At last, an update from Chamonix. Sorry for not posting sooner, but I’ve been busy settling into life here and figuring out my plans for the winter. I’m on Winter Break from French, so I finally have time to take photos and update this blog.
It looks like I am going to spending a good portion of the winter living in Chamonix studying French and skiing. I’m still planning on traveling to Asia and New Zealand, but right now I am enjoying being in once place for a little while.
One of the hardest parts about backpacking is the amount of time you spend on your own. It’s usually pretty easy to meet people in hostels (although off season Eastern Europe was fairly devoid of other backpackers), but there is a difference between hanging out with folks for a day and having a community. After a day or two you go your separate ways; maybe you’ll meet up again for a day in some other city, or maybe you’ll only hear about their life through short Facebook updates.
In Chamonix there are a lot of people living here for the season, and most everyone is in the same position of having arrived knowing no one and looking for friends and some sort of community. After a few months of fleeting connections it’s nice to have friends I can go skiing with, or just call to grab coffee or make vegan cookies.
In addition to the social element, Chamonix is also just a wonderful place. I love being able to wake up and see the mountains from my window.
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| View of the Alps from Chamonix |
On a clear day you can even see the Aiguille du Midi!
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| Aiguille du Midi |
The ski season officially began yesterday and all of the resorts are now open. Stay tuned for more stories from Chamonix.
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| Téléphérique to the Brévent and Flégère ski resorts |
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| View from the Grands Montets ski resort |
