Although the ski bum life may come cheap, it certainly doesn't come free. I know many of you have been wondering how I've managed to support myself this far. Whether you're taking notes on how you too can be a ski bum, or just concerned that I can't afford the necessary foods to ward of the scurvy, I'm here to share my secrets!
To no one's surprise, my stint working for minimum wage housekeeping didn't last long. I upgraded to two other housekeeping jobs that [barely] pay more. Here's a summary of my work life:
Job 1: Housekeeping at a Bed and Breakfast
I work at a b&b a few times a week. When I read th advertisement suggesting it was perfect for "overqualified" ski bums, I knew I had to make the call. The entire staff is composed of ski bums from around the world, and I'm the token Canadian. Most days I do typical housekeeping tasks, and more exciting things like ice chipping, snow shovelling, and hot tub testing. I also perform quaint, old-timey tasks like hauling firewood and sweeping off porches.
After one of my first shifts at the B&B, I received a bonus of one black banana and half a loaf of expired bread! It was then I knew that this is what quality jobs are about. It's not about the money -- it's about the perks. Since then, I've received several more blackened bananas, which I resourcefully turned into banana bread. Other bonuses:
- a mostly un-eaten jar of pickles
- an entire block of unopened Safeway brand marble cheese (that was a good day)
- half an onion
- leftover chinese food (what meat is this?)
- two pounds of frozen rhubarb
- as many free used bars of soap as I want!
Job 2: Events Volunteer
This job has the best perk on the list. The perk is that I get a free season's pass to the hill, which also comes with all the staff discounts and parties. The catch is I have to work for free. One-hundred hours over the season. The work isn't steady, it comes in waves associated with big events like the Canadian Freeski Championships. The waves of work are really convienent because they allow me to work nearly full time for a week while being paid nothing at all, and therefore still remaining completely broke. Not to mention the lack of skiing that comes with all that work!
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| Hard at work carrying lunches up the chair lift! |
Job 3: Housekeeping for the Rich and Famous
Okay, so I may not be housekeeping for the famous, but I definitely am for the rich. I frequent condos on the hill, and mansions in the country. Doctors, dentists, Americans that commute from Seattle, and in general, people who make more money than I'll ever see.
Sadly, this job has yet to yield any bonuses of black bananas or partially used produce, but I have learned that most people who pay to have their houses cleaned have pretty clean houses already.
One day, while cleaning an American-owned country mansion, I overheard the lady of household enter and ask where "the cleaner" was located. Cue mini-crisis. I am not "the cleaner". I am "Rachel", the "ski bum", who is cleaning "your house" as a means to an end of supporting my "alternative lifestyle" while shirking the responsibilities normally associated with "being an adult." And then it hit me: at some point, a temporary job becomes a permanent job, and what was once "just for now" turns into your career. I certainly don't want to be a career housekeeper, which brings me to my next job:
Job 4: Internet Freelancing
You may have gathered from reading this blog that I enjoy writing. Some of you, dear readers, have told me that I write well, and that led me to see if I could make some money out of a hobby.
Enter internet freelancing. I found a website that posts jobs, that as a provider I can bid on. The client picks the provider after the bidding period is over. It's simple, albeit time-consuming, to search for jobs. There's a lot of crap out there. Here are some examples of common job postings:
- Please write a 3000 word essay on [insert college paper topic here]. I need this done in 24 hours.
- I need someone to write product reviews and post them on amazon. I will pay you $2/hour.
- Please make 200 postings in forums, all from different email addresses.
Needless to say, some of it is sketchy and/or horribly mundane. That being said, I've found some good jobs and have probably made about $500 bucks since November. Some of the things I've done:
- travel articles
- composing multiple choice tests
- internet groupon-like write ups
My latest gig has me acting as a personal matchmaker. I'm not kidding. There is a millionaire who finds managing online dating accounts much too time consuming just to weed through all the responses and find the ones he's interested in. Based on his specific criteria, I sift through the online offerings and alert him when there's a good one. Our household was quite divided on the ethical appropriateness of doing this, but I couldn't resist applying for the job, and now I just hope no one accidentally finds out I've been browsing sugardaddie.com or other sites "for the rich and attractive".
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| This is me. Sort of. |
