Hi everyone and welcome to my blog.
I am Athena Hansen.
Born and bred in Auckland, raised in Howick, and very recently moved out
to Mangatawhiri, Bombay for a bit of the rural life. I have five acres of bliss on which roam my ‘fur
and feather babies’ – a cat, three goats, four chickens and three ducks.
My passions in life are animals, friends, music, health and fitness,
and food. I spend a lot of my time (and
money!) going to live music gigs, especially hard rock and metal – I definitely
don’t embody the typical ‘maggot’ stereotype.
After more than 20 years in the full time work force, I
decided earlier this year, on my 40th birthday, that I would start
taking some university papers. I’ve
always loved learning new things, and surmounting challenges. Having had experience with mental illness
throughout my life, both personally and with family and friends, I decided I’d
like to learn some more about psychology.
Therefore I have just commenced my BSC majoring in Psychology. I’m not sure if this is something I would
like to pursue a career in, but it is certainly an option.
One of my main drivers is to be constantly learning and evolving. After all, “if you’re not evolving, you’re
dissolving” (Anonymous). Hence going
back to tertiary study after so long.
As part of this paper I’m really looking forward in
particular to researching, writing about and presenting on organ donation in
New Zealand. I have been an organ donor
from the day I received my driver’s licence as a teenager and I would love to
see more people do so. I’m also really
interested in euthanasia, so to see that as a topic regarding organ donation
excited me also.
I have always prided myself in an excellent vocabulary,
spelling and grammar. Having run a self
defence company for many years, I taught seminars domestically and
internationally to members of the public, past victims, media, police recruits,
martial artists and the armed offender squad. So I feel I am quite good at public speaking
and have even been interviewed for television more than once. I’ve also written and published a book which
was an excellent learning experience.
Having not studied any sciences before, and having only
completed my first university paper this past semester, academic writing and
research based essay writing is definitely a weakness. It’s something I’m really looking forward to developing. I think any improvement in any form of
communication is pertinent to all aspects of life and all careers.
