"Teaching has always been my passion, since I was little," Dr Nanere said.

"So I wanted to be working as an academic."

For Dr Nanere, the enjoyment he gains from teaching comes from being able to share his interests with others, and foster that interest in them, too.

He is a subject coordinator for a course called 'market audience and social research', and has students in campuses in Bendigo, Bundoora, Mildura, Sydney, and even Hanoi in Vietnam.

Dr Nanere came to teach at La Trobe University in 1998 when he was offered a position after completing his PhD there.

Prior to arriving in Australia, Dr Nanere - who hails from Indonesia - had studied his Masters in Canada, before returning to teach in his home country for a couple of years.

Dr Nanere said he liked marketing because it was about behaviour.

"You're observing the behaviour of customers and you really want to know why they do what they do, for example, why they purchase certain things, and why they behave in certain ways towards the product service or environment."

He also conducts research on marketing, with his work including social business, and measuring productivity in agriculture while taking into account negative consequences of production.

While he loves his work, Dr Nanere believes it is important to find enjoyment in other things, too - something he urges his students to do.

Away from the lecture theatre, Dr Nanere is a keen sportsman, playing badminton, tennis and soccer.

His love of teaching has crept into his sporting life, as he is also a badminton coach.

He also finds great joy in music.

Dr Nanere writes songs and plays the guitar, ukulele and harmonica, the latter of which he only learnt in 2018, teaching himself while commuting between Bendigo and Bundoora using a hands-free holder.

"Music is like part of my blood," he said.

He shares videos of his musical ventures on his YouTube channel, Decky Music, which has gained more than 5700 subscribers and about 1000 videos since its inception in 2010.

His videos include covers of popular music and worship songs, parodies - a recent topical one is called 'I Gotta Wash My Hands', to the tune of The Beatles' 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' - and snippets of his daily life, including holidays and sporting events.

He started playing music when he was 13 and he was given a guitar.

"I just loved it," he said.

He said he also loved singing and while he was not very good - he laughed, saying his sons sometimes told him playing music was fine, as long as he didn't sing - he was working on becoming better.

Dr Nanere sees music as a way to connect with people, because everyone could understand, no matter their background or language.

"I just feel like music is a universal language," he said.

He said he was known for always carrying on of his instruments, showing up bearing a ukulele or with his harmonica in his pocket.

Dr Nanere has also connected his passion for music with his love of teaching, and is trying to branch out into online ukulele lessons.

Another interest he likes to indulge is photography.

Dr Nanere was born on a small island called Ambon, in Indonesia's east, and moved to Java when he was 13 to complete his secondary schooling and then go on to university.

Most of his siblings and mother still live there, and he tries to visit each year.

Unfortunately, a plan to take some students to Indonesia this year for a study tour had to be postponed because of the pandemic.

Dr Nanere has now called Bendigo home for about 16 years, first having come to the city in 2004 for his family.

They had been living in Melbourne and then Shepparton, where Dr Nanere worked at the La Trobe University campuses, but his family felt a larger city was more suited to them.

So when a job came up in Bendigo - a bit bigger, a bit closer to Melbourne - Dr Nanere applied, and got it.

His three children - Mel, Gary and Garrett - are now young adults, and while the two boys still live in Bendigo, Mel has moved back to Melbourne.

Dr Nanere said he liked the landscape of the Bendigo area, the community and the city's sporting facilities.

Since his arrival in Bendigo, Dr Nanere has become actively involved in the community.

He is currently president, for the second year, of the Bendigo Australia Indonesia Klub, which aims to introduce Indonesian culture to the community, and help Indonesians get to know Australian culture.

As president, he said, he supported the members of the group, provided information, networked on behalf of the group, and facilitated the planning of events throughout the year for them all to enjoy.

With the current pandemic, the role has seen him help those who are not sure of their passport status, or their Indonesian spouse, by obtaining information for them.

"That is part of my role, to help and support them," he said.

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Dr Nanere is also one of the City of Greater Bendigo's 10 intercultural ambassadors, a role in which he acts as a champion for his community, attends civic functions, and contributes to advisory and reference groups.

In addition, he is an accredited translator and interpreter, providing services to government departments and other organisations in Australia.

Dr Nanere has a simple philosophy he abides by in life: finding joy and maintaining an optimistic outlook on life is important.

"A cheerful heart is the best medicine," he said.

"I know sometimes it's hard when you have to be happy, when the circumstances are not good, but I think it helps.

"Let's not worry, because worry doesn't help anything... Sometimes I worry, but then I realise worry actually makes things worse, it doesn't help anything.

"That's my philosophy in life. I try to be always positive and happy."

Do you know a resident of the area with an interesting story? Let us know! Email addynews@bendigoadvertiser.com.au