It has been so fun to see the culture at the gym, which has been very refreshing compared to those in the US. Here are some things I have noticed here:
1) A lot of men attend the aerobics class (in addition to many women)
2) There are many overweight men and women confidently working out at the gym
3) The personal trainer is eager to help anyone at anytime, regardless if you've signed up for a session. He has been recommending some workouts to me specifically for strengthening the lower body for mountain climbing.
4) The water cooler is environmentally friendly in that it has real cups, which are washed and reused.
5) It's a safe place to express yourself, generally free of the peer judgment that you often find at the gym in the US. I have been walking in my hiking boots on the treadmill with it set to the highest incline. Which also means I look pretty cool as I stomp in my boots, huffing and puffing "uphill" on the treadmill. No one in the gym questions me or looks at me disapprovingly. Instead, the trainer pulled me aside to do some additional workouts.
To give another fun example, the gym plays music videos a lot with very upbeat and active songs. Today, the man next to me was literally dancing on the treadmill, waving his hands back and forth and moving his feet with the beat. I joined in with him for a refrain, and then went back to my stomping and huffing and puffing.
Just another day at the gym....
Here's a sampling of some of my favorite songs they play:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY2H2ZP56K4&feature=relmfu (Beautiful Onyinye by P-Square ft. Rick Ross)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSnkWzZ7ZAA (Whistle by Flo Rida)
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Word of the day: nusu - half
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