Be Active!

Asian Media Access is celebrating the many health benefits of outdoor parks and recreation activities in honor of July’s National Park and Recreation Month. National Park and Recreation Month highlights the important role local parks and recreation activities play in keeping our community(ies) strong and healthy. During the month of July we encourage people of all ages to get active outdoors!

Children with access to safe parks are more likely to be physically active — and active kids perform better in school. For people of all ages, physical activity can reduce the chances of becoming obese. Plus, spending time outdoors can improve mental health. Visit Discover the Forest, https://www.discovertheforest.org/?m=1, to search for a forest or park near you!

Keep up with our Facebook page, Bicultural Active Living Lifestyle, to stay updated on some of the latest events in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Community. Also check out our Bicultural Active Living Lifestyle (BALL) webpage, http://ballequity.amamedia.org/, for more events and coverage. Together we can get our community(ies) to all the great programs that our public parks and recreational facilities offer.

For more information on our events or just more about us,
email us at amamedia@amamedia.org
or call us at (612)376-7715

Winter Activities & Events in Dec | 2016

The holiday season is here and that means there are tons of events occurring everywhere. Do you want to participate in fun winter activities, join a event, or know what’s happening locally? Here are some activities listed of where and what you can take part of:

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http://365twincities.com/

  • Ice skate at your local park that has ice rinks. If not, you can try going to a couple locations like The Depot Ice Rink in downtown Minneapolis, Parade Ice Garden, and Wells Fargo WinterSkate in St. Paul.
  • Want to ride train with magical Christmas lights? The event “Santa at Night Trains” is happening between Nov. 5th – Dec 17th from 6PM-PM at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum in St. Paul. Check this link for more info!

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  • Simply enjoy the snow through making a snowman and sledding. Sometimes, the fun is right outside of the door, we only need to go there ourselves. Check ahead of time of the weather so that you can enjoy your time in the snow the most without it being too windy and cold.
  • Check your local community for volunteer opportunities and donation spots. It is the season of receiving and giving love. So you can choose to show your appreciation to your community in different ways.
  • Skiing is another popular activity during the winter season. Locations such as
    Hyland Hills Ski Area, Buck Hill, and Mount Kato Ski Area are great ski resorts to check out.

This Month in Japan | November

November in Japan is a popular time for people to visit parks, shrines, and gardens to witness the changing colors of the leaves. Also, it is a great time to travel to Japan due to the mild and cool weather. There are various events going on in Japan in which people can participate and have a fun time.

Some events being held in Japan during this month is:

Crowds wait their turn to offer prayers at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, on the second day of the new year Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010. (AP Photo/Greg Baker)

Crowds wait their turn to offer prayers at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, on the second day of the new year Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010. (AP Photo/Greg Baker)

The Japan Times

  • Meiji Shrine Autumn Festival is held at Meiji Shrine in the distrit of Harajuku from Nov 1-3, 2016. It includes a variety of art and sport performances.
  • Kaki Season – “Kaki are an orange Japanese fruit that come into season in November. They are extremely bitter before they ripen. When ripe, they are sweet with a unique citrus-like taste. Kaki and kaki flavored desserts are widely available in Japan in late autumn.” – http://www.japan-talk.com

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The Japan Times

  • Sumo Kyushu Basho is a sumo wrestling tournament that is being held from Nov 13-27, 2016. Click here for more info on the year schedule.
  • Viewing of autumn leaves in public spaces, and a popular time for people to visit cities with wonderful views such as Kyoto, Sapporo, Tokyo, and more.
  • Shrine, temples, and castle visits are also popular during this time of the year, usually from the fall into the winter and January of the next year for ceremonies, holidays, and receiving/giving blessings.

Summer Physical Activities!

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Summer is a time for outdoor activities! So put on your work out gear and get your equipments ready if necessary. Make sure to the take opportunity of the warm weather to enjoy being outdoors and engaging in summer activities. Not sure of what you should do? Listed down below are some recommendations:

  • Walking around your community and neighborhood is a great way for you to discover new restaurants, local stores, and sites you have not seen before.
  • Go running/biking/walking around local trails! It keeps you active while sightseeing and you can control your own pacing.
  • Play a sport! Popular sports in the summer is volleyball, baseball, & swimming! Of course, feel free to participate in any sport activity. Form your own team or play for a local team!
  • Rent a paddle boat, canoe, kayak, and even rent a bike. They are commonly found in areas of Minnesota lakes.

The most important thing is to have fun and be safe! Any physical activities can be harmful when done extensively so remember to let your body rest. But no physical activity is also bad for your body. It’s all about living a balanced lifestyle in different kinds of ways.

National Park and Recreation Month!

“National Park and Recreation Month is a time to promote the benefits of healthy, vibrant communities.” – http://www.nrpa.org/

National Park & Recreation Month encourages people to go outdoors, connect with local parks/reservations/recreations, and enjoy their time outside. It promotes people to reconnect with nature and to become more aware and supportive of our environment. “Today, the average American spends 93% of their life indoors – 87% in buildings and 6% in vehicles” (NRPA). Fun fact: Americans have celebrated National Park and Recreation Month during July since 1985 (NRPA).

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Here are some ways in which you can participant in this month’s event:

  • Go outside to your local parks!
  • Visit/volunteer a reservation site!
  • Go walking/biking at your local trails!
  • Share the message on your social media and with people around you!
  • Remember to ask other people to join you outdoors!

Being Active & Involved in April

Do you have any ideas on what you want to do in the month of April? If you don’t know and is interested, look down below of the suggestions. You possibly find something that you would enjoy.

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https://getknitevents.com/

  • Take a hike! Now that it’s April and we are heading to a warmer season, it’s time to go outside and enjoy the warmer season. Want some tips on how to enhance your hike:
    • Plan out your trip! It’s a good to get an idea and to research about the area you’re interested in hiking in. In this way, you know if it’s good for someone like you or a friend/partner if they are a beginner, experienced, or expert at hiking!
    • Wear the right gear! That also means make sure to check your local forecast. The right pair of hiking shoes will help support your feet and clothing will protect you from potential danger.
    • Bring extra food & water! Chances are you may get hungry so pack nutritional meals/snacks and water along. Make sure to always stay hydrated!
    • Bring a map/GPS/compass! It’s probably a good idea to know where you are heading and on how you can hike back to where you’d started.
    • Recommended local hiking trails: Theodore Wirth Regional Park, Minnehaha Regional Park, Fort Snelling State Park, Hyland Lake Park Reserve, and more!

Team Building Ideas

Week7Blog2Get to know your peers, co-workers, and people around you better by doing activities and sharing experiences together! Most of time, it involves unhealthy food and alcohol for people to relax and come together, but there are other healthier options that can still provide the same entertainment. Here are some ideas that can help break the ice and have everyone’s active participation:

  1. Volunteer together as a group! The best part about this option is that there are so many different kinds of volunteer opportunities that are available and locally nearby. Have everyone make a vote of which cause you all want to support and do it together to build relationships and contribute to the community.
    1. Walk or run a marathon!
    2. Build a community garden!
  2. Host a potluck! Encourage people to bring healthy snacks and dishes! It will allow people to be creative and try to create healthy foods to bring. And the best part is that it is a sharing event!
    1. Vegan Dishes
    2. Organic Foods
    3. Gluten Free Dishes
  3. Plan a field trip/event! Being able to share experiences together is a great way to bond with other people. It will allow everyone to learn a bit more about each other in a informal setting.
    1. Camping
    2. Fitness class
  4. Organize a club! If many people share similar interests such as sports, books, or foods then have a club dedicated to organizing group events for those topics.
    1. Book club
    2. Sports league team
    3. Cooking club