Not the Exception to the Law of Physics

Every year CCSI’s the jr. and sr. high get to go on a ski trip to Nojiri. The Alps of Japan. Since I teach to jr. high kids, I was “required” to go on the trip. Which sounds like I didn’t want to, but I totally did! I was thoroughly excited about getting a chance to get to know the kids away from a teacher/student relationship.

The whole adventure started with a party at the Iverson’s the night before the “big” day. We left Monday morning at about 6 in the morning in pouring rain. I rode in Sally’s car, later christened Baby Red, with Carol driving, Melanie (intern), Elizabeth and Hannah (11^th grade students). We got to the cabin in Nojiri at about 12 in the afternoon. The boys stayed in the Iverson’s cabin. Which is very rustic, tiny, no running water, no heat no… You get the point. The girls got to stay in a different cabin, it was SO nice! Heated, “big”, running water, heated toilet seats, on the lake, etc. The rest of Monday was spent just hanging out at the cabins playing games and just goofing off. Later we went to the onsen.  What is that? Natural hot springs. Basically the public bath house. All the rage during the age of the Roman Empire. Unlike in Rome, boys and girls baths are separated. Quite the experience. There were a couple girls that I didn’t know very well yet, suddenly we were very intimate and close.

Tuesday found the whole CCSI gang out on the slopes either snowboarding or skiing, or attempting to be. Someone told me that they snowboarded first, because it “looks cooler” when you crash. But that skiing is the easier of the 2 to do. Snowboarding first wasn’t even an option in my opinion. I was going to ski!! This was the first time I’d ever been able to have the chance to ski. So I was pretty pumped about getting to make a fool of myself. This was a good thing; because I did just that. It was Melanies first time to ski too, so together we mastered the “bunny” hill and decided we were totally ready to handle a real slope.

Before I say more about skiing, let me just say, I loved riding a ski lift! I’ve wondered for years how you actually get on and off one, now I know!! One more thing I can check off of my bucket list.

Once at the top of the slope, I suddenly realized I wasn’t ready for it. My skies thought differently. Basically, I was GOING, regardless of the fact that I was not mentally ready for it. I crash landed, losing a ski. I was convinced that was it. I was going to have to go down the rest of the way on my you know what. While all this is going on Melanie is still at the top of the hill, mentally preparing herself. Next thing I know there comes Melanie, head first on her stomach, with her poles at least like 10' behind her on the hill! I laughed so hard. Aren’t I just the greatest friend ever??!! I somehow managed to get myself over to where she landed, we both decided we’d go down the mountain on our you know what’s and practice some more…. One of the guys, Matt, found us at this point and was like “you’re going to do what? No you’re not.” He showed me how to get my skies back and explained yet again how to break and cut. To always lean forward and lean into the hill/ mountain. Physics. I tried again. Fell again. Put my ski back on again. Tried again. Fell again. Thought about not trying again. Thoughts of my older brothers popped into my head. Up again I went. About the umpteenth time I fell, I decided I really like falling. It’s so exciting! One minute I’m going, vertically. The next I’m still going, but horizontally. That split second I’m no longer standing, but I’m not landed yet, not knowing what kind of awkward position I was going to land in this time, was I still going to have my skies on…. The suspense! So exciting!! Basically, I am a pro at falling. :P 

After lunch I tried the slope again. This time both Melanie and were going to do it. Long story short, Melanie wound up taking the lift back down, leaving me to make my way down the slope by myself. I figured though that since I had these skies and poles, I might as well make use them. I mean hello? So I went for it! Fell more that time, but I got back up faster. This time I had the experience of going backwards down the slope. That was exciting!! Let me tell ya. I got to the bottom tons faster then the first time. Suppose that’s why I fell so many times. Did I mention that ski boots are really uncomfortable? But I was so thankful for them every time I fell. I’m pretty sure they’re the only reason I didn’t break an ankle.

After the onsen we went back to the cabin. For dinner we had Curry rice!! Afterwards we had a teaching led by Matt. The majority of the girls ended up on one couch for some reason, which was fun. It’s warmer that way. When we ran out of room to “sit” on the couch, we just lay across laps. It was great!! It was decided that we’d sleep in the next day, then put in a half day at the slopes. Then head for home.

Being able to sleep in was amazing! Let me just say. After a semi lazy breakfast we did devotions, packed and cleaned the cabin. The guys were supposed to pick us by 11:30. We were ready and waiting by 11. So we did each others hair, to pass time. It’s 11:30 now and still no guys. Since hair was done, the next best thing to do is massages! So we got in a massage line… it was awesome!! Then the guys came…. Time for lunch and more slopes!!

The slopes were beautiful!!! Much higher than the day before…. But it looked like there may have been some easier slopes to do. However there was a miscommunication and I didn’t actually get to ski. Sad face. But I did get to spend some quality time with one of the students, Hannah, and Melanie, they also didn’t ski/snowboard that day either. We did get to ride the ski lift to the top of one of the mountains and back down again, that was amazing!!

After that we packed up and headed for home. We all rode in the same cars we’d ridden up in, which naturally was fun. It was late before we got back to Chiba, so the high school kids (and myself) spent the night at the Iverson’s. We all went to school together the next day. What could have been a really rough day turned out to be one of the best! We were all still on such a high from the trip!!!

The best part of the entire trip I think was all the girl time. Might sound strange. There was such a close safe feeling that I've never felt before... It was really incredible. Not explaining that very well, am I? And I'm not going to. :P