While the bus made sharp turns along a winding road through the Andes Mountains, I thought of all my classmates who were back at school watching the fall colors unfold.
After 38 hours of travel, we finally arrived in Valle Nevado, Chile, where we would spend the next two weeks training with the Northwood/New York Ski Educational Foundation alpine ski team. Between the amazing views, intense training and unexpected adventures, it was an experience I won’t forget.
One of my favorite things about Chile was the scenery. The Andes were absolutely breathtaking, especially during sunset. Watching the sun slowly set behind the mountains was something I never got tired of. Another thing that surprised me was the number of stray dogs wandering around the resort, who also got on the slopes with us from time to time.
Of course, the main reason we were there was to ski. With 11 days on snow, we had plenty of time to work on our slalom and giant slalom before the upcoming racing season. Getting up at 5:30 every morning wasn’t always easy, but being back on snow after a long summer made the cold, early mornings worthwhile.
Some days were definitely more frustrating than others, especially when things weren’t going the way I wanted. But that’s also what I enjoy about skiing. There’s always something to improve, and having a good run after struggling for a while always feels better. By the end of the camp, I could really feel the progress I had made.
As much as we were there to train, the trip wasn’t always smooth sailing. Between people getting sick and a few unexpected adventures, there were definitely some challenges along the way. Being away from home for two weeks while balancing skiing, schoolwork and everything else could get exhausting.
Having my teammates around made those harder moments easier, and we still managed to have a lot of fun together. Some of my favorite memories came from the moments outside of training, when we could relax, laugh, eat meals together, catch up on our lives and enjoy being in such an incredible place.
Looking back, what I’ll remember most about Chile isn’t just the skiing. It’s the incredible sunsets, endless mountain views, dogs wandering around and memories made with my teammates. I came back to Northwood feeling more prepared for the North American season and grateful to have spent two weeks skiing in such an amazing place.