Personal Narrative: The Four Stages Of Ski Culture

Pederson (7) explains that there are stages of culture shock, which he identifies as the honeymoon, negotiation, adjustment, and adaptation. In the honeymoon phase, a person is likely to get excited about being in a new place, meeting new people, tasting new foods, and acquiring new habits. However, as time passes by, they get into a phase of negotiation, where the differences between the culture one is used to and the one they find themselves in start to become apparent. Feelings of anxiety, anger, and frustrations start to take shape as unfavorable events perceived as strange come in the way of the person 's life, especially if a person does not feel accepted in the new culture (Mukherjee 273). Loneliness may set in, and the urge to go back to the familiar culture strongly comes into play. However, as time goes by, adjustment sets in, usually within six to twelve months, and one gets accustomed to the culture and also comes up with a routine. By this phase, one knows what is expected of them, and life once again becomes ‘normal.’

This part of the run is not difficult for me, which is good because my mind is already focused on the cliff that I know is about 100 feet down the ridge and 50 feet on my left (north). Waiting for my turn at the top, I had lots of time to sit and think about what I was about to do, igniting my nerves and adrenaline, making my body feel numb. I ski to my spot above the cliff, and the iconic House Rock looks like it always does, almost like a fifty foot diving board that will shoot you out half-way down the rest of the mountain. I stop right above the point of no return. I must choose to hit the cliff or not. There is no turning back once I move from this spot.

The boys walk onto the field like a group of soldiers. The dark rubbery turf causes the Irondale Boys lacrosse team to stand out in their satin maroon and gold jerseys. Nothing could break their concentration. Their brows furrowed with anticipation for what awaits them. Within minutes the boys will be battling the other team to take home the bragging rights that go with winning. Although lacrosse does not rank highly in popularity, it is one of the greatest sports. The lacrosse boys confirmed that watching the game does not compare to the thrill of actually partaking in a game. Lacrosse is one of the more underrated sports, but it should not be.

Omg! I am going to have so much fun snowboarding! Today in my life I am at a super cool place. It’s in the UP and it’s called Ski Brule. It has all the snow hills you could possibly think about. I could never stop imagine me going down the hill and be so proud of me. But hopefully I don’t break any bones in my body. Because I still have basketball in the winter. But after I just took a soft energize nap. Then… We arrived. OM to the G! It was exactly what I imagined. The people gliding through the snow with their cool snowboards and their ski’s.

In the words of Ralph Strangis, (Former Play-by-Play commentator for the Dallas Stars) “Every season, for every team the goal is to be better. To take what has already been laid in place and to build around that foundation and to take the next step however you define it. Longterm success never comes quickly and the road to get there is uneven and unpredictable“

The conditions were perfect three feet of fluffy white gold, the groomers were out grooming the trails so they were flat and fast. Although every real snowmobiler knows the fun starts once you leave the hard pack and get into the deep snow that is untouched. So that is exactly what I did. The group and I are were coming through a large field with what we call rollers. Rollers are large snow drifts that form like waves and have the same shape as one. We were coming through and I was busting through the powder but I looked up ahead and there was on drift that was way bigger than the rest. So I went full throttle Larry Enticer style and sent my snowmobile flying through the air, I must have been 10-15 feet in the air minimum. Once I came down i landed hard and my snowmobile sunk deep into the snow like a golfer when he lays a ball up on the green, the snowmobile just stuck there. I came in hot and once the sled stuck in place I was trying to keep my forward motion but with there being such a large change in speed I flipped over the handlebars. As i was laying there completely stunned I look back and see my brother coming over a smaller drift heading right for me. He was traveling too close to me and he smacked right into the back of my snowmobile. I was beyond livid I got up as fast as I could so when he hit me I didn't get run over by my own snowmobile. I got up looked and saw that My brother hit me so hard he had smashed his snowmobile in between the tunnel and the track of my brand new snowmobile. Everyone came back to make sure that we were okay which thankfully we both were and to try and dislodge his snowmobile from mine. After a few tries we got them unstuck from each other and checked the sleds to make sure they were rideable, which they both were. From there we put on another 20-30 miles and then we stopped for dinner at the Candle Light. Then we road back to the trailer and home with only

First and foremost skiing helps you conquer fear. Everyone and I mean everyone is scared their first day on the mountain. You have to get all bundled up in these special clothes to keep you warm and big ski boots that hurt your feet and are hard to walk in. Don't forget your gloves otherwise, your fingers will fall off. Once you get past the fear of the cold you rent your skis and you have to get past the fear of the ski lift ride to the top of the mountain. You don't expect the ride to the top of the mountain to be scary so you get on the lift. Then about five minutes into the ride to the top of the mountain you start to get tons of butterflies in your stomach as you look back over your shoulder and see the cars in the parking lot get smaller and smaller and the buildings start to disappear as you reach the summit. When you step out of the gondola/chairlift you are at about 11,000ft elevation depending which mountain you are on, and sometimes you are above the clouds. It's a euphoric view, but unfortunately, this is where the real fear starts to kick in. As you put your skis on and get ready to go down the mountain you have to conquer the fear of each turn and the fear of going down different trails with each having a different difficulty level. It's amazing, once you get the basic motions down and conquer the fears that come with them you’ll be flying down the mountain carving every trail in sight (green, blue and black). Being able to overcome fears of skiing can help you in your real life. I just recently went on a trip to Wolf Creek Colorado and climbed to the top of the largest peak

Throughout the active school year, I take part in cross country, track and basketball. I also played volleyball for a year, but I decided to concentrate on my main passion, cross country, instead of dividing my time and attention into two sports at the same time. I have been running cross country ever since I was old enough to run in the munchkin races. The sport has been passed down through the family, almost every single one of my siblings have run or at least tried it. In track, I have ran the mile and two mile since the seventh grade. These last couple years I joined into the long distance relays. In 2016, the first year we decided to start a relay it consisted of my sister, Victoria, Tristen Ness, and Sammy Swanson. The first time we ran

Last year I started a new sport, cross country. I only did it because my lacrosse coach said that it might help me get better for lacrosse. So I went to the first late summer practice last year to see what this was like, so then we did warm-ups and a lap around the track. Then it was the first time I met coach Chase, My first impression of him was going to be very strict, But soon realized that this was false because of one of the first things he said. He said “I know there are a lot of nerves here right now, but cross country isn’t about winning every race, that comes later” then continued with “Cross country is about showing what you can do to yourself.” This struck me very hard because I was not that fast and was near the back. Through that fall the team did very well, I also made some progress myself. After the season was over I made a decision.

When times get tough, don’t give up. If you want to be the best you can be you don’t have a choice but to push your limits and try. As these words of encouragement have made me become who I am, cross country has shaped me into the person I am today.

A sudden change in one’s surroundings can result in culture shock. Culture shock refers to the anxiety and surprise a person feels when he or she is discontented with an unfamiliar setting. The majority of practices or customs are different from what a person is used to. One may experience withdrawal, homesickness, or a desire for old friends. For example, when a person goes to live in a different place with unfamiliar surroundings, they may experience culture shock. Sometimes it is the result of losing their identity. In the article “The Phases of Culture Shock”, Pamela J. Brink and Judith Saunders describe four phases of culture shock. They are: Honeymoon Phase, Disenchantment Phase, Beginning Resolution Phase, and Effective

As I pick up speed I feel the wind push harder and harder in the opposite direction, but my jacket breaks its bite. The reflection of the sun on the stark white snow makes the path ahead harder to see; my destination is still visible, its dead ahead. As I close in I have second thoughts but it's too late for that now. I lean forward to ride my edge and make a quick turn as I launch off of the jump which sends me into a spin until I'm facing my original direction, 360 degrees then my snowboard touches the ground again and I land it. Well, at least I planned on landing it. However, the reality of the situation was different, I ended up hitting the hard snow with my head and shoulder. That happened on my most recent skiing/snowboarding trip. I've been skiing for as long as I can remember but the past few trips I have snowboarded instead. Skiing and snowboarding are some of the things that I'm most passionate about, but the most important part is doing those things with my family and friends. So, get ready to learn some knowledge about me.

The coat of armor I adorned, made of down feathers and a nylon shell, yielded no protection against the daggers of that cold winter air. As I peered out toward the horizon, I saw nothing but tree tops, and some snow capped mountain tops in the distance. With my feet bound to freshly waxed skis, the only thing stronger than my ski poles was my determination to get down the mountain.

My heart was thumping heavily, as the bus took a turn towards the mountains. I didn’t know why I had agreed, but it was too late to turn back.

Specific Rhetorical Purpose: To inform my audience about the three stages of culture shock and some tips of how to adjust and accept the different culture.