Friday, November 16, 2012

Everest Mountain climber Ed Webster

Mountain climber Ed Webster came to L'Ecole Française du Maine to tell the students all about his adventures hiking the Himalayan Mountains, including the highest peak- Everest. He gave 2 presentations, one to grades Kindergarten- Grade 1, and another to grades 2-5. Some parents also attended to hear the presentations. Ed's presentations were interactive and passionate, including photos and objects he brought back from his trips. He explained that life is very different; there are no roads or shops everywhere like here, no trees either, and people do not eat the same things we do or dress the way we do. But children are the same everywhere; they go to school, play and run around. The children were very excited by the idea of camping in the snow. He explained that it was a dream to climb as high as the planes fly, and that he had to work very hard to prepare for the hikes. Sometimes it was very hard, exhausting, and even dangerous. Sometimes he was scared, but with his guides, they encouraged one another, and they were able to reach the top. Before he left, the children were able to touch all of his gear: his shoes, his hammers, and ropes that made it to the top of Everest. Encore bravo et merci, Mr. Webster!