 Poster: A snowHead
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I am 18, about to take a gap year and I am torn between where to go for a season with my friend.. we are considering Canada or Europe.
I live in the UK, don't have much money and I am an intermediate skiier. All opinions are welcome!
thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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are you going to work or just bum about for a year?
how much do you have and do you have ski equipment already?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You mention that funds are limited so am guessing you will need to work, if you're looking at next season pretty easy to get a job in a European ski resort. A little harder in Canada but achievable.
For Canada you need a Working Holiday Visa, which costs, and if you're playing by the rules believe you need sufficient funds to support you for your first couple of months, or something like that, am a little rusty here. Canada is an amazing country with some of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and if it was me I would go for Canada for a gap year over a French mega resort any day of the week.
From a pure skiing perspective I would choose Europe unless heli skiing in BC, but a gap year is about far more than just the skiing, you have the rest of your life to ski Europe to death and back.
All the best and enjoy
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Are you old enough to drink over there? Not sure if the Canadian drinking age is over 21 like the Mercans.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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bensamccann, If U will find a work, Europe, and if U only want to bum around, Why not US? Colorado, Utah, if U not work, it make a big different how the £ is compare with Euro, US$ or Canadien$
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| adie wrote: |
You mention that funds are limited so am guessing you will need to work, if you're looking at next season pretty easy to get a job in a European ski resort. A little harder in Canada but achievable.
For Canada you need a Working Holiday Visa, which costs, and if you're playing by the rules believe you need sufficient funds to support you for your first couple of months, or something like that, am a little rusty here. Canada is an amazing country with some of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and if it was me I would go for Canada for a gap year over a French mega resort any day of the week.
From a pure skiing perspective I would choose Europe unless heli skiing in BC, but a gap year is about far more than just the skiing, you have the rest of your life to ski Europe to death and back.
All the best and enjoy |
where is you look for the jobs in eu resorts. my son mentioned he fancied giving it a go in a year or so.
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mugen, Go to the resort early, in november a knocking doors and ask,, It had work great for me, and for my daughter it also this season was Ok this way 
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| freeheelskier wrote: |
| mugen, Go to the resort early, in november a knocking doors and ask,, It had work great for me, and for my daughter it also this season was Ok this way |
thanks i'll keep that in mind. much appreciated.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
Not sure if the Canadian drinking age is over 21 like the Mercans.
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It's 21, and they DO check ID, religiously. But hell, you'll be skiing, not drinking, right?
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Acacia, Alberta is 18 and British Columbia is 19. It's not 21 anywhere in Canada.
I had my ID ready for a bartender in Banff last time I was out and the (Canadian) dude serving said 'you don't work for the government, do you?' 'er, no..' 'well what are you showing me that for' 
In saying that, I think it is the law that everyone carries some form of ID in a bar, even you oldies.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Welllllllllllll, it's a long time since I was 21. (They didn't let you drink standing up in those days)
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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i was id checked in toronto a few years ago...
was great!!! i'm mid 40's
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I would have thought speaking the language is the key. If you can speak a European Language or are willing (capable) of picking up at least one then Europe will be easier.
My daughter is hopeless with languages and hence I know will be going to Canada in 18mths time - not that she is counting and I am saving up ! Why can't she tack it on the end of the Student Loan? Even in Canada Spanish is handy as they have a lot of Mexicans visit now. Note I am talking about West Canada (Rockies) as in the East French would be handy too.
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You know it makes sense.
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Trust me you don't need to speak French to get a job in the French Alps.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| shoogly wrote: |
are you going to work or just bum about for a year?
how much do you have and do you have ski equipment already? |
I will need to work to fund the trip.. i've been looking at jobs with ski companies such as ski world.
Whats better in terms of having time on the slopes: -being a kitchen porter OR -being a chef /chalet host?
and is the general opinion that jobs are easier to get in europe yeah?.. because I have little experience in work apart from tennis coaching, which is COMPLETELY irrelevant? If only ski resorts needed tennis coaches, that'd be ideal.
thanks for all the replies!
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Poster: A snowHead
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That coaching is not irrelevant at all - you have experience of dealing with customers face to face to maximise their enjoyment of their leisure time, probably you're used to dealing with both kids and adults, at some point you must have smoothed over problems (maybe badly matched groups, people being late and screwing up the rest of the lesson for others...) which is exactly what a TO wants in their chalet staff 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you want to go to Canada to work contact BUNAC for help with a visa. It will cost you about £100 for BUNAC's services and about £250 to the Canadian Embassy for the visa IIRC. Jobs in Banff hard to find at the moment I'm told. Good luck. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Quote: |
If only ski resorts needed tennis coaches, that'd be ideal.
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I think kitzbühel have a tennisclub
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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For time of to go skiing the best job I ever had was working in a bar where my earliest start was 4:30pm
Would avoid anything kitchen related like the plague, chalet host if you can cook and get your sh** together in the morning gives you a fair bit of time on the slopes.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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