Wednesday and Tuesday Courtney and I went on a ski trip with her school to Yangjin ski resort near Seoul. It was lots of fun as I took this opportunity to work on my snowboarding skills (not that I improved much). I did, however, have the burden of teaching a couple boys how to snowboard! Wah! I just learned a week ago and I still can't turn very well if at all! Everyone else was skiing which left me to take care of the two snowboarding kids. It was fun though, and surprisingly, they actually learned to snowboard--well, they learned as much as I know. :)
So, these are my boys. Hyeon Geon on the left and Hyeon Seop on the right. They were so cute. I loved hanging out with them all day. They were such gentlemen! They were always packing my board for me and always finding me the best place to put my bindings on. Could it be that my cold-feminist heart is thawing and I'm embracing such archaic acts of chivalry?? I must admit that I enjoyed being doted on (the one on the right was so in love with me)! lol.
We stayed in an amazing condo resort right in front of the slopes. This picture is the view from our balcony. By far the best hotel I've ever stayed in!
Am I dancing as I come down the hill??
The after-skiing party, complete with lots of soju. My excuse for not drinking: "Oh, I just took some medicine (ibuprofen) and can't have alcohol. Sorry!" I just don't like the stuff...
That coat was so huge! I felt like a big ball of yellow coming down the hill! Courtney is on the far right and the boy next to her is her own admirer--Dong Il (the nephew of the woman who runs the orphanage). He's a cutie too.
All the boys on the buss ride up.
It was a good two day trip but I'm suffering the consequences now--my butt is so bruised! I think I might have fallen on a big piece of ice at one point.
What makes skiing in Korea different that the states? Well, the slopes are covered by snow machines, not the real stuff. And when you go up the chairlift, you often seen a snowy run but right next to it you see completely bare ground. It really plays tricks with your eyes. Very few people have any skiing skills at all. Most just go straight down the hill until the fall and stop rolling. It makes learning kind of hard when you can't go very far before having to stop for the masses of falling people. In fact, Courtney chose to wear a helmet because she was so afraid of getting hit by someone!
Also, ski resorts here have free air machines outside so you can blow the snow and ice off your skis/snowboard when you leave and won't track snow into your car. And renting equipment here is unbelievably simple. You just go in, pay your money and pick up your gear. No paperwork whatsoever. I hate America and all its little disclaimers and what-not. Also, you can rent all of you snow clothes there too--pants, coats, the works!--plus your goggles and gloves! I love this system! I makes skiing and snowboarding so accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy who can afford it. Oh, and the equipment rental is usually about $30, not the $70 and up that it can cost at home.
4 comments:
What an adventure!!! I am so envious. Those pics make me want to give it a try even, and I can barely handle tubing down a slope, and skiing for that matter. Great photos and good times indeed! :)
Looks like good clean cold fun. You look great in the yellow jacket. I always feel like a snowman in all those clothes :)
Have a great day!
Stacy
Well Kortney, great that you made it to the slopes. Sounds kinda different to me but oh well. We were in Summit County this weekend and had LOTS of fresh snow. Now back at home. John was actually becoming a little sick that he had to go to work today. Oh, and your jacket looks nice and warm and that really counts.
I'm glad to hear of the fun and vacation days you can take amidst the hectic lifestyle of a foreign teacher. This weekend I helped build igloos and slept in one and this Thursday I'm starting my first skiing lessons! Keep me posted on your slope skills. :)
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