June 19, 2024 • 35 mins
This week’s guest is Samoan content creator Zarya Ioka.
An influencer fastly on the rise, she was vlogging for fun before there was a word for it. If being married with two children wasn’t already a juggle, she decided to study medicine. Zarya tells us how she does it all, has advice for the young, brown mamas and rebukes Maz’s West Auckland slander.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's the Flavor podcast network.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Island Roots Auckland Ways.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
This one's for the Brown brothers and sisters who want
to be one with themselves, their culture, their identity, their roots.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
This is Island Roots, Auckland Ways.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Can I start this episode with an impression of you?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Yes, of course? What it is?
Speaker 3 (00:22):
What it be?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Okay everyone? That was my impression of.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Marina to start out this week's episode.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Wow, I mean, I must say, I think I sound
more annoying than that. I don't like the sound of
my own voice.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Are you serious? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I listen to mine, it's like uh, nails on chalkboard.
But when I listen to yours, I'm like, Wow, someone's
really changed.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
At Aaron's end, you can.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Tell welcome to the podcast this week, gir, how are you?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I am good? I am good.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I am so excited because today.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
We have on the beautiful Zaria Yoka.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
And she's such a freaking beautiful angel, such a nice
presence to be around, Like I just want to be
around it all the time.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah. She's calm, she's flowy, she's beautiful, she's beautiful, she's Astana.
Before we get into the episode, I have three shout
outs to make two girls that I meet in Wellington
and my mom graduated. Mia and Sarifa, thank you so
much for coming up and saying hi. They seen that
they love to you and Lissa, they say that they
love you girl. You're the Queen. Miya and Sarifa second
(01:34):
year law students.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
I believe Good Girls is.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
A third shout out from Milly, who listens every single week.
Shout out from the germ and actually one of one
of the gems and REWA.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, oh my gosh, okay, I'm gonna try to find you, Milly.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
What jim are you at?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Girl?
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I'll tell you off the mic after the episode begins.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Now, welcome back to another episode of Island Routes kan Ways.
Let's hear it from our favorite TikTok queen Mom full
inster and style. I can't Zaria your guy?
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Sorry?
Speaker 5 (02:09):
How are We're feeling great this morning? A little bit
nervous but feeling good.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
She's feeling nervous, but it's okay. You have nothing to
be nervous.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Actually nothing, well actually nobody.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Like no one must girl.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Oh Zaria, did you get it all right? You're west, saida,
aren't you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah? How is traffic it was actually there was no traffic.
Oh yeah, it was really good.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
You know how Auckland be Saria. Every episode we share
what we love about home, So where you currently live,
maybe that time where you were born, where you feel grounded,
whatever feels to you as home. What is home and
what do you love about it? We'll start off first,
and what I love about home this week is being
able to actually go home because I now flat. I've
(03:00):
gone flaring so moved out of home. I actually don't
live that far away from my family home. I live
like two streets away. So the benefit of that is
going from the flat to home.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
And your papa cooked for you last night.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yes, I had oca roast garloor. It was just so
it just yeah, it just hit different not having to cook.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
Yes, yes, doing your shopping from your parents' cupboard.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yes, definitely. Yeah. I took a whole bunch of stuff,
took that old glass contained meal. Prepping at the moment
because we're trying to get into seventy five hard girl. Yeah,
it's all going on. What do you love about home, Melissa?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
What I love about home is my dad. I had
a different answer, but then I just remembered something that
my dad seemed to me last night. And my dad
and I we've had a journey. It's been a thing.
And if you're if you know me personally, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
But he sent me.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
This picture of like a old book he had and
I had laminated a bunch of prayers and put them
in this book, and a lot of the prayers speak
to like peace and justice and love and joy. And
I just realized, like, damn, I've always been this way.
I've always been a love of girl. I've always been
had the sense of like like urgency for peace, you know,
(04:22):
all these things. And I was like, it just gave
me so much I don't know. I was like, oh,
everything's going.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
To be okay.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Little me knew the things she wanted to value in life,
and it was just a reminder of how how much
if it and work my dad and I have put
into building this really cool relationship that we have now.
So I love my dad and I love the way
our relationship has taught me to value things like peace
and justice and love. So yeah, that's what I love
about her. This way we love your uncle. Yeah, he's lovely.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Zaria has been thinking about what she loves about home, girl,
What is it?
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I am born and raised in west Auckland, so you
will always have my heart.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
West is best.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
When I think about home, west Auckland, no matter where
it is, will be my home.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Always.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Whereabouts are we talking and we say I do Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
As of recently, I've moved Toto Peninsula and that is
a vibe. But I was born and raised in Hindo,
so from.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Hando to tat Okay. I put this on my Instagram
the other week because we were is it we study?
Oh we're city and wow.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
You know you know Hindo is meet up central that
all the meetups went down back in the day.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Oh my god, what are like three words you would
use tobscribe Hindus for people like myself who are unfamiliar.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I would say Hindo is special.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
I would say, honestly it probably couldn't think of any
other words Hindosindo says you got to experience you.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Ratchet Okay, Okay, I do agree with that. Ratchet homely
though in that way, like I truly felt like I
was back home in South Okay because sometimes when you're
in some parts of West it's giving us like you
feel like you're in a different country. It's so big
and it's so spacious. Yeah, so many suburbs.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
We did go to new Land recently and that was
an experience.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Yeah, I feel like New Learner is a bit different.
But I would say Hindo, like Hindo is a type
of place you can rock up if you don't feel
like seeing anyone or being dressed a certain way, like
if you just want if you just want to go
and have like when we want butter chicken, or just
go over to Hindo in any old thing, rock up
and whatever.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
It's just comfortable.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
It just feels like you're just no one's judging you,
like everyone's on.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
The same level. Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
It's great.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Great is my favorite.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
I can't do it because it's it's done so much
for me.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, exactly, It's built you grow.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I was talking about this on my radio show because
I was talking about the occasion that I went out
to we City and someone from we Stalkland was like, man,
you're judging so hard. And I'm like, I'm literally from
the getto myself. It's not act like I live in Yeah,
I'm from Yeah, I'm well, you stalk yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
I'm did. I never take it personally.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
I always felt it's crack up it is, but I
feel like, yeah, it is what it is, but it's
it's special.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
So I want to try the butter chicken from Slaps.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Yeah, can you take us on like a tour around side?
Speaker 1 (07:54):
So this is where meet up.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Were being happy to do meet ups at hindos. So
we've like got certain spots around that more that signify.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Okay, well, I guess the place that most people would
know you from is TikTok.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
So let's talk about it. Girl.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
You create like these iconic daily blog videos, share your
beautiful family with us, and your medicine studies because soon
to be ductor how did you get your start on TikTok?
Like how did you decide that? Yeah, I'm gonna start
posting daily blogs.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
Yeah, I feel like I've always I know everyone says this,
but I've always liked making videos. I used to make,
you know, like what's it called music videos and skits
on windows?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Movie making?
Speaker 5 (08:39):
Yeah, like film on my mom's camera and then upload
it and then edit and everything. So all my close
friends and family, I'm a video girl Love. I think
it was when me and my husband got married. I
just ended up posting a couple of snippets, and then
I think that's when I started getting a little bit
of a following, which made it easier to launch, and
followed you yes yes, commenting on one of my videos,
(09:01):
and that's when I think I started posting. When I
found out I was having my son, and I started
posting more vlogs. Yeah, but I did actually post a
couple of years ago when I did first Year, but
they were so cringe and I deleted them. But I
actually I had previously vlogged, but they were so cringey.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Oh okay, So you followed me on Instagram and I
was like instant follow back ter I had seen you
on my for you page, and then I think we
followed each other on TikTok. But I treat my TikTok
like a close friends, like the friends only goes off
for me, And that was one thing that was really
I was like, sorry, I was gonna see I'm a
fucking freak. She's gonna see all my lane videos. Who
(09:41):
is this girl?
Speaker 1 (09:43):
So it's comforting to.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Know that you also think some of your old content
is a little bit cringe.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
No, I think we all treat our tech talk like
a close friends.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (09:50):
I know I feel that way about myself as well.
But no, I think I love following so many different
people on TikTok, especially if I see people make effort
to make content. I really try my best to follow
back regardless because I feel like I've been shown so
much kindness in the industry. I do my best to
try and yeah, give it back.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Are there some people on TikTok who you really look
up to?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Like who like TikTok icons for you? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (10:14):
I love Jane Ju and she recently followed me back,
and I was like fangirl moment because I've loved her
for years. But she would be my favorite, I would say,
and then Sam, but she's one of my friends. Also,
Miss Richard's oh teacher.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I think she's so we're both swift.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
She's the school teacher.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, she's so cool. Oh my god, what an icon?
He yes she is. That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Yeah. Man, you're so personable and friendly. I feel like
you're like the You're the happy girl, lucky girl of TikTok,
because you know TikTok if you like and we know
from putting our show videos on our page. Yeah, we
kind of liked and we kind of not, like, are.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
You guys not liked? I didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
I think it comes. I think people hate to see
brown people winning. Yeah, I think there is a lot
of what it is and not an elitist, but sometimes
I'm like, you just fucking wish she had a podcast.
I think that's the problem. Or you just kept someone
in a bad day and they like, I don't know.
Oh no, I feel that biggest haters for me. I
feel like the ones that hate or that I felt
(11:25):
like have hated on me is because they want to
start a tech talk and comfortable enough in their own
skin to do it.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah, so that's on them.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Yeah, exactly. I remember I remember following you when you
got married, when you're still zaria Fa. Yes, yes, I
think I might be related to you because we've got
some related Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah, it's hard. Yeah, that's so. Yeah, that's my dad's side.
Wow offers.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
Yeah, that was a big one for me changing my
last name, but happy to rip my hobby.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
How did you disc that medicine was the right study
route for you? Was it always medicine going into Uni.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
So in high school I did science and and year
ten I did Wow. So I was like, oh, I
always wanted to be a forensic scientist growing up because
my mum used to watch CSI her shows.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
I want to do that, that's me.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
And then I did science, did well in that, and
I was like, oh, you know what, maybe I might
try and be a doctor. And yeah, that was my
moment of realization.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
And that was it. When did you enroll into university?
And how was that first year of met? Because I
had that's quite hard.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
Yeah, it's traumatizing. I came back when I was twenty three.
I came back, so I had live life a little bit,
had my daughter, worked a full time job, and then
I hated my job so much. I was working at
Winds working in pump Wow. And it was because I
hated my job. No, I was like on the phones.
I was a CSR.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, yeah, but it taught me a lot.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
That job taught me a lot. And so my husband
actually and that. Yeah, so he went back and I
was like, hey, like, how can you go back when
we have like a kid.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
That's strange. But then he got interesting decision making.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
I was like, okay, like because you know my family,
my mom's like, you know, being a mom is you know,
really important? That should be priority. So I was like, yeah,
I'd ridden off my dream. And then yeah, I saw
my husband do it, and I was like, you know what,
why not give it a crack. So I went back
the year after him and then got in as well.
So yeah, I was happy about that.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Awesome. How is studying medicine I imagine it would I've
studying hid in the box?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think it is.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
It is a hard degree, I would say, but I
would say it's doable. Like I think people have this
real idea of medicine that you can't have a life,
you can't do this and there, and it's just all
your head in the books.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
It's really not.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
If you look at me and my husband and we
are very relaxed with it. And I think if you're
just smart about approaching the degree and knowing what you
need to study, I think it's fine.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Maori Pacific mid students.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Yeah, so I think I believe about each of the
cohorts have about twenty percent Maldi and PACIFICA.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Yeah, okay, that's good. Does it feel nice to have
some sort of camaraderie and amongst the cohort.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Yeah, it does. I personally am not on campus much
to know. I've personally just want it more efficient for
me to study at home because of pick up and
drop off of my daughter. So I'll just go on
when I have like labs or something compulsory.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Yeah, yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
I also found that when I was on campus, because
I'm such a yeaper girl, I just want to know
what everyone else is up to, and then by the
end of the day no energy to do my own
work because I just spent the whole day talking socializement.
Buy meal, you love a budget meal? Can you meals
so they don't existing women? I think that is what
(15:01):
we're so in first year when we went howling, like
twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen was our first year, six dollars
fifty from any spot on campus got you a budgy meal.
So we always go to Gorilla Dumplings and get six
doors fifty and it was like ten dumplings.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Yeap leather with chili oil, soy sauce, have it and
Albert Park breakfast.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Lunch and dinner quite literally anything.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
But to be fair, I'm on Grafton, so I don't
know the rules.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
It's different and we don't have we only have like
one cafe and then Saint Pierres across the road.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Which also takes out to pay. Did you know that
I did not?
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Sames takes after same per takes after pay.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Now, I'm sorry if you're needing to after pay sat
prs walk girl.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Have you after paid ps? One day I did after paid.
I bought okay, what I bought lunch for everyone?
Speaker 3 (16:09):
It worked okay, and I after paid the whole lunch,
mother to mother to resard myself. No, I think I
after paid like a booty band once that was like
twenty bucks, like five bucks. I definitely after like because
the warehouse takes after paying.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I deal to pay something.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Put it on the on the payment is like adult
put that out.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Actually for the for the plot, let's get into this
love story. Girl, did you and your husband meet? What
is the tea from? After paid?
Speaker 5 (16:53):
We met playing under sixteen tag, so we played all
met at the World Cup, both ripping ins in but
no it was yeah everyone that child made the team
so and he just he was on crutches, so he
was injured. After our final against Australia and he just
crushed up to me and asked how it went.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
And the history together.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
How did you know he was like the one? Because
I think this is something I'm struggling.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
With because you were married, that's like nick level.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
I'm going to be honest.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
I think I loved him from the go. I was
like you are you are my guy. But I think
for us to mutually agree on that was like a process.
So yeah, so yeah, lovers lover is love.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Love is wild, especially young love while you're trying to
come to terms with your guys individual identities and through
high school and stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
I think I think what people see on tektok is
only where we are now. But I feel like it
was definitely a journey and we did have to navigate
things that you do go through when you're young. Yeah
my hand, when you're a twelve y Yes, I mean
looking back now, what do seventeen year olds know about
being together?
Speaker 2 (18:16):
It's a massive commitment.
Speaker 5 (18:18):
Yeah, so yeah, I would say that it took me
a lot of years of maturity to understand that. But
I think trying to find your independence and mature when
you're in a relationship is different, Like takes a different
type of like when you're as opposed to when you're single,
you don't. You kind of have to really prioritize that
if you want to get there. Yeah, so that's been
a journey as well being more independent and yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Yeah that's something that I feel like I'm almost too
independent now.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Like that's great.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah, it's also a really great thing. But then like
I'll go on dates with people and I only ask
them questions about themselves, and they like, I don't often
give them the space to ask me anything, which is
not a thing. But then also like I'll be with
a guy and he'll go to open the door for me,
and I'm like, what the what the.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Fuck do you think you're doing?
Speaker 3 (19:08):
And I'm like, oh, I'm actually being rude because I
need to let him show me that care and attention.
So I'm almost flip side of that. Yeah, but two
single ladies with it.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
But I think when you work so hard to get
everything you have, you're not just gonna let some dusty ass.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
It's also very, very, very true because.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
I tell my sister the same thing. She's on the
same journey. She's so accomplished, she's studying full time working
full time, got her own apartment, she's she's a dog
mom and I that's what I mean. And I see,
I'm like, why would you lower that standard for anyone period?
So yeah, but I do feel for you guys, because
I think that some of the males here and orkand
(19:51):
are just trash.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
I'm gonna be honest, and you would be correct.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
I've heard as well.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yeah, a lot of that is a very accurate opinion.
And lucky for you, you don't got to worry about
all of them. Being a young mama, what advice would
you give to other young moms. What were the emotions
you were going through, and how's your experience being a mom?
(20:19):
First to your daughter, Shiloh.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
I think with Shy, because I had her when I
was nineteen, I think I was navigating being a teen mom.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And also I lived at home.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
I still live at home with my parents, so and
my parents they're so hands on, like they love their grandbabies.
They're very like they're the apple of their eyes kind
of thing. So I think for me, I didn't really
grow up when I had Shy. I was still kind
of like it's like we're sisters. And I think to
this day sometimes I find it tricky navigating her world.
So I went on a school trip with her recently,
(20:48):
and I think I just felt like a teen mom still.
Even though I am like an older mom, you still
kind of against the moms that of, you know, the
kids that are her age group. I think I still
feel young and incompetent sometimes.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
But yeah, that's something we were talking to Jordan with
the WI about, is the sense of like imposter syndrome.
Do you almost get in post syndrome as a mum?
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Definitely, Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
I think with Houston, because I was older and it
was obviously expected, Yeah, I was like, you know, I
know what I'm getting in for, and as he's gone
through his milestones, I grew with him. But with Shiloh,
honestly me, I was taking her out to the driving
range with me and my friends at like two am.
We were making the track out south from West Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I love it. No carsie, We're just being in the
back seat jamming.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
No.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
That's the thing I feel like when you're young, you
don't really know. Well, me I was, I was really immature.
So I feel like I have grown up with her,
like as we've kind of been like sisters. So I
feel like I'm learning to navigate, to have more confidence
in myself and just yeah, that's why I went on
her school trip to try and you know, connect with
her and get more into her world.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
And those parents.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Word, it's a bit scary, but what a courageous Yeah,
it is really scary. It's not so it's as scary.
It's not so much to go. I meant like, you
feel like the small talk with other parents. I don't
know if that's common knowledge, but I feel like I
find that so like I roll my eyes every time
I have something like I have to if I have
to take her somewhere.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I feel like you don't know that you have to
actually talk with other parents.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Yeah, and when your social battery is gone after a
long day, all you want to do is just go
and watch your cad, like when I took her to
dance and everything. But you're chatting on the sideline with
like other parents who are nosy a if, so you know,
you're kind of almost like if you don't know how
to navigate those situations, you're almost just giving.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Your life story to them. Yeah, just because they're so
nosy where we live.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Yeah, anyway, now, I think that that sounds like a
pretty accurate description of a lot of parents out there.
And I think also people love to gossip and they
just want to know what's happening in your life, so
they can probably feel bit about this.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
You're perfectly honest, definitely.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
But like I can imagine that the small talk, even
sometimes when I have small talk with that older people
just like, oh, you really don't understand what it's like
to be me, and I also don't understand what it's
like to be you, And that is totally fine, but
why are you coming up with my girl talking shit?
Speaker 5 (23:15):
Like Yeah, a hundred percent. I think our generations like
a bit different, So trying to connect with some of
some of them are great, the ones that are willing
to like come down and meet you where you are.
But the ones that are just set in their ways,
I feel like it makes it a bit hard to
connect with, you know. Yeah, and parenting styles also have
changed a lot, Oh yeah, I feel so they're probably
(23:36):
like I don't know, people just have a lot of
very intense opinions about how you should parent your child,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Yeah, on there have people tried to give you unsolicited
parenting advice before.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
No, honestly, only from only my mom my heart. I
will take it from her any day because she has
done so much for me and especially my kids.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
I don't I could.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
I wouldn't be able to get through mid school without
the support of my parents. So she can have all
the opinions she wants. We've gotten into it many times.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
But yeah, would you say you're more of a gentle
parent or a bit more direct?
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Yeah, I'm a gentle parent.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
I think I always get told that I could be
a bit stricter and discipline a little bit more. But
I definitely believe my daughter and I have conversations. We're
very conversational, and she's very much me. Starts like parenting myself.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
So what role has your cultural background like played in
your journey? I guess, you know, with the whole parenting thing,
you really it's not going to be like a lot of.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
I would say, honestly, I would say that when I
went to UNI and learned about you know, how they
kind of teach you about racism and how it can
look differently, I think I started to look at take
a hard look at myself and see where I gotten
some of these ideas from and then I think I
started shifting my mindset to start admiring and looking up
to brown women and seeing them as cool. And then
(25:03):
I think ever since then, I felt like I felt
most confident in myself or more comfortable in my skin.
So yeah, I'd say that was a big one for me.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
I love that going to UNI was a huge part
of my journey as well, like studying Pacific studies. Yeah,
I think even just during one class really just opened
up my mind and I had had to learn to
be proud of my son wornness through experiences of racism,
so to go to UNI and finally learn to be
proud because of the epic things that our ancestors went through,
(25:31):
like that was that was so affirming. Yeah, and I
like I will always be like education is really important,
Like going to UNI, especially as a Pacific person, to
break those cycles is really important. It's not for everyone,
but if you are academic minded or into that, I
really do want to push people in that direction.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Yeah, I agree completely.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Yeah, well, you do so many You do so many things,
being a mom, being a wife. East to see you
to see what are some of the things that you
do to show up for yourself and really feel like yourself.
I was actually thinking of this question, and I think
every day, one thing I do, like it's a non negotiable.
It's the only thing I do that's non negotiable every
(26:16):
day is have a morning shower.
Speaker 5 (26:18):
I'm a morning shower person always, so I was thinking
about it and realistically, it's the only thing that will
be reliable for me every single day.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yep.
Speaker 5 (26:28):
So yeah, that would be my way of showing up
for myself realistically.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Yeah. And its taking a moment to just like really
clean yourself.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (26:36):
Yeah, and being real like when you have like just
normal life, it's hard to try and set self care time,
even though that is important. But for every day, definitely
having my morning shower, I think about the day, are
head and just even just it feels nice. Yeah, And
it makes me feel clean to start my day so fresh.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
What is your non negotiable, Melissa?
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Every Day my non negotiable.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I really love. I mean it's not always a non negotiable,
but I do love to be in bed for like
at least an hour before I actually have to go
to sleep. Like there's something about like settling down, like
closing the day, cleaning my room, rotting jing out and
the bed and like just watching something. It could be
like one or two episodes of any show and I
(27:26):
don't even actually have to be watching it. I could
be on TikTok. Yeah, but that is the non negotiable,
I think, Yeah, what.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
About you morning shower? Yes, okay, I.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
Would say night shower. Then that's a negoiable, A night shower,
A night shower girl.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Wait, so do you feel clean when you wake up
in the morning.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Well, I do, but there are times where, especially in summer,
I'm like, let's just have another shower.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
I always feel just grows when I wake up in
the morning, like I need a shower. Yeah, I don't know,
but I've always wandered with the nighttime girlies, the ones
that prefer and don't need a morning shower.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Do you just feel fresh when you wake up? I
think I do.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
Just feel fresh when I wake up, brush my hair,
and then I'm good to go obviously make up and
out everything else.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
But yeah, I have to do both.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Yeah, do you shower both?
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Yeah, stinky book, But.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
When you go to an all boys high school, like
You'm got to make sure your ass is clean. I
don't want any of that coming back to you. I
would have to say a really made bed, like I
can't leave home without my bed having been made, Okay,
I just feel incomplete.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yeah, I am definitely like a Sunday reset person or
like a Yeah, I would say, like a Sunday night reset,
get a hit for the week, and then that's when
I like, change my sheets, oh yeah, make my bed properly,
clean up my makeup area, and then the room was
like sit up, all good for the week. Yeah, Yeah,
that's nice.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
Do you feel like it stays kind of set up
until the next Sunday or do you have a lot
to do?
Speaker 4 (28:58):
Nah?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
I don't think it stays set up.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
And I'm also such a fashion girly that I have
to try on like outfits at least four times that
I was for the day. So there's just ship everywhere. Yeah,
that's my room.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
And on that note, let's go to Our Rapid Fire.
Our Rapid Fire a game that we have for you, Zaria.
We don't have enough time to load on the audio,
so we.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
Can sing it for you. Yeah, three two one.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
These are a few love my favorite things, basically just
your favorites.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
From these different categories. Okay, so rapid fire, think of
whatever your favorite clothing brand is.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Oh okay, I've got it. Yeah yeah, okay, girls, I
do love girls. I want to be an Earl's girl.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
I just want to say I from their first collection,
like okay, and when they had only a couple of
hundred followers of that, I was like in their comments
tagging hobby, I think they did like a giveaway American brand. No,
I think they're Australian. But I think Louis or Lewis
the guy cut that out. Well, he was like from
(30:10):
he played in n r L and then he went
over top.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
I think he was a key with appeared a partner.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
They did the Essex Yes Essex collection. Yea, I love
those shoes, but they were so expensive.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
I die for a period of those literally.
Speaker 5 (30:30):
But yeah, I feel like to have like a strong
shoe game, you got to have supporting clothes and budget could.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
It was from the shorts, yeah, like everyone's copy them. Yeah,
but it was only through your tiktoks that I found
out that it was actually did other pieces of clothing.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
It was just sure, yeah famous through their shorts a way.
They one of the first to do that basketball short vibe.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
Yeah, yeah, I remember this gray jumper with the matching
shorts that I really wanted. It must have been in
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
I think everyone had it, but I was like, I
want that jumping up.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
Yes, yeah, I think I went to a six sixty
concert and they're earl shorts and it wasn't when it
was mainstream.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Year, and I was like, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
These are my favorite. It's from the set of music.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
It is, Yeah, your favorite, mum essential. It could be
a thing, it could be a routine.
Speaker 5 (31:38):
Probably the Swiss ball. That's how I rocked my kids
to sleep. It's very bad, but the house when you
don't want to rock them stands because you get them
used to doing that, to like being bounced.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
You set them up and.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Then they weren't going to sleep. Yeah any other way.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Yeah, it was a joke when my second one came
that we were going to throw the Swiss ball out Poppet.
It didn't get It's still on my blogs.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
You'll see it on the back of my love that
I love that. That's the purpose of that.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Oh my gosh, wow, I didn't know that. It's like
I have to listen to as full of sleep. It's
like one of those things you have to do stuff regulate.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Okay, are a.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Few favorite things, and we really don't need audio.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Your favorite sum one food gallow for sure, you girl,
not funny noll? Yeah, no, no, gallow for sure. Yeah,
my dad's big on the bananas, but it's just not
really for me.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
The sweetness I can taste.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Yeah, what about you? Yeah, I like.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Hang out.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
My favorite coffee order. Okay, yes, this is what I
wanted to ask you about.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Wet.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
You're a nice letter and you just have regular milk
up with it.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I know.
Speaker 5 (33:03):
I used to do the whole oat milk and stuff
to be special. I did, and then I was like,
you know what, I love regular milk, so.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
You don't have tummy problems like me.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
No, I love it for you.
Speaker 5 (33:16):
Yeah, I'm a dairy girl. I love cheese milk cream.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
There is such a flick to be like, yeah, just
regular milk. Thanks, it's as the cheapest.
Speaker 5 (33:24):
Yeah, I love regular milk, so yeah, I'm jealous.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Last one my favorite and things. Okay, we don't know
if we've phrased this correctly, but meat specialization. Oh yeah,
because there's something in the medicine area that you're like, Nah,
I think that's the one I want to do.
Speaker 5 (33:41):
Yeah, I want to be a GP So I like
the idea of having my own little clinic and actually
talking with my patients and building relationship.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
I've always wanted to.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Do that, so I hope that that stays with me
after I do my placements and everything.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
Watch, once you start up your little I will enroll
me too.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Love it. Please take good care of you guys. Yeah,
you've been Thank you so much for coming on. Queen.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
We are with you, and we were saying before you
came on, we really do feel like we already know you,
but this is just the first time we've met, so
this is so exciting.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
Thank you so much. You guys are welcome. I feel
like I know you guys. Honestly, just been cackling before.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
The podcast your heroes as Luscious in your life appears
so long.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Day five. Don't look closely. Oh my gosh, wait.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
Before we go, do you naturally have straight hair?
Speaker 2 (34:40):
No? No, no, no is crazy.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
It's it used to be curly, but with all the
heat I've applied over the years, I've just damaged it.
And I also used to bleach at hard Out like
color a lot. Yeah, I see those photos.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
One of them, one of them. It's Relic.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
I love, I love. But where can the people find you?
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Huh?
Speaker 5 (35:07):
TikTok at my TikTok a Yeah, oh Saria Yoka underscore,
I think maybe Yeah, the same on Instagram. Yeah, the
same love, and you can probably also find her on
the West side somewhere. You always probably won't recognize me though.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Thank you, Soria, We love you. We'll catch you next
week on Island Talkland Ways we must have some drinkings
and Houston being babysit.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
I'm so excited. Okay, find us on TikTok Instagram.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Leve you guys, Bye bye,
It's the Flavor podcast network.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Island Roots Auckland Ways.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
This one's for the Brown brothers and sisters who want
to be one with themselves, their culture, their identity, their roots.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
This is Island Roots, Auckland Ways.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Can I start this episode with an impression of you?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Yes, of course? What it is?
Speaker 3 (00:22):
What it be?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Okay everyone? That was my impression of.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Marina to start out this week's episode.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Wow, I mean, I must say, I think I sound
more annoying than that. I don't like the sound of
my own voice.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Are you serious? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I listen to mine, it's like uh, nails on chalkboard.
But when I listen to yours, I'm like, Wow, someone's
really changed.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
At Aaron's end, you can.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Tell welcome to the podcast this week, gir, how are you?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
I am good? I am good.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I am so excited because today.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
We have on the beautiful Zaria Yoka.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
And she's such a freaking beautiful angel, such a nice
presence to be around, Like I just want to be
around it all the time.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah. She's calm, she's flowy, she's beautiful, she's beautiful, she's Astana.
Before we get into the episode, I have three shout
outs to make two girls that I meet in Wellington
and my mom graduated. Mia and Sarifa, thank you so
much for coming up and saying hi. They seen that
they love to you and Lissa, they say that they
love you girl. You're the Queen. Miya and Sarifa second
(01:34):
year law students.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
I believe Good Girls is.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
A third shout out from Milly, who listens every single week.
Shout out from the germ and actually one of one
of the gems and REWA.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, oh my gosh, okay, I'm gonna try to find you, Milly.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
What jim are you at?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
Girl?
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I'll tell you off the mic after the episode begins.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Now, welcome back to another episode of Island Routes kan Ways.
Let's hear it from our favorite TikTok queen Mom full
inster and style. I can't Zaria your guy?
Speaker 4 (02:09):
Sorry?
Speaker 5 (02:09):
How are We're feeling great this morning? A little bit
nervous but feeling good.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
She's feeling nervous, but it's okay. You have nothing to
be nervous.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Actually nothing, well actually nobody.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Like no one must girl.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Oh Zaria, did you get it all right? You're west, saida,
aren't you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah? How is traffic it was actually there was no traffic.
Oh yeah, it was really good.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
You know how Auckland be Saria. Every episode we share
what we love about home, So where you currently live,
maybe that time where you were born, where you feel grounded,
whatever feels to you as home. What is home and
what do you love about it? We'll start off first,
and what I love about home this week is being
able to actually go home because I now flat. I've
(03:00):
gone flaring so moved out of home. I actually don't
live that far away from my family home. I live
like two streets away. So the benefit of that is
going from the flat to home.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
And your papa cooked for you last night.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yes, I had oca roast garloor. It was just so
it just yeah, it just hit different not having to cook.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
Yes, yes, doing your shopping from your parents' cupboard.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yes, definitely. Yeah. I took a whole bunch of stuff,
took that old glass contained meal. Prepping at the moment
because we're trying to get into seventy five hard girl. Yeah,
it's all going on. What do you love about home, Melissa?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
What I love about home is my dad. I had
a different answer, but then I just remembered something that
my dad seemed to me last night. And my dad
and I we've had a journey. It's been a thing.
And if you're if you know me personally, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
But he sent me.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
This picture of like a old book he had and
I had laminated a bunch of prayers and put them
in this book, and a lot of the prayers speak
to like peace and justice and love and joy. And
I just realized, like, damn, I've always been this way.
I've always been a love of girl. I've always been
had the sense of like like urgency for peace, you know,
(04:22):
all these things. And I was like, it just gave
me so much I don't know. I was like, oh,
everything's going.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
To be okay.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Little me knew the things she wanted to value in life,
and it was just a reminder of how how much
if it and work my dad and I have put
into building this really cool relationship that we have now.
So I love my dad and I love the way
our relationship has taught me to value things like peace
and justice and love. So yeah, that's what I love
about her. This way we love your uncle. Yeah, he's lovely.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Zaria has been thinking about what she loves about home, girl,
What is it?
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I am born and raised in west Auckland, so you
will always have my heart.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
West is best.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
When I think about home, west Auckland, no matter where
it is, will be my home.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Always.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Whereabouts are we talking and we say I do Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
As of recently, I've moved Toto Peninsula and that is
a vibe. But I was born and raised in Hindo,
so from.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Hando to tat Okay. I put this on my Instagram
the other week because we were is it we study?
Oh we're city and wow.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
You know you know Hindo is meet up central that
all the meetups went down back in the day.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Oh my god, what are like three words you would
use tobscribe Hindus for people like myself who are unfamiliar.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I would say Hindo is special.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
I would say, honestly it probably couldn't think of any
other words Hindosindo says you got to experience you.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Ratchet Okay, Okay, I do agree with that. Ratchet homely
though in that way, like I truly felt like I
was back home in South Okay because sometimes when you're
in some parts of West it's giving us like you
feel like you're in a different country. It's so big
and it's so spacious. Yeah, so many suburbs.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
We did go to new Land recently and that was
an experience.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Yeah, I feel like New Learner is a bit different.
But I would say Hindo, like Hindo is a type
of place you can rock up if you don't feel
like seeing anyone or being dressed a certain way, like
if you just want if you just want to go
and have like when we want butter chicken, or just
go over to Hindo in any old thing, rock up
and whatever.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
It's just comfortable.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
It just feels like you're just no one's judging you,
like everyone's on.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
The same level. Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
It's great.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Great is my favorite.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
I can't do it because it's it's done so much
for me.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, exactly, It's built you grow.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I was talking about this on my radio show because
I was talking about the occasion that I went out
to we City and someone from we Stalkland was like, man,
you're judging so hard. And I'm like, I'm literally from
the getto myself. It's not act like I live in Yeah,
I'm from Yeah, I'm well, you stalk yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
I'm did. I never take it personally.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
I always felt it's crack up it is, but I
feel like, yeah, it is what it is, but it's
it's special.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
So I want to try the butter chicken from Slaps.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Yeah, can you take us on like a tour around side?
Speaker 1 (07:54):
So this is where meet up.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Were being happy to do meet ups at hindos. So
we've like got certain spots around that more that signify.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Okay, well, I guess the place that most people would
know you from is TikTok.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
So let's talk about it. Girl.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
You create like these iconic daily blog videos, share your
beautiful family with us, and your medicine studies because soon
to be ductor how did you get your start on TikTok?
Like how did you decide that? Yeah, I'm gonna start
posting daily blogs.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
Yeah, I feel like I've always I know everyone says this,
but I've always liked making videos. I used to make,
you know, like what's it called music videos and skits
on windows?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Movie making?
Speaker 5 (08:39):
Yeah, like film on my mom's camera and then upload
it and then edit and everything. So all my close
friends and family, I'm a video girl Love. I think
it was when me and my husband got married. I
just ended up posting a couple of snippets, and then
I think that's when I started getting a little bit
of a following, which made it easier to launch, and
followed you yes yes, commenting on one of my videos,
(09:01):
and that's when I think I started posting. When I
found out I was having my son, and I started
posting more vlogs. Yeah, but I did actually post a
couple of years ago when I did first Year, but
they were so cringe and I deleted them. But I
actually I had previously vlogged, but they were so cringey.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Oh okay, So you followed me on Instagram and I
was like instant follow back ter I had seen you
on my for you page, and then I think we
followed each other on TikTok. But I treat my TikTok
like a close friends, like the friends only goes off
for me, And that was one thing that was really
I was like, sorry, I was gonna see I'm a
fucking freak. She's gonna see all my lane videos. Who
(09:41):
is this girl?
Speaker 1 (09:43):
So it's comforting to.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Know that you also think some of your old content
is a little bit cringe.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
No, I think we all treat our tech talk like
a close friends.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (09:50):
I know I feel that way about myself as well.
But no, I think I love following so many different
people on TikTok, especially if I see people make effort
to make content. I really try my best to follow
back regardless because I feel like I've been shown so
much kindness in the industry. I do my best to
try and yeah, give it back.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Are there some people on TikTok who you really look
up to?
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Like who like TikTok icons for you? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (10:14):
I love Jane Ju and she recently followed me back,
and I was like fangirl moment because I've loved her
for years. But she would be my favorite, I would say,
and then Sam, but she's one of my friends. Also,
Miss Richard's oh teacher.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
I think she's so we're both swift.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
She's the school teacher.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, she's so cool. Oh my god, what an icon?
He yes she is. That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Yeah. Man, you're so personable and friendly. I feel like
you're like the You're the happy girl, lucky girl of TikTok,
because you know TikTok if you like and we know
from putting our show videos on our page. Yeah, we
kind of liked and we kind of not, like, are.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
You guys not liked? I didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
I think it comes. I think people hate to see
brown people winning. Yeah, I think there is a lot
of what it is and not an elitist, but sometimes
I'm like, you just fucking wish she had a podcast.
I think that's the problem. Or you just kept someone
in a bad day and they like, I don't know.
Oh no, I feel that biggest haters for me. I
feel like the ones that hate or that I felt
(11:25):
like have hated on me is because they want to
start a tech talk and comfortable enough in their own
skin to do it.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah, so that's on them.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Yeah, exactly. I remember I remember following you when you
got married, when you're still zaria Fa. Yes, yes, I
think I might be related to you because we've got
some related Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah, it's hard. Yeah, that's so. Yeah, that's my dad's side.
Wow offers.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
Yeah, that was a big one for me changing my
last name, but happy to rip my hobby.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
How did you disc that medicine was the right study
route for you? Was it always medicine going into Uni.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
So in high school I did science and and year
ten I did Wow. So I was like, oh, I
always wanted to be a forensic scientist growing up because
my mum used to watch CSI her shows.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
I want to do that, that's me.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
And then I did science, did well in that, and
I was like, oh, you know what, maybe I might
try and be a doctor. And yeah, that was my
moment of realization.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
And that was it. When did you enroll into university?
And how was that first year of met? Because I
had that's quite hard.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
Yeah, it's traumatizing. I came back when I was twenty three.
I came back, so I had live life a little bit,
had my daughter, worked a full time job, and then
I hated my job so much. I was working at
Winds working in pump Wow. And it was because I
hated my job. No, I was like on the phones.
I was a CSR.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, yeah, but it taught me a lot.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
That job taught me a lot. And so my husband
actually and that. Yeah, so he went back and I
was like, hey, like, how can you go back when
we have like a kid.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
That's strange. But then he got interesting decision making.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
I was like, okay, like because you know my family,
my mom's like, you know, being a mom is you know,
really important? That should be priority. So I was like, yeah,
I'd ridden off my dream. And then yeah, I saw
my husband do it, and I was like, you know what,
why not give it a crack. So I went back
the year after him and then got in as well.
So yeah, I was happy about that.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Awesome. How is studying medicine I imagine it would I've
studying hid in the box?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think it is.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
It is a hard degree, I would say, but I
would say it's doable. Like I think people have this
real idea of medicine that you can't have a life,
you can't do this and there, and it's just all
your head in the books.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
It's really not.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
If you look at me and my husband and we
are very relaxed with it. And I think if you're
just smart about approaching the degree and knowing what you
need to study, I think it's fine.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Maori Pacific mid students.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Yeah, so I think I believe about each of the
cohorts have about twenty percent Maldi and PACIFICA.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Yeah, okay, that's good. Does it feel nice to have
some sort of camaraderie and amongst the cohort.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Yeah, it does. I personally am not on campus much
to know. I've personally just want it more efficient for
me to study at home because of pick up and
drop off of my daughter. So I'll just go on
when I have like labs or something compulsory.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Yeah, yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
I also found that when I was on campus, because
I'm such a yeaper girl, I just want to know
what everyone else is up to, and then by the
end of the day no energy to do my own
work because I just spent the whole day talking socializement.
Buy meal, you love a budget meal? Can you meals
so they don't existing women? I think that is what
(15:01):
we're so in first year when we went howling, like
twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen was our first year, six dollars
fifty from any spot on campus got you a budgy meal.
So we always go to Gorilla Dumplings and get six
doors fifty and it was like ten dumplings.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Yeap leather with chili oil, soy sauce, have it and
Albert Park breakfast.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Lunch and dinner quite literally anything.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
But to be fair, I'm on Grafton, so I don't
know the rules.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
It's different and we don't have we only have like
one cafe and then Saint Pierres across the road.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Which also takes out to pay. Did you know that
I did not?
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Sames takes after same per takes after pay.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Now, I'm sorry if you're needing to after pay sat
prs walk girl.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Have you after paid ps? One day I did after paid.
I bought okay, what I bought lunch for everyone?
Speaker 3 (16:09):
It worked okay, and I after paid the whole lunch,
mother to mother to resard myself. No, I think I
after paid like a booty band once that was like
twenty bucks, like five bucks. I definitely after like because
the warehouse takes after paying.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I deal to pay something.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Put it on the on the payment is like adult
put that out.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Actually for the for the plot, let's get into this
love story. Girl, did you and your husband meet? What
is the tea from? After paid?
Speaker 5 (16:53):
We met playing under sixteen tag, so we played all
met at the World Cup, both ripping ins in but
no it was yeah everyone that child made the team
so and he just he was on crutches, so he
was injured. After our final against Australia and he just
crushed up to me and asked how it went.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
And the history together.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
How did you know he was like the one? Because
I think this is something I'm struggling.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
With because you were married, that's like nick level.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
I'm going to be honest.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
I think I loved him from the go. I was
like you are you are my guy. But I think
for us to mutually agree on that was like a process.
So yeah, so yeah, lovers lover is love.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Love is wild, especially young love while you're trying to
come to terms with your guys individual identities and through
high school and stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
I think I think what people see on tektok is
only where we are now. But I feel like it
was definitely a journey and we did have to navigate
things that you do go through when you're young. Yeah
my hand, when you're a twelve y Yes, I mean
looking back now, what do seventeen year olds know about
being together?
Speaker 2 (18:16):
It's a massive commitment.
Speaker 5 (18:18):
Yeah, so yeah, I would say that it took me
a lot of years of maturity to understand that. But
I think trying to find your independence and mature when
you're in a relationship is different, Like takes a different
type of like when you're as opposed to when you're single,
you don't. You kind of have to really prioritize that
if you want to get there. Yeah, so that's been
a journey as well being more independent and yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Yeah that's something that I feel like I'm almost too
independent now.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Like that's great.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah, it's also a really great thing. But then like
I'll go on dates with people and I only ask
them questions about themselves, and they like, I don't often
give them the space to ask me anything, which is
not a thing. But then also like I'll be with
a guy and he'll go to open the door for me,
and I'm like, what the what the.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Fuck do you think you're doing?
Speaker 3 (19:08):
And I'm like, oh, I'm actually being rude because I
need to let him show me that care and attention.
So I'm almost flip side of that. Yeah, but two
single ladies with it.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
But I think when you work so hard to get
everything you have, you're not just gonna let some dusty ass.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
It's also very, very, very true because.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
I tell my sister the same thing. She's on the
same journey. She's so accomplished, she's studying full time working
full time, got her own apartment, she's she's a dog
mom and I that's what I mean. And I see,
I'm like, why would you lower that standard for anyone period?
So yeah, but I do feel for you guys, because
I think that some of the males here and orkand
(19:51):
are just trash.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
I'm gonna be honest, and you would be correct.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
I've heard as well.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yeah, a lot of that is a very accurate opinion.
And lucky for you, you don't got to worry about
all of them. Being a young mama, what advice would
you give to other young moms. What were the emotions
you were going through, and how's your experience being a mom?
(20:19):
First to your daughter, Shiloh.
Speaker 5 (20:21):
I think with Shy, because I had her when I
was nineteen, I think I was navigating being a teen mom.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And also I lived at home.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
I still live at home with my parents, so and
my parents they're so hands on, like they love their grandbabies.
They're very like they're the apple of their eyes kind
of thing. So I think for me, I didn't really
grow up when I had Shy. I was still kind
of like it's like we're sisters. And I think to
this day sometimes I find it tricky navigating her world.
So I went on a school trip with her recently,
(20:48):
and I think I just felt like a teen mom still.
Even though I am like an older mom, you still
kind of against the moms that of, you know, the
kids that are her age group. I think I still
feel young and incompetent sometimes.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
But yeah, that's something we were talking to Jordan with
the WI about, is the sense of like imposter syndrome.
Do you almost get in post syndrome as a mum?
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Definitely, Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
I think with Houston, because I was older and it
was obviously expected, Yeah, I was like, you know, I
know what I'm getting in for, and as he's gone
through his milestones, I grew with him. But with Shiloh,
honestly me, I was taking her out to the driving
range with me and my friends at like two am.
We were making the track out south from West Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I love it. No carsie, We're just being in the
back seat jamming.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
No.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
That's the thing I feel like when you're young, you
don't really know. Well, me I was, I was really immature.
So I feel like I have grown up with her,
like as we've kind of been like sisters. So I
feel like I'm learning to navigate, to have more confidence
in myself and just yeah, that's why I went on
her school trip to try and you know, connect with
her and get more into her world.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
And those parents.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Word, it's a bit scary, but what a courageous Yeah,
it is really scary. It's not so it's as scary.
It's not so much to go. I meant like, you
feel like the small talk with other parents. I don't
know if that's common knowledge, but I feel like I
find that so like I roll my eyes every time
I have something like I have to if I have
to take her somewhere.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I feel like you don't know that you have to
actually talk with other parents.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Yeah, and when your social battery is gone after a
long day, all you want to do is just go
and watch your cad, like when I took her to
dance and everything. But you're chatting on the sideline with
like other parents who are nosy a if, so you know,
you're kind of almost like if you don't know how
to navigate those situations, you're almost just giving.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Your life story to them. Yeah, just because they're so
nosy where we live.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Yeah, anyway, now, I think that that sounds like a
pretty accurate description of a lot of parents out there.
And I think also people love to gossip and they
just want to know what's happening in your life, so
they can probably feel bit about this.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
You're perfectly honest, definitely.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
But like I can imagine that the small talk, even
sometimes when I have small talk with that older people
just like, oh, you really don't understand what it's like
to be me, and I also don't understand what it's
like to be you, And that is totally fine, but
why are you coming up with my girl talking shit?
Speaker 5 (23:15):
Like Yeah, a hundred percent. I think our generations like
a bit different, So trying to connect with some of
some of them are great, the ones that are willing
to like come down and meet you where you are.
But the ones that are just set in their ways,
I feel like it makes it a bit hard to
connect with, you know. Yeah, and parenting styles also have
changed a lot, Oh yeah, I feel so they're probably
(23:36):
like I don't know, people just have a lot of
very intense opinions about how you should parent your child,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Yeah, on there have people tried to give you unsolicited
parenting advice before.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
No, honestly, only from only my mom my heart. I
will take it from her any day because she has
done so much for me and especially my kids.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
I don't I could.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
I wouldn't be able to get through mid school without
the support of my parents. So she can have all
the opinions she wants. We've gotten into it many times.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
But yeah, would you say you're more of a gentle
parent or a bit more direct?
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Yeah, I'm a gentle parent.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
I think I always get told that I could be
a bit stricter and discipline a little bit more. But
I definitely believe my daughter and I have conversations. We're
very conversational, and she's very much me. Starts like parenting myself.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
So what role has your cultural background like played in
your journey? I guess, you know, with the whole parenting thing,
you really it's not going to be like a lot of.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
I would say, honestly, I would say that when I
went to UNI and learned about you know, how they
kind of teach you about racism and how it can
look differently, I think I started to look at take
a hard look at myself and see where I gotten
some of these ideas from and then I think I
started shifting my mindset to start admiring and looking up
to brown women and seeing them as cool. And then
(25:03):
I think ever since then, I felt like I felt
most confident in myself or more comfortable in my skin.
So yeah, I'd say that was a big one for me.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
I love that going to UNI was a huge part
of my journey as well, like studying Pacific studies. Yeah,
I think even just during one class really just opened
up my mind and I had had to learn to
be proud of my son wornness through experiences of racism,
so to go to UNI and finally learn to be
proud because of the epic things that our ancestors went through,
(25:31):
like that was that was so affirming. Yeah, and I
like I will always be like education is really important,
Like going to UNI, especially as a Pacific person, to
break those cycles is really important. It's not for everyone,
but if you are academic minded or into that, I
really do want to push people in that direction.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Yeah, I agree completely.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Yeah, well, you do so many You do so many things,
being a mom, being a wife. East to see you
to see what are some of the things that you
do to show up for yourself and really feel like yourself.
I was actually thinking of this question, and I think
every day, one thing I do, like it's a non negotiable.
It's the only thing I do that's non negotiable every
(26:16):
day is have a morning shower.
Speaker 5 (26:18):
I'm a morning shower person always, so I was thinking
about it and realistically, it's the only thing that will
be reliable for me every single day.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yep.
Speaker 5 (26:28):
So yeah, that would be my way of showing up
for myself realistically.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Yeah. And its taking a moment to just like really
clean yourself.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (26:36):
Yeah, and being real like when you have like just
normal life, it's hard to try and set self care time,
even though that is important. But for every day, definitely
having my morning shower, I think about the day, are
head and just even just it feels nice. Yeah, And
it makes me feel clean to start my day so fresh.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
What is your non negotiable, Melissa?
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Every Day my non negotiable.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I really love. I mean it's not always a non negotiable,
but I do love to be in bed for like
at least an hour before I actually have to go
to sleep. Like there's something about like settling down, like
closing the day, cleaning my room, rotting jing out and
the bed and like just watching something. It could be
like one or two episodes of any show and I
(27:26):
don't even actually have to be watching it. I could
be on TikTok. Yeah, but that is the non negotiable,
I think, Yeah, what.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
About you morning shower? Yes, okay, I.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
Would say night shower. Then that's a negoiable, A night shower,
A night shower girl.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Wait, so do you feel clean when you wake up
in the morning.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Well, I do, but there are times where, especially in summer,
I'm like, let's just have another shower.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
I always feel just grows when I wake up in
the morning, like I need a shower. Yeah, I don't know,
but I've always wandered with the nighttime girlies, the ones
that prefer and don't need a morning shower.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Do you just feel fresh when you wake up? I
think I do.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
Just feel fresh when I wake up, brush my hair,
and then I'm good to go obviously make up and
out everything else.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
But yeah, I have to do both.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Yeah, do you shower both?
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Yeah, stinky book, But.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
When you go to an all boys high school, like
You'm got to make sure your ass is clean. I
don't want any of that coming back to you. I
would have to say a really made bed, like I
can't leave home without my bed having been made, Okay,
I just feel incomplete.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yeah, I am definitely like a Sunday reset person or
like a Yeah, I would say, like a Sunday night reset,
get a hit for the week, and then that's when
I like, change my sheets, oh yeah, make my bed properly,
clean up my makeup area, and then the room was
like sit up, all good for the week. Yeah, Yeah,
that's nice.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
Do you feel like it stays kind of set up
until the next Sunday or do you have a lot
to do?
Speaker 4 (28:58):
Nah?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
I don't think it stays set up.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
And I'm also such a fashion girly that I have
to try on like outfits at least four times that
I was for the day. So there's just ship everywhere. Yeah,
that's my room.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
And on that note, let's go to Our Rapid Fire.
Our Rapid Fire a game that we have for you, Zaria.
We don't have enough time to load on the audio,
so we.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
Can sing it for you. Yeah, three two one.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
These are a few love my favorite things, basically just
your favorites.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
From these different categories. Okay, so rapid fire, think of
whatever your favorite clothing brand is.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Oh okay, I've got it. Yeah yeah, okay, girls, I
do love girls. I want to be an Earl's girl.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
I just want to say I from their first collection,
like okay, and when they had only a couple of
hundred followers of that, I was like in their comments
tagging hobby, I think they did like a giveaway American brand. No,
I think they're Australian. But I think Louis or Lewis
the guy cut that out. Well, he was like from
(30:10):
he played in n r L and then he went
over top.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
I think he was a key with appeared a partner.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
They did the Essex Yes Essex collection. Yea, I love
those shoes, but they were so expensive.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
I die for a period of those literally.
Speaker 5 (30:30):
But yeah, I feel like to have like a strong
shoe game, you got to have supporting clothes and budget could.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
It was from the shorts, yeah, like everyone's copy them. Yeah,
but it was only through your tiktoks that I found
out that it was actually did other pieces of clothing.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
It was just sure, yeah famous through their shorts a way.
They one of the first to do that basketball short vibe.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
Yeah, yeah, I remember this gray jumper with the matching
shorts that I really wanted. It must have been in
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
I think everyone had it, but I was like, I
want that jumping up.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
Yes, yeah, I think I went to a six sixty
concert and they're earl shorts and it wasn't when it
was mainstream.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Year, and I was like, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
These are my favorite. It's from the set of music.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
It is, Yeah, your favorite, mum essential. It could be
a thing, it could be a routine.
Speaker 5 (31:38):
Probably the Swiss ball. That's how I rocked my kids
to sleep. It's very bad, but the house when you
don't want to rock them stands because you get them
used to doing that, to like being bounced.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
You set them up and.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Then they weren't going to sleep. Yeah any other way.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Yeah, it was a joke when my second one came
that we were going to throw the Swiss ball out Poppet.
It didn't get It's still on my blogs.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
You'll see it on the back of my love that
I love that. That's the purpose of that.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Oh my gosh, wow, I didn't know that. It's like
I have to listen to as full of sleep. It's
like one of those things you have to do stuff regulate.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Okay, are a.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Few favorite things, and we really don't need audio.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Your favorite sum one food gallow for sure, you girl,
not funny noll? Yeah, no, no, gallow for sure. Yeah,
my dad's big on the bananas, but it's just not
really for me.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
The sweetness I can taste.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Yeah, what about you? Yeah, I like.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Hang out.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
My favorite coffee order. Okay, yes, this is what I
wanted to ask you about.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Wet.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
You're a nice letter and you just have regular milk
up with it.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I know.
Speaker 5 (33:03):
I used to do the whole oat milk and stuff
to be special. I did, and then I was like,
you know what, I love regular milk, so.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
You don't have tummy problems like me.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
No, I love it for you.
Speaker 5 (33:16):
Yeah, I'm a dairy girl. I love cheese milk cream.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
There is such a flick to be like, yeah, just
regular milk. Thanks, it's as the cheapest.
Speaker 5 (33:24):
Yeah, I love regular milk, so yeah, I'm jealous.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
Last one my favorite and things. Okay, we don't know
if we've phrased this correctly, but meat specialization. Oh yeah,
because there's something in the medicine area that you're like, Nah,
I think that's the one I want to do.
Speaker 5 (33:41):
Yeah, I want to be a GP So I like
the idea of having my own little clinic and actually
talking with my patients and building relationship.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
I've always wanted to.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Do that, so I hope that that stays with me
after I do my placements and everything.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
Watch, once you start up your little I will enroll
me too.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Love it. Please take good care of you guys. Yeah,
you've been Thank you so much for coming on. Queen.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
We are with you, and we were saying before you
came on, we really do feel like we already know you,
but this is just the first time we've met, so
this is so exciting.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
Thank you so much. You guys are welcome. I feel
like I know you guys. Honestly, just been cackling before.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
The podcast your heroes as Luscious in your life appears
so long.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Day five. Don't look closely. Oh my gosh, wait.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
Before we go, do you naturally have straight hair?
Speaker 2 (34:40):
No? No, no, no is crazy.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
It's it used to be curly, but with all the
heat I've applied over the years, I've just damaged it.
And I also used to bleach at hard Out like
color a lot. Yeah, I see those photos.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
One of them, one of them. It's Relic.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
I love, I love. But where can the people find you?
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Huh?
Speaker 5 (35:07):
TikTok at my TikTok a Yeah, oh Saria Yoka underscore,
I think maybe Yeah, the same on Instagram. Yeah, the
same love, and you can probably also find her on
the West side somewhere. You always probably won't recognize me though.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Thank you, Soria, We love you. We'll catch you next
week on Island Talkland Ways we must have some drinkings
and Houston being babysit.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
I'm so excited. Okay, find us on TikTok Instagram.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Leve you guys, Bye bye,
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