Ahhh! After two long years, we’ve actually arrived back in Bruck am Zillertal, JFKS’ home away from home every year for two weeks of snow, skiing, schnitzel and song, with a little adolescent misadventure added to the mix.
The bus ride was one of the smoothest in recent memory for a variety of reasons: the absence of traffic jams, surprisingly well-behaved students and…an epic poetry slam/rap battle between bus one and bus two. Despite concern that too few students would embrace the concept, many eagerly embraced the challenge and crafted inspired poems/raps for performance during a raucous autobahn break.
The students were courteous upon arriving at Hotel Eberleiten and pure delights in the dining room, unselfishly passing the French Fries to others before serving themselves, economizing on ketchup and – HA HA! Just kidding! This missive is not a fairy tale, despite my best intentions! (i.e. We’re still working on table manners – a work in progress.) But I, for one, have enjoyed most engaging discussions at the table, on the bus to the slopes or on the Gondola: whether about the delicacies of Iranian dining, training for a triathlon, the ideal number of dinner guests or mutual experiences of skiing in northern Japan. I’m sure my colleagues could say the same.
All we can report about being on the slopes for the first two days is: himmlisch. The weather has been spectacular and the conditions phenomenal. Obviously, that lends to quick improvement on the slopes, particularly for the beginning ranks. One more day of skiing bodes well for more advancement. And then, perhaps at dinner… “Felix, would you kindly pass the Kaiserschmarrn?” “Jacob, allow me to serve you, my good man!” (We can dream.)
Mr. Felt
