Given that I’ve spent my entire life in a region of the United States that closes schools, halts all business, and alerts the National Guard at the merest hint of frozen precipitation in the forecast, you’d think I’d realize that a snow-covered mountain in Korea would not be my friend.
But jet lag, cold weather and kimchi can give you strange courage.
I went skiing for the day with David, his boss, Jill, and fellow engineers, Jake and Sung Su, at Daemyong Vivaldi Park in Gangwon Province. (Pictures to come later.)
They’re all experienced skiers. I’ve always regarded snow days as an excuse to stay home from school and read in bed. Let’s just say I took to the slopes like a duck takes to a roasting pan.
It didn’t help that I was wearing a bright purple full-length ski suit and cursing in English each time I fell down. Not the best representation of American expats on holiday. My second trip down the bunny slope I managed to stay upright most of the time.
But the third time, after I sent David off to actually ski (instead of haul me up off the ground every five minutes) I nearly knocked the woman next to me down while I was getting on the ski lift. After we were safely headed up the slope, I kept apologizing, “Mian hamnida. So sorry!” She just looked at me like, “Whatever, purple-clad screaming meeguk. Just stay out of my way!”
After making it to safety that time, I hung up my skis and went inside to get some coffee and scones and watch the action on the slopes. It turns out I just missed a snow-boarding competition on the half-pipe next door. (I saw the awards ceremony afterward.)
I really enjoyed the view, once I wasn’t hurtling down the side of a hill in fear of my life (ok, maybe just in fear of my knees). Korea is mostly mountains, and they are breathtaking even in winter. We got to see a lot of the countryside on the drive over to the resort.
All in all, it was a great day. The best part, thought, I think, was stopping afterward to have some kalbi and beer. Great stuff.
South Korean hopes are still alive.
