User:Chriswaterguy/Interests

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

[edit] Major interest

Appropriate technology & articles in Category:Appropriate technology .

Recently (November 2005) I joined Engineers Without Borders (Australia) and am looking forward to doing volunteer work in the water and sanitation. Developing relevant resources in Wikimedia is one way I like to contribute to development work. If people - development workers & residents of developing countries - have access to information and ideas, it improves their chances of finding solutions to their problems.

I'm also interested in related topics such as sustainability, efficiency & renewable energy.

[edit] Secondary interests

All things related to development, such as

I started in Wikipedia by contributing on Indonesian issues. I'm also interested in language learning - I plan eventually to do something in Wikibooks on the topic.

I spent two years total in Indonesia (in 1995-96, and 1998-2000). Having realised I like it there more than here, I am buying a one-way ticket to SE Asia in early 2006. Starting in East Timor & Indonesia, then on to new horizons. I expect I will learn many interesting things which I can share through the wonderful world of Wiki (though where it is personal experience and not verifiable, I will share it through other sites such as Wikibooks or Wikinfo.

[edit] Other Wiki sites

Interesting:


[edit] Minor interests

I find myself doing edits on all kinds of pages, but these are some particular ones I'm interested in. I try to limit myself here though, so I can focus on my main and secondary interests, above.

  • Language learning
  • Mnemonics in learning and learning, including language learning
  • Teaching English as a foreign language (for the search engine: TEFL, TESOL, ESL). The differences between teaching English as a foreign language and English as a second language.
  • Indonesian language
  • I find mnemonics very effective in language learning, and would like to collaborate with others to make lists of words with easy-to-remember images to help language learners such as myself. This might be a project for Wikibooks. I also like to do the same for people learning English.
  • I have started to learn, or am interested in learning, languages including Javanese, Mandarin, Thai, Arabic , Hindi. I wish to learn these as well as I can as I live and work in various countries in the next few years. The following languages I wish to learn at least well enough to make basic conversation: Japanese , Tagalog, Dutch and German.
  • Good design in Affordable housing and Prefabricated housing.
  • Energy-efficient housing, including passive solar.
  • Urban design and its social, environmental and economic impacts. New Urbanism, Traditional Neighbourhood Design, Transport Oriented Development.
  • The outcomes of complex Urban planning regulations compared to a laissez-faire approach - the problems and benefits of each.
  • Social capital
  • Yoga. It's been great for me. However, I believe that if practised wrongly it can result in injury. (This is my experience, and my yoga teacher, who is also a physiotherapist, says likewise). I'd really like to work out a series of poses for when I wake up feeling like a seventy year old (ie the first 2 hours of every morning). Maybe start with Tadasana (mountain pose) and Vrksasana (tree pose) with palms together in front. This is probably something for Yogawiki and/or Wikibooks.
  • Spirituality: Buddhism, Brianism, Flying Spaghetti Monster.

I don't claim to be an expert in all these areas. However I do my best to be informed, and will contribute to Wikipedia where I can.

Areas I want to learn more about: