o Te Wao Nui o Tiriwa te maunga e rū nei taku ngākau
The Waitakere Ranges are the mountains that speak to my heart
Ko Ōrere te awa e mahea nei aku māharahara
Ōrere is the river that alleviates my worries
Nō te motu o te Piripini ahau.
I am from the Philippines
E mihi ana ki ngā tohu o nehe, Anawhata e noho nei au
I recognise the ancestral and spiritual landmarks of Anawhata where I live
Ko Rosario Iguin tōku ingoa
I am Rosario Iguin
In case you missed it, click here to watch the recordings
What is your role and what are some of the things that you enjoyed doing this year?
I started off my Unitec journey in the amazing Student Success team back in 2020. Currently, I’m working as an Academic Advisor in Te Puna Ako. We recently held Unitec’s Learning and Teaching Symposium online. I had a great time hosting the proceedings and the organisation leading up to it. Ngā mihi nui to everyone who presented and the participants who were able to join us and made the discussion so lively. It was awesome to see such generosity of spirit from everyone involved.
What languages are you learning at the moment? Why is that special?
I’m learning to Te Reo Māori although not formally right now. What I’m doing is to consciously notice the authentic use of Te Reo in my everyday life and build my vocabulary by doing so. It’s special because learning Te Reo Māori connects me to my own whakapapa and language. Fun fact: ako in Tagalog means ‘I’ or ‘me’, but in Te Reo it means to teach and to learn.
Learning Muay Thai with Kru Wim while my daughter watches on.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?
I love doing Muay Thai when I have the time and energy.
Amaryllis and Simon inspecting something in the garden.
Kids and partner you want to brag about?
My partner Simon and daughter Amaryllis. They’re like two peas in a pod. I love their conversations, jokes, DIY projects and Saturday morning trips to scrapyards and hardware stores so I can sleep in.
David Bowie Reality Tour poster – a much treasured possession.
Best concert you’ve ever been to? What made it special?
David Bowie, Wellington in 2004. David Bowie himself made it extraordinarily spectacular! The rain and thunderstorm made it even more dramatic.
Training at Petchrungruang in Pattaya with fighter Sylvie von Duuglass-Ittu.
What’s your favourite holiday in the before times?
I went to Thailand in January 2020 to train in the most legendary Muay Thai gyms in the country and in the world. I got to “spar” with Muay Thai legends Saenchai, Buakaw and Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu. I cannot wait to plan another trip again.
Who do you most admire and what is it about them that makes them special?
I can answer this question in so many ways as there is much to love and admire about people. I have deep admiration for teachers, educators, lecturers, trainers, and coaches – anyone facilitating learning. It takes generosity of spirit to engage in learning and teaching, to be attuned to people and to be inclusive in many ways. There’s a lot of juggling, a lot of goodwill and labour that’s easy to overlook but of true value and significance. As educators, it also takes a lot of courage and bravery to be reflexive and to challenge one’s assumptions and biases in order to grow, develop and keep up with the everchanging landscape of education in our ever-evolving world filled with beautiful and diverse people. Ngā mihi nui teachers! I see you and value the work that you do!
Kei te aroha ahau ki taku tamahine.
Special mention, of course, goes to the wāhine of my life – my mum, my mother-in-law, my sister and daughter. They’re all amazing women – unwavering and resolute. Lastly, I have to say that I love and admire my daughter for who she is. She keeps me grounded and challenges me to expand my capacity for patience and understanding!