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Gap Year Internships: Why Choose a Gap Year Ski Season.
The Benefits Of A Gap Year Ski Season
By Rik Dyson. 3 min read. 19th July 2023.
Why choose a ski internship for your gap year. We explain the pros and cons of a ski holiday vs a ski instructor course gap year.
I have spent most of my life travelling the world, going to remote and beautiful places, and working for fascinating and wealthy individuals. I never regretted not attending university. Agreed, I could be accused of having some bias within this blog, but I can offer my point of view to full effect as I understand more than most of the benefits it has provided me. I intend to imbibe some simple rules for my daughters so they can decide what is best to fulfil their lives. Starting with taking a gap year…or two.
The stigma around taking a “Gap Year” seems to be made fun of with a gentle jibe towards the middle class. Still, given enough focus and persistence, it shouldn’t be limited to individuals primarily funded by their parents. With some research and enough planning, and some hard work, anyone can achieve their goals and start their worldly adventures.
Suppose you are a complete Powder-hound or have been enjoying skiing or snowboarding on family holidays. In that case, you will likely have a natural urge to make a gap year ski season one of your bucket list items.
Anyone who has done these to some extent instantly falls in love with the activity and everything that goes along with it. Only a few sports offer such an immersive experience that it becomes a way of life similar to following the waves through endless summers or tracking other seasonal pursuits.
The seasons, generally speaking, come with an influx of work and employment possibilities. A job in these environments opens many more doors that would otherwise remain hidden or closed.
Advantages of Taking a Gap Year
Some of these benefits are:
- Skiing and Snowboarding – Get to experience the thrill of winter or summer sports – How to Work Abroad and Learn a New Skill
- Take time to explore different parts of the world
- Getting to know the locals more profoundly,
- Making memorable friendships with like-minded people or,
- Better still, a holiday romance!
- Easing the daily expenditures and
- Furthering your career whilst effectively taking a holiday
- Learning a new culture
- Learning a new language
- Gain insight into different career paths and industries
These are all significant and positive side effects of taking a Gap Year.
In comparison to just going on holiday and deferring your studies?
Compared With Just Taking A Holiday?
Apart from being completely independent unless you have family or friends in your country, your freedom is yours
Well, maybe you’d expect to:
- Have a more superficial “tourist” experience in the country of choice.
- Being out of pocket with no financial supplementation.
- No further qualifications to enhance your CV.
- You may even get idle if remaining in that place for long periods without a focus or goal.
- Overall be less independent.
- Less structure can sometimes lead to feelings of being homesick.
A Parents Point of View
Routine, such as work or study or some form of training, keeps you engaged and focused and indeed sounds preferable to just “bumming around.” as they say. Regardless of who is paying for this, you have to admit merging a work and holiday experience will allow the traveller to stay longer in the chosen paradise.
From a parent’s point of view; No one can deny the effect it has on the younger generation. We have seen it countless times; we are frequently given a quiet, shy, reserved individual, fresh out of college, with a fair amount of knowledge under his/her belt but, in reality, very little wisdom. Sure, knowledge is primarily gained through learning and gathering information but wisdom is not necessarily gained in college or school.
Wisdom is gained through life experience, self-reflection, making mistakes and learning from them, seeking diverse perspectives or guidance from role models or mentors, cultivating emotional intelligence, being humble and applying your knowledge in practical ways. Developing valuable life skills, including adaptability and resilience for when things don’t go to plan!
For me when I was 18, the world was very different, and my brother bought me a one-way ticket to Australia. (seemed odd at the time). But I had £600 to my name, had some life-changing experiences that set me off on a journey and a pathway I completely relished yet still need to finish. Fast forward 30 years to today, and I’m now 48 with two young daughters. It will be soon that I am faced with the same dilemmas that a parent faces. Taking a year off or two before going to university or after, for that matter, will give them the tools and positive life lessons that I wish to bestow upon them.
If I was sending my 18-year-old son or daughter away, I would choose a reputable company to act as a “safety umbrella” or part-time guardian whilst they are learning to tread their own path in a far-off land. Knowing they are dipping their toes in the water and being exposed to the elements of travelling, working, learning and gaining all those previously mentioned attributes far from home, is quite comforting in this day and age. For some, this drastic change can be daunting for some parents and sometimes these young intrepid explorers, so learning to walk before they can run can be a helpful and sometimes necessary step.
Sure, we offer Winter Sports experiences, but we also do Summer Sports courses & internships and look after virtually every aspect of your experience, from visas, insurance, transfers, flights, training, accommodation, meal plans and more. Don’t just trust us with your winter experience; trust us with your entire Gap Year experience. Explore our Internship Opportunities for more details. You might be pleasantly surprised.
