When Bahati Mgunda, a Tanzanian teaching assistant with the International School of Tanganyika, was asked to chaperone a ski trip to Saas Fee, Switzerland, he jumped at the opportunity. He had seen snow once before, yet he never thought he would get the chance to put on a pair of skis. 

On his way back up the rope tow, Bahati glances over to joke about his last fall and he also gave a warning about the speed he would carry on his next run.

The trip ran from March 15-22 and Bahati set a goal for himself that by the end of the week he would be able to join the other three chaperones for a ski from the top of the mountain to the bottom.

After the first day of skiing, he returned to the hotel with a limp, several bruises and a massive smile. During the second day, he was trying small jumps. On the fourth day he joined the other chaperones and skied in a powerful snowplow from 3000m all the way into the valley below.

Bahati Mgunda, from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania came to Saas Fee to learn how to ski and left many people inspired by his sheer determination and absolute joy of taking on the unknown. On our last day in Saas Fee Bahati said, "Now that I have skied this mountain I want to come back next year and try snowboarding."

In his hometown of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Bahati is a popular figure having played sports at the professional level and recently heading up the coaching staff for the Tanzanian national basketball team. Once the word got out the he was learning how to ski in Switzerland, he was contacted by Tanzanian radio stations as well as TV producers who scheduled interviews upon his return.  Bahati Mgunda, a teaching assistant at the International School of Tanganyika (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) volunteered as one of four chaperones for the annual student ski trip. He has never skied before and stops to take in the view of Saas Fee ski area in Switzerland.

After only one week of skiing, Bahati achieved his goal of skiing in the Swiss Alps. He is now talking about trying to repeat this challenge next year with a snowboard.

Click here to see the 9 photos of Bahati's ski experience.