The Gym at VIU and other Sports
Erfahrungsbericht von Isabelle A.
In case you are thinking whether you’ll have the chance to do sports in Nanaimo before you leave Germany or whether you should pack sports gear in your suitcase; this is a recommendation that you should definitely follow. Firstly, you can register at the beginning of the semester in the gym (Building 190), which is free, as well as the use of the gym. You just need to scan your student ID at the counter directly at the entrance before you start with your training. There is also the possibility to rent a towel for $ 15 a semester and thus you don’t need to bring your own towel from home.
The VIU Gym
At the gym on campus I really liked that it is so well equipped, however not the aspect that it can be very busy at noon as well as in the afternoon, which is probably due to the reason that it’s free. Therefore the best time to go to the gym is in the morning. At university, you can also participate in various sports programs; however, these are not for free. The sports programs include volleyball, yoga, kickboxing and many more. For these programs, the best information is available online (https://www2.viu.ca/campusrec/About%20Us.asp) or simply check out the counter at the gym where brochures are available. VIU also offers you to Storm the Stairs. Here you’re running up the steps of the campus from the very bottom to the very top while you are measuring your time. It’s a lot of fun, but quite slippery and very tiring.
Sport in Nanaimo
In Nanaimo, there is also a swimming pool and outdoor tennis courts -last ones are available for free – you just need to bring your racket and tennis balls. Both are located at Beban Park where you can get with Bus line 4 direction Country Club. VIU also offers some sports and leisure activities for the weekend or for the afternoon. To sign-up for these activities you should check the VIU Outdoor Recreation website early. For the courses that are in your eyes the most interesting, you should register really early, since the run on these activities is very high. Regarding these offers, I can promise you that you’ll have the chance to explore the area and try out new sports such as kayaking or stand up paddling in small groups and for little money. Thereby you’ll meet new people and make friends very quickly. I highly recommend joining the surfing trips to Tofino, the Juan de Fuca Trail, the Waterfall Hikes, Swim with the Salmons, etc. However, a lot of my friends were just the same enthusiastic about other recreational activities in which they participated. Therefore, you really should not miss these opportunities.
