1/3
My dad instilled in me the importance of education. He worked in the meat-works and had come here from the Cook Islands wanting better for his family. After school he would give me books, books, books and I would read and learn. But he was an alcoholic and struggling with that and my parents called it quits when I was 12. I understood this but still had this perfect ideal of us all sitting together at the dinner table. I started to feel disconnected at school when everyone else’s parents would come together to things, but mine never would. By the time I got to 15 or 16 I started to hate school. I got caught drinking with my friends at school. We got called to see the principal and I knew they would call my parents. Part of me wanted that, because I wanted them to come to school… but I also knew and thought that my mums going to hate me because they had never been into the office! We sat down and the principal said she’d made a decision not to call our parents, because we were doing well in academics.” I was shocked! This never happened! Parents were always called in. I knew It was a blessing though, a second chance. I started to realize that without education, where would I be?
In Year 13 I was selected as a prefect and finished the year as runner up dux! That was unheard of in my family, they were so proud of me!
