Beyond that, classes are classes (physiologie has an insane amount of information to absorb), stayed out all night last Saturday, profiting from French friends/acquaintances with cars, and I'm starting back up on the real running schedule. La vie se déroule.
Now, moving on to more exciting updates, I learned to ski!!! Yes, two weekends ago our exchange program offered us the option of a weekend du ski in a collaboration with the other group in Chambéry, a small city located in a valley nestled between the Alps. I was a little hesitant as I didn't know any of the participants very well, but then I realized how silly that was after tramping all over the place and meeting new folks - people are essentially the same no matter where they're from, I've always maintained, and this weekend ended up being SO SO fun to boot.
Let me start by saying that despite being from Canada and having gone back to visit at least a dozen times in my life - I have never skied before. Ever. I looked like a total joke in my borrowed ski pants that I actually had to use a ponytail holder to tighten or have them around my ankles the entire time, but I was extremely grateful for that because wet jeans on the slope would not have gone well!
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| The infamous massive ski pants. Also, my mini-skis (for the real beginners!) |
As it turns out, apparently I must be a proper Canadian after all because I'm actually somewhat good at this skiing thing. Not a clue where it came from, since I even needed help putting on my ski boots, but once I got those skis on I watched one of the more experienced guys run down the first little hill of about 100 feet to get to the chair lifts to have the idea; I said "what the heck"; and down I went - I didn't even fall! And I stopped - properly! Words could not express my bewilderment and surprise at finding out it was way easier than I'd always heard it would be.
Well, that's not entirely true...the two other true beginners were what I'd imagine to be a more typical beginner, flopping around and falling on their behinds (don't worry, my time for that came) while attempting to get down that hill. I'd have to say that they're more brave than I am, because although we broke off soon after, they stuck with it and improved immensely. And when you're soaking wet and would move faster walking with skis in hand than with them on your feet, continuing until you get it is some kinda testament to your determination!
With some strange logic that I don't quite understand, in mounting the chair lift you had to start at a blue slope (light intermediate?) to get to the green slopes below (beginner), so after a successful mount and dismount on the lift in which it was snowing and cloudy enough to not be able to see more than one chair ahead, I joined the ladies who had done this a few times before, said my prayers and a good "here goes nothing," and actually did it! (with a few expletives thrown in for good taste when it got frightening) I tended to force myself into an amusing but not entirely graceless fall on the behind, skis going every which way, when I got a little out of control, rather than risk an awful face plant or broken ski, both of which happened to others in the group. I soon figured out that white-out conditions and wet, hard snow are pretty much the worst for learning the ropes, so I'm surprised I managed somewhat competently...how would it have been on a clear day, I wonder? Honestly, my more colorful phrases shouted into the wind and to the others came when we're looking at what might be a slope, might be a dead drop, but you honestly can't tell how steep it is or what you're getting into because it's seriously that white out there!
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| Me, skiing in nothing but a cardigan. Because I am hard core. |
Stayed on the blue slopes all day with wonderful patient friends, and two of us even took the highest peak as our very last run of the day! Amusingly enough I did the most falling on that last run, when my legs were too fatigued to respond as I wanted them to. So, with my scarf a complete icicle and my little body quite worn out, we ended the day ready to rejoin the group dinner - a fully paid Savoyard (of the Savoie region) dinner at a wonderful restaurant, including fondue, tartiflette (which I'd had in Lyon while couch surfing), and...say it ain't so....raclette!!! Yeah, so I was happy as a clam, ate myself silly, and topped it off with a tarte aux myrtilles. Didn't gain a pound either, and woke up the next day in our budget but nice hotel with arms of steel and feeling slightly achy. On a side note, our shower was awesome - the shower head lit up in red, green, purple, and blue when you change the water temperature, and I was so so tempted to turn off the main lights and have a one person disco dance party - but alas, have to be respectful of others, so only in my dreams!
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| Raclette. So gooooood. |
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| Enjoying my fondue, refusing to take off my toque because ski hair = not pretty. |
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| Tensions run high when the last piece of bread's on the line. |
The next part of this is going to be super condensed, as I'm quite tired here myself. The next day we went to Bourges du Lac for a picnic and to soak up the sun around this lovely lovely lake, then later on in the day went for a walk around the town. Relaxing way to end the weekend after an action-packed day o' ski.
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| Ok, ok, I'll say it...Roll Tide. (for those uninformed, my home university's mascot is the elephant) |
Final thoughts? Glad I decided to give this a shot, and thanks to the generosity of our program this trip was sooooo economical. I feel like I got away with highway robbery and got to discover a hidden talent/penchant for a potentially dangerous winter sport. Came back home sore but in one piece: until next time, don't be afraid to try something new!!
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