GeoMay8 Day - 2023

[+Calypso62]

In Australia, "Mateship" is a cultural idiom that embodies equality, loyalty and friendship. It is a concept that can be traced back to our early colonial times. The harsh environment in which convicts and new settlers found themselves meant that men and women closely relied on each other for all sorts of help. In Australia, a 'mate' is more than just a friend and is a term that implies a sense of shared experience, mutual respect and unconditional assistance.

 

Having said that, the term “mate” can also be used for the first time you meet someone, especially when you don’t know their name. For example, “G’day mate, nice to meet you!!” or “Hey mate, are you geocaching?” or when someone you don’t know helps you, “Thanks mate, I really appreciate what you’ve done.”

 

For the last two years, on the 8^th May, I’ve held an event to celebrate one of the best things I like about geocaching, the geo-mates one meets through this great activity. It’s a time when we can catch up with old geo-mates and make lots of new ones, and celebrate that friendship. As many of you have done, I’ve made so many great geo-mates all around the world.

 

My events are held at a local watering hole here in Sydney, with a very Australian name, The Ettamogah Hotel. Here is a link to this year’s event…

GeoMay8 Day at the 'Mogah – 2023

 

Now, I thought I would advertise my event via the Geocaching Forums in the hope that others might like the concept of celebrating great Geo-Mates and would consider hosting a GeoMay8 Day Event themselves. It would be fabulous if GeoMay8 Day Events popped up all around the world. Who knows, if the concept catches on, perhaps one day Groundspeak might make this into an annual day such as International Geocaching Day or Earthcache Day. They might even offer a souvenir!! Wouldn’t that be great!!

 

If you do get onboard and host a GeoMay8 Day Event, please post here and let us know about it.

 

Here’s to a fabulous celebration of great Geo-Mates.

 

Cheers,

Calypso62 - Down Under 🦘

 

 

 

 

[+Smitherington]

Thank; you for the explanation of how the word 'Mate' is used.  That is an interesting idea of having a day to celebrate GeoMates on GeoMay8.

 

It happens to fall on Monday and in my experience my events work better on the weekend.  I have had celebrations either early or late but have used that in the title of the event (see examples below) so I suppose that might work.  I wish you well.

 

National Pie Day 2023 (One Day Early) GCA3MV5

Prime Meridian Day 2022 (a few days late) GCA0GZP

Prime Meridian Day Event (one week late) GC91QT8

 

[+Calypso62]

28 minutes ago, Smitherington said:

It happens to fall on Monday and in my experience my events work better on the weekend.  I have had celebrations either early or late but have used that in the title of the event (see examples below) so I suppose that might work.  I wish you well.

 

Yes, I am aware that the day falls on a Monday. That's why it is a dinner event rather than one held during the work day. I feel it must be held on May 8 otherwise the idea falls flat. Those who can or want to come, will.

 

Thanks for your good wishes. 👍

[+Calypso62]

How good is this!! GeoMay8 Day - 2023 is certainly going international with an event at a seafood restaurant on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Spain hosted by great geomates, moss2s. I met them on their visit to Sydney and we had lots of fun together.

GeoMay8 Day at Skippers

 

If anyone else would like to host a GeoMay8 Day gathering, you only have a few days to get the event into the review queue before the two week cut-off. It would be absolutely fantastic if we could get at least one more international event.

 

Cheers, Calypso62

 

 

 

[+Calypso62]

*** Happy GeoMay8 Day everybody!!! ***

[+GeoElmo6000]

On 5/7/2023 at 10:58 PM, Calypso62 said:

*** Happy GeoMay8 Day everybody!!! ***

 

Hey not cool for a host to start without the guests 

 

[+JL_HSTRE]

On 4/10/2023 at 7:08 PM, Calypso62 said:

In Australia, "Mateship" is a cultural idiom that embodies equality, loyalty and friendship.

 

Thanks for the background on the Australian term we've probably all heard, but few have probably ever heard explained.

 

To be philosophic for a moment: those three concepts don't necessarily overlap. In fact, I would argue that equality and loyalty are inherently contradictory because loyalty implies not simply trustworthiness but preferential treatment. Maybe the concept is different in Australia than America.