April Fool’s is not the only day of note this month. It was also World Health Day on 7 April. Expats, maybe more than anybody else, understand how hard it can be to lead a healthy and fun life. Sometimes, they work too much and do not have enough time to take care of what they eat; sometimes, they are stressed out by life in another country, or sometimes, they just do not have the opportunity to meet new friends. But our communities have provided some great solutions to those everyday problems.
Healthy Does Not Mean Boring
Our members in Singapore took the message of World Health Day seriously and organized a rollerblading activity on the east coast of the city. This event didn’t only fulfill the goal of keeping the attendees in good shape, but it also provided the fun by finishing at a bar with a good beer (only consumed with moderation, of course!).
A healthy way of life begins with a balanced diet, and our members in Prague were clearly inspired by this tenet. They went in great numbers (more than 270 people registered for the event!) to Etnosevet, one of Prague’s fancier vegetarian venues, which even provided our very own DJ for the evening. Sadly, this was also the occasion to say goodbye to our Prague Ambassador Lenka, who’s leaving us due to her busy (but hopefully nevertheless healthy!) lifestyle.
The second step to a healthy lifestyle is exercising. Our community in Sydney impressed us with their physical performance on a Sunday morning. In fact, they began their run at 7:30 AM! Surprisingly enough, no attendee thought that this hour must be an April Fool’s joke. A big bravo to our Sydney Sports & Leisure Group for keeping Sydney’s expats in form!
If Laughing Is Enough Physical Activity for You …
It is scientifically proven that laughing is good for your health, too, and we know that not all our members are that fond of an early Sunday morning run. For those who tend to prefer fun to fitness, our Ambassadors and Consuls also had plenty of other events in store:
April does not only represent the beginning of (hopefully) sunny weather for the Northern Hemisphere. In the United States, it also represents the end of the tax season, and for 175 of our members in Dallas, getting their dreaded tax return over and done with was certainly worth celebrating. The guests had a lovely evening at the Four Seasons Resort, and we are sure that filing your taxes and having a party afterwards can only make you feel happy. By the way, if you now feel guilty about the partying, the Four Seasons has even set up a special discount for InterNations members who want to join their sports club.
In Barcelona, our community wanted to begin the month of April with a healthy dose of laughter, and we can confidently say “mission accomplished“. Nearly 400 members signed up to gather at an art gallery and exchange their best April Fool’s stories, a relaxing and fun way to spend the evening.
Who said you can’t have fun in Germany? In Munich, members of the local InterNations Community attended a stand-up comedy show by an international trio from Canada, Texas, and Scotland. No need to do crunches when you can train your abs by laughing!
Having Fun All Year Round with InterNations
You haven’t yet had the opportunity to enjoy April in a healthy and fun way? Don’t worry: there are still plenty of possibilities for you to get in some exercise or be the life of the party with the help of our InterNations Communities around the globe.
The members of our Miami Community will explore marine life and enjoy the sun and the sea at this kayak and snorkel activity. If you feel like you have been working (or partying) too hard this month, it’s now time to make up for it!
If you want to know what it feels like to be a star, our San Francisco Community is organising a Hollywood theme night that you will never forget! From smiling at the paparazzi at the entrance to walking the red carpet, you can be George Clooney or Jennifer Lawrence for just a day.
Sometimes, after so many days of eating and living healthy, you need to take a short break from your sensible lifestyle, as a sort of “cheat day”. Our Beijing Community had the excellent idea of combining great food with great art, so you can at least exercise your imagination. However, please be aware that the art on display is “food art” — you’d better try not to eat it too!
(Image credit: 1) Veronika Sakhno 2) Lenka Mazochova 3) Laura Ribeiro 4) Conrad Ornstein 5) Raquel Beque 6) Matthew Cuerdon)
