Keeping Active: Physically, Socially, Mentally!

One of the things that we thought we would miss while being up here was the opportunity/ability to go out and find entertainment at the drop of a hat. Be it a game of mini-putt, catching a movie, or even the simplicity of going to a pub for a drink – all things that would be nice, yes, but we haven’t found that we’re actually missing it (yet).

I think living in a community that is as small and “isolated” as we are, you need to have a certain disposition as to what kind of experience you want to have. If you’re going to be reclusive or wait for things to fall in your lap, you’re eventually going to fall into the “there’s nothing to do” group. You have to put yourself out there and ask around to see what’s happening! The more you talk to people, the more you learn about what’s going on.

Our social calendars are getting busier as we’re meeting people, and we’ve been fortunate that we get along pretty well with our neighbours/my co-worker and his family. It will be helpful when we’re in a 4-day blizzard and crave social interaction that we can go next door and talk to people! So far, we’ve really been enjoying the fact that we can go have drinks/hang out and not have to get out of our pajamas or worry about who the designated driver is, etc. Convenience at its best!

My company rents out the school gym (a lot of things are held at the school gym, apparently) three times a week so employees and their families can play badminton. There’s a community square dance on (some) Fridays, and yoga is starting up three nights a week as well. I believe that there are volleyball and basketball nights as well, but I will have to confirm the schedule.

There are things to do if you want to keep busy/stay active, or if you just want to come out and socialise with people. Aside from organized nights like those I just mentioned, there are get-togethers with co-workers for game nights, movie nights, dinners, parties…you just have to put yourself out there and meet people. Everyone we have met is super friendly and welcoming, so I don’t think we’ll be bored on any given night of the week if we want to get out. On nights we want to stay in, I’ve also really been enjoying the elliptical that we brought up and we also brought a bunch of books, movies and games that will keep us entertained. There’s an eclectic book/movie swap going on at work that we can participate in; I’m sure the 100 or so movies and TV box sets we brought up will make us pretty popular!

It was a resolution of ours that we weren’t going to come up here and sit like bumps on the couch every day or we’d get cabin fever and probably end up hating each other. So far, so good - and from the sound of things, it’s only going to get better as we meet more people!

-L