Whistler

For just over 2 months now, I've been in the Whistler ski resort. The town is located about 1 1/2 hours north of Vancouver. Whistler Village is located at the base of the mountain. It consists of many small shops of well-known brands as well as large hotels and restaurants. The jobs of the people here are all directly related to tourism. The settlement of this area is directly linked to the opening of the ski resort, which is a significant difference from the Alps. There are no small cottages and agriculture here.

 When people come to Whistler, they usually bring a lot of money. The daily ski pass is currently $200 (€130). In addition, there are costs for accommodation, meals, and ski equipment. During the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, most of the disciplines were held here. By chance, I was able to ride down the Olympic bobsleigh track as a brakeman with a professional bobsledder. That was very exciting. Especially the G-forces in the curves were tough.

At first, winter took a while to arrive. Even at the end of December, there was very little snow here. To open the mountain for skiers, large amounts of snow were produced. In the valley, it was green, so I could still do some hiking and explore the area. Here, too, there are beautiful lakes and large forests, as well as the panoramic view of the Rocky Mountains. Now, it snows almost every day. The climate is heavily influenced by the Pacific, which is why it doesn't get too cold in winter. Further inland, it can quickly drop to -40 degrees. Here, it is often between 0 and -15 degrees.

The ski resort consists of 2 huge mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain. Together, they offer over 230 kilometers of slopes to have fun on. In the valley, they come together in the town. About halfway up, they are connected by a peak-to-peak gondola of superlatives, which rides freely over the 400-meter deep valley for three kilometers. In summer, the mountains invite you to go hiking and mountain biking.

I work for the ski resort operator. This gives me some advantages. In addition to the ski pass for the duration of the stay, we receive discounts in restaurants and shops as well as a free meal during the shift. The complete work clothing is also provided. For this, the operator has a partnership with North Face.

In addition, I live in one of the coveted apartments provided by the resort for workers. You live with four or even six people in one apartment, but you pay much less than in another accommodation. My roommates are Tom (19), Chris (23), and Jake (22). Tom is from Jersey, a small island off the coast of France (although it belongs to Great Britain). He came here directly after school for a break. Tom and Chris have finished university and are also here for a break. The majority of the workers have come for the ski season. About 70 percent come from Australia, and many others come from England. The rest is made up of Germans and other nationalities.

You can imagine the buildings like student dormitories. Our building and 6 other buildings are located directly on the mountain, so we can step out of the front door onto the slope. In total, about 800-1000 people live in these buildings. The vast majority are between 19 and 30 years old. So, if you want, you can meet new people from all over the world every day to go skiing or go out, but that can quickly become expensive. The town also offers a free library, a cinema, and a small fitness room. On Sundays, there is a stunt show (Fire and Ice) and a fireworks display. Athletes jump through a ring of fire and perform wild tricks.

I work for Base Area Operations. We shovel snow, vacuum, clean, regulate parking lots, and help wherever help is needed. It doesn't sound particularly exciting, but it serves its purpose and is by no means overwhelming. I work 4 nights a week, from 11 am to 8 pm. The advantage of this is that I can go skiing for a few hours every day. I have the remaining three days off.

It was very busy here during Christmas. However, it felt a bit strange for me not to be at home for the first time. The town is decorated with thousands of lights and looks magical, especially at night. Alina visited over Christmas and into the New Year, which made me very happy. Unfortunately, I couldn't take vacation during Christmas. However, in the new year, I was able to take a short break in Victoria on Vancouver Island and in Vancouver. Especially the island is highly recommended.

In the ski resort, I try to work a lot to save money for further travels and of course, to spend a lot of time on the slopes. For the first two months, I bought a snowboard and am trying to get some skis for some variety. I will most likely stay here until the end of March and then head east. If enough money is left, I will probably get a car ;)...