photos!

Just letting you know there are new photos.
Karl let me borrow his laptop for the afternoon.

Huzzah!

DAY OFF

So I finally got my first actual day off since February (I've been in the shop otherwise). Slept in all the way to 8:30. I taught my first lesson in German this week! Had a 6 year old German boy for 2 hours for 2 days. By the end of it we could communicate quite well but to start with there were a few odd moments. I had to keep asking other instructors to translate which was embarassing. But we managed and I think he had fun. My Esprit group for the week was actually really good - a bit annoying but overly cheerful and great skiiers. I was slightly disturbed by the fact that when asked I could lead them in the kiddie songs the snow rangers teach them...you know you've been working for Esprit for too long when...

(Just for my own sake for when I re-read this in a few years' time:)

The Tarzan Song (each line is repeated by the kids...and it has actions...)

It's a repeat after me song what is it!? (It's a repeat after you song what is it!?)
Tarzan
Was swinging on a rubber band
And Tarzan
Was hit by a frying pan
Now Tarzan has a tan
And I hope it don't peel
Like a banaaaaaana

Jane
Was cruisin' on a bullet train
And Jane
Got hit by an airplane
Now Jane has a pain
And Tarzan has a tan
And I hope it don't peel
Like a banaaaaana

Cheetah
Was groovin' to the beat-ah
And Cheetah
Got eaten by a beaver
Now Cheetah is Ryvita
And Jain has a pain
And Tarzan has a tan
And I hope it don't peel
Like a banaaaaana

Monkey
Was gettin' kinda funky
And Monkey
Got trod on by a donkey
Now Monkey ain't so funky
And Cheetah is Ryvita
And Jain has a pain
And Tarzan has a tan
And I hope it don't peel
Like a banaaaaana
Like a banaana
Like a banana
Likeabanana (with increasing speed...the kids love this...joy)

And that is what I have to sing every time on the chairlift.

Been a bit of a big week - a lot of the instructors have gone home since it's getting to the end of the season. We all went out for dinner a few nights ago for Jon and Jonas' last night and then Yandi left yesterday. There's one more big week of English school groups (like high schools) coming April 5 and I really hope I get one. It was a bit unfair to be teaching in Kinderland in German when people with awful English had a group of 16 year old English kids. Grr. Last night's shop work involved buckling, disinfecting, and shelving about 200 ski boots from those English kids. I swear the smell of bad feet follows me now.

Ciao
Amanda

moved :)

Hello all.
Just letting you know that we survived the move :) Now into the same building as we first were but a teenier apartment. Really terribly designed, but hey. We have so much empty floor space in the bedroom we could have a dance floor, and so little in the kitchen the table has to fold off the wall onto the couch. Meh.

Worked all day yesterday at the Ski Dome in rental. Spent most of the day fitting people for ski boots, in German! I'm now an expert at 'bigger', 'smaller', 'can you wiggle your toes?', etc. It was really good practice because it forced me to speak, but it was a little embarassing when I couldn't quite do it right. Nice long tiring day earned us (together) 143€ for the one day. So it was worth it.

Back to teaching today and I'm on Esprit. *sigh*. The boss apologised to Colin and I and said he tried to take us off it but the Esprit boss requested us. So at least he knows we don't love having them every week. My group is okay though - only 3 kids all between 9 and 11. So I am moving up in the world. They were on the chairlift already this morning :) Snowing heavily all day today so tomorrow should be niccce powder.

Love Maz

more children

So I was on glacier standby this morning when I was rung to say I had a 10:00 private lesson at Ski Dome II (on the glacier). Little did I know (and I found out when I turned up) that my private guests were in fact ESPRIT CHILDREN. Grr. Friday is usually a nice day of adult privates. Not only Esprit children, but one 5 year old and one 10 year old with autism and ADD (literally, not figuratively). They were sweet but a handful. And my lesson after that was 3 cheerful kids who didn't speak a word of English. Or French. Or German. Yeah, we had no Dutch instructors free. So I was in Kinderland looking like an idiot gesturing and trying to get my point across to the kids. (The parents taught me to say 'stop', 'good', and 'follow me'). The cool thing is I realised how much German I've picked up since I kept thinking of what I wanted to say in German, which was useless, but hey. I could totally have managed in Deutsch.

Moving back to the apartment in town tonight so we'll be up late tonight packing. ('Packing': picking all our shit up off the floor, actually doing the dishes...finding stuff...mmm). It'll be nice to be in a better location though.

Had my first night of work in the shop last night. Man. Being paid to work out is pretty cool, but I was so so buggered afterward. Cause of language I can't work at the counter. And I'm watching and learning how to tune skis, set bindings, etc, but can't do them independently yet, so I spent a good 3 hours running up and down stairs with boots and skis and poles. And cause Norbert the shop owner is sexist (Mathias the rental manager hired me, not him), I felt I had to prove that I can do manual labour as well as the rest of them so I did everything running and carrying as much as I could. Was fine at the time but then making it to the shower this morning was another story. At least Tom winges just as much after he works.

I got some really great feedback from my adult beginners of 2 weeks ago. Tom (Kraus, ski school manager) put them up on the wall in our meeting room and people have been congratulating me :) So hopefully I will be given adults more often now that I've proven I can do it well. (Lots of nice things under 'What seemed perfect to you?' and under 'What are your wishes?' (a bad translation of what could we improve) there was 'Shame you can't control the weather' and 'Liverpool FC to win the championship') Woohoo.

Off to buy some Red Bull to assist with the pack-a-thon tonight.
Xox.

too lazy to title

Finished the week for Esprit :) The kids were cute today and they did well down the Maiskogel. Had a bit of drama getting them on the chairs since there was a storm on the glacier today so all the ski schools moved all the kids groups to the Maiskogel, so there weren't enough adults in the queue to match to the kids. (We can't put kids on a chair alone). One of mine, Daniel, had a big stack in the race and was in a bit of shock but not actually injured, but his dad was watching and agreed to have the kid skidoo'd off the mountain rather than letting me ski him down between my legs (which is what I usually do with upset children). So my most intense and important German conversation to date was this morning getting the liftie to get a skidoo down for the kid. I did manage, but it was tough. The lifties don't speak a word of English (which is sad cause I see them every day and we recognise each other but can't really chat). My German is slowly getting better...I can watch most TV now and understand what's going on, without getting jokes or not even close to every word, but I still struggle to speak it. I can usually get my point across (if it as anything to do with skiing so it suits my vocab) but I sound like a struggling anglophone.

Going to work with Tom tonight to learn how to tune skis...woohoo. His boss (German guy) is leaving next week and Tom gets to replace him in the ski cellar...so now I can be the extra help when he needs it. Nice to be doing something new.

xox Amanda

sunshine

Today was a really gorgeous day - lots of sun and more powder. My kids were really really well behaved for once...they raised their hands to speak and even took turns leading the group. It was pretty cute. Had the afternoon off and skiied with some of the Esprit staff which was good fun. It's Sam's (Aussie instructor from Tom's ski school) birthday today so we're about to go out for dinner. Supposed to be a huge storm tomorrow on the glacier so hopefully we'll get some more fresh snow.

Jon with the big goggle tan says hi.

Later
Amanda xox

powderrrrrrr!

It's been snowing solidly for 2 days up there. Nice and soft. And powdery. So you get practically buried. Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Had a 2h private yesterday afternoon in the storm (which my guest didnt like much) and then standby this arvo after my kids YAY! Had a GREAT time in the off-piste with Tom, and at training this morning. It's great and soft and flies up into your face and chest, and nice and soft to fall in. (Yes, admittedly, even the fabulous ski instructor me still falls sometimes).

Had an annoying kid this morning whose reply to anything I suggested was 'I can't do it!' and he cried if I didn't come help him up and he was SEVEN. That's big by my standards. I stalked Tom's group this afternoon for a little while and was sooo jealous of his well-behaved BIG kids. Grr. His youngest is older than I ever get.

Been talking about coming back here next season instead of Canada. We'll do a Montreal trip in the fall-ish, but as far as working goes it's much easier on so many levels to come back to Kaprun (knowing the mountain well, knowing how the ski school works, bank accounts, phone numbers, accomodation, etc.) But no definites yet. We'll be heading to Germany in about a month's time when we run out of work.

Love always
Amanda xx

P.S. A couple new photos of my fabulous adult group from last week that they emailed me. Sorry for the lack of photos but it's my usual excuse - I can't attach USB to the comps at the free internet place.

esprit again and some rain

On Esprit 'Improvers' for the week. Hard after such a great week of adults but definitely an improvement from Spritelets. Colin and I were put in charge of Esprit organisation for the week so we could pick our own groups and leave some other poor souls on beginners and spritelets for once. Had 4 kids this morning, can already stop and snowplow turn, up on the big chairlift tomorrow! (Kinderland is up on the glacier now so they start on a rope tow already up there.) Standby this arvo but it's a yuck day (rain in the village and heavy snow and fog up top) so I'm unlikely to get booked.

south africans and some sunshine

Just had a great sunny day on the glacier with the crazy south africans. They were a bit hard on themselves - disappointed to not ski the whole way down the glacier on the second day...had to put a bit of perspective back. My sunglasses tan is back with a vengeance though.

Apparently Mona and Nino (from Germany) are visiting us in a few days. Not that either of us have the free time to be entertaining, but hey.

Off home to eat and sleep.
xx

a great week and some rain

First of all, the 'head-plant graphically caught on film' needs to be emailed to me. Please. And Mum in moguls is a difficult mental image to imagine!

I've been busybusy so havn't had the chance to post for a while. I had a really great group for the last week - adult beginners (boss gave me a well-deserved break from kids). They were all from England and went from never-skiied-before to happily skiing blue runs on the glacier at the end. They were a really great group, we got along great, and they all really improved. I will miss them when I'm back on Esprit! More adult beginners today and tomorrow - big company group (VIP by ski school standard) from South Africa who are skiing for only 2 days. Bit tricky - we've been told to take them up the glacier tomorrow, on only day 2, so we'll see what happens. They were a lot of fun and were definitely the most cheerful people I've ever seen skiing slush in the rain. I guess it's all relative. They had no fear careening down the hill (unusual for beginners) so they picked everything up pretty quickly. (And discussing the Super 14 with them felt really out of place here!)

One more week living on the Maiskogel and then back down to the village. I've actually gotten used to being up there now. But the weather keeps getting warmer - the Kinderland has moved up to the glacier and everything lower down is slowly shutting. Soon no more ski-in/ski-out for us :( Tom has been really busy in the rental cellar, but I think they really like him there since they keep calling him in.

Love always
Amanda

more kids down

It's my lunch break now and I can happily announce that I am finished with one group of kids. There were only 4 at the lesson this morning so they were more manageable. And one wrote me a really cute thank-you note!

Went to the bank this morning - I was paid 738€ for February - yay!
A very silly Austrian thing is to not stagger lunchbreaks at shops...so they all close for lunch. Hrm. Makes it very difficult to make it to the bank or post office since they aren't open on weekends either and I work all week. Was up early this morning to get to the bank.

In reply to Mum's comment: no, my ski gear isn't ideal, but I can manage. For a ski instructor's standard, my skis and boots are too old and not the right type (not to mention that most instructors have at least 3 sets of skis) , but at the moment it's not worth the expense of replacing them since I can manage with the ones I've got. If we end up working next season skiing again then I'll probably buy new skis and boots.

Either a day off tomorrow or privates :)
Love always from Österreich

mmm weather

Gorgeous and sunny today with great snow after the last few days of storms. Woo!

Last day of these kids tomorrow...thank god...
The race this morning was so much trouble, esp. since the week was bumped because of Sunday's awful weather, so they had to slalom after 3 days on skis instead of 4 and a half. Interesting, to say the least. I'll be glad to get a new lot next week (failing the even better adult privates)

That's about it for today!

SNOW :) (and awful kids)

yayitfinallysnowed!!!

We've got heaps of powder on the glacier, and a few solid inches on the Maiskogel and in the village. Fiiiiiiinally. -2 down here today as well so it should stick around.

My kids this week are an absolute nightmare. Took the morning kids up the pommer this morning and it was a distaster so back to Kinderland tomorrow. They misbehave more than any of my other groups. And my afternoon Spritelets absolutely do not want to be there. They run compete havok and even with 4 adults we struggle to control 4 kids. Esprit knows how bad they are and I get an extra staff member to help me this afternoon. Still sucks though because besides doing no skiing with them at all, it's basically just attempting to keep them content and in one place for 2 hours. They want to go home from the first 5 minutes and have no intention of skiing. They don't even want to play on the swings or the pirate ship which is my usual fallback. I have no idea what to do if they don't even want to play. They seem to enjoy crying and running away. Grr. I'm never having children.

Ich bin Schilehrer

I Am a Ski Instructor:
Anywhere you can go, I can do it in ski boots.
I feel floppy in normal shoes.
I forget that skiing is meant to be hard sometimes - it never tires me anymore.
I prefer to ski somewhere rather than walk if I can.
I know the lifties and greet them every day. They recognise me too.
When not skiing, I always end up watching skiing, talking about skiing, shopping for ski gear, or wishing I was skiing.
I feel naked in less than waterproof pants and a coat.
I know where to get the cheapest food in town.
I know my way around the mountain better than I know my way around town.
Snowboarders just aren't cool.
I'm completely accustomed to conversations that switch languages at regular intervals.


Still no snow. Meant to be -12 in the village on Wednesday. Fingers crossed everyone.

me again

Hey
It's me again, no need to worry. I'm glad that Tom finally got his butt down to the internet place, but I agree that his journalistic attempt was a bit lame.

Today we all have the day off since the crap weather has shut most of the lifts. I'm on Esprit Beginners and Spritelets again. (Ugh. Will be extra hard after a week of privates on the glacier). The lack of snow here is actually becoming a worry - it's rained for the last 2 days in the village and on the Maiskogel. Fresh snow on the glacier which is great but for us skiing down every morning it really is waterskiing. The beginners slope is going to shut in a few days so we'll move Kinderland up to the bottom of the glacier. (It's that bad...just water and mud!)

Visited the Smurf house today (Tom was there with the other instructors on their day off) and besides being disappointed that it wasn't a mushroom, I felt very out of place with my red coat.

Love always
Maz xx

break from work

hey guys...

i am alive.
i promise....

i have been working like 40 bastards the last week or 2. íts been fun, i really love constantly working... but have sadly had no time to chat to u lot.
skiing is great, pitty its so hot. was raining the whole day today.. and all the lifts were shut due to high wind... grrrrrrr
repairing skiis is definately the coolest job ever:
cool music
awesome company
free food and drink
u get paid to workout... its like the worlds best gym!
lol
neways
im at work atm chilling while there isnt much to do...
hmmmmmmm
what else can i say?... (i dont know why u lot want me to write... amanda is so much better at it..)

oh oh oh... i know
i went water skiing!!!!

well... sort of..
all the snows melting, so i was still on the piste...
still felt the same...

many thanks to susan for the crosswords...
gives us something to do in this crud weather...

i gotta go back to work...
love you all!!
tom