Joshua’s 11 month journey from booking his season as an instructor in Canada to sitting on the plane half way to the mountains.
As I sit on the plane 10 minutes after take-off, I start to recall all the emotions and practical bits that I have done to build up to this moment. For me it has been 11 months in the making, from when I first considered an instructor’s course and my first contact with Snowminds, to now being on the plane embarking on the season.
T-MINUS 11 MONTHS
The first surreal moment (one of many), end of December 2023 – I confirmed a place with Snowminds to go to Canada for the 2024/25 winter season. It was going to happen, I marked my calendar for the beginning of November 2024 and for days I wouldn’t be quiet about it! It was pure excitement I got from saying yes to a dream of mine for the past few years, I was giddy and so happy that it was going to happen. From the point on my mind would be fixated on the prospect of buying all my gear including my first pair of skis!!! Whilst skiing in France the objective was simple, find cool looking gear and dream of buying it, but also try use the time to test different skis to find a pair I would want to buy (I now have something completely different to any I tested). Over the coming months, any email I saw from Snowminds I got a rush of excitement with the thought I would find out more information about the season. I constantly spoke to my friends who had skied in Canada or who had done instructor courses just so I could keep the emotional high that I had when I booked on. I was so excited that I started specific skiing style workouts in April and I found out fast that it was rather different from my previous sport related workouts. I was intrigued by googling ski specific exercises, from following Big Picture Skiing workouts and enlisting my strength and conditioning qualified friend to write me a program. Every chance I had from my breaks in university work were spent scouring the internet for cool ski gear that I could take with me but also trying to understand some basic knowledge of ski equipment.
T-MINUS 5 MONTHS
When university ended and summer started, I realised I was another step closer to my season but that is also when I knuckled down to a job so I could have money for Canada and all the gear I was dreaming of buying (my wishlist was long!). At time the life was tedious and repetitive but I knew it would be worth the effort in the long-term. To say at the time I wished that I could turn up to Canada without working would be accurate but as I reminisce I realise that it is part of doing a ski season, now I think it was beneficial and a crucial part of the season. Throughout the summer my wishlist grew but also regressed as I bought more gear and each time I purchased something I acted like a little child, so happy that I had new gear. I found out where I was going in Canada mid-July whilst I was at work. To say I was ecstatic and would not stop smiling is probably an understatement. I was over the moon when I read those words “Your Ski School Match….Destination: Revelstoke”. Since then, whenever an opportunity presented itself I would always mention when and where I would be going on my season (to the point my family must’ve started to get annoyed!). That feeling of joy and happiness lingered as I researched and read about Revelstoke, I could not find anything negative about it! At the end of August I hosted a party for my 22nd birthday, any guesses to the theme….Skiing. I invited all my friends to dress up in Black-tie but with a ski twist and it was amazing, I think I mentioned Revelstoke or Ski season at least once every 20 minutes. Mid-September, Copenhagen, Kick-off Event. The first time I met any of my fellow Snowminders. The day I spent in at the Snowminds HQ was brilliant, first impressions – it will be one amazing season. From everyone going to Revelstoke to the Snowminds team everyone was lovely and we all shared the same passion and excitement for the season ahead! At this point I would say the 9 months has been a rollercoaster of period of excitement, coming back to earth and back. Little did I know that I would only drop back to earth once more as the excitement built and built.
T-MINUS 1 MONTH
Leaving home for nearly 6 months is no small deal. As my excitement for the season grew bigger, so did the number of “Goodbye I will see you next year”. I spent large portions of November moving about England to spend time with my friends that I would not see for 6 months, along with ensuring I had all my gear and forcing myself not to buy more (at least not till I am in Canada). T-minus 7 days, I started to pack my bags and repack nearly 4 times, ensuring I had everything. In that last week it started to hit me slowly that I was actually leaving, simultaneously my nerves increased – this was a new adventure, a new country. My last four days in England I packed full of goodbyes, from having a dinner party with friends, nibbles with my family and driving to Bristol to see my Stepdad. I think about everyone I spoke to and I realised the last words I said weren’t “goodbye” but instead they were “I will see you soon”.
At this point no other emotion other than excitement came into my head, all that I could think about would be my season and this time in a day I will be in Canada. That excitement has not dissipated, it has only grown more. The last 11 months have been a journey full of ups and very few downs. Enjoy the process, enjoy the emotions that come with it because in the end you will be where I am on the plane, with 7.5 hours till I land and all I can think is “11 months in the making and wow it is really happening, I will be there soon”.
Would you also like to become a ski instructor in Canada like Joshua? Get in touch with Snowminds today or book your spot for an unforgettable adventure here. We look forward to hear from you!