Pretty Swedish girl, handsome Spaniard: skiing holidays are always a fantastic way to meet interesting people from all over the world! Yes, but the problem is, many of you are afraid to make the first approach, put off by the language barrier. So, to get you out of trouble, here is some basic advice on how to make communicating with foreign skiers easy.
During the day: get yourself noticed
You have already selected your prey… sorry, a particularly interesting Swedish skier. You would really like to know more about his culture, his country and to find out, you are prepared to follow him all day … and night. The first thing to do is: make contact! With a French-speaking skier, a simple, “Hi, I’m Roger/Brigitte, do you live with your parents?” would have been enough, but in this situation, conversation is impossible. Why? Because the only Swedish you know is limited to the names of Ikea furniture and a bear would have more chance of being understood than you when you try out your English.
Therefore, the first contact has to be physical. Careful! You are not allowed to crash into him on the slopes, or you risk losing any chance of seeing him/her again, for he/she will fall for the charms of the First Aid attendant who arrives. So, you will have to impress him/her! Make sure you always stay within his/her field of vision. Slalom with class and elegance. Grab the ski tow with confidence and if necessary, spend the day waiting for him/her to fall, then you’ll be there to help! A helping hand, a bewitching smile, a reassuring look, but hush: not one word! It is better to be mysterious than ridiculous…
In the evening: make contact
From twilight, the game is on! It’s no use laying it on thick; he/she must take notice of you! You have only one aim this evening: getting close! Superb DJ, a surprise attack by a bear: nothing happening around you is of any importance. When the long-awaited moment comes, because it will come, that’s obvious, be good! Thanks to the music, no-one will be able to hear what you are saying. You could easily have total mastery of Swedish, but no-one will pay any attention to you. Get close to his/her group of friends. Laugh, dance, in short, be irresistible and all should be well! At the end of the evening, even if you haven’t managed to seduce him/her, you will have made a whole gang of foreign friends! The rest of your holiday prospects look brilliant, just like your future trip to Sweden!
