Hello,



I have a couple of questions regarding the BUNAC scheme and was wondering if you kind people who have done the scheme in the past and those who are thinking of doing it in 09 could have a chat about it.



A friend and I are planning to go for a full year sometime during feb/march 09. We are firstly wondering if anybody has advice on where would be an ideal place to start.



We hear Banff for example is very good but are very open to ideas. We would possibly look to find employment before we left the UK but are willing to go over and then find a place to work as I find it is fairly simple in some places if you are willing to work etc and are not a moron.



My friend and I would like to work in the same place and we hear some places that offer employment can also offer accommodation, this would be ideal, is this possible do you think to find employment together?



Would anybody know if it possible to say to work in a ski resort for the winter and then the same place for the summer months? We are unable to ski but thought there must be some jobs for us in the winter as we are willing to do pretty much any type of work? Is it possible to work in an area like this without ski experience?



I have loads more questions, but thought this is enough to get you started, hehe. Any info on good places to go etc to find work/accommodation and any other useful info would be appreciated.



Many thanks



Nick Jones

Please see inline for my reply

So not having ski experience isnt a problem?

Jobs all year round in Whistler?

Nope experience isnt a problem providing you arent teaching people to ski ;o) and yes there are jobs all year round.I think it's interwest who run whistler but someone else needs to confirm that one.

Hi Nick,

I went to Banff in 2005 for 6 months, from nov to may, and loved every minute of it! I still miss it three years on! Its amazing living there, waking up to the mountains every day! I worked in a hotel there, called the rimrock resort hotel, and they provide staff accom there, which is super cheap, e.g 9 dollars a day! i would definitely reccommend working in a hotel that provides accom aswell because Banff is super expensive to rent but obviously thats up to you.
You can get year round employment in Banff, and actually its the summer months that are far more busier than the winter months, so you wouldn't have to worry about not having year round employment. I was a housekeeper, and your work really depends on how busy the hotel is at that point in time, and i heard from other employees that they would work constantly in the summer, whereas in the winter, you could easily take a week off in January and they wouldn't mind!
Perhaps you could do a winter season in Banff and then travel on to Vancouver or somewhere else perhaps out east for the summer? I guess it all depends on what you want to experience really, as Canada is so diverse. But i would definitely recommend Banff!

Thanks for the info guys, sorry for slow response been at work. So how did you guys choose your destinations? Did you have employment arranged before you left the UK?

When you arrive in Canada is it best to stay in a hotel e.g for a night and set about finding work and accomodation after that?

How did you guys know where the work would be, is there like a big resort where everyone heads to?

I am concerned that if I arrive then I may not be able to find work and accomodation and that worries me.

Which airport do u fly to for Banff? and which for Whistler?


Thanks

Well I have no work arranged I have just saved alot over the past year to get me by. I would check out the hostels for accomodation Hi-Hostels are good in Canada. For Whistler you fly into Vancouver. Whistler just has work every season as does Banff it isnt really a question of if HOWEVER you normally need to be there around November to get the Winter work for the season. Accomodation can be found online.

Are you intending to go on a BUNAC flight or arrange it yourself?

I think I would prefer the BUNAC option as I feel it'd be a good starting point.

I arranged my own via Ebooker with air canada simple because it was £480 from heathrow to vancouver onto toronto to heathrow

I think I like the sounds of banff, I am saving like mad to get the cash together, thinking of taking about a grand with me. Can anybody who has been name some more advantages of banff? Where did you work? I think I like the sounds of a hotel. I know it depends on you, but is the money you earn enough to tidy you over if your not stupid with it and find cheap work accomodation? Whats the night life in Banff like compared to Whistler?

Yes - WhistlerBlackcomb is owned by Intrawest. They have a good recruitment section on their website.

http://www.intrawest.com/employment/...jobs/index.htm

Another alternative you might want to consider is Sun Peaks ski resort, in BC's interior:

http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/corpor...rtunities.aspx

Sorry for all questions, what are the main resorts in banff that BUNAC peeps go?

Banff Township, Sunshine Village, Lake Louise.
IF you want the night life aim to get work at Bannf or Sunshine (LL is just too far out).