29 Jan 2025
Tired of struggling day and night to send money back home? As an expat, balancing financial responsibilities with the need to stay connected to your cultural roots can be challenging. In such times, traditional games offer a unique way to maintain that emotional connection. These games from your homeland provide a sense of familiarity and nostalgia, even when you're far from home. While easing up a bit is necessary to perform better, managing financial responsibilities is equally important.
Sending money via the wrong platform can lead to delayed transactions, high fees, and constant worry. But by choosing the right platform, you will have fewer things to worry about. That’s why ACE helps expats manage their finances seamlessly. With secure, fast, and affordable remittance services, ACE ensures your hard-earned money reaches your loved ones without hassle. Read on to discover traditional games worldwide and see how ACE can help you stay connected to your roots.
Playing traditional games is a great way to build a community with fellow expats and create new memories while celebrating your shared cultural roots. Here’s a list of unique traditional games from different cultures that you can enjoy while living abroad.
Achi is one of the simple yet engaging strategy international folk games that is deeply rooted in Ghanaian culture. Its name is derived from the Akan language, meaning “to come” or “to arrive.” Played on a 3×3 grid, much like Tic-Tac-Toe, each player starts with four pieces.
When playing, you’ll have to begin with an empty board, and each player would take turns placing their pieces one by one. All of the players will have to form a row of three pieces along any line on the board. Once all pieces are placed, all players will move their pieces to adjacent empty spots. Your aim should be to form a row of three to win this unique childhood game.
Carrom is a beloved tabletop game originating from India which is now cherished in many homes. The game is played on a square board with a smooth surface which is sprinkled with a fine powder to reduce friction.
To play, you’ll be flicking a striker disk with your finger to push small wooden disks called carrom men into corner pockets. The objective is to pocket all the carrom men of assigned color before your opponent does, with the queen being the most valuable piece. With the right strategy, you can easily win this game and make a wise money transfer.
Đá Cầu, also known as shuttlecock kicking, is a vibrant and dynamic sport hailing from Vietnamese culture. You’ll often find people playing this game in public parks and social gatherings, as it is recognized by UNESCO as a cultural heritage sport.
To play this game, you’ll use your feet, heads, knees, and other body parts, except your hands, to keep a feathered shuttlecock in the air. You just have to prevent the shuttlecock from touching the ground while performing various tricks and maneuvers.
Kabaddi is one of the high-energy global playground games that is immensely popular in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh and is even recognized as the national game of Bangladesh. This game requires skill, strategy, and physical endurance.
Kabaddi is played on a rectangular court, where two teams will take turns to send a raider into the opponent team's half. The raider will aim to tag as many opponents as possible without pausing and make it back to their side, without breathing. Meanwhile, the defenders in their halves will try their best to capture the opponent raider.
This cultural game to play with strategy is widely recognized across Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Ghana. Its name comes from the Arabic word “naqala,” which means “to move.” This game is one of the oldest known board games and has numerous variants played around the world.
Mancala is played with a board with rows of pits. Each pit contains a certain number of seeds or stones. Each player will alternate in collecting all the seeds from one of the pits on their side. Then, you all will distribute them, one by one, in subsequent pits in a loop. However, the strategy involves capturing seeds by landing the last seed in specific pits.
This complex and fascinating, unique childhood game has tiles that are deeply ingrained in Chinese tradition. Often associated with gambling, Mahjong is especially popular during Chinese New Year celebrations.
You might have played this game with 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. As a player, you’ll have to draw and discard tiles to make a hand with four melds, or sets, and a pair, or eye.
Next on the list of traditional games worldwide is Palo Sebo. This fun and competitive traditional Filipino game is often played during festive celebrations. The game involves players climbing up a greased bamboo pole to reach a prize at the top.
The slippery pole leads to a series of comedic attempts which adds to the entertainment for spectators. This game is a highlight of many Filipino festivals for bringing in a spirit of fun and friendly competition.
And while you learn to play this traditional game, here’s how you can Manage Your Finances as a Filipino Expat Worker: Tips and Tricks.
Petanque is a social and strategic game enjoyed by various cultures, particularly in France and Vietnam. Originally created as a simpler version of the game of boules, Petanque was designed to accommodate a French player with rheumatism. The game involves tossing hollow steel balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet, all while standing inside a circle.
Highly popular in Malaysia and Thailand, this outdoor game across cultures gameplay is known for its spectacular volleys and spikes. Sepak Takraw is a famous acrobatic game that resembles volleyball with a few changes.
In this game, you will have to use your feet, head, knees, and chest to hit a rattan ball over the net. And to win, this game requires agility, coordination, and teamwork.
Whot is one of the world’s oldest games, which requires strategy and luck. Nigerians cherish this game for its engaging and competitive nature. It was invented in England in the 1930s by William Henry Storey, a printer from Essex. Later on, Whot made its way to Nigeria, where it became known as the “national card game of Nigeria.”
Similar to Crazy Eights, the objective of this game from diverse cultures is to be the first player to get rid of all their cards. Nigerian or Naija Whot features special cards that differ from a standard deck which adds unique challenges and strategies.
Living abroad can be demanding, but staying connected to your cultural roots provides comfort. With ACE handling your financial needs, you can make the most of your expat life without added stress.
Since 2002, ACE Money Transfer has been a trusted partner for expats around the world by providing efficient and secure ways to send money. With a presence in 106 countries and over 350,000 payout locations, ACE helps expats support their families even across borders. Here’s how ACE helps expats make a stress-free online money transfer.
ACE prioritizes the security and speed of your transactions. Your money is transferred safely and reaches your loved ones promptly. This way, you can stay confident that your support will always arrive on time.
ACE offers competitive exchange rates so that you can make the most of your money. This means you can send more funds to support your family and get relieved of the financial stress that often comes with living abroad.
Just like playing traditional games of history is easy, ACE’s platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate. Sending money is straightforward so that you can focus on other important aspects of your life.
High fees can eat into the amount you send, but ACE keeps its costs low. This allows you to send more money to your family without worrying about excessive charges. It’s a smart choice for expats who want to save while still providing for their loved ones.
When it comes to sending money, speed is often a priority. ACE ensures your transactions are processed quickly so your family receives the support they need without delay. This reliability is invaluable, especially in urgent situations.
Playing games from different cultures is a vital link to your cultural heritage as they offer joy and a sense of belonging, even while living far from home. These games help maintain your connection to your roots and provide a comforting reminder of your homeland's rich traditions. And while enjoying these cherished moments, managing your financial responsibilities is equally important. That is why ACE Money Transfer supports you by offering secure, fast, and affordable ways to send money back home.
This way, you can ensure your loved ones are cared for without adding financial stress. So, stay connected to your culture and your family with ease by choosing ACE for your remittance needs — a hassle-free way to manage your finances. Sign up with ACE and send money online today to embrace a smoother financial journey while staying rooted in your heritage.
Expats frequently engage in traditional games that remind them of home. Popular options include Achi from Ghana, Carrom from India, and Mahjong from China. These games serve as a bridge to their cultural heritage which allows for shared experiences among the expatriate community.
Playing traditional games fosters feelings of nostalgia and community among expats. These activities encourage socialization and cultural exchange. They help maintain a sense of identity by bringing familiar customs and memories into the expatriate experience.
ACE Money Transfer offers several key benefits for expats. It provides fast, secure, and affordable remittance options tailored to expatriate needs. With competitive rates and low fees, ACE ensures maximum support for your family back home.
ACE prioritizes your security with cutting-edge encryption and protective measures. Their transaction process is highly secure, giving you peace of mind. You can even rest assured that your money reaches its destination safely and efficiently.
Absolutely! ACE helps expats manage finances by offering excellent exchange rates and inexpensive transfer fees. This means more funds can be sent home without extra costs. ACE simplifies the remittance process so that you can focus on your financial goals.
