So, it’s February and shop windows as well as all our social media feeds are starting to get swamped with kitschy pink and red hearts, telling us we need to buy presents and chocolate for our significant other. Or find one in time for February 14th…
Or not.
Because why should we pressure ourselves like that? Can’t we just chill and eat some waffles with our best friend? Why is that not a holid… – oh wait it is! Galentine’s Day!
Origin of Galentine’s Day
For those of you who haven’t heard of this wonderful holiday, let’s get you caught up:
Galentine’s Day was invented by the fictional character Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation and is Girl Gone International at its most essential – celebrating female connection and friendship. This holiday is dedicated to celebrating those friends who have stuck by you while relationships have come and gone, those who know you inside and out, good, bad, crazy and everything in between, old and new.
In the episode titled “Galentine’s Day” Leslie invites all her best friends to leave their boyfriends and husbands at home on February 13th to have a brunch of waffles, fun and love (she also gives them assortments of slightly crazy gifts, but hey!). She takes the time to show each of her friends why they are special and so important to her. If that isn’t a reason to crack out the balloons, I don’t know what is!
Celebrate galentine’s day with us
For the past decade, Girl Gone International has been celebrating this holiday with events in our local communities, spreading the love with brunches, lunches, beach days, speed-friending and many more fun meet-ups.
Even though there is no wrong day to tell your friends how much you care and there’s never a reason not to celebrate with waffles, champagne, cheese or whatever else you like, having an “official” day to remind ourselves is very special!
If you are new somewhere, have left your home and everything you knew behind or feel like you are all alone this February, join us. Find your local Girl Gone International community and use this day to reconnect with old friends or meet new friends. We’re always up for waffles!
And this year there will not only be local events in those places where it is possible, we will also have a global event where you can get to know girl gone internationals from all over and maybe make a friend in a place you’d like to visit once we can!
By Sina Pape
Sina has lived abroad on an off since she was 18 and loves nothing more than learning new languages and meeting people from all over the world. Except food maybe. Food is a very close second. Sina also serves as the Production Editor for GGI Magazine and is the former Community Leader of Girl Gone International Lagos.