The average life expectancy of the Chinese has risen from 35 before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 to 77 years in 2018. That's what I've often read in books or heard in documentaries about China.

And there is a good reason for that as the Chinese strive to do sports regularly and follow a balanced diet. This is what I have seen during my stay in capital Beijing, where I have been living since the end of last February.

This ability to do sports regularly has been made possible thanks to the numerous parks scattered throughout the capital. The same is also true in some provinces where during my travel I saw public places designated for sports with no fees. They often have table tennis boards or basketball courts and body-building equipment.

As a sports lover, my intention was to continue practicing once I arrived in China. When I was still in my homeland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it was part of my travel plans. But when I arrived in Beijing, I did not know where to start. I could not imagine then what the parks in Beijing were like.

Sometimes, during my walks in Beijing, I entered gyms to ask how much a monthly subscription was. But the cost seemed over my budget. I thought that during the last part of my stay, I would join a gym for two months. In the meantime, I regularly went on long walks to fill this void.

One day, as we passed a park, not far from the residences of diplomats in Jianguomen, where we are staying, one of my fellow African journalists told me: "If you are looking to do sports, this place might please you. You will find everything you need."

The place was Ritan Park. But the idea did not immediately get me excited. Especially in the cold winter, the idea of doing sports outdoors was not very encouraging.

When spring was approaching, I finally decided to visit the park. I was impressed by its immensity and struck by the number of people I met there, the range of activities on offer, and also the fresh air that I could breathe, thanks to the dense vegetation.

Music groups played melodies with their instruments; ladies, and sometimes couples, repeated dance steps; parents played with their children; and men and women, young and old, did various exercises such as running, walking and the martial arts. The diversity of activities made the place very lively and I wanted to stay there for a long time.

I had a feeling of regret for not having gone there earlier, as the park is only 10 minutes from my home. The next day, without further ado, I donned my sportswear to finally follow all the Chinese who practice sports in this park.

Since then, I have become a regular at this beautiful place, which has benefited me a lot. The park contributes immensely to my physical and mental health. It has helped ease my stress, increase my concentration and improve my breathing.

I think when I return to my country in December, I will have no doubt improved my life expectancy. By writing about my experience, I also hope to persuade my government to build parks across the city to help improve the health of the people.

The author is a journalist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo living in Beijing 

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar 

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