I happened to be leafing through the December issue of Wilderness magazine today and noticed that there was an article featuring one of our Outdoor Education students. It shows the equipment she takes with her into the backcountry.
If you are a tramping ‘Gearhead’ like me you will be most interested in having a look at other trampers outdoor gear. It is great opportunity to contrast and compare with your own set-up.
Here is the spread for you edification…
You can find a lot of useful information looking at what others find essential when on an outdoor adventure. It may not look like much gear but it is certainly enough to sustain you for a number of days.
We are slowly getting closer to the end of the academic year and with the end of study we will have some changes to our opening hours.
Here are our hours of operation from December 2022 through February 2023:
We will be closed from 24th December to 9th January in line with the rest of the Institute. For all of January 2023 we will only open from 8am to 5 pm Monday to Friday. Our term time hours will resume from Tuesday 7th February 2023.
Please note that all of our online resources will remain available right through this period.
Blog contributed by Kirstie McHale. Learning and Disability Advisor
This week is Transgender Awareness Week, and there are a number of awesome events lined up on City Campus and online (details below also). Come along to tautoko trans and gender nonconforming ākonga and kaimahi at Ara, whether you’re part of the community or practicing allyship.
You can also check out our post from 2019 Trans Awareness Week to learn more and find some great resources to support raising awareness with those around you.
One thing that’s new since that post went out is Ara’s My Pronouns feature. Using this feature and your email signature to share your pronouns is a simple action which supports trans and gender nonconforming people at Ara. Normalising pronoun use makes it easier for everyone to share their pronouns and have their pronouns used correctly (read more about why pronouns matter here).
And if you want to invest further in your confidence with supporting transgender people, and prefer some self-paced solo learning, Gender Minorities Aotearoa have a free online course on Supporting Transgender People.
Here’s the full run-down of what’s on this week at Ara:
Lost in TRANSlation with Grae Monday 14 November, 12PM – 1PM DLect and online through teams, City Campus
Get lost when it comes to transgender concepts and language? Join Ara’s Grae Meek in her Transgender 101 seminar to better understand transgender and rainbow community journeys, ways to demonstrate respect, and terms to use when engaging with transgender learners and colleagues.
For online, please email rainbow@ara.ac.nz for an invitation
Pronouns 101: a workshop with Ari Tuesday 15 November, 12PM – 1PM D-Lec theatre, City Campus
Join Ari for an info session on pronouns, how to use them, who uses them and why. Learn how you can best support the folks around you who use pronouns. Everyone is welcome.
For online, please email rainbow@ara.ac.nz for an invitation
Supporting Learners in Transition with Jen Wednesday 16 November, 12PM – 1PM Imagitec, City Campus
Come and join Jen for a chat about what Ara systems and people can do to make the administration process of updating details and communicating changes to the relevant people easier, Ft. Mypronouns@ara, information about what resources are available for students, staff and support people and more.
Join us for the whole session or drop in and ask any burning questions you might have.
For an online chat, please email rainbow@ara.ac.nz for an invitation
Spilling the T: Ask some trans folk Thursday 17 November, 12PM – 1PM Imagitec, City Campus
Got any questions about the trans community you want to know, but have been embarrassed or didn’t know how to ask? Come along to You Can’t Ask That: Trans Week of Awareness Edition!
Bring your questions to a range of transgender panellists in a safe, respectful and encouraging environment, and learn some things!
For online through teams, please email rainbow@ara.ac.nz for an invitation
World Kindness Day is on November 13 every year (Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, n.d.). This special day celebrates kindness and encourages people and organisations to be thoughtful, friendly and generous. The aim is to make our world a better and happier place for everyone.
Think about the nice things you’ve done and the kindness you’ve received. How did you feel when you gave way to another driver and received a wave of thanks in return? How did you feel when someone gave you an unexpected treat? I’m sure the kind acts lifted your spirits!
Given the goodwill and joy that kindness brings, it’s a great idea to commit random acts of kindness whenever possible!
Big or small, every kind act counts! I know someone who shows kindness whenever they can. The kind deeds included giving the neighbourhood cat some loving attention and rescuing drowning insects!
Saving the life of an insect may not be the most obvious way of showing kindness. But ask yourself, what can I do to be friendly, considerate and helpful? There are so many simple ways to be kind. You can:
Compliment someone
Ring someone you haven’t spoken with for a while
Give your full attention when someone is talking to you
Hold the door open for others
Help with housework or gardening
Decide to be kind often and whenever you can! It feels good to spread cheer and happiness – you’ll make life better and more meaningful. Remember, you can make every day World Kindness Day!
The Library at Madras, Manawa and Woolston Campus will be closed on Friday the 17th November for Canterbury Anniversary Day. We will reopen at 10 am on Saturday 18th November.
Also known as Show Day this holiday celebrates the establishment of Canterbury as a province of New Zealand.
The annual Agricultural Exhibition held at the show grounds in Hillmorton will go ahead this year after being cancelled for the last two years. In 2019 over 100 000 people visited the Show over its three days.
The Show Grounds at Hillmorton in 2019
It will be good to see its return!
The weather over Show Weekend is usually fine so some sort of outdoor activity is always a good alternate. Picnics, barbeques, camping, tramping, beach walks and family get togethers are other options…
Why not walk to one of the Canterbury Foothill peaks…?
From all of us here at Ara Library we wish you a very happy Anniversary Weekend.
Ara Library Blog 