'Winter sa Korea,' dokumentaryo ni Sandra Aguinaldo ngayong Sabado sa 'I-Witness'

“I-WINTER”
(WINTER IN KOREA)
Dokumentaryo ni Sandra Aguinaldo
September 24, 2016

(Ikinuwento ni Sandra Aguinaldo ang kanyang naging karanasan sa South Korea noong pumunta siya roon nitong nakaraang winter)

Habang pasakay ako ng eroplano, natatawa akong isipin na ang isang taong katulad kong galing sa isang mainit na bansa at mahilig sa dagat, ay papunta ng Seoul, South Korea para maranasan ang taglamig doon.

Hindi lang ito ordinaryong taglamig kundi taglamig sa Gangwon Province kung nasaan ang mga sikat na ski resort ng Korea. Makalipas ang dalawang oras ng biyahe paakyat ng bundok mula sa Seoul narating namin ang Yongpyong Ski Resort sa Pyongchang.  Sa taas ng 700 meters sa ibabaw ng dagat, matatagpuan ito sa dulong silangan ng Asya.

Pagkarating, agad kong sinilip ang bundok na balot ng yelo kung saan abala sa pag ski ang maraming tao. Nakalimutan ko kung gaano kalamig ang paligid kahit pa negative 5 Centigrade ang temperatura noon. Dahil bihira ko itong makita, pinabayaan ko ang aking sarili na tumayo lang doon para namnamin ang magandang tanawin.

Pagkatapos kong mag arkila ng gamit na pang ski, nagsimula na agad ang aking leksyon kasama ang aking instuctor. Itinuro muna paano tumigil, i-kontrol ang aking bilis at paano manatiling ligtas sa aking pagbagsak.

Nagkaroon din ako ng pagkakataong sumakay sa gondola paakyat sa pinakamataas na parte ng bundok na 400 meters sa ibabaw ng dagat. Kung maganda ang tanawin paakyat, mas lalo pa sa tuktok ng bundok. Kaya naman pala ginamit ito sa sikat na Koreanovelang Winter Sonata. Pero para sa mga eksperto sa pag ski lang ito at kuntento na akong panoorin ang kanilang pagsayaw sa yelo pababa ng bundok.

Sa iba’t ibang lokasyon sa Gangwon province, nagtatayo ng mga istruktura ang gobyerno ng Korea bilang paghahanda sa Winter Olympics sa 2018. Nagtatayo rin sila ng pasilidad para sa mga atletang nagsasanay sa iba’t ibang winter sports. Layunin kasi nilang maging Alpine of Asia. 

Dahil apat na oras lang ang layo ng Korea sa Pilipinas, mas madali nang maranasan ng mga Pilipino ang taglamig at iba’t ibang winter sports doon. Malay natin, baka kalaunan, magkaroon ng Pilipinong atletang mangingibabaw sa alpine skiing, ski jumping at slalom.

Ang aking karanasan sa pag ski ay hinding hindi ko makakalimutan. Ang babaeng mula sa bansang mainit ay nagdesisyon nang mag-iipon para sa Winter Olympics.

Parating na ang I-Winter sa I-Witness ngayong Sabado, pagkatapos ng Superstar Duets sa GMA. 

English version

There's a joke playing in my head as I boarded my plane out of Manila to Seoul. Here comes the girl from the tropics who loves the beach and the sun about to get a taste of winter in South Korea.

And it's not just any winter, it's winter in the Gangwon province where Korea's famous ski resorts are. After a scenic two-hour mountain ride we arrived at the Yongpyong Ski Resort in Pyeongchang. Situated at 700 meters above sea level, it is found at the eastern edge of Asia.

As soon as I walked in the lobby, this girl from the tropics immediately rushed to see the ice-covered slopes. I forgot how cold it was as I walked excitedly to where the action was. Actually, the temperature was minus 5 Centigrade but since I don’t see this every day I just stood there and took in the beautiful view.

After renting my gear, my instructor and I went down to business. He taught me the basics: how to control my speed, how to stop, and how to keep myself safe when I fall. After about more than an hour of practice, I could slowly but steadily ski down the slope.  Despite falling twice, skiing seems to be relatively easy to learn, even for a girl from the tropics.

Later that day, I had the chance to take the gondola ride to the highest peak which is 400 meters above sea level. The view was breathtaking going up and even more so once you reach the peak. No wonder a scene in the iconic Korean drama Winter Sonata was filmed there. Only those who are really good at skiing can conquer the slopes from that point. I was just happy to watch them speeding down gracefully.

In several locations in Gangwon province, structures are being built for the 2018 Winter Olympics.  They are also building facilities for athletes training for winter sports in support of the government of South Korea’s goal to be known as the Alpine of Asia.

With the Philippines just four hours away by plane to South Korea, experiencing winter and learning winter sports has become more accessible to Filipinos.

Who knows, maybe in the future, there will be Filipino athletes in the field of alpine skiing, ski jumping and slalom.

And as for me, my ski experience is one I will never forget. This girl from the tropics who loves traveling and adventure, has resolved to start saving for the Winter Olympics.

I-Winter is coming on I-Witness, this Saturday, after Superstar Duets, on GMA.