In 2017 Pernilla took her second season as a ski instructor in New Zealand. This is the second part of her blog about when one season turns into 4.
New Zealand? Where is that? Believe it or not, this was my first thought when my season was lacking towards the end in Canada. I had the craziest time and I just wasn’t ready to go back to grey and boring Denmark. I heard about New Zealand and shamefully I admit that I always just assumed it was a part of Australia (Don’t ever ask the Kiwi’s this). But oh how wrong I was.
So after having spent all my money on a road trip through Canada and the states, I booked a flight ticket to New Zealand. Suddenly I found myself in Queenstown airport, ski bag in one hand and boot bag in the other, once again absolutely terrified. If I had thought Canada was far away, I was now even further away, actually as far away from home as I could get. And yet I was excited to be a ski instructor in New Zealand. I found myself the cosiest house to live in with some other instructors and I realised that Queenstown probably is the most beautiful city in the entire world.
I started working in the ski school and realized that doing a winter season in New Zealand is completely different than anything I had ever tried before. In New Zealand, you live in houses down in the villages and you ride a staff bus every morning to go to work on the mountain. You work with some of the most dedicated and passionate instructors from all over the world, all excited to be a ski instructor in New Zealand. You eat a ridiculous amount of pies. You teach the nicest and funniest guests. You get the opportunity to add all kinds of things to your certification. Adaptive skiing, snowboarding, kids certificate, park certificate. The possibilities are endless and there are people all around you willing to help you achieve it.
When you are not working there is endless ways to spend your free time. In New Zealand, they have a lot of sunny days and therefore the Kiwi’s use most of their time outdoors. They play frisbee golf, they have bbq’s, they join Frodo wandering around the mountains, they surf, they swim, they skateboard and the list continues. One thing I figured out is that you will never ever be bored in New Zealand. I did figure out a lot of other things too.
I figured out that the people from New Zealand are called Kiwis. I figured out that their national bird is called a Kiwi and only exists in New Zealand. I figured out my first Mauri word (Kia Ora). I figured out I loved rugby. I figured out you have to be an All Blacks fan. I figured out what a Haka is. I tasted my first Hangi. I figured out how to hitchhike. I figured out how to ride the park. I figured out how to Snowboard. But most importantly I figured out that New Zealand is the most incredible place in the whole world and that I was able to do a whole season alone on the other side of the world.
Fast forward 4 months. You have hitchhiked to several resorts in New Zealand. You have seen your first rugby match. You have gotten drunk playing possum. You have done 6 new park tricks. You have not crashed on a snowboard You have met the most incredible people. You have taught more advanced lessons and gained way more knowledge on skiing. Then all of a sudden, the snow is disappearing again and your flight ticket home is once again ready on the table.
But why stop now? It was just going so well and I was having so much fun. I had met so many other instructors and all of the sudden someone mentioned Japan.
In my case, I just wasn’t ready to let go of the instructor life. So I took to the internet again and here I learned about an island called New Zealand.
If you are considering if a season in New Zealand is the right choice for you, I will send my warmest recommendations to you! No matter if you prefer to work with kids or adults, there is a way for you! You get the chance to try it all, and the ski school makes sure, that you only work with the guests, who makes you comfortable.
// Pernilla Mouritzen
There are limited places and work visas, so we recommend that you apply in good time!