3rd January 2023
Here I am, two thousand three hundred metres into the air, immersed in a world of ice and snow, mountain tops and the open sky. It’s been a long time coming; the mountains have been calling for some time. I am writing this a month into my five-month stint in the mountains. Well, who am I and what am I doing here?
I’m Tom, fresh out of university and eager to make the most of the decidedly most valuable element of existence, Youth. I have always been quite an indecisive fellow, so finishing university was a confusing but exciting time. I had a lot of ideas. One of which was to work abroad, I applied for a variety of positions, from a biking tour guide on a cruise ship to a rep for a ski season. And well, the latter prevailed. Waiting to get on the flight out here was a test of patience, but soon enough, I was making the short trip across the channel. Landing in Geneva, which we didn’t get to see any of thanks to the winter’s early nights, we were shipped off to France, a short drive over the border, then to Chamonix, a picturesque town at the base of Mount-Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps. It was the 2nd of December, so no snow quite yet, which was frankly quite surprising. This being my first voyage to the mountains, I expected that even early in the season, I would be wading through at least ankle-deep snow; I was wrong. And yet Chamonix was a great introduction to the Alps. With a variety of restaurants, bars, and shops to get all the ski gear you could dream of before heading up the mountains. Chamonix is a resort town but also a working town that’s open year-round. Our stay here was short, but I managed to meet a lot of amazing people, some of whom I would be living and working with for the next five months.
The time came to hop on the coaches and take the winding roads up the side of the mountains. A couple of hours later and we found ourselves in the highest ski resort in Europe and the base of the largest ski area in the world, Val Thorens. A place of drinking, eating, and hitting the pistes (French for a ski run). And everyone out here goes hard on those three elements. It's not your quaint little French Alps ski village with pine cabins and cosy fires. Val Thorens is designed to get you out on the snow on the first lifts and in the bars until four in the morning. It’s all sunglasses, designer ski jackets and shots. Which inevitably results in a non-stop lifestyle, fast-paced and intense. You must be ready for it. And well, frankly, I was not.
I ended up applying for the season with the mindset of getting to the mountains, working abroad, and developing my photography. Skiing was just a by-product and not an essential. Yet being out here leads to a different conclusion. My team and friends all ski, and to get about and take these incredible pictures, you have to be able to ski at least at a decent level. Which I cannot. Regardless, there is still hope. Lessons are booked, and the intention and motivation are palpable. I’ll be sure to keep you updated. I say skiing, but I mean snowboarding for my sake, snowboarding. The appeal of snowboarding rather than skiing is the culture and the feel. I’ve been out enough to know I enjoy it, but falling enough to know I have a lot of progress to do. By culture, I mean the link snowboarding has to surfing and skating. The style, the feel, and the people. These three boarding sports are intrinsically linked.
Val Thorens is proving to be a microcosm and melting pot of cultures and people from across the globe. From the tourists just here for a week, to the seasonaires like myself who are here for the long haul. This is proving to be an invaluable experience, mixing with people from all backgrounds and countries. Making friends with the types of people who you would never think to meet, never mind get to know. Experiencing this can be for the vast majority the main drive for living and working abroad, and so it should be. It forces you to open your mind and understand just how wide and wonderful our beautiful planet is.
So, this is where I am, a month into the season. I hope to produce weekly blog posts, detailing and documenting my experience of living, working, and snowboarding in a foreign country for the very first time. I will cover both the positives and negatives of this lifestyle, of which there are many. Whilst my experiences are uniquely my own, there will be similarities, as you would know if you have worked abroad before and will find out if you decide to do the same. So please use my experience, but you've got to get out of here for yourself and discover your own experiences. My intention and the direction of this blog is to inform those who are in the position I once found myself. I considered and debated life and work abroad. Maybe this blog will answer the questions you inevitably will have about this, an honestly dramatic lifestyle shift. So, stay tuned and I’ll keep you informed…
10th January 2023
So, here is week two of the blog. Another eventful week has occurred. A lot of drinking and some snowboarding, and a lot of money spent is the theme of this post. I have begun to properly settle into seasonal life. A realisation I live in denial of is the fact that it does take me a while to adjust to new surroundings, even though I believe I can go anywhere and feel comfortable instantly. As shown in my previous post, this has been something I have been struggling with; the adjustment to fit into a new surrounding and immersive myself in a new community is something I now admit, I find difficult. Whilst I may not be homesick, it is simply the issue of engaging with something foreign and new, foreign in this sense being very literal. However, I think I have finally reached the point where I am comfortable in my surroundings. There have been a few decisive moments this week that have contributed to this.
The first of these factors is the realisation that FOMO (fear of missing out) is a choice. This is something that I believe almost all of us struggle with from time to time. Yet what I have discovered is that it can bring far greater joy to enjoy your own company and understand that you must simply do what makes you happy, rather than doing something to not feel left out. Another factor was the specifics of how my job was going; different elements have changed so that I am able to complete my tasks in a much more efficient manner. This may sound quite boring or even irrelevant, but it is the small things that can help with the very day-to-day. Most importantly, I have got WIFI! Finally, after a month of using data and being disconnected when that WIFI ran out, I can load a YouTube video! Or even better, a film on Netflix. To you, these elements may seem insignificant, yet for me, it has been the turning point so far in my season. Lastly, I have had snowboarding lessons, and finally, I can make a damn turn. I joined the beginner group of snowboarders because, well, funnily enough, I am a beginner. There was a small group of us, maybe 6 or 7, and we had an amazing instructor, who instilled a lot of confidence in us when really, we shouldn’t have been confident at all. Yet we all stood up, put our weight onto our front foot. I am regular, which means I put my left foot forward; I am not goofy, which means I put my right foot forward. It’s called goofy for a reason. Anyway, weight on the front foot and using the heel and toe edge, we tore down the mountain. Only kidding, we practically rolled down, but we did make it down. Most importantly, however, my confidence has increased dramatically after only six hours of lessons, which I am extremely excited about. Just got to get out there more, practice makes perfect, am I right?
Sadly, snowboarding was not all fun and games, primarily due to my losing my flat key in the snow. Just before a blizzard hit. So, I was stuck outside my flat with no way in and a meeting to go to. So, attending the work meeting in snowboard boots was a first, but it was fine. Anyway, one hundred euros later, I had another key. Don’t ask me why it was so expensive; it is what it is. Be sure, guys, to close your pockets when skiing, trust me, it might save you a hell of a lot of money. Despite this, there was another definite positive of this week, that being the huge dump of fresh powder we got. It has been desperately needed. Waking up this morning to the deepest snow I think I have ever seen was extremely elevating. It only made snowboarding that much more fun, and more importantly, less painful. The piste bashers had their work cut out for them. The runs were still, however quite uneven, but this only added texture, and for snowboarding, this simply adds to the fun. Speed checking whilst cruising down a steep blue just before you get taken out by a huge lump of snow is for sure exhilarating.
So, as I write this second post, I feel more secure in my life in the mountains, mainly because I can now get out amongst them. I no longer feel the pressure to drink and go ‘out, out’ to feel involved. This is a financial positive for sure, but also a mental one as my priorities begin to align. Life is looking up, and the good vibes are flowing for sure. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read my frankly waffling story of my time out in the mountains; it means a lot. I can’t stress enough that this is essentially a personal diary of my experiences, which I wish to share with you guys. Take it how you want. Blogs are a funny thing, maybe a dying or already dead art. Yet for me it allows me to express myself through the written word, oh and a hint of photography, don’t forget to check that out, no apologies for the shameless plug. So, I will see you next week. Stay tuned and stay frosty.
25th January 2023
First off, apologies. I have missed a week’s blog post. But I have an excuse, I was ill with the flu, and well, let’s be honest, man-flu. Almost better now, so some minuscule amount of energy has been obtained to write this post. Sadly, last week must be left to the imagination, as I can barely remember what happened, and well, that tells you all you need to know. But this week, wow, so exciting spent almost all of it in bed! This reched bug came down upon me Friday evening. It’s been doing the rounds; I had noticed a few season-airs had picked up this unwanted companion and were struggling through it. I almost certainly got it from one of them, but no names shall be named.
However, before this unfortunate turn of events, I was able to get out and do some real snowboarding, kind of. Went out one day with Harry, who is a great skier but an even better person at waiting for me to pick myself up off my arse. The visibility was horrendous, I mean, there was none. But we went up a lift that took me to the highest altitude I have ever been, 2945m above sea level, which would have provided breath-taking views, but as I said zero visibility. Either way, it was a good experience of some steeper, more difficult runs. I managed to strap on my GoPro as well, but visibility made this borderline pointless, yet interesting to see my progression at the very least. The next day was a different experience, clear skies, a bluebird day, and I was eager to get out and not to hold anyone back, so I gathered the courage to go out on my own for the first time. I stuck on some Red Hot Chilli Peppers and got out there. I decided to do the runs I had done before, with others, so that there was a lesser chance of getting lost. Got to the lift only with a singular slight fall, so not a bad start. Got on the chairlift well enough; getting off was a different story. I was out of the way of the others, but I stacked it, not too hard though, and I didn’t get in anyone’s way, so it wasn't all that bad. I managed to cruise down the run, turning like I hadn’t before. Especially after the second run I did on my own, my confidence was way up. Snowboarding and the mountain took the focus of the week; drinking took a deserved back seat. Not wanting to burn out too quickly was the motivation for this stop sale of alcohol.
Sadly, the mixture of snowboarding and poor diet and not enough sleep caught up and the flu got me. I was down bad with it; with most symptoms you could think of. My job required me to go to the medical clinic, after walking there, the clinic being on the other side of the resort, while not well at all, to only be told to return at 4:45 was not ideal. Anyway, I decided to catch the bus back later, and after a few medical tests, the doctor deduced I had the flu. I was prescribed pharmaceuticals, which didn’t do a lot. But frustratingly, because it was a private clinic, the appointment cost me 50 euros, and the pharmaceuticals were another 50, so not a cheap trip to find out what I already knew and pills that frankly did not meet expectations. Oh well, it was necessary. After a few days of stagnation and nothingness, I have returned, well 80% returned. This might sound strange, but I am glad I was ill. I’m not saying I enjoyed it; rather, it has allowed me a kind of mid-season reset. Bizarrely, it has given me a fresh perspective on how I can make the most of the rest of my time here. So, this pesky bug has proven to be a uniquely eye-opening catalyst. By today, though, I was able to sit on my balcony in the sun, with a cup of tea in just a t-shirt and trousers. Despite the temperature only being -4 degrees Celsius, we are so close to the sun, up here, well, relatively speaking, that big fireball is extremely bright and hot. So, it was lovely to finally obtain some vitamin D after being cooped up for a couple of days, which was simply divine.
As I am writing this, I am realising my writing is becoming almost overbearingly individual. I'll be sure in the following blogs to expand a little. Include aspects of the lifestyle that go beyond my singular experience. So that the purpose of this blog might be closer to being achieved. As I do not wish for this to be a place for me to simply waffle and whine. No, I want it to be a place of storytelling, might not be the most riveting or mind-bending story, but still a story. Hopefully, providing a little light on the culture and lifestyle out here. A little more outward-looking and maybe a little more critical, that would be fun, wouldn’t it?
Once again, apologies for the missed post. I'll try not to let it happen again. Also, sorry if this post doesn’t blow you away, but it’s what happened, and that’s that. Nothing too exciting, except for the flu that helps you ‘find yourself’. I promise to be a little more informative in the future. I'll be sure not to miss another week, but let’s be honest, I’m not going to make any promises. It’s a short one, but I’m short on energy, so there, no apologies for that. So, I will hopefully see you next week. Stay tuned and stay frosty.
31st January 2023
Oh, look I’m on time this week. Since my last post, honestly not much has happened, so this week I will focus on the resort and what its like to live here. However, I have managed to get back out on the slopes since being nocked down by the flu, and work was standard, so yeah not much to report. As I have previously mentioned in my writing, anyone who has or is living abroad can attest to the fact that it is not easy.
There is a plethora of elements that one must adjust to to feel a part of the community within which they reside. These elements are composed of the language of that specific place, the food, the people and in general the culture. All of which are likely to differ to some degree from that of the nation you would call home. When it comes to the specific location of a French resort. All these elements stand in contrast to those of the UK, my home nation.
First, the language, French being a commonly spoken language around the world, the nation is not generally inclined to adopt and implement the English language and rightly so. In the UK, language is usually taught as an option rather than a requirement. And due to the commonality of the English language, many of us simply presume the language to be spoken the world over. So, from my personal experience, I have come to struggle with living in a country where my native tongue is not the chosen dialect. This brings with it challenges that reside within the typicality of the everyday. Such as when ordering a black coffee, which in the UK would simply result in receiving an Americano; however, my experience has often resulted in receiving an espresso rather than a ‘black coffee’. Now, of course, this is extremely irrelevant to the everyday experience. However, it is a small example of communication and the wrongful assumption that the dialect of two different nations is interchangeable. Another simpler example is dealing with allergies, as I have them, I must check the back of products so that I can be sure that the item does not contain the ingredients to which I am allergic. Yes, I know it’s a hard life. My point is not to say that it is anyone’s fault that there is an issue with communication. Rather, it is an issue that travellers must be aware of when leaving the comfort of home. There are elements which are unfamiliar and take some time to grasp.
Another example of this unfamiliarity is the cuisine. Whilst still being Western European, French food does differ from that of the UK quite a bit. Cheese and pastry play a major role on the menus. There are traditional dishes such as fondue and raclette. However, due to the nature of a resort and its intended design, it is designed to cater to a wide range of nationalities. What’s on offer focuses on foods which are consumed internationally, such as pizzas and burgers. However, even these simple foods are inherently different due to the differences in food laws and expectations. Everything will taste different from what you have become accustomed to. A standout for me is Coca-Cola, because of different sugar laws, there is a difference between the sugars used. Resulting in what is such a universal brand, having a slightly different taste. Once again, however, I can’t stress enough that this is from my own experience, and whilst these elements do have a slight effect on my experience of living abroad. They do not in the slightest make me regret choosing to move here. These elements are simply factors that you must attempt to adjust to to feel some sort of comfort when residing in a foreign land.
Another difference I have encountered between living at home and living in a ski resort is the design and intention of such a place. Resorts are unique in their offerings. They are designed for short yet memorable experiences for those who visit. This is only intensified if there is a small population when the resort is not in season, meaning it is essentially closed. This intense need to deliver short, memorable experiences. Leads to the design of the resort being purpose-built, expensive and short-lived. This is ideal and effective for the vast majority of visitors; however, it can become taxing for those who work here and so are obviously in the resort longer than the typical length of a holiday. This is because the lifestyle becomes fast-paced to retain the same experiences for the new visitors, who arrive every week. For if this is not maintained, then the effectiveness of the resort would diminish, and fewer visitors would choose that resort as an ideal destination. So, my point is that the lifestyle is hard and fast-paced; however, it will be unforgettable if approached with an open and willing mindset.
Reading back over this post, I have just realised it lies closer to the realm of the academic rather than that of entertainment. Yet, I hope you view this post as a bit of change. I am still trying to figure out this whole writing thing and my style, so please bear with me; I am getting there. Regardless, I do hope that you enjoyed the step away from the personal approach. As I did, honestly, there are many more interesting things to write about other than myself. See, I’m not that narcissistic, I promise. Nevertheless, I will catch you next week. Stay tuned and stay frosty.
16th March 2023
Well, this has been a long time coming. I haven’t written a blog post for quite some time now. Coming up on three months since my last post. A lot has happened. Working, snowboarding, drinking, photography, and hiking have taken place since I last wrote. Plans have been made, and the future looks that much more certain, despite some looming uncertainties. Admittedly, this post is much more self-centred than the previous; I want to ramble on about myself, sorry.
So, what’s happened? To begin with, I have been accepted onto my master's, Professional Writing at Falmouth University. I am going back to where I did my undergrad. Back to the sea, back to Cornwall. I couldn’t be happier about this. I am going to be studying the written word and storytelling in one of the most picturesque places I have ever been. From the rugged moor and the turquoise seas, Cornwall holds a special place in my heart, and I often regard it as home. It's where I grew up and spent the first years of my adult life. It has left a lasting impact on me. But this doesn’t start till September, sadly, a little while away. What else has happened? Well, I have essentially climbed a mountain, at least I see it this way. It was a sunrise ski. A few of us, maybe fifteen, left the top of the resort in the wee hours of the morning, around half five. Around two and a half hours later, struggling up the steep incline in the pitch black, watched over by stars I haven’t had the pleasure of witnessing before, with a snowboard strapped to my back, we made it up the mountain. Welcomed by hands down the most incredible view of my life. Looking down into the valley, splitting apart the mountain range, most of which was laid out below us. We watched as the sun broke forth above the peaks, lighting up the horizon with a breathtaking orange glow. We spent maybe an hour atop this peak before snowboarding down. A perfect time to snowboard the piste where the lifts were yet to open, it was just us up on the mountain. I had no choice but to partake in my first black and red runs, which was a pleasure. By the end of the experience, I knew that if doing this was the only thing I took out of this season, I would be more than happy and fulfilled. It truly was a rare and incredible opportunity that made all the troubles worth it. But what else has happened? My snowboarding has slightly improved; I can now say for sure that when I leave the mountains, I am a snowboarder. Yes, still not a particularly good one, but I can for sure get about, do black, red and blue runs with a sense of confidence. That will hopefully help me get back to the mountains in the future, whenever that may be. I still don’t regret the choice to snowboard rather than ski, I simply prefer it and get more enjoyment being on one piece of wood rather than two. Finally, over the last week, we have received a decent helping of snow, powder. We have not had much this season. I have seen way too much grass. The snow has arrived late, which is disappointing. The weather is getting warmer, and it's pretty much spring. Whatever snow we do receive is bound to not stick around for long. Yet sadly, I believe this to be the nature of the future of European ski resorts. Snowfall may never be what it once was, which is frankly a scary thought. You would simply expect way more snow than what we have received so far up into the atmosphere in this part of the Alps, the highest in Europe! To be honest, this is the majority of what has happened over the last two and a half months, at least these are the key points.
Now we look to the future. I know where I will be come September, but plans for the ever-approaching summer are still to be finalised. I will be finishing my season in the coming two to three weeks and heading home. But what comes after is still a little uncertain. There is a chance, depending on dates, that I may be heading to Cape Verde, a chain of islands off the coast of Senegal, to work the summer season; this is still to be confirmed. However, if this falls through, the plan is to move to Falmouth as soon as possible, so that I can settle in, find a place to live and work. So that by the time September rolls around, I will be set to start my master's, which is bound to be challenging. Therefore, at the very least, the next few months look a little uncertain, which is fine, as there are plans, no matter how loose they may be.
I can’t say I’ll ever return to the mountains to work in the way I have over the past few months. It simply just isn’t for me. However, this is most definitely not to say that I regret the decision. I have had an incredible time, met some wonderful people, and made memories that I will never forget. I believe I have developed in a personal and professional manner, but sadly not creatively. This has confirmed to me that I truly do miss being creative and working on projects that mean a lot to me. So, I hope to focus the next few years of my life on developing creatively and truly finding my creative identity. I will miss the mountains, maybe not Val Thorens, but most definitely the mountains and the plethora of experiences they offer.
Yes, this post is self-centred, but unapologetically, this is for me, a vehicle to express myself and my experiences through the power of the written word. I hope to give one last post to this blog by the time I leave, but we shall see. No promises after the last delay. Thanks again for reading, and I will speak to you later. Stay frosty.
26th April 2023
I think it’s about time I wrap up this blog. I’ve been back in the UK for almost three weeks now, and the delay on this post does speak volumes about the relationship I have with working in the mountains. Yet I believe it is a good time to reflect and look back on the highs and lows of the season. I did cut my season short by two weeks. 1st of April was stuck in my mind as a leaving date for maybe a month before said date. I was more than ready to get back home by the time that date rolled around. Hindsight is 20/20. There were highs and lows, both were necessary in shaping my own experience. Positives being the people, surroundings and even the work. The people from all over the world for however briefly I had interacted with them taught me so much about different cultures, ways of life and backgrounds, each imprinting itself on me, whether that was small or great. I like to think of myself as a sociable introvert. Whilst I do enjoy spending time with others, socialising in many different ways, I also require time to recharge my social clock, and this is often quite frequent. The clock does run down and out rather quickly. So, my time was split between recharging and socialising; admittedly, more time was spent recharging.
My words would only succeed in underselling the unique beauty and gravitas of the surroundings. My office was in the mountains, my desk possessing a view of said mountains. Because of this, there was rarely a bad day at the ‘office’. Waking up, drawing back the currents, making myself a coffee and rolling a cigarette, then stepping out into the brisk morning air, became a daily ritual. The views greeting me in the morning glow were simply spectacular, hard to comprehend even. Often shifting weather meant that the view was ever-changing and evolving. ‘Bluebird days’ meant clear skies with the sun breaking forth over the mountains facing me; foggy mornings meant a sea-like cover over the valley below, like the softest blanket imaginable. Snowy mornings meant little to no visibility at all, yet also meant good snowboarding to come. As I said, my words cannot do this justice. It was truly unique and special to live there amongst the mountains.
Working in the mountains was unlike working anywhere else, truly unique. The workload itself was manageable, and enough responsibilities were afforded to me so that I felt useful and important to the operation as a whole. Nothing intense, but the hours were irregular, and I know I benefit from a strict routine. My job was rewarding in its way; we had a good team, and I believe the experience will help me with my future career endeavours.
Yet sadly, these positives did little to overcome the fact that the very nature of the seasonal lifestyle is not for me. I can completely understand and empathise with those who wish to pursue a career in the world of seasonal work, and I respect this. But personally, the irregularity and fast-paced intensity were simply not for me. From living in a small town in Cornwall for the previous three years, I have realised with a reasonably high level of certainty that a relaxed, slower pace of life is for me. I still want to travel and understand the wider world more intimately, but I wish to do this where I have a base I can retreat to when I need to recharge my social batteries. I have also come to realise that the big moments in life do not mean anything if you can’t enjoy the little things in between. They each mean nothing without one another. Frankly, I didn’t enjoy the little things of my life out there, nothing really specific, but more general, yet I enjoyed the big moments, such as the sunrise ski. This has proven to me that you must enjoy all aspects of life, big or small, good or bad; they each cannot be enjoyed or learnt from on their own; they must each have the accompanying experiences so that you can truly appreciate life as a whole.
Despite this, I do not regret the experience in the slightest; I have learnt from it and grown in my way. Regardless, this blog has morphed into more of a diary of my time in the mountains. I’m ok with that, it means I can return to it and relive the experience whenever I choose. It has also helped me to process the experience, allowing it to really settle in and not be forgotten so easily. Yet here we are at the end; I do appreciate anyone who has read this little ‘diary’ of mine. I wouldn’t let it influence you in any way; it has all been quite personal, oh well. I have enjoyed writing it, though and let’s be honest, I’ll probably write one again soon. So maybe stay tuned for that. Either way, thank you again, and that’s me signing off.
