The red ski suit my host mom bought for me. I'm glad it's so bright. If I fall down I'll probably be able to flag someone for help.
Tomorrow I’m going skiing. My host mom loves to ski and has invited me to join her. Georgia, with all its breathtaking mountains, is becoming known as an excellent destination for ski lovers and we happen to live just two hours away from a prime spot. So tomorrow, for the first time in my whole long life, I’m going skiing. I’m both excited and terrified.
I feel that skiing, like all dangerous activities, is best tackled by the very young. Children are perfect for skiing. They aren’t afraid to fall. And if they do they’re usually fine, what with their low centers of gravity and flexible bones. Me, on the other hand…yes, I have that low center of gravity thing working for me, but considering demographic risk factors, my bones are probably brittle as glass. Also, I fear pain. Tremendously. I cry when I get paper cuts. I cry when I get shots. The idea of skiing face-first into a tree, of breaking a leg, of feeling a tendon tear itself away from bone…GAH!!
But I have to calm down as these scenarios are unlikely to happen. My host mom has set me up with a trainer she knows. While she goes flitting around the slopes, I will be on level ground learning to stand pigeon-toed in my skis. Or at least that’s what I’ve come to believe from our conversations/charades. Which reminds me, I should probably look up the Georgian word for skiing.
I also want to acknowledge how very lucky I am to have this opportunity. Skiing is not an inexpensive hobby (which is the other reason I’ve never done it) and many Georgians cannot afford to do it. One of the reasons my family can is because we have relatives we can stay with for free. But still, it’s not cheap. I’m incredibly grateful that I have the chance to do this.
So, anyway, that’s what I’m up to this weekend. Wish me luck (but not to break a leg)! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Try not to be discouraged by the 7-year-olds whizzing by you a hundred miles an hour as you lay in the snow, for 45 minutes, unable to get up without immediately slipping and falling back down again. Or maybe that was just my experience. Have a great time! (I love the tags in this post… I can see them flashing across the screen a la summer blockbuster movie preview…)
Hmmm – that comment was from me, Sean, not Ms. Cook.
Bad WordPress! Bad!
OMG, being run over by a bratty 7-year old…I hadn’t even thought of that as one of the possible, terribly painful scenarios. GAH!
Nah, they won’t hit you — they’re too good. They’ll just run over your pride and confidence.
Skiing!!! Next it’ll be riding a bike!! Remember, it’s not Switzerland. There are no St. Bernard’s with neck barrels of brandy to rescue you. So remember to bring your own brandy barrel!
I know, right?!
This is Georgia. I’m sure some kind of alcohol will be on hand.
Be safe, and enjoy – I hope it’s a great experience!
I thought you would appreciate that finally, after all these years, I’m going to give it a try.
Have fun! I’m sure you’ll see some beautiful scenery! If Matt and I survived a “ski weekend” after receiving a brief training from John Calleryany (not that there’s anything wrong with John’s teaching skills, it just wasn’t anything formal) minutes before we hit the slopes, then trust me, you’ll be fine
Granted we were in college then, so we were definitely more in shape than if we were to go skiing now, but still, we survived. My only warning; bring your Advil because I was more sore than I’ve ever been in life the next day (guess I can’t really say “more sore than I’ve ever been” because now I have been through childbirth…but still, I was really sore). It’s a good kind of sore, like you worked out A LOT, because well, you did, but you may also discover that muscles you didn’t know existed are even sore 
It will definitely be an experience though. Just watching the really good skiers go whipping down the slopes is pretty cool. There’s probably a nice cozy cabin with a fire and hot cocoa for when you’ve had enough too!
Can’t wait to hear how it goes
Thanks for the vote of confidence and the warning. I’ll be sure to pack some painkillers!
OK, the other reason it’s great for kids…generally speaking their egos, like their bones, are a little more bendy than our adult egos. You will have a blast, but do remember patience is a virtue:) And ain’t nothing wrong with being a snow bunny who just looks pretty at the apres-ski bar, especially in that snazzy outfit. xo
It is a snazzy outfit, no? I’m sure I’ll look like a million bucks when I’m splayed out in the snow with my skis in the air.
Make sure someone takes a picture of you in your skis!
I’ll try to get a photo!