“Its hard to describe feelings on paper, there are friendships and then there are “real” friendships.
Our friendship started in 1985 as 3rd formers from rival intermediates (Fergusson and Bairds) trying to navigate our way into one of Otara’s elite schools… Hillary College. We were placed into the “Te Kupenga whanau” with our older siblings and soon found ourselves gravitating towards each other to help survive our teen years. Here is where we met the sporty, witty, funny cheeky, very intelligent and forever popular Paeariki Mataroa, soon to be bestie, our forever friend and sis. We created a tight group and named ourselves POCO (only our closest friends will know what that means). Our years at Hillary College were only the foundation of our life long journey of encouragement, empowering, understanding, loving and being each others greatest support through lifes challenges.
We are grateful to have known you sis Paeariki and thank you for helping get through not only our college years but for always being such a great supportive role model for us and our beloved Otara community. Fly high “towards far horizons” sis, POCO foreva”.
Christina Talimalo-Stanley and Joyce Otikore Joseph