“The ski season that changed my life”
We’ve heard it all before, it may be cliché but that’s because it’s true. Taking that leap of faith to do your first season really can be life-changing. Within the first weeks, you could meet the person of your dreams, make lifelong friends, travel the world chasing powder and redefine what it means to ski & snowboard. BUT, it doesn’t always turn out that way, you could end up leaving broke, broken and back at square one (living with mum).
It all comes down to the question; what do you want to get out of a winter ski season abroad?
- For some it’s getting out there on the snow, developing their skills. Hitting all the jumps and skiing every black run on the mountain.
- For others, it’s meeting lifelong friends and it’s all about the awesome ski season experience.
If you’re considering a winter season, here are two tips on how to make your working holiday THE ski season that changed your life.
1. Not spending enough time on the slopes
Arguably the biggest mistake when doing a season, is not getting enough time on snow, and it happens more than you’d think. There are heaps of ski season jobs to choose from, but it comes down to picking the one that’s going to maximise your time on snow.
No one is envious of the guy that spent all his money on accommodation and new ski gear. Only to find himself working overtime in a kitchen, missing out on the 30cms of fresh that his mates have been shredding all week.
Everyone is envious of the chick that gets to enjoy the epic snow everyday… whilst making ends meet. She travelled thousands of miles to one of the most stunning places in the world with insane vertical and has picked the job that allows her to make the most of it.
2. Planning for just one season
Many seasonaires make the mistake of booking their flight home heading back to reality earlier than they should. There are plenty of places to travel to after the season and even other resorts around the world calling your name. Many travel overseas thinking that they will only do one season and head back home…. But often the snow calls and you won't be ready to head back just yet.
Your new mates will be travelling to exotic places like the Philippines and FOMO will kick in. If you’re not planning your back-to-back season in the southern hemisphere by chasing your Japan Ski Season with an NZ ski season, you’ll be making the most of that hard-earned working holiday visa and sticking around for the summer.
There are so many epic travelling opportunities to be had during the off-season, from hiking mind-bending peaks in the Canadian Rockies, chilling in truly natural hot springs in New Zealand (that only smell a little bit like rotten eggs), or experiencing Japanese culture and ultramodern cities like Tokyo.
Learn from others mistakes and don’t assume that you’ll want to go home straight after the season. Travelling is addictive and once you’ve visited one country there’s 194 more to see.
Where can instructing take you?
Ski instructing is not for everyone but after training instructors for over ten years, we have realised that it’s a great way to make the most of a ski season while travelling the world.
It’s true what they say if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life. Not every day involves shredding pow with your mates but you get to be out on the mountain, riding the first chair, shredding with likeminded people and training in between lessons, all while earning an epic goggle tan.
With resorts offering unreal reciprocals (free or heavily discounted lift passes) your days off take on a whole new meaning, set off on an epic road trip with your mates to chase the best snow, compare the parks, or sample the après scene!
Your job involves inspiring the next generation of Olympians (you never know), putting smiles on kids faces, learning from the most experienced instructors in the world and encouraging others to step out of their comfort zone.
Here at EA Ski & Snowboard Training, we help adventure travel enthusiasts and ski season addicts secure their guaranteed job offer as a ski or snowboard instructor. If you want to read more about how Jock made the most of his winter season in Japan, check out his story here.
