Pacific American School in Hsinchu, Taiwan (亞太美國學校) - American based international school in Hsinchu, Taiwan

The 5-day ski trip spanning from Dec. 23^rd to Dec. 27^th proved to be an unforgettable experience for the PAS students who waved goodbye to all their friends and hopped onto a plane to Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, to ski in the 3^rd largest ski resort in Sapporo.

Learning the basics in just the few hours of the morning of the first day, which included braking, turning, and walking up hills, we set out on a journey to hit the slopes in the mountains of the ski resort. Although the first day was supposed to be more of a warm-up day instead of an actual day to ski, all of the students immediately jumped onto the lifts to begin a trip full of adrenaline they would never forget. In this trip, everybody skied on all sorts of hills, from beginner hills made for practicing curving skills, which were easy and simple, to the highest mountain, which we all fell down and made large S marks in the snow. In a weather so different to that of Taiwan, the first time we went onto a lift was a memorable point in time, the sign that we, dwellers of the warm weather, can finally experience the fun in a seemingly different world. The adrenaline rush that filled our cold bodies as we sped down hills and curved around bumps can also be compared to riding a fast-paced roller coaster. It’s a feeling nearly indescribable, but one thing for sure is that whenever we ski down any slope, may it be beginner slopes or steep medium slopes, we are always inclined to challenge it again. Every lift, every hill, every fall, is a moment of joy no one could forget.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner were all unique, too. A buffet breakfast greeted us every morning, followed by a Japanese-style lunch, which could be anything from Hokkaido’s specialty ramen to pork bowls to u-don noodles, ending with a very delicious dinner varying every day, such as the savory steak dinner on Christmas night. The journey concluded with a shopping endeavor to buy Japanese gifts and food for our friends in Taiwan. To the PAS students, this is an unforgettable white Christmas holiday in Sapporo, and everybody just can’t wait for the next time the school plans another ski trip like this one!

By G9 Derek Jang