User:Chriswaterguy/Interests

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.

Secondary interests
All things related to development, such as
 * Microfinance
 * Development assistance and Aid
 * Development charities
 * The use of the internet to develop free social networks and information sources. This includes Wikipedia, and also networking sites such as Couchsurfing.com and internet dating sites such as OkCupid. Haven't done anything on this yet (as at December 2005).

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.

Other Wiki sites
Interesting:
 * Proposals for new projects, including Wikireason
 * WikiCookbooks

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:


 * Economics
 * History