Canada eh?

I spent the better part of a year here back in 06/07. I went from east to west and I saw just about every season. I went snowboarding in Whistler, canoeing in Ontario, from drum circles in Montreal to the surgeon's table in Vancouver. Canada has given me mixed experiences in the past but before I made the full switch into Swedishness, I thought I'd better give it one last chance.

A combination of the US economic situation (which has meant the number of international working visas they are giving out has dropped by about 90%) and the Winter Olympics in Whistler (which has meant the number of instructors hired there dropped by over half) has made the snowboard instructor market here in Canada incredibly tight.

This means that I set my sights on other forms of employment and wound back the clock about a year and a half. After weeks of research and a series of internet interviews I landed myself a personal trainer's position at a gym in Canmore, AB. Canmore is about an hour west of Calgary and not too far from a couple of decent sized ski resorts. Approximately 30 mins from Sunshine Village and a little over an hour from Lake Louise. Most seasonal workers live in the next town over; Banff- but the lack of a decent gym and the quieter lifestyle in Canmore has made this
place my home for the time being.


The view here is amazing. I knew this before I came, having looked around at the street view on Google Maps. Actually being here, surrounded by the snow-covered peaks however.. is quite different altogether. Canmore is one of the towns along the Bow river; a stretch of land with massive peaks as far as the eye can see. Right out of the windows of my gym you can see the Three Sisters; so named as after certain snowfalls, they look like three nuns - apparently. I'm not the most religious guy in the world you know.

So far, this have been pretty good. Slowly settling in and enjoying work. I am being challenged all the time and get along well with the people I work with. Our first staff party is just over a week away. We're going to play 5-a-side ice hockey on the pond in town. Unsuccessful attempts on goal have a Jager shot penalty. Amazingly enough my boss is more excited than I am. Wish me luck.