I finally bit the bullet last year and signed up for a gym membership. Our first year here, I couldn’t bring myself to pay the exorbitant fees, but I quickly realized that I needed to be able to work out for my physical and mental wellbeing and at-home YouTube videos weren’t cutting it.
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There are a few large gym chains in the city (Gold’s Gym, Fitness Time, etc), and many other small studios that specialize in different classes. I joined a medium-sized gym that was close to our apartment and came highly recommended by friends. 🏋️
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After I decided I was ready to join, I waited a couple months until they offered a 50% discount as a Ramadan special. That brought the price down to roughly $90/month. 😐🤑
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All gyms here are segregated and men and women usually aren’t even in the same building. It’s pretty nice, actually. But when our friend group wants to do something active together, we have to be creative. That’s when things like Spikeball at the park come into play (photo above).
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I miss running outside, riding my bike, and playing sports. I could technically still do those things (pre-covid) but: 1) it is hecka hot and humid all day long, 2) abaya situation, 3) there are designated places for walking/running and I’ve never seen a woman just running in the neighborhood.
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My membership is up for renewal whenever the gyms open back up but I’m not sure if I’ll commit again. Finding time to go has been tough – the gym has childcare but it hurts to pay more per hour on top of the life savings I’ve already given them…
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It feels weird thinking back to the US when Sean and I would go lift weights together at our $10/month Planet Fitness. Haram! 😅
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