Mid Canterbury

March 2013, No 3

Welcome Newcomers!

We are an informal social network which supports people in the Mid Canterbury Region. ‘Newcomers’ can help you get in touch with local people, clubs and organisations. We hope to help you feel at home in your new environment. Please feel free to come along to our activities or contact me. We look

forward to meeting you!

In This Issue

Settling-in meeting, Australia….... ................ 1 Line –dancing class…….1 Cultural Space....….…....2 Traditional recipe from India .................. ..…....3 What’s on this month .. 4

Contact Us

Daria Glesser Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network 20 Williams St Ashburton, 7700

P: (03) 308-13-95 E: newcomers@saferashburton.org.nz

W: www.newcomers.co.nz Hours: Mon to Friday 9:30 am

to 3:00 pm

In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blos-som at their feet. Albert Schweitzer

Australian night in New Zealand!!! Cant believe your ears? You should! Because next Wednesday 20th March we will have a

blast trying to have fun in an Aussie way! Join us! When: Wednesday, 20th March at 7 pm Place: Hockey– Cricket Pavilion, Walnut Ave Free Admission For further information contact: Daria Glesser Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network Coordinator 027 220 87 91

Line Dancing classes !!!!!!

If you have never tried line dancing before and you love country music, give it a go!!!

This month we will have a class on Saturday, 23rd March!

When: 23rd March at 7.30 pm!

Place: 159 Cochranes Rd, turn right at the second gateway after Elgin Rd. There is a wooden sign saying Elgin Farm. David Fisher

Fee: $2

Mid Canterbury Newcomers Newsletter 2

The place where you can share stories about your culture and

yummy recipes popular in your home country! Today Jatinder

from India will share his story with us!

CULTURAL SPACE

Namaste(Sat Sri Akal)!

My name is Jatinder Saggar. I am

from India. I arrived in New Zealand

in 2009. I was born in a big village

called Kila Raipur. I completed my

diploma of computer graphic design

in Christchurch. Now, I am

working in Ashburton as a prepress

operator.

New Zealand is my second home

now. Ihave friends here. They are like brothers

and sisters to me. We are living like a family.

India, officially the Republic of India (Bharat Ganrajya), is

a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country

by area, the second most populous country with over 1.2

billion people, and the most populous democracy in the

world.

Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian

Sea on the south-west, and the Bay of Bengal on the

south-east, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the

west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and

Burma and Bangladesh to the east. In the Indian Ocean,

India is in the

vicinity of Sri Lanka

and the Maldives; in

addition, India’s An-

daman and Nicobar

Islands share a

maritime border

with Thailand and Indonesia. Home to the ancient Indus

Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes

and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified

with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its

long history. Four world religions—Hinduism, Buddhism,

Jainism, and Sikhism originated here, whereas

Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived in the 1st

millennium CE and also helped shape the region’s diverse

culture. Gradually annexed by and brought under the

administration of the British East India Company from

the early 18th century and administered by the United

Kingdom from the mid-19th century, India became an

independent nation in

1947 after a struggle for independence

that was marked by non-violent resistance led by

Mahatma Gandhi.

The Indian economy is the world’s tenth-largest by

nominal GDP and third-largest by purchasing power

parity (PPP). Following market-based economic reforms

in 1991, India became

one of the

fastest-growing major

economies; it is

considered a newly

industrialised country.

However, it continues to

face the challenges of

poverty, illiteracy, corruption, malnutrition, inadequate

public healthcare, and terrorism. A nuclear weapons

state and a regional power, it has the third-largest

standing army in the world and ranks seventh in military

expenditure among nations. India is a federal

constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary

system consisting of 28 states and 7 union territories.

India is a pluralistic, multilingual, and multiethnic society.

It is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of

protected habitats.

World wisdom

A broken hand works, but not a broken heart. Persian Proverb

A dimple on the chin, the devil within.

Gaelic Proverb

A drowning man is not troubled by rain. Persian Proverb

Mid Canterbury Newcomers Newsletter 3

Punjabi Chicken Curry

Chicken breasts, bone in or boneless – 1 to 1 1/2 lbs, cubed

Oil – 1 tbsp

Red Onion – 1, chopped

Crushed Ginger – 1 tsp

Crushed Garlic – 1 tbsp

Thai Green Chillies, split lengthwise – 3

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Punjabi Garam Masala – 2 tsp

Tomatoes – 2, chopped

Salt, to taste

Cilantro, chopped – 2 tsp, for garnish

Heat the oil in a kadhai or deep pan. Add the onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic to the oil and saute till the onions turn golden brown. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the Punjabi Garam Masala to this and stir well.

Add the tomatoes and let it cook well till the oil rises above it. Now add the chicken pieces. Add just a little bit of water so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Remember that chicken will give out water when it cooks, so you don’t want too much water in the curry. Just about a 1/4 cup will do.

Add salt and keep stirring every once in a while till the chicken is cooked well and you have a thick sauce of the toma-toes, onions and the spices.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with chapattis or rice.

Indian settling-in meeting

What’s on this month?

Mid Canterbury Newcomers Newsletter 4

Other things to do

Newcomers Chat Group Would you like to get to know other people and cultures, improve your English in an interactive way, enrich your vocabulary with kiwi words, learn other languages and teach your own one? Join us! This month we are going to have our group on 6th and 13th March at the Ashburton Learning Centre at 7:00 pm. The topic “Australia” Gold coin donation. For more information contact Daria on 3081395 or 027 220 87 91 Film Society Regent Cinema and the Ashburton Art Gallery are happy to organize the evening. Tickets are $15 from Regent Cinema. Join us for refreshments inspired by the movie and a discussion at the Ashburton Art Gallery following the movie. This time we are going to watch an adaptation of Charles Dicken's mightiest novel “Great Expectations” . For more information go to http://www.regentcinema.co.nz/index.php/film-society Film starts at 5.45 pm on Wednesday 27th March in Regent Cinema. Newcomers Playgroup in the Domain Every Monday at 3.30 pm we meet at the Playground with our children (age doesn't matter). Come and join us! For more details contact Kelly Gilson on 9081029, e-mail: kwgilson@hotmail.com Multicultural Playgroup (organized by “Presbyterian Support”) Every Monday 1pm-3pm For more details contact Torika Patterson at Presbyterian Support on 3085868 or Thelma Bell on 0212593270 Address: 222 Cameron Street, Ashburton Zumba Fitness Are you ready to party yourself into shape? That’s exactly what the Zumba® program is all about. It is a real "multicultural event" where you will be surrounded by lots of people coming from all over the world, enjoying a Latin-inspired dance-fitness programme and an absolutely unbelievable atmos-phere! For more information contact Paula 027 8565143 Newcomers Coffee morning group Let’s have a chat and practise some Kiwi English! All welcome! Every Thursday at 10:30 am at McDonalds conference room. 124 West Street Contact Iris on o210582125 Settling-in meeting Come and meet other people! Every third Wednesday of the month. When: Wednesday, 20th March at 7 pm Place: Hockey Pavilion, Walnut Ave Contact Daria on 027 220 8791