zealand, speaking English, there didn't really seem to be much point learning other languages.

We are so isolated from everywhere else and besides, most non-English speaking people know some basic English.

As I have travelled, the benefits of learning other languages has become more apparent.

In America, most people are taught Spanish throughout their school life and end up with a fairly good grasp of it.

It's a hugely helpful and important skill, especially when there are so many Spanish-speaking immigrants who have moved up from Central and South America.

Travelling through France and Italy, I also wished I knew how to speak their languages.

I felt rude, constantly fumbling over their words and pointing at what I wanted.

I am always impressed by people who move to, or study in, a country where their native language is not spoken widely.

It's a brave thing to do.

Many of the friends I made in my semester studying in America were other international students whose first language was not English.

Learning and speaking the language of the country you are living in certainly goes a long way.

Whether they say it or not, the locals appreciate the effort made to fit into their community and embrace the culture.

I have the utmost respect for Shasha Patel, Jitu Patel and Makesh Chhika.

Not only have they learnt English, they have gone above and beyond to learn the native language of New Zealand too.

They put most New Zealanders, myself included, to shame with how much Maori they have learned already.

Let it be a challenge to us all.