Wellington ski trip to South Korea

Even though most of the first day was spent on the road, with a short flight from Shanghai to Seoul followed by 3.5 hours on the bus to reach the ‘High 1’ ski resort in Gangwon-do, all thirteen of us and our three supervising teachers still had a wonderful first night enjoying some of the Korean traditions. Not only was there traditional food served, we also observed the custom of removing our shoes when entering the restaurant. Also, the tatami mats and the heated floors we slept on were a new experience for all of us. Led by the two helpful instructors, we started the second day early at 8:00AM. We quickly adapted to the snow conditions; it was particularly soft compared to the snow we had skied on in Europe. We were also given the opportunity to try night skiing and we were stunned by how different the slopes looked and felt when they were lit up by the shining night lights. We all felt that our skiing skills were developed during this trip, as we have gradually learned how to cope with any snow conditions. Whether it is night or day, whether the snow is soft or hard under the skis, we now have the ability to ski confidently under different conditions. We were all really impressed by Ms Abbott, who had only skied once, and Ms Evans, who never skied before, as both of them demonstrated an extraordinary amount of courage to conquer their fear and managed to ski down the slope with no help from the instructor. They really showed us that if you try your best, everything is possible. The five-day trip was short yet offered me a great number of precious things to take away from it: friendship; I made two new friends, Luna and Coco, and got to know Bianca better; positivity – the weather was gloomy in South Korea, but we were not influenced by that and even wrote our own song; and courage – the experiences from the teachers have taught me to never give up easily and be willing to give anything a try. I would like to thank Mr Thomas for organising the trip, and Ms Abbott and Ms Evans for showing me how important it is to try your best and show courage on the slopes. Thank you all so much! Stefania, Hopetoun