Becky Little
Barry Smith
I can tell from your accent that you’re British… what part of Britain are you from? I grew up in the mighty Midlands but the bright lights of London enticed me away for university. I lived there for 14 years and loved it.
So Barry, are you from around these ways or an out-of-towner? I’m born In NZ. My home town is Waiheke Island but I’ve been living in Auckland for a few years now.
What were you doing before this and why did you leave? I was a lawyer. Then one day I met a Kiwi boy and, you know, one thing led to another and here I am! What’s your job here at AuSM? I am a student advocate in Nick Buckby’s advocacy team. What’s it like working with Nick and the AuSM crew? Brilliant. It’s great to be doing something that is not for profit working with a whole tribe of lovelies. What kind of kid were you at university? I was that hard working/hard drinking kind of lass. I really wanted to make the most of university and being 19 in London. I feel asleep on a lot of night buses so far flung areas of Essex are familiar to me. What do you spend your spare time doing? Well, obviously as part of my cultural assimilation I am currently partaking in a variety of programmes such as: 1) What’s my favourite Tip Top flavour? 2) Rashuns or Cheezels? and 3) the Afghan tour of Auckland.
What’s your job here at AuSM? Events Team Leader. I’ll be organising all the big events like Winter Fest and Orientation 2011, as well as weekly things like the Free Feeds and more. What were you doing before this and why did you leave? Running an events and DJ supply company, Beats People Movement. It’s still in operation but I’m taking a back seat and letting my business partner take care of the day-to-day stuff. Any big ideas for upcoming events? I’ve definitely got a few ideas brewing buy will keep them under wraps for now. I’m keen to improve students participation so please fill out my upcoming questionnaire and let me know what you want! What kind of kid were you at university? My first year social group was dominated by hip hop kids. We all rocked New Era caps, Nikes and went to The Box or Safari Lounge on Wednesdays – some things don’t change! Haha.
Are you pro or against mining in New Zealand? My instant reaction is against.
What do you spend your spare time doing? As my alter ego Dapht One, I DJ and MC Dubstep around NZ. You can hear me play every Wednesday at Juice Bar in Parnell or once a month at Cassette Nine.
Do you think Avatar should have won the Best Picture Oscar? I loved the spectacle of Avatar as much as the next kid but The Hurt Locker is one of the more tense films I have watched in ages. I’m glad it won.
Are you pro or against mining? I’m vehemently against mining in NZ. Any protests against it and I’m there.
What’s your biggest pet peeve living in Auckland? Crikey, I’ve lived in Auckland for four months! And I can’t drive so I just hang out of the window grinning at the sea and the sun and the moon and the birds… I don’t notice the traffic. I miss BBC radio though and mushy peas.
Do you think Avatar should have won the Best Picture Oscar? I enjoyed Avatar so yeah, sure it deserved it. I’m interested to see what James Cameron does next. What’s your biggest pet peeve living in Auckland? Transport, can we have a city loop already?
issue 6 april 2010
WWW.AUSM.ORG.NZ
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