Do’s and Don’ts when preparing for a season in Big White
(From a semi-competent English teenager)
I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to.
Ever since my older sister began planning for her gap year, two years before me, I had my heart set on becoming a ski instructor. Now, four years later, the time has nearly arrived for me to go to Big White! Before I began my instructor-journey, my mind was filled with visions of fresh powder days, having fun with other instructors, and bluebird mornings on the fresh groomers, but it turns out that preparing for ski instructing includes quite a lot more admin than I imagined. Throughout my experience pre-Canada, I have used Snowminds’ Info Pack to help me along with the steps I needed to take in order to get to Big White, but any aspiring instructor will tell you that this pack is a bit daunting, and extremely dense – it can be difficult to wade through if you don’t break it down. There are also things that I never expected I would need to do (like wearing my ski boots around the house, and while watching TV), and only through experience did I figure out what works and what doesn’t. Hopefully, through my own mistakes, and my sister’s (who went to Marmot Basin with Snowminds), this blog can help any up-and-coming instructors to navigate the treacherous sea of VISA applications, kit purchasing, and ski fitness; don’t panic! I’ve made all the mistakes in my ski season preparation, so you don’t have to.
Do: get on top of Canadian VISA requirements
Fortunately for me, my birthday is in September, which means I could put my name into the VISA ‘pool’ pretty much as soon as it opened in December. But don’t worry! It is not the end of the world if you are born later in the year; my sister’s birthday is in May, and she managed to get her VISA with no problem. The Canadian visa pool for the ‘International Experience Canada (IEC) program, which includes Working Holiday (the one you want), usually opens in December and runs until around October of the following year. In December, the IEC pools open, and applicants can create a profile to be considered for an invitation to apply. Between January to October, rounds of invitations are issued, and applicants who receive an ITA can then submit their complete work permit application. Between October/November, the pools usually close for the year, and no more invitations are issued until the next cycle. However, these timelines can vary slightly each year, so it’s handy to monitor the official Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website for any specific opening dates and deadlines. One thing I would say, is that if you leave it too late, your chances to get a Canadian VISA drop significantly, and I know a few people who left it too late and didn’t get one (they got to go to Japan instead, so I suppose this is a win-win). One easy way to keep on top of things is to put every important date into your calendar, with reminders a week or so before they are due. This makes it impossible for you to miss or forget important appointments, such as your Biometrics registration – which you will need to go to London for in the UK – or submitting any important documents. My sister didn’t read an email properly, and so didn’t realise she needed to submit her Biometrics by a certain date until a week after it had passed (she still made it though, but only after a lot of faff). Don’t be like her! Another thing I would say about VISA documents is to print them out and keep them in a physical file. This makes it way easier to keep track of things, and also makes it easier at the Canadian Border to grab anything they ask for; the more prepared you look, the less documents they ask to see, apparently. All the specific steps are in the Info Pack you get sent, and keep referring back to it throughout the whole process, but if you stay organised then it should be a walk in the park.
Don’t: forget to check your gear
I’m sure many of you, like me, grew up skiing in the alps on winter holidays, and so already have lots of kit that you assume will be fine. For things like socks, helmets, and gloves, this is probably fine, but bear in mind that Canada can get down to -35ºc, and so your jacket that keeps you warm in the Alpine Easter season might not be up to scratch. It is up to personal preference, but I opted for a waterproof shell jacket so I can layer underneath, which means that I will stay dry, but also have the chance to put on more layers if I get cold, or take some off if I’m getting too warm – also, my sister says that shell jackets are ‘way more steezy’. It is also required to have your own boots, and at least one pair of skis. I personally got my boots fitted, which means that they give my feet better support, but you don’t have to, since it can be quite expensive. If you also have fitted boots, please wear them in! The inner lining is made to be extremely snug when you first put them on, and if you leave it until you are in Canada before you try them on, then your first few weeks on the slopes will be agony. It’s much better to endure the first painful steps at home, when you don’t have to worry about training or teaching. Regarding skis, it is recommended that you have one pair for teaching (these can be beaten up, skied over, and generally child-proof), and potentially a nicer pair of all-mountain skis for your free days, when you want to chase some fresh pow. Goggles are also something to consider, as different resorts have different conditions and cloud coverage, which means that different lenses might be needed. Of course, no winter-buildup would be complete without trying on every bit of ski gear you own, then standing in front of a full-length mirror to check out your ski look. I know it looks a bit silly, but this is a good way of checking if you have everything, and if it looks cool (of course it does). It also always gets me hyped for the slopes, even if I have to take it off before I start sweating.
Do: get to know your season-buddies
One thing I’ve loved about the ski season preparation process so far is getting to know the people I’ll be with for the next 5 months. I think a ski season is the ultimate magnet that attracts people who are different, yet interested in such similar things and who aren’t afraid of having a good time. It is a daunting thing, spending such a long time away from family – this will be my first Christmas away from home – and that seems to bring together people who get along. I also got the opportunity to go to the Snowminds Kick-Off event in Copenhagen last September, and it was honestly so much fun I didn’t want to go back home. I’ll admit that I was slightly nervous when I got off the plane – especially since the only thing I know how to say in Danish is tak for kyllingen (thank you for the chicken) – but everyone there was so friendly, and I met people that I never would have had the chance to meet anywhere else, from my own resort, and from others. There was a whole day of super useful talks about Canadian culture, equipment, and more, and there were also opportunities to get together with the people going to Big White, so we all got to know each other. After that, we all got a free beer token, and went to chill out down the road in the Snowminds bar, which was a highlight of the day for me, especially since we could then talk to the people from Team Snowminds on a more informal basis, and get to know everyone a bit more. From there, I’ve had the chance to do my own digging on Instagram and Facebook, and learning more about all these super cool people makes me even more confident that this season will be great. Another way I’ve met people going on seasons is through the opportunities to become an Ambassador, which is what I’m doing now writing to you! Not only do I get to go on this amazing journey, meet amazing people, do this amazing sport, and get paid for it, but I also get to tell everyone how amazing it is! (It’s amazing). The meetings we’ve had as Ambassadors have confirmed my suspicion that they are all ‘super steezy’ as my sister would say, and so if you’re interested in getting to know the influencers of tomorrow, I highly recommend applying.
Don’t: skip warming up and training sessions
I know it’s sometimes easy to forget, because it’s so much fun, but skiing is exercise – this means that, because you’re getting paid to do it, you are going to be a professional athlete… sort of. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a single professional athlete that didn’t train before their season – a ski season is no different, so get a sweat on. From the people I’ve talked to, it’s less about cardio training (although it’s still important) and more about muscle strength, particularly in the thighs, knees, and hips. Skiing puts your body in awkward positions that it doesn’t have to be in at any other point, and this can lead to injury if you’re not careful, which would put a swift end to your ski season. Snowminds give you links to ski training programmes for free, and this helps to build up ligament flexibility as well as muscle tone and tendon strength. All this allows you to hit the ground running when it comes to training, so you won’t be exhausted by the end of your first day. Ideally, you should be able to get up, ski out to meet your lesson, teach the lesson, ski for the rest of the day, and still have energy for a round of beers after work. Honestly, I can’t think of anything better, and so putting in a little effort now will definitely pay off in the long run. Also, you don’t have to go to the gym or use any equipment to get ski-fit; it’s more about isometrics and callisthenics for the legs, which just uses body weight to train. Bonus points for anyone who does their exercises in their ski boots.
Do: keep in touch with Snowminds
It can be quite tempting sometimes to deal with a problem on your own, or to try and figure it all out on your own – maybe that’s just a British thing. What I’ve found, though, is that Snowminds are really good at answering questions and sorting things out, and you can tell that they’ve had to deal with every issue under the sun. When I received the contract for my accommodation in Big White, I had loads of questions about it, as it was the first rental lease I had ever seen. Snowminds were super understanding about this, and answered every question, which made me feel super confident. As well as putting out fires, communicating with the team is a good way of making sure everyone knows what is going on at all times; the odd check in is never a bad thing. At one point, I had an issue when paying a deposit for my season, and missed one of the deadlines, but because I stayed in contact with the Snowminds team, they knew exactly what was going on, and didn’t boot me off the course – yay!
I hope this has put any lingering worries about prepping for a ski season to rest – this is supposed to be the best time of our lives, and being anxious about admin really puts a downer on what I am sure will be the trip of a lifetime. Of course, there is no ‘right’ way to do things, but I’ve found that listening to people who have gone through it before really helps to put my mind at ease; learn from my mistakes! If you follow a few of these do’s and don’ts, then everything will be fine, and you’ll be shredding Canadian pistes and eating poutine in no time!
Do you also dream about becoming a ski instructor? Checkout our ski instructor courses in Canada or find your dream destination here. Or you can apply directly here and get ready to carve your future!
