Weekly Wellness Blog: September 25th, 2019

Weekly Wellness Blog: September 25th, 2019

Wellbeing & Climate Change

Millions of people around the world held a global climate strike on Friday, inspired by activist Greta Thunberg.
Protesters across continents waved placards and chanted slogans in what could be the biggest ever demonstration over global warming caused by humans.
While the physical impacts of climate change, such as damage to city infrastructure or disruption in food production, are relatively easy to grasp, the impacts of climate change go well beyond the physical structures and systems around us. Climate change is also significantly impacting human wellbeing, a more intangible and hard to measure the consequence. How can you make a difference? Watch the video by Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot made on the climate crisis – video A MUST WATCH.

Click here to read the article ‘Four million’ join students in climate marches, building pressure on leaders

As you embark on your Fall Break, the Wellness Committee would like to wish you all a happy and safe break. The challenge for this week and the week ahead is: Of all the places you visit this Fall Break, tweet a picture of your fav moment. It can be a place you visited, new food you tried, a candid shot of you doing something, etc. The first 20 entries with the hashtag #AISCWellbeing will win fun gifts.

Wellness Academy Activity Offerings

Click here to find out more.

IMPORTANT

We look forward to you sharing your talents with your colleagues on the early release Wednesday coming up in October. It is on October 23rd,2019. It can be anything from cooking, dancing, swimming, crochet to even just silent reading. Looking forward to hearing back. Kindly fill in the form. We really appreciate your help and contribution towards Wellness Matters

Winners of Last Week Challenge

Calley, Clayton, Preethi, James Dowling, Hannah George, and Jason Kennedy

Reminders & Upcoming Event Suggestions

Story Trails - India exists in her stories

The sights you see are but a small part of her charm. To truly experience India, try sampling the local life, with its assortment of customs, traditions, and stories.

Story trails was born with the idea of sampling India through her stories; Of taking our guests to savor local sights and sounds, but through the eyes of a storyteller; Of going beyond the sights themselves, and uncovering characters and customs that made these places come alive.

I am hoping to coordinate events with Story Trails based on your interest. Have a look at what they have to offer. Here is the link to their website. You can attend this individually or with a group. I'm leaning more towards a group as we could offer transportation to and fro from the tour chosen if need be. 

Fill in the form to the tour you would like to attend and I will then revert back to you.

Tara Books

Click Here

Click Here

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Links to online shopping

This link will is a guide to online shopping sites in India. It will keep getting updated as and when someone recommends a site they bought something. Click here

Community Whatsapp Group

Please remember that we have WhatsApp Groups open to our community on a variety of topics

 - click to see a list of QR codes to join the open groups. We will be updating these groups throughout the year. If you have a special interest and would like to invite your colleagues - please let me know so that we can add your invite link to our list.

September/October Birthdays

New day, new reasons, new innings, new slogans, and parties. Keep rocking.

Life is full of experiences, and a birthday is one of the greatest experiences in the journey of life. Enjoy your day. Happy Birthday

Angel Shirani S	September 2
Sherene Russell	September 3
Mary Kelly Bello	September 3
Hazel Bangera	September 4
Hemamalini Hariharan	September 9
Karthikeyan P	September 10
Suresh M S	September 10
Shira Daryn	September 11
Judson Ford	September 11
Priya Venugopal	September 15
Sally Ruby Victor	September 15
Atul Jacob Isaac	September 18
Remy Liotard	September 20
Sunita Suchith	September 20
Cristian Vasile Luca	September 22
Hilary Rose Barron	September 24
Margaret Samuel	September 24
Helen Dunning	September 24
Kavitha D	October 1
John Merletti	October 2
Anitha P R	October 3
Andrew Allen Hoover	October 5
Priya Sarath K	October 7
Hans DeJong	October 8

Weekly Wellness Blog: September 18th, 2019

Last week on Friday the 14th of September we saw AISC celebrate it's International Peace Day. We had 28 nationalities walk down proudly with their flags in the FAC. To me, it's one of my favorite days at school as the entire campus looks festive and all the children and parents all just look so happy representing their countries. What exactly is happiness? It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. It is usually experienced, when there are no worries, fears or obsessing thoughts. This usually happens, when we do something we love to do, or when we get, win, gain, or achieve something that we value. It seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, triggered by external events. Here is a quote I came by recently"Try to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment."- Sydney Smith. I'm not sure if I can achieve that goal but I surely am striving towards it.
An article I thought you may all like to read Happiness–small changes ripple outward and the Ted Talk that goes along with it is here. Do find 10 minutes in your busy schedule to watch this.

Early Release Wellness Wednesday

October 23rd is the first early release day for Wellness Wednesday. I recently came across this article Six reasons why fun in the office is the future of work. Having read that we would like to start gathering names and activities you would like to offer to your colleagues. We would like to ensure we have a wide variety of opportunities for people to choose from. It can be pottery, painting, baking, dancing, etc. We know the school is filled with talented people and here is your chance to not only showcase it but also a chance to give back to the community. Click on this form to show your interest.

Here is your challenge for the week. Find the Twitter bird on campus. Hint- It is in one of the offices. Tweet a picture of the bird and a fun fact from the bowl with @AISChennai and #AISC25.  First 10 people to Tweet will win a prize!

Winners of the trivia question from last week

 Lisa Levi - 1st Prize

 Sagaya Mary - Runner up

Lucy Palmquist - Runner up

Wellness Academy Activity Offerings

Click here to find out more.

Reminders & Upcoming Event Suggestions

Marmoset 

Eco-Bazar

A mad comedy play

Saree Shopping September 21st Sign-Up  

 Please sign up here by September 20th. 

SHOPPING 

Click here

Links to online shopping

This link will is a guide to online shopping sites in India. It will keep getting updated as and when someone recommends a site they bought something. Click here

Community Whatsapp Group

Please remember that we have WhatsApp Groups open to our community on a variety of topics

 - click to see a list of QR codes to join the open groups. We will be updating these groups throughout the year. If you have a special interest and would like to invite your colleagues - please let me know so that we can add your invite link to our list.

September Birthdays

New day, new reasons, new innings, new slogans, and parties. Keep rocking.

Life is full of experiences, and a birthday is one of the greatest experiences in the journey of life. Enjoy your day. Happy Birthday

Angel Shirani S	September 2
Sherene Russell	September 3
Mary Kelly Bello	September 3
Hazel Bangera	September 4
Hemamalini Hariharan	September 9
Karthikeyan P	September 10
Suresh M S	September 10
Shira Daryn	September 11
Judson Ford	September 11
Priya Venugopal	September 15
Sally Ruby Victor	September 15
Atul Jacob Isaac	September 18
Remy Liotard	September 20
Sunita Suchith	September 20
Cristian Vasile Luca	September 22
Hilary Rose Barron	September 24
Margaret Samuel	September 24
Helen Dunning	September 24

Puzzle - Twitter Board

Wellness Academy form

Weekly Wellness Blog: September 11th, 2019

It's hard to believe that it's been 18 years since 9/11. The September 11 terrorist attacks were the worst acts of terrorism on American soil to date. Designed to instill panic and fear, the attacks were unprecedented in terms of their scope, magnitude and impact on the American psyche. I remember that day so clearly as I was a new bride and the life ahead seemed all so perfect and beautiful. We had just returned to school from the weekend and I was looking forward to another regular week. Who knew that this was the week that would change the way I looked at the world forever. I was home that evening as the events unfolded and watched the second twin tower collapse right in front of my eyes on the TV screen. I simply could not believe it. That moment is now forever etched in my mind and in my heart. I, along with the world, mourned the loss of lives and all the damage that was done. It was all so unbelievable. It really set the perspective for me at that young age on what happiness truly is—what really matters. Here is a short article, “60 Things to Be Grateful For In Life.”

The other highlight this past week was the launch of Chandrayaan 2. It is an Indian lunar mission that will boldly go where no country has ever gone before—the Moon's south polar region. The aim of the mission is to improve our understanding of the Moon—discoveries that will benefit India and humanity as a whole. These insights and experiences aimed at a paradigm shift in how lunar expeditions are approached for years to come will propel further voyages into the farthest frontiers. However, the plan did not take off as expected and there were comments made by people across the world. This was something I could relate to on a personal level. My dad, (Dr) Colonel Venugopal, has worked with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for 6 years and was part of the ASLV (Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle) Project. Based on that experience, I am enclosing an article, “The Importance of Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness.”

Wellness Academy Activity Offerings

Click here to find out more.

Reminders & Upcoming Event Suggestions

Taking the feedback I received I am now linking all the information you need for the events happening in and around the city. Please click on the title under each image to learn more.

Textile Show

Chennai Santhe

Sunday Market at Bungalow 12

Discover Paddling in Chennai

Kolli Hills Vehiculate 2.0

Terry Fox Run Chennai 2019

The Secret Set | Chennai

Tara25: Plurality & Indian Identity in Design

Operation Appreciation - WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS

Operation Appreciation Treat Days are a small way that faculty and staff can show our gratefulness to the behind-the-scenes workers at AISC for all that they do each day. It is our hope that each person signing up here will be able to prepare and bring in at least 25 treats for sharing with the staff of the school. These can be anything from Fruit Cups to Brownies to Savoury Snacks or other delectables! You are more than welcome to buy treats from a sweet shop if you do not want to bake or make treats.

This form allows you to:

1) CONFIRM your participation in the Monday, 16th September's Operation Appreciation. 

2) Offer any suggestions!

If you are unable to participate this time around, please don't worry! We will have many more opportunities this year! Thank you!

-Priya & Sarah

Here is your puzzle for the week. What makes Chandrayaan 2 special? Find a detailed image that explains it all. All you need to do is find the image and mail me the link at vpriya@aischennai.org. The winning answers will be posted in the next blog. The best answer will win a Spa Voucher to Ayatana. The second and third places will receive surprise gifts as well. I will disclose the winner in the next blog.

Community Whatsapp Group
Please remember that we have WhatsApp Groups open to our community on a variety of topics
 - click to see a list of QR codes to join the open groups. We will be updating these groups throughout the year. If you have a special interest and would like to invite your colleagues - please let me know so that we can add your invite link to our list.

Some of the teachers have been meeting Tuesdays after school to play board games. Anyone is welcome and encouraged to join by scanning the Board Game QR code to join their what's app group

September Birthdays

“Your birthday is the first day of another 365-day journey. Be the shining thread in the beautiful tapestry of the world to make this year the best ever. Enjoy the ride.”
Birthdays this week have been in highlighted in green.

Angel Shirani S	September 2
Sherene Russell	September 3
Mary Kelly Bello	September 3
Hazel Bangera	September 4
Hemamalini Hariharan	September 9
Karthikeyan P	September 10
Suresh M S	September 10
Shira Daryn	September 11
Judson Ford	September 11
Priya Venugopal	September 15
Sally Ruby Victor	September 15
Atul Jacob Isaac	September 18
Remy Liotard	September 20
Sunita Suchith	September 20
Cristian Vasile Luca	September 22
Hilary Rose Barron	September 24
Margaret Samuel	September 24
Helen Dunning	September 24