First Time Skiing

Après Ski

The kids have winter break this week, it is known at their school as "Ski Week". Steve had to travel back to the US for work so the kids and I have to make our own fun in Germany. Taking Ski Week to heart we tried skiing today. 

Dominic, Stef, Rachel & AJ

Living in Bavaria provides a wealth of opportunity for skiing. We tried a place called Brauneck which is about a one hour drive from our house. It certainly didn't disappoint.

While the kids all can water-ski, they had never tried snow-skiing. I wasn't much further ahead since the last time I skied was seventh grade ski club. And honestly, I think I remember more about the bus ride and the ski lodge than I do about the skiing.

We had different levels of interest. Dominic was all for it, AJ was mostly ready to go, Stefanie wanted nothing to do with it and Rachel was a little nervous about how it would all work. However, since we live in a place where skiing is a major past-time everyone was giving it a try.

We had booked an instructor for the five of us which worked for our first time. Minnie, was a great older gentlemen who was able to manage the five of us and challenge who needed to be challenged and gently prod those who needed a bit more encouragement.

Stefanie

After we learned how to put on our skis, remember we are brand-spanking-new beginners, Minnie taught us how to balance, push ourselves and then the sidestep. The girls were not fans of the side step. Not. At. All. It's a good thing we didn't stick with it too long because they were ready to give up then. Minnie was prepared for this challenge though, he brought a rope and when they got really stuck he pulled them up the little slope so they could practice going down.

AJ

Then it was snowplow practice. Once Minnie was sure we could stop, we got to take the tow rope halfway up the bunny slope. First one at a time and after we all made it down successfully we got to go to the top and work our way down, eventually learning slow snowplow turns.

Dominic

At this point we encountered "active waiting". Our experience here in Germany is that queuing is different than in the US. Minnie calls it active waiting, we would call it "cutting". On the bunny hill we were surround by four and five year olds. Yes, it was awesome. These little kids just slid their way into line; around us, in front of us, anywhere they saw even a smidgen of room. It was something to see. I told Minnie that in the US, children would get in trouble for doing that, everyone waits his turn. Right after that one of the other instructors (in German) told the kids to just push their way though, totally not kidding. This is a culture thing, and we were ready for it but it is still something when you experience it.

Rachel (click on this picture, her face is happier than her stance!)

Missy

The boys progressed a little faster so Minnie took them to the beginner hill while the girls and I worked on the bunny hill. Once the boys were set on the bigger hill, it was my turn. We only went halfway up which was perfect for me. Minnie made sure that I could snowplow turn my way down and then brought the girls over, instructing the boys to ski with me for a few runs. The girls both did a great job on the bigger hill. The boys eventually progressed to skiing from the top. Minnie was great about really working on their turns.

On my last run down the hill, I felt pretty good about what we had accomplished and felt like I did OK. So as I'm thinking "good job Missy" I look ahead, and what do I see? Five year olds, skiing BACKWARDS. Message received, very beginner status confirmed.

Overall I would call our day a success. Dominic and AJ both loved it. Stefanie liked going down the bigger hill, but did not fall in love with skiing on this first day. Rachel is somewhere in the middle of the two but she and AJ would really like to try snowboarding. And yes, the younger three slept most of the way home.