A U3A Encounter

Hi all, it's me again. Hard to get a word in edgewise what with the blogger fanatic Stew, and Steve hot on his heels. Everybody wants a word!

Tonight was our first encounter with New Zealand U3A people. Dr. Graham Mortimer is the Chairman of Dunedin U3A with some 500 members, much like my own SW Herts U3A. He and his wife Claire had invited us for dinner. So now my questions start - what to wear? be back in time to take a shower before we go, take a bottle of wine or not? You can imagine!

6.15 and the taxi arrives to take us to the address we have. Up and up the side of the steep hill we go, overlooking Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu and majestic mountains in the background. And as we get out of the taxi, we are greeted by Graham and Claire as if they have known us all their life. What a wonderful feeling feeling to meet U3Aers that make you feel so 'at home'.

Claire's sister Libby and husband Jim also joined us. Libby has just started up a new U3A just north of Dunedin so there was much exchange on how we all operated.

New Zealand U3As are funded by their Universities. This system helps the Universities to demonstrate community support.

And they do not have study groups that we would recognise. It is more a lecture series that you sign up to. And social activities are mostly through other organisations. But, like us, each U3A is autonomous, so it will be interesting to see how each one operates.

What a great dinner - lamb, new potatoes, green salad and fresh berries and whipped cream.

A feast for the campers! What a great start to our New Zealand U3A encounters.

Pictured from left to right: Libby, Graham, Claire, Jim, Barb