By Nick Offerman

L iving in China,it’s very convenient for us to travel to neighboring countries like Japan and South Korea.Last winter break,my family and I decided to make a ski trip down to Japan.The flight took us about four hours,and we had to take three buses to get to our destination.The trip was a laborious journey,but it was undoubtedly worth it.

Upon arriving in Japan,the first thing that hit me was the cold,piercing (刺骨的)wind.As I stepped out of the airport,I was overwhelmed by the biting air that danced around me.The icy breeze that touched my skin sent a tingling (刺痛的)feeling through my muscles.It was snowing at that time—snowflakes singing,whirling,accumulating on the pavement,left a velvet carpet for the passengers to walk on,creating one of the most beautiful sites.I sank my feet into the thick layer of snow on the ground,as a soft and comfortable feeling enveloped me.Protected by my thick coat,muffler,gloves and winter wear,I danced around in the snow freely,letting all my emotions out.

We boarded a bus heading for Sapporo,a city near our ski resort.On the bus,I sat alone,examining the delicate snowflakes that plastered (粘貼)themselves onto my window.A cup of Starbucks cappuccino in my left hand and a good read in my right—that one-hour journey was certainly worthwhile.I was reading a Chinese novel,To Live (《活 著》),a book that originally started out as a holiday assignment but later transformed into a life lesson.The book is about an individual who goes through many unfortunate events but still persists and convinces himself to carry on living.I’ve learned that no matter how hard life becomes,we should always continue pushing on,as anything can be accomplished with determination.

Skiing in Japan was absolutely exciting but challenging.We experienced our first snowstorm.The food was spectacular.Overall,it was an amazing trip!