Paolo GB

“NEW EXPERIENCES”

When I heard about Ilary and Ross’ wedding, I suddently matched this important news with others
Ilary’s first times with brand new experiences in her childhood. Among them all, I choose this one:

“Ilary’s first time skiing”

The first time Ilary put her skis on, we were in Obereggen in South Tyrol, Trentino.
I had an appointment at 8.30 with Petra, the stunning ski teacher who was just 1meter50 tall but
who had an astonishing muscle mass.
Early in the morning, I got all the equipement with Ilary and Valeria, then I reach the place of the
appointment, at the start of the baby skilift. Nearby, I noticed a small amount of snow, about 1
meter tall, and I suddently decided to make Ilary practice with ski a little bit. I told her: “look at me
and then do exactly the same”.
I climb sidestepping the little snow hill and when I reached the top I saw Ilary who was trying to
climb but her ski weren’t corresponding, so she slipped backwards. We tried to repeat the
procedure for a few times but no result was reached. I begin losing my patience and with more
determination we tried again, with no success. After many attemptings, I finally got her at the top
of the hill and I told her: “Now look at me and get down like I do”.
I glide down with the ski and I turned back to look at Ilary who refuses to get down stating it’s too
steep and that she’s afraid… I try to convince her but with no success.
I try again with Valeria: same result !
While we’re still lively talking between us, behind me I suddently saw the ski teacher who
introduces herself with a marquant german accent saying, with bright and high voice:
“Goodmorning children, I’m Petra, your brand new ski teacher! What’s your name, you girls?”
They were intimidated and they could barely speak but at the end they faintly told her their
names: “Ilary” “Valeria”
The teacher told them: “Well, it’s time to go sking. Girls, follow me, we are taking the skilift”.
Then, talking to me: “You can come back at twelve o’clock”
I was a little bit scared by her resolution, and I tried to tell Petra that it’s the first time my children
wear a pair of ski and that maybe it isn’t a good idea to take them to the skilift..
But she looks at me and she answered: “Be quiet! Petra will take care..follow me girls!”
And she aimed at the skilift with my two children behind, confused and scared.

I look at them starting and I saw that they are scared in following Petra, who suddently get in the
skilift’s entrance and who put them the clay target among their legs. I look at them climbing very
fast on the tracks.
I was thinking: “Poor daughters, I wonder how this will end and if they’ll be safe!”
At the end of the lesson, I go get them a little bit early and I wait, hidden behing a spruce with a
good view of the ski track.. After 5 minutes I saw them getting down the track snowplough,
following Petra with a certain self-confidence.. I stand her wordless and stunned but I realised
what was Petra’s secreat: she stopped at the end of the track and she told them: “Good girls! You
earned one candy!”. She brings out more candies from her pocket and they are so happy to eat
them. “If you want more, we have to do another ski hill”. They happily replied “YES!”
I realised with pleasure that in a few hours, with a certain skill and experience, Petra succeed in
teaching them how to ski, while I failed get them down a little amount of snow!!
This experiences teaches that many times a parent has to step aside and let his children make
their experience and let them stand on their on two feet.
From here on, we ski all day in a wonderful ski holiday that will always be one of the happiest
memories with Ilary and Valeria too.