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Advice! europeans/canadians

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polso
Posts: 201 - Karma: 6

hey ns im an 18y/o (in like a week so ill claim it) aussie and doin my last year of school and i wind up mid november, perfect time to catch the northern hemisphere season!

bassically wat im lookin to do is leg it to a resort, get a job and have a dope time for the season and possibly onwards

what i have however is a dilemma. i dont know where to go!! pretty much ruled out all USA as drinking ages are a restriction! this is the same for most of canada as i undestand but ive been lookin into some alberta resorts (banff reigon) ide love to go to europe just for the culture and all and i was guided towards austria, in the hopfgarten (near innusbruck i believe) direction but theres problems with visas, which could be overcome. what are some places i should research?! my criteria is pretty simple... legal drinking at 18, lots of pow and a percentage of the population that would understand english! tho im verywilling to learn another language

anyone done the same sorta thing? any help and/or guidence and/or advice would nearly deffinatley result in ++karma and lots and lots of respect tho i am aware i picked a bad time to put this out there!

May 24 2009 7:20AM
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Mr.Panda
Posts: 17711 - Karma: 564
idk much about the area but my gf is from the Chamonix area and she says everyone there is pretty chillax...  be worth looking into at least i think.
May 24 2009 7:37AM
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SKIDUBAIGUY
Posts: 3018 - Karma: 8
Go work at laax, although its mostly all british people their and you aussies dont like us, atleast they all speak english.
May 24 2009 10:10AM
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OhMyBosh
Posts: 5056 - Karma: 171
Chamonix has the best backcountry in Europe from what i've heard... and Val D'isere/Tignes is up there too.
I was in Val this season and it was epic. Its really touristy, but everyone there is english so you dont have to deal with the French being dicks... although you do have to deal with the British being British.... but its the best place to go if you like nightlife by far.

I was also in Kitzbuhel for a while this season. Its got a pretty reasonably sized village, and potential for some good backcountry, but i was there in April so the snow wasnt great...
May 24 2009 10:16AM
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N.O.B
Posts: 101 - Karma: 39
NORWAY
May 24 2009 10:20AM
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Abc567def
Posts: 8756 - Karma: 801
Can't beat Canada SONNNNNN, but i live in B.C so im not to much of a help for you if you are wanting to go somewhere that you can drink at 18, My suggestion is to go to whistler and get a fake id. There are almost more aussies then Canadians in Whistler
May 24 2009 12:13PM
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Download-My-Apps
Posts: 5069 - Karma: 1,017
I did a season in Banff, it was good times. Lots of Aussies to make you feel at home. Its fun but if you want to meet real Canadians and not UK and Aussies go somewhere else. But if you wanna have fun and shred its good times.
May 24 2009 12:58PM
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skeedle
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 628
i wouldn't come here next season. Olympics rememeber? You could go somewhere like Fernie, or BIg White, etc., so you are closer to the Alberta border, but also from what I have heard they tend to be more relaxed on the bar scene, and get TONS of snow.

I would normally say come to Whistler, but with the Olympics, and recession finding work is hard and its gonna be packed for two months anyways. You can always come out her for a visit  :)
May 24 2009 1:12PM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5852 - Karma: 4,531

haha Tom you were so fucked sat night.

My friend was in Big White/ Fernie area over this summer, doing the same as you.  But he had his instructor level 1, and he got his levels twos almost level threes there.  I've heard you get work in a  lot of the Tourist resorts in Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland.  But places like Chamonix and Val d'sere are hard to get work at for an outsider.  If you're looking for a ski resort job the best idea is probably look at English tourist spots even places like Montgenevre France are full of English people and get atleast level 1 instructors so you can work almost anywhere.

May 24 2009 7:37PM
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polso
Posts: 201 - Karma: 6

ELABORATE....

best park? best piste? best nightlife? best area of english speakers?

May 25 2009 1:55AM
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Download-My-Apps
Posts: 5069 - Karma: 1,017
except finding rent will be nearly impossible next season. Especially since many of the places that would normally be vacant will be gone for all of Feb.

Other than that I think whistler would be a pretty fun place to do a season during the olympics.
May 25 2009 2:01AM
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skeedle
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 628
i don't think you understand the housing situation. i mean, i have lived here my whole life and i am really fucking lucky to have a place to live and several other places to stay. i have friends who pay like $500/month to share a bed in a room with 4 other people.
and like someone else said, finding a house for feb if you don't want to sign a 1 year lease then you are screwed. the village will be packed like 100000 times during the event. my mom works for Vanoc and there isn't that many paying jobs available. last summer in the newspapers there were like 10 pages of work now this summer there is only two.
and getting a job with Whistler-Blackcomb is kinda starting to suck becuase fortress is an awful corporation and is taking everything that is fun about working for them out of it to make their budget work.
May 25 2009 2:11AM
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K2skipunk
Posts: 2837 - Karma: 111
Castle?
May 25 2009 2:28AM
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fsscott
Posts: 4684 - Karma: 114
Yea don't bother with Alberta, and truthfully if you want alchohol that badly you can get it anywhere, I'm 16 and I get some...

...of course i never drink though...
May 25 2009 2:34AM
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St.Steezy
Posts: 4228 - Karma: 20
Silverstar.. super relaxed about drinking age, like very lax..
May 25 2009 2:37AM
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Austeeze
Posts: 807 - Karma: 18
lol very true!

imo go Austria in the Arlberg region (St.Anton/Lech) especially St. Anton there are alot of Brits there, drinking age is fine, alot of the Austrians speak English well, the park is decent and the whole region has  some of the most diverse and best skiing in the world.
May 25 2009 2:42AM
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polso
Posts: 201 - Karma: 6
yea getting on the beers outside the pub isnt exactly the same as getting on the beers inside the pub
May 25 2009 7:28AM
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polso
Posts: 201 - Karma: 6

really? i had a mate who went there, hes like 23 and he said he still go asked for id

no doubt there is places that wood be lax but its more the principle of not having to worry about it! sure i could get a good fake id but ide rather just go somewhere were its not a problem

May 25 2009 7:30AM
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CFD
Posts: 1009 - Karma: 197
i did a winter in silver str when i was 17. i had a dodgy ID that i picked up from STA travel, but it worked well enough.. maybe 1 in 5 times i wouldnt get let in. they get confused with aussie IDs anyway
May 25 2009 7:44AM
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Meisi
Posts: 78 - Karma: 12
just can speak for laax. there are many ppl from new zealand, working in many different areas in and around the resort (skiinstructor, bar, allrounder, kitchen.. whatever). drinking isnt a problem here, as beer and wine is ok with 16 and spirits with 18. and its also worth to mention the partys in laax.. just check what acts have been to riders palace.. and also, its not a big deal with the herb =)
i think i dont have to say much about the park and terrain, do I? and for the pow.. its something you cant predict. last season was best i had in 24 skiing the alps. 3 seasons ago was the worst.

but  there are so may sweet spots to check out..
May 25 2009 8:16AM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084

well, the whole innsbruck region offers tons of ski resorts within something like 1,5 hours driving. a few aussies came to ischgl last year (its like 40 min away from st.anton)

+ mad nightlife

+ most people understand english

+ lots of untracked pow accessible without hiking

- not a big freeski scene

- in international terminology, only a decent park (under 20 take-offs, around 10 rails, but we have some big stuff (75+)

May 25 2009 8:29AM
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Blokkie
Posts: 331 - Karma: 30
^this, insbruck is nice.. manny plces to go from there
May 25 2009 9:06AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753

La Grave and Serre Chevalier are THE freeride resorts in the alps

things that might be interesting: Ive been to a fair amount of resorts in france and austria and i must say for freeriding, france has the most accesible powder whilst austria is more natural and you need to know where your going to find the good parts

also french resorts are more artificial, you usually have the big hotels and then you have the Discobar, and thats it, whilst resorts in austria have a richer culture, they really began as little mountain villages

while in france, some capitalist bought a piece of mountain and threw down some buildings and lifts....

May 25 2009 9:51AM
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polso
Posts: 201 - Karma: 6
yea ill deffinatley do some research on laax. how hard you reckon getting a job would be?
May 26 2009 11:29PM
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Turner.
Posts: 1987 - Karma: 11,892

Someone pointed out a while back that it's the olympics next year at whistler.
they are wise. that place is gonna be a gong show.
I would suggest heading into the interior i.e. big white, silver Star etc.  the snow there is great and lines are usually small.
also look into Kicking horse.. it's a bit of a backwater but the skiing is majestic.

Good luck.

May 26 2009 11:43PM
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polso
Posts: 201 - Karma: 6
yea i would except there all in BC and as mentioned i dont want to have deal with the underage problem.. do appreciate the input tho
May 28 2009 6:01AM
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anthony_B
Posts: 1279 - Karma: 64
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT:

For everybody who would like to go to Austria... including the thread creator. The dilemma is not Visa's; rather everybody who works in Austria must obtain an Anwaerter. I know this because I am from Austria. In order to get this certification you also must pass a German language course and test. This is to demonstrate your knowledge of the language. However, at the written exam it is possible to use a dictionary. The course usually runs 12 weeks. Fortunately, I was able to get my Anwaerter in high-school, so this isnt a problem for me.
Just a heads up...

I hope I could help

-Tony

btw here are two links if you choose to proceed in looking for work in austria:

http://www.skischool-arlberg.com/Alte.Daten/english/jobs43.html

http://www.peakleaders.com/instructor_courses/St-Anton/10

May 28 2009 8:46AM
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Steezius_Maximus
Posts: 1152 - Karma: 22
come to bromont on the ice coast

May 28 2009 8:51AM
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nickyp
Posts: 5673 - Karma: 215
having a French girlfriend CLAIM
May 28 2009 9:14AM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
to anyone that is shocked by that. its for ski instructor, not for any job in general
May 28 2009 11:45AM
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andrewmeehan
Posts: 765 - Karma: 364
Yo just move to the US and get a fake ID.

Utah has the best snow out of anywhere.
we are close to Jackson and Colorado.

So move to Utah

Check out

Westminster College
University of Utah

+lots of Australians here too
Jun 8 2009 1:04PM
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