My First Season

My guest today first arrived at Club Med Eleuthera in 1986 as a Scuba G.O. If you were a G.O. at Club Med during the '80s or '90s and his name doesn't immediately ring a bell, you'll almost certainly know him as the man behind the longest-lasting documented human-dolphin relationship in recorded history. If you were there, chances are you saw the two of them swimming and playing together. Because his story is truly one of a kind, we're splitting our conversation into many interviews. In the first, we'll dive into his Club Med experience at Eleuthera. In the second, we’ll talk about his time at Club Med Turks and Caicos, and in another interview, we'll explore his extraordinary bond with JoJo the dolphin. Joining us from California, please help me welcome the one and only, Dean Bernal!! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  

Dean and Jojo | Dean and Jojo

Mon invitée d’aujourd’hui a fait deux saisons au Club Med. Sa première saison, en 2017, était au Club Med d’Ixtapa, où elle travaillait au Mini Club et au Teen Club. Pour sa deuxième saison, elle est allée à Phuket comme responsable du Teen Club. À l'âge de 15 ans, elle a participé aux Jeux du Québec et au Championnat canadien de tennis de table, et nous allons parler de ça et de bien plus encore aujourd’hui. Originaire de Granby, veuillez accueillir Alexandra Tessier! **Le podcast My First Season a toujours été gratuit et sans publicité et peut être téléchargé sur: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora et Listen Notes. Et si vous aimez ce que vous entendez, n'hésitez pas à laisser un commentaire sur les podcasts Apple.  

My guest Steve Miller returns for part two of his interview, focusing on his impressive run of seasons: Paradise Island (Winter '88), La Caravelle (Summer '89), Punta Cana (Winter '89), Turks & Caicos (Summer 1990), Sandpiper (Winter '90), and Pontresina (Summer '91). If you enjoyed Steve's first interview, you will love part two. Steve has an incredible memory and fantastic stories to share from his time as a G.O., so sit back, relax, and enjoy the episode! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  

There are certain guests I’ve been trying to land for years, and today, I finally get to welcome one of them. My guest worked for Club Med from 1983 to 1991, starting his journey at Club Med Martinique in 1983 as a Waterski G.O. Over the years, he rose through the ranks to become Chief of Sports and even served as interim Chief of Village. I’ve already had the pleasure of hosting his daughter and his wife on the podcast, and now, it’s his turn. Please join me in welcoming the one and only, Steve Miller! This interview with Steve will be presented in two parts. In Part 1, we focus on his early Club Med journey, covering Martinique (summer ’83), Cancún (’83/84), Eleuthera (summer ’84), Sonora Bay (’84/85), Corfu Ipsos (summer ’85), Haiti (’85/86), Sandpiper (’86/87), and Turks & Caicos (summer ’88). Enjoy! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  

Thirty years ago, in a small apartment in West LA, two former Club Med G.O.s were doing what XGOs do best: connecting. John Shelley strummed his guitar while my guest sang, and in that moment, an idea was born: a place where former G.O.s could reconnect and find the people who shaped their unforgettable seasons. It was the early days of the internet, and while John never got to see that vision come to life, his idea and his spirit live on. Anyone who has experienced Club Med knows it was more than just a job. It was a family. People from every corner of the world brought together to work hard, play harder, and build lifelong friendships. But over time, that family scattered across continents, and staying connected became a challenge. Now, that original vision has finally become reality, a true home for former G.O.s, built by an XGO, where memories can be shared and friendships rediscovered. And joining me now is the person who brought that vision to life, Grant Simmons! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  

The XGO Directory is just a click away — see the link below:

XGO.directory — Club Med GO Alumni

Catch Grant's My First Season interview from June 2022 — link below:

Grant Simmons | My First Season

In this special tribute episode, we honor the life and legacy of a dear friend and unforgettable member of the Club Med family, Hansel Moss. I first met Hansel in 1996 on San Salvador Island, where his energy, spirit, and presence left an immediate impression. Like so many who crossed his path, I was lucky to call him a friend. To celebrate his life, I connected with six people who worked alongside Hansel during those incredible Club Med years. In no particular order, I had the privilege of speaking with Chris “Hammer” Keeley, Jenner Jensen, Cheez Jensen, Angie Boucher, LP Leblanc-Boucher, and Benoit Collard. Together, we share stories, laughter, and memories that capture who he truly was, both on stage and behind the scenes. This episode is more than a look back; it’s a tribute to a life that brought people together, created lasting friendships, and left a mark that won’t ever be forgotten.

My guest today is someone I met during her very first season at Club Med Cancún in May 2004. A fellow Montrealer, she was part of the waterski team and quickly made an impression. Before Club Med, she was a competitive wakeboarder and a Quebec champion. She grew up in a small lakeside town, which gave her a relatively sheltered upbringing, making her arrival at Club Med all the more eye-opening. That season brought together twenty-two nationalities working side by side, and she dove right into the diversity of cultures, ages, and lifestyles that defined the G.O. experience. She now looks back on it as both meaningful and deeply rewarding. In this interview, my guest shares a hilarious story from a night out at Dady’O’s, along with plenty of memorable moments from that unforgettable first season. After Club Med, she earned her Master’s degree from HEC Montréal and now works as an Operations Manager. Everyone, please join me in welcoming Jo Pilon! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. (Originally aired on September 6, 2021).

Please check out her Instagram and give her a follow:

Instagram

From the flying trapeze to the chemistry labs of Cambridge University, our guest today has lived a truly unique life. His history with Club Med began as a young G.M. in 1995, but by eighteen, he was center stage as a Circus G.O. at Club Med in Opio, France, in 2001. Over the next six years, he balanced world-class academics with summer seasons abroad, even meeting his future wife at Club Med Nabeul in 2003. Now a published author of three books on his aerial passion, he’s here to tell us all about his story. Please help me welcome, Alastair Pilgrim! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. 

Please visit the link below to check out Alastair's books and more information:

Welcome - Flying Trapeze Books

Our guest today is a man of many talents. Between 2000 and 2001, he served as a Tennis G.O. and DJ at Club Med Paradise Island. He holds a degree in Recreation and Leisure Management, with minors in Psychology and International Tourism, but it was a simple ad in a travel magazine that changed his life forever. Joining us all the way from Lima, Peru, by way of Dallas, Texas, let’s welcome Brady Urrunaga! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1998 to 2006. His first season was at Club Med Eleuthera as a Circus G.O. Before joining Club Med, he was a two-time provincial gymnastics champion and later played on the Turks and Caicos rugby team. He also met and married his wife at Club Med Turks and Caicos, something we’ll definitely be talking about, along with much more. This interview has been a long time coming, so it’s with great happiness that I welcome, all the way from Newfoundland, the amazing Josh Munden! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.