In an increasingly fragmented world, the simple public swimming pool is emerging as an unexpected sanctuary for community, calm, and cross-cultural connection. For journalist Shadi Khan Saif, these shared aquatic spaces have provided a vital sense of belonging across continents, from a steamy sauna in Germany to a bustling wave pool in Australia.
From Bonn to Melbourne: A Lifeline in Shared Steam
The journey began over a decade ago in the chilly German city of Bonn. As a newcomer grappling with culture shock, Shadi Khan Saif found unexpected solace in the hostel's nightly sauna sessions. Though his German was basic, he absorbed the rhythms of strangers unwinding, a quiet ritual that offered stability. This sense of community deepened when he welcomed two fellow Afghan students from Kandahar, transforming the sauna into a space of shared laughter and free conversation, a precious respite from the outside world.
Years later, after a career in journalism that took him through Afghanistan's fallen democracy and brushes with conflict, Saif landed in Melbourne. Drawn to the grand exterior of the Melbourne City Baths, he discovered not a museum relic but a vibrant, buzzing aquatic centre. This became a turning point. He found that local pools, particularly in the suburbs, were affordable and scattered across the city, offering more than just a place to exercise.
The Pool as a Community Glue
In Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs, Saif observes how the local centre, especially its sauna, acts as a social adhesive. While saunas and gyms cater to adults, the public pools belong emphatically to children, families, and the wider community. During a scorching summer, his children's favourite haunt became the local wave pool, their wide-eyed amazement reflecting the robust, vast community gathered there.
"What ties all of this together – the sauna in Bonn, the late-night gym in Melbourne, the wave pool in summer – is the quiet magic of shared spaces," Saif reflects. These are places where the constant pull of technology loosens its grip. In the sauna, men and women sit side-by-side, diving into uninterrupted conversations about housing costs, travel plans, aching knees, and weekend barbecues, interacting as individuals stripped of professional titles and uniforms.
A Cultural Refuge in a Fast-Paced World
The atmosphere stands in stark contrast to the impersonal hustle of a nearby shopping centre food court. Within the pool's warm, steamy environment, a profound cultural diversity flourishes. Accents mingle freely, and stories drift across generations and borders without the standard social interrogations. No one asks what you do for a living, and crucially, no one checks their phone.
For students, tradies, retirees, and weary office workers alike, these spaces serve as a cultural refuge—a venue where conversations survive, muscles recover, and minds reset. Saif's experience underscores a broader truth: true wellness extends far beyond physical fitness. It is fundamentally about carving out moments of calm, fostering community, and discovering joy in a world that rarely slows down. In public pools, that holistic vision of wellbeing becomes a tangible, shared reality.
