Anita is our amazing Operations Assistant in Auckland (and previously an outdoor instructor). Here is more about Anita in her own words:
“I first trained at AUT in the late 2000’s doing a Bachelor of Sport & Recreation with a major in Outdoor Education. This helped me towards my first job, an outdoor instructor right here at Adventure Specialties Trust!
“After working as an outdoor instructor for a couple of years I was unexpectedly diagnosed with a heart condition. I now have a cardiac pacemaker that gives my heart a bit of a jumpstart when its not doing its job properly. Artificial pacemakers were a relatively new thing in the medical world; when I had my first one implanted they hadn’t even been used as treatment in New Zealand for 50 years yet!
“Living with a heart condition forced me to redirect my career from the outdoors; I stayed in the education field and went from working mostly in outdoor education to early childhood education. I am now a qualified Early Childhood Teacher too. I work at a local preschool alongside my mahi at AST.
“There’s a running joke at Adventure Specialties that working here is a bit like Hotel California – you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. That is true for many staff who have worked for the Trust multiple times in various roles since it’s inception in 1984. I’m proud to say I’m part of that club! 6 1/2 years after resigning from my outdoor instructor role on medical grounds, I rejoined the Trust as the Auckland Operations Assistant in an office based role.
“My involvement with a wide range of clients during my instructing years and now teaching a bi-cultural curriculum in early childhood settings (as well as having māori cousins, uncle and brother-in-law) inspired me to learn te reo māori me tikanga māori. I went to night school at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa for a few years to gain understanding, upskill my knowledge, and immerse myself in te ao māori. I’m far from fluent but I can understand a bit more than kia ora nowadays.”
