Student Blog
Trying new things by Lilly M.
Doing an exchange year is all about trying new things and experiencing things for the first time.
Since I’ve came to Canada, I’ve tried a lot of things for the first time. I tried Cross Country Running for the first time, which was a very good decision. I tried snowshoeing for the first time, learned how to snowboard, played for the first time in a jazz band, jumped in the snow in shorts and a T-Shirt. I also learned how to sew a quilt and sewed my own quilt. I went dogsledding for the first time, tried a bunch of new food and a loooot more things.
In March, I tried Cross Country Skiing for the first time, which I want to tell you about a little more.
The local Cross Country Skiing Club offered an “English As Second Language” Course to learn how to XC Ski. Because I volunteered for Biathlon and XC Skiing Races before, it was time to try it myself. With three other exchange students and the family Hara, I went to the XC Skiing Club.
First we got our rentals and then a little introduction. They showed us how to XC Ski, how we are supposed to break when we are going downhill and how to ski uphill. Then the whole group got divided into two new groups. All of us exchange students stayed with the Haras and we went on the trails. It took me a while to find my rhythm with arms and legs but once I found it, it was really fun. After we were on a short trail with lanterns, the two youngest kids in the group really wanted to ski on a dark trail, so that’s, what we did. It was already around 7 p.m. and on that trail were no lanterns. I could see the white snow, but not really if it’s going a little up or down hill. Because it was only a couple hours after sunset, I could see everyone’s silhouette and also the tree’s silhouette. That was really amazing, because it looked beautiful with the trees and the stars in the night sky. I really enjoyed skiing there. It was peaceful and beautiful. The dark trail ended up with a very steep hill. I couldn’t see how steep the hill was and Sara told us to break but not to stop, because the person behind us wouldn’t see us if we stopped. That was a little scary and the hill was steeper than I thought but it was fun in the end.
Back on the trail with lights, we went to a spot where it went down and up, Mie and Samara called it Rollercoaster, so we could more or less jump there. Everyone went down that hill a couple times which was enjoyable. Twice we went down all together which was a little chaotic but also fun.
A little after 8 p.m. we returned to the clubhouse where we gave back our rentals and got some hot chocolate and cookies.
It was a very nice experience and I’m glad I tried it.
Photo and blog post submitted by Lilly, a German student in Grade 11 at Nechako Valley Secondary School.