Meet Makenzie, the on-the-road ski instructor
When Makenzie reached adulthood, the Bristish city girl knew one things or two: she didn’t want a “normal” job, she loved travelling, and she had a passion for skiing.
However, she also knew that ski instructor exams were crazy expensive, so before she could figure out what to do with her life, she decided to work for the winter season as a nanny in St Anton, an Austrian village in the Tyrolean Alps Austria.
“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Right after she arrived, she met an amazing group of ski instructors who quickly became her friends (one of them even turned out to become her boyfriend). Naturally, they knew all the tips and tricks and explained her how best to get her ski instructor licence.
One year later, she did her level 1 exam in Austria, all in German - which by her own account was pretty intense, but she made it through! Makenzie initially stayed in St Anton for three seasons, and travelled throughout South America and other places during the summer break.
But once she had passed all of her exams, she decided to accomplish her true dream: traveling full time! And since she loves the snow, she now goes for back to back winters and skies all year long (thank you Planet Earth for having two hemispheres!) across the world, visiting countries in-between.
Sounds amazing. But how did she get there?
No successful person will tell you that dreams come easy, but if you are willing to put in the work and have a positive mind, you usually achieve your goals.
Thanks to the money she made nannying and to her friends’ advice, Makenzie joined the OSSV (Vienna Ski Association) and managed to pass her first level exam. She then made money from teaching and earned enough to travel and take on her next levels - again, which came at a hefty price since each course cost her around €1500 euros and she once failed her level 3. But now that she’s achieved all three levels, she makes up to €35 an hour + tips (her boyfriend once received $800!) and gets to live from her passion.
That takes her to wonderful locations, never-ending powder-buzz as well as the occasional -25°C ski lessons which makes you question your entire life choices…for five minutes, before riding the slopes again!
What’s next?
A life of passion, freedom and adventure is never unidimensional. Now that Makenzie has accomplished her dream of traveling and skiing, she is competing in the Freeride World Qualifier competitions, with the hope to make it to the Freeride World Tour someday!
If you’re inspired by Makenzie’s incredible energy and true love for nature and sports, follow her on Instagram and encourage her!