By Paul Maughan

When I sit at my desk and close my eyes I am still able to relive my adventure. Instead of focusing on some arbitrary accounting statement, I can close my eyes and go snowboarding on deep, soft snow without a care in the world. Writing this brings back all those awesome memories and hopefully will also encourage you to call SASTS and give the USA ski resorts a chance this summer vacation.

I flew out to New York a few days after my last exam. Thanksgiving played havoc with my travel plans and after spending three expensive nights in a hostel close to Central Park, the furthest west I could get was Las Vegas.

I travelled on my own but was surprised by how easy it became to spot someone who was an equally-minded southern hemisphere student. Aussies and Kiwis were in abundance and good nights were spent at the all-you-can-eat buffets! Soft-drinks fountains, soft serve ice-cream, pastas, salads, roast beef and desserts were all liberally available and despite my best efforts I wasn’t able to last beyond the two-hour time limit.

Vegas isn’t just a big casino. It has plenty to offer by way of shows, clubs, bars and rides – quite frankly Grand West seems very tame by comparison. Another must is a helicopter ride out to the Grand Canyon that offers outstanding views.

I gradually made my way to Lake Tahoe which is where the ski resort I worked at is located. Mere words can hardley descrbe my experiences during the next three months. I experienced snow for the first time and was constantly in awe of the trees that looked as if they've all be coated with icing sugar.

I had a job as a ski lift operator which allowed me to continually interact with customers who never ran out of questions about Africa!

My manager soon appreciated the South African student (earning dollars and not rands!) work ethic and as reward he would allow me to use the snowmobile and drive the 4X4. Experiences like those are priceless and the initial fear and nervousness were soon replaced with joy.

The friends I’ve made are scattered around the globe. I have commitments to visit Down Under (to learn how to play rugby properly) and my friends in Peru, Brazil and Argentina are all keen for a reunion in the Amazon! As a group we would have employee indoor soccer games on Fridays, events at each other’s houses, and free skiing and snowboarding outings together. The work I did was obviously not the most challenging but the fact that it was with this diverse group of people, made it truly exceptional.

It was with great sadness that I left the snow and friends of Lake Tahoe. I had truly made the most of my holidays and after another year of accounting exams I’ll be going right back for more.

For more information on the Work & Ski USA programmes, check SASTS Working Adventures out on your campus in July/August, or contact SASTS at (021) 418 3794 or e-mail: info@sasts.org.za. You can also check out the SASTS website