January saw the return of a familiar favorite: the Saint Maur Ski Trip. Students in Grades 5, 6, and 7, along with their homeroom teachers, traveled to Niigata for three days of winter fun. Although the Ski Trip is normally an excursion for the 5th and 6th grade, the 7th grade was included this year. For the past two years, the trip had been canceled due to the pandemic.

“I particularly enjoyed witnessing livelier, more sociable sides displayed by students and teachers alike,” said one student. “The instructors were extremely kind, humorous, and patient, ensuring that everyone was safely enjoying themselves.”

In between ski runs, everyone savored the nutritious dishes on offer. “Such a variety: beef curry, beef hayashi, and roast beef,” mentioned one teacher. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, students enjoyed activities such as sledding, table tennis, and an evening snowball battle. ”The sledding was really fun but scary,” said a 5th grade student. “Once you fall, you keep tumbling down the hill and the sled is light so it can easily fly around everywhere because the hill is steep. I really can’t imagine a ski trip without the snowball fight.”

“Now I feel proud of myself because now I can ski faster and better than before,” mentioned one student. “Before the ski trip I was really nervous because this is my first overnight school excursion. The food was pretty good, and there was way more time I could spend with my teachers and friends.”