I just realized that I totally take this for granted.
I learned to ski in the Alps... and am able to go up there and ski any weekday or weekend that I choose. It is so simple. So near. I am so ready!
We went up to the Frutt again for skiing this weekend.
Once again, a horrible night of sleep, or lack of, due to the high elevation.
I woke up, looked out the window, and was delighted to see that there were not too many people there this day... that is quite rare. So I was pumped. Ready to go! I wanted to ski!
After a wonderful breakfast, typical Swiss breakfast, I got geared up, waited for my host sister, and off we went to the kids and Maggie hill!
I am able to do the next hill already, but since my host parents were not with us, we stuck to the other hill. This was so I could become more sure of myself in certain technique areas. Always making curves. Always in the knee. Posture. Speed. Control.
It was wonderful! It is starting to feel, well, normal. I can now walk quite quickly with the skiis on, and when I fall, I am able to hop right back up.
It was such a warm day! I would have prefered to go without my jacket, but I stuck with the jacket shell, a pullover, and a longsleeved shirt. No scarf though. And jacket open most fo the day.
Even though we were on the little hill, three people came to join us. That tells you a lot about my sister. Those people would not normally come to that hill at their level, but since she was there, two guys and a girl came and joined us.
What meant a lot, a lot, to me is that my host sister, my sister, always stuck by me. Through it all. I mean, these were her friends... yet she was with me. When one of the guys asked to go up the hill with her, she said she was going up with me. She would wait for me as I slowly curved my way down the slopes. I don`t know if she knows how much that meant to me. I mean, already she was sacrificing a wonderful skiing day. She is able to do any hill on the Frutt, and yet she had to slowly go up and down the easiest hill with the exchange student. Yet she didn`t complain. We talked a bit. And just enjoyed the day.
Later, they (the others) decided to move on to some more advanced hills. And invited us to go. I didn`t feel ready and told her so. So she said good bye and proceeded to go to the lift, I followed. And one of the guys came and pulled her back towards the group. The other one got me.. and, well, I hit him with my sticks to the approval of the rest. I didn`t feel like getting pulled around. Bang. Bang. Not too hard. And we proceeded to go towards the lift and get pulled back. Finally we made it. But the thing is.. she was still there with me. Going up and down. Easy going. Never harsh. I was quite pleased. Yep. She didn`t make me feel like a burden.
I am happy here.
And I can imagine me when I go back to America and ski, well... I have been so spoiled. I learned to ski in one of the best places in the entire world. And what will skiing be like in Washington? Can it compare? Who knows.
Today was so gorgeous...
I learned to ski in the Alps... and am able to go up there and ski any weekday or weekend that I choose. It is so simple. So near. I am so ready!
We went up to the Frutt again for skiing this weekend.
Once again, a horrible night of sleep, or lack of, due to the high elevation.
I woke up, looked out the window, and was delighted to see that there were not too many people there this day... that is quite rare. So I was pumped. Ready to go! I wanted to ski!
After a wonderful breakfast, typical Swiss breakfast, I got geared up, waited for my host sister, and off we went to the kids and Maggie hill!
I am able to do the next hill already, but since my host parents were not with us, we stuck to the other hill. This was so I could become more sure of myself in certain technique areas. Always making curves. Always in the knee. Posture. Speed. Control.
It was wonderful! It is starting to feel, well, normal. I can now walk quite quickly with the skiis on, and when I fall, I am able to hop right back up.
It was such a warm day! I would have prefered to go without my jacket, but I stuck with the jacket shell, a pullover, and a longsleeved shirt. No scarf though. And jacket open most fo the day.
Even though we were on the little hill, three people came to join us. That tells you a lot about my sister. Those people would not normally come to that hill at their level, but since she was there, two guys and a girl came and joined us.
What meant a lot, a lot, to me is that my host sister, my sister, always stuck by me. Through it all. I mean, these were her friends... yet she was with me. When one of the guys asked to go up the hill with her, she said she was going up with me. She would wait for me as I slowly curved my way down the slopes. I don`t know if she knows how much that meant to me. I mean, already she was sacrificing a wonderful skiing day. She is able to do any hill on the Frutt, and yet she had to slowly go up and down the easiest hill with the exchange student. Yet she didn`t complain. We talked a bit. And just enjoyed the day.
Later, they (the others) decided to move on to some more advanced hills. And invited us to go. I didn`t feel ready and told her so. So she said good bye and proceeded to go to the lift, I followed. And one of the guys came and pulled her back towards the group. The other one got me.. and, well, I hit him with my sticks to the approval of the rest. I didn`t feel like getting pulled around. Bang. Bang. Not too hard. And we proceeded to go towards the lift and get pulled back. Finally we made it. But the thing is.. she was still there with me. Going up and down. Easy going. Never harsh. I was quite pleased. Yep. She didn`t make me feel like a burden.
I am happy here.
And I can imagine me when I go back to America and ski, well... I have been so spoiled. I learned to ski in one of the best places in the entire world. And what will skiing be like in Washington? Can it compare? Who knows.
Today was so gorgeous...
(behind is in the near
from where I ski)
1 comment:
We love reading your blog! Skiing in the Alps - wow! Are you wearing your retainer?
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