Closing Weekend Opens Doors

Time goes by so fast! It's been a whirlwind since the last weekend at Panorama. There's been lots of leaving parties and end of season celebrations to keep me busy. Plus extra events held at the resort, and more recently my new job all this week!

Last Weekend of the Ski Season:
Last day at work! It was a super cruisey day, our job was to build and run a duel slalom race as part of the end of season activities. It closed at 1pm so people could concentrate and prepare for the slush cup starting at 2pm! Which meant we were free to enjoy the mountain. Me and Sylvie were hooked up by our boss Jason with some Fisher RC 4 racing skis from one of the demo tents. He's also sponsored by them so was pumped to let us give them a go. The difference is incredible. The amount of angulation, speed and edge grip you have.. it blew my mind. We were tearing it up! In my 'got-to-go-fast' outfit it must have looked so funny. However it felt fantastic. We even raced down the slalom course! Then, after having returned my uniform (so sad) we headed straight over to support our friends in the slush cup!

Got to have a first and last day selfie with my favourite Swiss colleague!

'GTG Fa$t' - by Invermere Thrift Store, NY 

Slush Cup? A competition to clear this big pool at the end of  small run-up filled with rubber ducks and beach balls. Hilarious! Everyone dresses up and there are 3 categories for award: crowd favourite, best costume, and biggest splash! My instructor friend took home best costume award with her massive unicorn floatie.. you'll see.. It must have been freezing! There was a big crowd, music, commentary and all round a good time. The party didn't stop there as we went to a 'kegger' at Micks. This included the following: kegs of beer, burgers and no peer pressure at all to do keg stands.
And that was just Saturday

Go Ditte! 

Sunday was less jam packed on paper but not at the time! I stayed home on the last day Pano was open to the public to Skype family and sort stuff out for my the first day of mynew job as a barista at Gerrys Gelati! A pretty little icecream/coffee shop. 1pm until close. I was excited. My family was excited. Not only would there be no unemployed phase but I would come home knowing new baking recipes pies for waffles, cookies soups and (most importantly to my dad) how to make a good coffee. It's so fun! So much to take in at first but I'm getting into it and all the staff are so cool. Plus testing out all the produce to practise my coffee making and to become a connoisseur of gelato is an integral ( and amazing ) part of my job! I know my Grandpa would be so jealous!

As soon as I finished I raced home to grab booze and headed straight for the Ski School Staff party at my supervisors house up the road. The party was well under way and everyone was in high, merry spirits. I soon caught up and arrived just in time to see my 60+ year old supervisors 'street' alternative persona, and then the director spitting bars on the mic! These guys are the best to work with. Next on the agenda was Rookie and Pro instructors of the year. A peer awarded award (English yay!) for people to vote for who they think did an awesome job this season. First was  rookies of the year... Ben the snowboarder picked up rookie because everyone knows how much he LOVES to teach on skis after getting his level 1 like me. Then snowboard rookie.. "now we had to call him to make sure he'd actually turn up in time for the awards. He's been eating icream all day.." It was ME!
I was so happy and lost for words. I love my job and for the people around me to think highly of me is an awesome feeling. I even got a free branded travel mug as a trophy! Josh then got Snowboard Pro (best mentor ever!) and Kennedy Pro Ski (he is the epitome of a ski instructor.)

Monday: the piste was open one last time for staff on Monday as well as a final appreciation BBQ. More burgers yay! It was fun but depressing to be honest. One last ride with everyone. Last being the sad part. I then cleared out my locker and loaded myself up like a mule to lug all my gear back to the Rack Shack (Zak Shack now I guess!) fortunately my season long buttering of the bus drivers came in handy. Byron took my picture and even dropped me off home. Like, right out side my house. What a legend. But that's not all, Jodh hosted a BBQ and bonfire evening at his awesome house in the woods. More burgers! It was so fun and chilled. He has so many fun toys! Air rifle target practise, golfing, slack lining, ladder ball and marshmallow roasting. But most of all I was happy to see his dog again.

Tuesday: cleaning in the am. Solid social calendar in the pm. Slack lining with Dom. Seeing my favourite german colleagues for the last time at the station pub , saying good by to Ditte and Geoff before their long road trip. All made possible by the uncontrollable draw to my smartie ice cream in the freezer. No kidding. We ate so much of that. Oh yeah! And then I went for a movie night at my friend.

Wednesday-Friday: solid work at the Cafe! Plus a load of my friends came in for breakfast before their bus the the airport to see me which was lovely.

Today: cleaning with my new housemates and then more slack lining  with Dom. I'm also having a dinner part tonight! Should be fun.

À bientôt. Xxx

A Good News Day

Today started fairly average and turned into something great. Something we can all aspire to do.

Let me elaborate. Last night was the end of season staff party featuring: a Panorama 2017 staff photo, free food and awards. The free food was top class. Roasted vegetables, tomatoe veggie pasta, creamy chicken mushroom, roast beef and assorted sweet desserts. You better believe I made the most of it! It was nice to have a get together with all my mates from work seeing as my housemates have disappeared. Started with some beer and pool in T bar, then the whole staff party, followed by more beer and pool.

Where's Zak? (Black cap, red checkered shirt)

Needless to say there were more bleary eyes than bushy tails walking round Pano the following morning. Lucky for me I had the early shift today so I cut my night short before it got messy, look at me being all responsible. Set up was a breeze - there were 3 people booked in lessons for the whole day so we were allowed to set up the bare minimum for the yard. Fences and benches around the beginner area. No additional flags or obstacles needed as we can meet the guests personally and there were no beginners anyway.

Today I was finally scheduled back as a snowboard instructor  - which meant I was expecting no lessons today. (I was right!) Therefore I could go rip around the mountain on my snowboard for once! It was amazing, I've missed it recently - what with staying in town to sort spring jobs, summer jobs and all that nonsense. Fortunately Josh my mentor was also on standby, so I had a snowboarder buddy and we headed straight for Tayton Bowl. The last few days have been bizarre for this time of year: fairly cold and plenty of precipitation. Thus, the backcountry was in tip top condition. Ankle deep, supportive but pillowy snow! What a dream to jump down Devils Drop again, making fresh tracks under the sun.

From then on it just got better! Went home early to find I got a barista job at the local cafe! I literally went there yesterday with my resume to introduce myself and my potential first shift is this Saturday! What fantastic timing as the last day of the season IS Sunday! My last day of work is Saturday so there will be no unemployed interim. Thank goodness. Can't wait how to learn how to make a good coffee.. for now I will talk the customers into enjoying it! I certainly can talk so hopefully it will work!

Not only that, but I had another interview for a summer camp counsellor position. I had a Skype interview on Tuesday which went really well with the hiring administrator Rachel from the Tim Hortons Ranch in Alberta. They host an awesome program for deprived kids aged 12-16 providing them with a summer camp experience that they would never normally be able to afford. They also sponsor them for a 5 year youth leadership program, which is what I'd be helping to facilitate. As a cabin counsellor I would look after 4-8 kids for their 10 day camp and be their constant. Engaging all the activities, creating a positive role model and relationship for them whilst at camp. It's a respected and inspiring camp and now I have started a dialogue, I have a contact within the organisation that I can reach out to in the future. Summer 2018 maybe..!

As a celebration I dug into my housemates goodies that they left. Chips for lunch and a dangerously tastey sweet and sour chicken with homemade fried rice for tea. Good stuff!

I've been getting creative recently too. My scrap book is looking good, despite the water damage from the floor of February 2016. I'm so happy to stay in this beautiful area for even longer.

Love to all my family, until next time! Xx

Less Than A Week Left Of The Season!

With only a week left in the season business has been running at a steady, slow pace. I'm so happy I went ahead with the ski qualification. Those two planks are keeping me employed!

While snowboard lesson have been slow I have been smashing my full days of ski kids. I am now king of Snowbirds! I've really been in to making up stories and creating obstacle courses for the kids to learn by and it works wonders. Seeing little happy faces and improvement in their skiing is wonderful. I even got tipped more than my hourly rate the other day which makes it even more worthwhile and (I hope) reflected my hard, good work. The last couple of days though I have had the same wacky 6 year old from England which has been heaps of fun. Babbling, happy kids are the best.

The other day I got a lift home from Josh, a good friend and snowboard mentor from my season! He showed me his house and had a beer together, it was pretty cool. He lives completely off the grid in the woods half way between Pano and Invermere and I can see why. It's so quiet and peacefulwith an amazing view. Just look! He lives in a solar powered log cabin and it's just beautiful. Look at his shaggy Newfoundland called Mocho.

Already this week I've had 2/3 of my house mates leave. By tomorrow evening it will just be me left in the Rack Shack! As another one of my good friends leave. It's going to be awfully strange. Hopefully I will pick up work in the local supermarket or even the cafe (I replied to an online ad this morning) which will keep me busy and employed until I leave Invermere and fly to Ottawa!

Love to all my family xxx huge end of season parties to come which should hold some hilarious shenanigans. Until next time!

 My kid got so excited when he saw the gondola at lunch we just had to try it, we even convinced the whole lunch time crew to come with us! Fun!

Last men standing in the Rack Shack

In other news I have 94 days on snow on my lift pass, if I want 100 I need to make ever day we have left. Time to run for the bus.. Again! 

The Little Things

Lots of nice little things keep happening to me recently. They keep brightening my day and giving me the feel good factor. Such as yesterday I found a ring of keys on the pavement when I went grocery shopping. I visited the nearest store Red Apple and asked where the best place to hand it in would be or if they could keep them. The keys seemed pretty important with x2 car keys and x3 house keys. They told me the Post Office can deal with lost and found so I immediately went over the deposit the keys.

Upon arriving at the post office and asking the desk girls about the keys an elderly gentlemen interrupts me from behind exclaiming that the keys belong to him! He was over the moon and invited me outside, he then proceeded to gift me $10 toward my groceries and chatted to me on the way their. Retired elderly german who is excited for the gold season to start and told me 'the world needs more people like you!'

Later that evening I had volunteered to work activities again with the visiting school groups. So I had to catch the last bus down the hill at 10:20pm. I always like having a chat with the bus drivers who are all nice people and we see regularly through the free shuttle service. Turns out Kass was working that evening, a kind middle aged women - who I sang happy birthday to earlier in the season when one of the other bus drivers wished her a happy birthday off hand. It may have been just me singing but she liked it. I was reminiscing about this on the ride home and decided it was about time she knew who I was. As I got up to exit the vehicle I draw in breathe to tell her, but before I can she turns around with an outstretched hand - "sorry for asking so late in the season, but what's your name?" It was such a funny conincidence we had a good chuckle about it. After an amicable little chat she said "it will be one of the few names I will remember from this season, you're such a polite young man and I wish you happy adventures." That really made my night, and left me beaming till I got home.

Otherwise the past couple of days have been ordinary(days off to tidy and sort summer antics) except Monday: worked 8am to 3pm then 6pm to 9pm with ski school and activities. Ski school was super fun as I was on snowbirds (1 hour lessons for 3-5 year olds.) I had a brother (4y/o) and sister (5y/o) combo. Both adorable and bubbly little ones who just wanted to learn how to ski - I've never had such good listeners! Apparently they had an unsuccessful day yesterday with their dad. It ended in tears. So I was their only hope! Lucky for them I was on fire that day. Excellent role playing: pancake delivery service for the dinosaurs we use in the obstacle course. Excellent obstacle course builder: proactively changing the course to test the sisters ability and trick her into using the correct technique. Excellent progress and enjoyment: so much so that the kiddies demanded extra lesson but 'only if they got Zak.' Mummy and Grandma were impressed and proud of them - they practically hired me out for the day! I had a great time and put my heart and soul into those ski lessons. It was a tincey but crushing by the absence of tips. But, I felt really great about that day.

Today I finally completed my medical form for camp. I was so freaking out about the cost - I was quoted $150! When I got there they charged me $185!! *faint* but it needed to be done. They were very nice and got all my forms filled out for me apart from the doctors signiture. For that I needed to strip down change into a gown and wait to see him! I looked like I had just escaped the insane asylum. Turns out it was super basic and the good fellow that was the doctor got them to change my fee by -100$, thank the lord. I found out I am not a stressed person (SHOCK) and have fantastic eye sight... I'm not even crazy!

Working tomorrow and into next week. Nothing big to report apart form the imminent departure of my housemates / closest friends. By this time next week it will just be me left! Now THAT will be crazy..

Level 2 snowboard crew!

Level 2 celebration!

Love to all my familly xxxx and until next time.. bye!

Smashing week CatchUp

It's super late so I'll finish the blog after work tomorrow. But what's happened?

I've only gone and passed my level 2 exam, landed my dream summer job and had a fantastic weekend at the Easy Rider event at Panorama. Participated in a snowboard slalom race and picked up a bunch of free gear at the final ceremony. All in all I've been making things happen and loving life. Back to work at 8am tomorrow - a harsh snap back to reality after a cruisey week, but you got to pay the bills!

Snowskates from an instructor stand point are awesome. The feeling and freedom of snowboarding without the bindings! Just the other day I had a naturally gifted snowboarder who was a big guy, the most challenging part for him was the range of motion to reach his feet and the strength to stand up whilst fixed to his snowboard. These potentially embarrassing situations are out of the question when you can step on and go! Note: he was a super happy funny guy who with my help found clever ways to get round the issues.

Love to all my family and miss you all heaps xxx