Schlecht

A former expat colleague, considerably more youthful, and while still an expat, giving me advice...

fec: Do you ski?
me: No.
fec: Snowboard?
me: No.
fec: (pause) Do you like sitting for long periods of time alone waiting on people to return from those activities?
me: Not really.
fec: (pause again) Then I hope you can tolerate spending months under clouds.

We're getting ready to go skiing for the first time ever as a family. We'll take lessons, of course. I am afraid of this activity since one minor aspect of parenting is keeping one's eye on one's children. I can already sense they will be fearless and ski-sprinting down very long Swiss Alp mountain sides, while I will be pondering the contrived safety and long boredom of catwalks.

The clouds here are persistent. "Das Wetter ist schlecht" translates (roughly) to "the weather sucks so bad it's worth commenting on it." The people here escape this depressing long-term doldrum by going above the clouds, socializing, enjoying the activities and entertainment the mountains attract. It is a subculture I know nothing about, but am willing to give it a whirl. Will let you know how it goes. I fully anticipate getting hurt somehow.