J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AllyG

Amanda,
I think the cans do work, but only if you have a piece of string between them, and keep it pulled tight - obviously won't be able to do that over 3 Km :lol:

I'm sure I made one of these when I was a child - probably saw it on Blue Peter.

Ally

Paul,
In Val Thorens, Prosneige ski school give the kids a little certificate book, with the different levels written in it, and what they entail, and then they mark where your kid is at the end of the week, and they have a little ceremony for all the kids and give them their medals.

But, as an adult, I've never been given an official 'mark book' (or a medal) after completing the week with Prosneige (or ESF).

Ally

On the subject of toilets, I was amazed to see that in the newish sports and shopping centre in Val Thorens, they had those hideous squatting toilets. The last time I saw one of those was in Zambia 30 years ago, and the walls were made of mud, without a door, but in a clever snail shell design.

Maybe the idea is to improve one's muscles for ski-ing, with all that squatting.

Ally

Thanks NellyPS,
It sounds like you had a really good time,

Ally

Ise,
I was thinking more of a time period of up to 5 years. My sister was doing yacht delivery for about this length of time. The real problems start when you have kids. Children are very expensive to keep. It begins with nappies and cots, and moves on to shoes and school uniform, and then progresses to computers, holidays, and trendy new clothes and ipods etc.

I think it's totally disgraceful that the ski companies get away with treating their British employees like that. I had no idea - you are quite right, I seem to be a total ignoramus on this issue. Thanks for enlightening me.

Ally

Ise,
How do ski companies get away without paying the minimum wage in France? I thought it was an EU law, and therefore should apply equally in Britain and France.

We used to employ an agricultural student, and I used to have to work out his hours each week, make sure I was paying him the correct wage for his age (determined by the Agricultural Wages Board), spend about 10 minutes working out his N.I. and tax contributions and making a record for the tax man, and then pay him.

I agree one can't live hand to mouth, in a ski resort or anywhere else, for long, but it is a fun thing to do at certain stages in one life - either when you're young or semi-retired. And I also agree I'm unusual. I'm a very difficult person to buy presents for, because as one of my friends said, I'm not actually interested in material possessions. The kids used to give me presents like 'be good' vouchers, which I was allowed to produce whenever they were behaving badly, or tea making vouchers etc.

Ally

An instructor I was talking to when we were in Bulgaria said that in the summer a lot of them go off to the Black Sea resorts and teach windsurfing etc.

I would have thought there'd be summer work as well in France etc. at the seaside resorts.

I live close to the sea here in Wales, and in the summer there's a great shortage of seasonal workers to work as cleaners, behind the bar, waitresses etc. because we have an enormous influx of tourists during the summer staying in hotels, campsites, self-catering holiday cottages, and B&B. And of course all these workers get paid at least the minimum wage, if not a great deal more.

I guess it all depends on how much money one needs to live on. I can live on very little - but then I am tea-total, and I don't like eating out, or buying clothes etc. etc. (pretty boring person generally). But I don't know if Amanda, or anyone else, :lol: could live like me.

I know someone who gave up an extremely well paid IT job to work in a ski resort for practically nothing, except his keep, and he's very happy doing it.

And my own sister was happy for years doing yacht deliveries for practically no money.

Amanda,
I think it all depends on your priorities, and where you are at the moment in life. And as Ise says, you must have a well thought out plan. Anyway, I hope whatever you decide to do works out for you,

Ally

Eljay,
How did you make your avatar, or did you import a ready made one from somewhere? I think it's great.

Are knee injuries common with ski-ing/snowboarding? Or is it just that they are the most debilitating? Where are the threads on 'ski-ing and a bad back/shoulder/ankle etc.'? There seem to be several unfortunate people here with knee injuries.

Ally