The Mountains and the Quick Journey Down it
Madeline S. is currently a junior at SYA Spain and a Campus Storyteller. She comes to SYA from St. Paul's School.
Mountains - the great cliffs of stone rising above the ground, jutting out into the sky, and shadowing the towns and canyons below. Hiding in the valley, a river bubbles, icy cold water carving channels into the stone. The road upward is thin and winding, through tunnels gouged into the mountainside, the only barrier is the metal railing on our left. At this point in the trip, the bus we ride is silent. My neighbor is sleeping, the person behind me is reading, and the speaker which at the start of the trip blasted music from the back has now been silenced. We are approaching the peaks which loom so far above. Our final destination: Benasque.
There is something terrifyingly intoxicating about the mountain peaks. There is, I believe, an inherent urge to conquer the heights. One which has, in part, led me to this journey. Three hours from Zaragoza is Benasque: a small ski town where we will be staying for two nights. After school ended on Friday the students who had signed up, met back at the school to travel into the mountains. Suitcases were packed in preparation to endure the cold and snow. There was a palatable excitement that raced through the bus as we climbed higher and higher - even from the students who had never skied before. We got to Benasque after the sunset and although we couldn’t see the mountain we would ski, we could see the stars. Without the heavy light pollution of the city, the stars could pour light upon us. Witnessing their unmatched brilliance students stood with their eyes straining to take in the sight.
The next day brought clear blue skies and surprising warmth. By mid-morning, we were racing down the slopes. The conditions were lovely, with powdery snow and un-crowded slopes. The long ski lifts took us up to breathtaking views of the mountain range. Grey snow-capped mountains under an unbroken blue sky stretched as far as the eye could see. Wide slopes beneath my snow goggles appeared orange and flew by as I sped down the slopes with my friends. The day passed in a second and before I knew it we were back down in Benasque. Back in the hotel, I watched a movie with my roommates as we reminisced about the day and laughed over the videos of our skiing mishaps.
The second day of skiing was just as magnificent. The sky was cloudless and the air was warm. The only thing that weighed heavy on my mind was the realization that soon we would have to go back. Soon, we would have to leave the mountains and return home. After lunch, Marta, my Spanish teacher, who has supervised this yearly ski trip for the past twenty-some years, shared with me some skiing tips. I prepared myself for the final few runs. The plan was made and so we set off. We got to the top of the hill leading down to the bus and I looked out upon the mountain range one last time. I let myself lean forward and pushed myself down the final slope of the SYA Spain 2023 Ski trip.
The ride home was peaceful, doing last-minute homework with friends and admiring the views. As much as I was sad to be leaving the mountains, I could practically feel my bed back at home. I could not wait to tell my host sister about the ski trip and give my host mother the snow globe I had bought to add to her collection. The mountains are beautiful, but nothing compares to the warmth of your home and family - my family in Zaragoza.