Claire & Ryan, Banff 4 Week Instructor Alumni
Andrew: Where are you now and what are you doing?
Ryan: I am now living in Queenstown New Zealand working at Coronet Peak in the Race and Events department.
Claire: Treble Cone, Wanaka, New Zealand
A: How is life chasing the endless winters?
C: I love skiing, the fact I do it all year round is awesome! While many dream of the return of summer I'm hoping winter never ends! I do not miss the Scottish summer and for the best part of 5 years I have tried to chase snow around the world or been studying. I am definitely going to make sure I schedule a summer climate soon just to warm up the bones for my next winter adventure!
R: Life chasing the endless winters is strange to adjust to at first but it is awesome! Especially seeing the difference in skiing from Canada, Scotland and New Zealand, but everywhere has the same love for snow sports which I have as well! Winter is an amazing time of year, why not just have more of it!
A: What is the best part of life in New Zealand?
R: Life in New Zealand is great, chilled out and has an easy going vibe. Best part is meeting new people from all over who are here for the same reasons, they have caught the spirit of traveling an chasing the snow just like you.
C: Action, Adrenaline, Adventure and Scenery and to have it all on my doorstep is just awesome!
A: Did the Basecamp course in Canada help you get to where you are now?
C: I took part in the 4 week course which allowed me to gain my Level 1 CSIA. I was unable to attain a Canadian visa so I went back home to Scotland and picked up a job for winter through Crystal Ski as a Ski holiday sales advisor in which they sell Banff holidays. Having lived and skied there really boosted my job role in the company. I then went on and used my Level 1 to volunteer with DSUK on their trips in Europe and gained training for my level 1 and 2 Adaptive Instructor. After saving enough money I decided to head over to New Zealand and applied for jobs all around the country. I applied for a job in the Guest Services department as all ski instructor jobs were taken but it has actually worked out better for me. I am then able to cover all jobs throughout the company from selling tickets to scanning passes to snow-making and I am still instructing when they need me.
R: Basecamp 100% helped me to get to where I am now! The program was great, the people involved were amazing! And Canada is just out of this world! Learned so much in so little time, not just the intensive training and coaching but life skills also which have taken me to New Zealand and are going to take me further!
A: What are your goals for the rest of the Season?
R: Goals are to get my level 2 ski instructor, see and ride as much snow as I can and have as much fun as possible.
C: I am currently training for my Level 2 on the NZSIA system and constantly improving my coaching toolbox by shadowing current level 2 instructors who I work with. I am also sitting my adaptive level 1 and 2 near the end of the season which will help prepare me for Level 3 training in the next year or so as I would like to use the adaptive skiing as one of my disciplines. Also learning how to snowboard but I am just always covered in bruises!
A: What are you going to do after this winter?
R: After winter I will be staying in New Zealand and working a summer season hopefully staying in the outdoor adventure industry. Traveling and seeing as much as I can then going home to Scotland to work and save as much as possible to get myself back out to Canada to work the winter in snow sports.
C: I'm thinking of warming up a little and staying here in New Zealand for their summer on my working holiday visa to work for a sea kayaking company as a guide, just saving the dollar as I prepare to head back to Canada for 2015. I can do 2 years in Canada, 2 years in Australia and I’ll still have a years visa here in New Zealand – The Worlds My Oyster.So over the last 12 years basecamp has certified over 1800 instructors in awesome locations all over the globe. Lots of our alumni have gone on to live their dreams, getting involved in various ski industry roles in all the corners of the world. In this update we check in with our dynamic Scottish duo, Claire MacDonald and Ryan Boyle.
Want to get a head start in the industry? Check out all of our instructor training courses in Banff, Canada.
https://www.basecampgroup.com/resorts/banff-canada/resort
-Andrew
