Lantern Lights, Fresh Starts & Personal Discoveries — The Events of February

By Beste Cevik

Welcome to February, a month packed with a lot of cool events! We’ve got the colorful Lunar New Year filled with beautiful lanterns, a peek into what our InterNations Communities have been up to in February, and get-togethers for trying new things like meditation, tasty foods, or learning about different traditions. Our communities all around the world have filled this month with exciting and fun events and activities. Let’s take a closer look at a few highlights!

Explore the Colors of Fortune: The Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the transition into a fresh chapter with vibrant and colorful celebrations. This year is the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac! Our communities came together with various events to celebrate this festive occasion (with at least one celebration yet to come!).

On 4 February, the Doha Mystery Cheap Eats Group got together to pre-celebrate the Lunar New Year. And as is their tradition, members tried to guess the location from a clue at first! What is this “Magic City”, the third largest in the world? — Yes! They met at the Shanghai Garden.

A special official event took place on 7 February in Miami to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Our members, all dressed in red, enjoyed a DJ performance in a reserved area.

Another official event to celebrate the Year of the Dragon happened on 8 February in London. The event took place in a beautiful new venue set in the immense vaults beneath The Royal Exchange building. What a great ambiance to meet new people!

On the eve of the Lunar New Year, the Houston Social Life Group got together for dinner on the outside patio of a lovely Thai restaurant in town.

On 10 February, the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Sydney Day & Night Group met up for dinner to celebrate the occasion. But the food was not the only nice thing about the evening! They also watched a traditional lion dance performance to usher in the Year of the Dragon …

First Events of the Year for Our Communities!

On 26 January, the Rotterdam Community held an official welcome 2024 event at The Slaak Rotterdam Hotel — a new venue and a historical trademark of the city. Guessing from the photos, it was a fun evening filled with great people!

The Lima Cultural & Miscellaneous Group met for the first friendship event of the year on 3 February. They created unforgettable memories together while enjoying a fantastic view of the city, good food, drinks, and music!

Learning about New Cultures & Traditions Together!

The Tokyo Japanese Conversation Group got together on 4 February to learn about zazen meditation. Mr. Hojun, a Polish monk, gave our members a lecture in English and taught them all about this form of seated Buddhist meditation.

On 26 January, the Lima Spontaneous Explorers Group met to try something different! They enjoyed lunch in a Japanese restaurant in the district of Miraflores filled with Japanese decorations and a stunning ambiance.

Upcoming Events That You Shouldn't Miss!

Located in Miami? Join a Brazilian rooftop carnival with the Miami Ft Lauderdale Dance Group on 16 February — there are only a few tickets left, so don't wait!

Join us on Saturday, 24 February in one of Shanghai's most exclusive and exciting venues at Park Hyatt. Don't miss this chance to be part of the InterNations World Altitude Record Event at a stunning height of 425 m!

If you thought you missed all the Lunar New Year celebrations, guess again! Join The Hague Culture and Language Exchange Group to enjoy an impressive show of Chinese artists together on 24 February.

Looking to enjoy the flair of Brazil's Carnival celebrations? Get into the Rio party vibe and witness the artistic expressions of Brazilian culture through dazzling rhythmic drumming and samba steps! If you're in NYC, mark your calendar for 29 February and come to this colorful and dynamic official event.

Want to take the lead? If you enjoy organizing activities and sharing your interests with other members, find out how to get involved as an events host.

About Beste Cevik

Beste is the Corporate Communications Intern at InterNations. She moved to Germany around a year ago and currently lives in Göttingen as a master's student. She likes to travel and learn about other cultures.

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