After an eventful morning caused by too much snow, everyone settled into their rooms and began adapting to the new way of life they would be experiencing for the week.
This meant having to deal with other children and with teachers instead of mums and dads and siblings; trying to be quiet; sharing meals with seventy people; looking after 146 boots, skis and poles and dressing for extreme snow and cold four times a day. Within 24 hours this became like a military operation: all the staff and children following their orders to maximise efficiency!
Three days of non-stop snowing made for beautiful skiing conditions and strained visibility, followed by two days of glorious sunshine and sub zero temperatures. A perfect week of skiing! The children were grouped into four teams and armed with three teachers and an instructor, set about improving their technique or in some cases, standing on skis for the first time in their lives! All the children made progress, whether it was learning to plough, or making better use of their ‘edges‘ in graceful carving turns.
The week was interrupted with a rest day which involved shopping or snow battles in the morning (depending on taste) and an afternoon of dancing, bowling, pool playing and non-alcoholic cocktails! For thirteen seconds Mr. McGuinness was even spotted on the dance floor until his knees went weak and all his style deserted him!
The trip was a raging success, with very little illness, only a bit of homesickness and we didn’t break a single plate! Thanks to everyone who came and particularly the teachers who gave up a week of their own home life to make it such a successful experience.
