Winter warmers, winter learners
Photo credit – Das Sasha via unsplash.com
What do you like to learn in winter? On grey days and cold days when being a lounge lizard is very attractive, there are opportunities to learn. What do you embrace?
Cottage crafts?
Knitting and crocheting have had a resurgence in recent times. Groups pop up in all sorts of places. They are a great social learning situation. You can attend groups in person or virutally. There are meet-ups you can join. You specify you location and interest area and find something that suits. Lots of hints and ideas are shared in knitting and crocheting circles.
Outside exploits?
If you don’t mind the weather, there are lots of walks, cycle tours and outdoor activities that can keep you engaged.
Photo credit – Bob Nelson via unsplash.com
You an join walking clubs that will take you out of town. Or, what about a walk in your neighbourhood with a tour guide. Frequently local guides provide services for free, sharing their insights into the locale. There are guides in the CBD taking in significant buildings and arcades, as well as CBD fringe walks – exploring the identity of neighbourhoods.
If snowsports are your thing, then the mountains beckon. Downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snow boarding and snow-shoe walking are all activities offered in snow regions. There are lessons available for all these pursuits.
Inside exploits?
Tour guides in galleries and museums add a different perspective to an exhibition or display. They often provide anecdotes and stories that bring exhibits to life, providing the back story to a portrait or display.
I have also tried themed tours of the botanical gardens that focused on spices. We looked at the plants providing the spiciness in sweet and savoury dishes, then went inside to try some! Yum!
Cooking classes?
Photo credit – Amproeta-Etxano via unsplash.com
With the increasing number of reality TV cooking shows, there seems to be more interest in food and meal production at home. At the markets around Melbourne there are often groups toured past the stall-holders, sourcing produce for classes elsewhere. These can sometimes take a theme – cultural or seasonal are most popular. Consider the appeal of slow cooking with locally grown wares?
Online courses?
Coursera offers a whole host of courses through well-known universities. There are short courses and longer ones that provide subject area specialisations. These include MOOCs (mass open online courses) that are free unless you want a certificate of completion from the course. There are other online courses that you can enrol in and complete all the assessment for. You don’t need to leave the comfort of the warmth of your home. You can have access to a global network of learning with a few targeted searches.
Where do you find these things?
- Try your local library – they advertise community groups and meetings that are hosted in their premises.
- CAE – College of Adult Education has many courses available year round. Check online catalogues.
- Look up your preferred meet up: www.meetup.com
- Investigate MOOCs: www.coursera.com
- Check your local market for tours and cooking classes
- Learn a language – try the cultural centres for the language of interest
Curiosity is a great quality. It keeps us interested in what’s going on around you. It keeps you looking for things.
What do you like to learn?