Episodes
Monday Sep 09, 2024
Freddy Bermingham
Monday Sep 09, 2024
Monday Sep 09, 2024
My guest today is a legend of Club Med and he worked for them from 1992 to 2006. I had the SUPREME pleasure of working with him during my first season during the summer of 1994 in Turks and Caicos (and two other villages- Columbus Isle & Cancun). He started playing hockey at 3 years old and learned to barefoot in a Speedo (a Speedo?). His first season was at the opening of Club Med Columbus Isle in 1992 as a Bar. G.O. despite never having taken a bartending course and we are going to ask him all about that and so much more. Still don’t know who I’m talking about? It is the one, the only, the man, the myth, the living legend, from Montreal, Quebec, Freddy Bermingham, AKA, "El Fuego"! Freddy’s connection to Club Med started with his cousin who was a Hostess G.O. at the opening of Club Med Cancun! Freddy worked in the Club Med resorts such as Martinique, Cancun, Playa Blanca, Phuket, Kemer, and Paradise Island, to name just a few. Freddy has so many stories that I do not want to spoil any of them by listing them here! Please enjoy this super-sized 200th episode with an enjoyable and entertaining person!! **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.
Monday Sep 09, 2024
Freddy Bermingham
Monday Sep 09, 2024
Monday Sep 09, 2024
Mon invité d'aujourd'hui est une LÉGENDE du Club Med. Il a travaillé pour le Club Med de 1992 à 2006. J'ai eu le SUPRÊME plaisir de travailler avec lui lors de ma première saison durant l'été 1994 aux Turks et Caicos (et dans deux autres villages: Columbus Isle et Cancun). Sa première saison a eu lieu à l'ouverture du Club Med Columbus Isle en 1992 en tant que G.O. Bar. Nous allons lui poser toutes sortes de questions à ce sujet et sur bien d'autres choses encore. Vous ne savez toujours pas de qui je parle? C'est le seul, l'unique, l'homme, le mythe, la légende vivante, de Montréal, Freddy Bermingham, AKA, El Fuego! Le lien de Freddy avec le Club Med a commencé avec sa cousine qui était hôtesse G.O. lors de l'ouverture du Club Med Cancun. Freddy a travaillé dans les villages du Club Med telles que la Martinique, Cancun, Playa Blanca, Phuket, Kemer et Paradise Island, pour n'en citer que quelques-un. Il a tellement d'histoires à raconter que je ne veux pas en gâcher une seule! Appréciez cet épisode de grande envergure avec une personne très amusante et divertissante! **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.
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Lisa J. Pilot Cote
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Today’s guest worked for Club Med from 1987 to 1991. Her first season was in Club Med Copper Mountain as a Kids Club G.O. and she became a Circus G.O. in subsequent seasons. Fun Fact: At the time in the late 80s, she was only the 4th female Circus G.O. in the history of Club Med! She met her future husband Stephan Cote, who was on this podcast, at Club Med Punta Cana in 1987, and now we will get her perspective on that meeting. She has a lot of entertaining stories, so I hope you are ready Seasoners! Please help me welcome, Lisa J Pilot Cote! Lisa worked at Copper Mountain (3X), Punta Cana, Eleuthera, St. Lucia, Playa Blanca, Huatulco, and Metaponto in Italy. Lisa shared some hilarious stories from her first season at Copper Mountain as a Kids Club G.O. at Kids World. Lisa had just graduated from college in 1986 when she booked a trip to Cancun to stay at the Hotel Flamingo. She saw quite a commotion and a party happening at the Club Med resort nearby in Cancun, and she was curious. She applied, and the rest is history. Lisa has many interesting stories from her time in Club Med that I know you will enjoy this 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.
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
Pirate
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
Mon invité d'aujourd'hui est une légende du Club Med. Il a travaillé pour le Club Med de 1992 à 2004. Sa première saison a été au Club Med Sonora Bay en 1992 en tant que G.O. de ski nautique. Il a travaillé partout dans la zone américaine et peut tout faire: de la voile, de la planche à voile et du ski nautique. De Montréal (Québec), veuillez m'aider à accueillir Claude "Pirate" Lacelle! Pirate a grandi à Pointe-Fortune au Québec et a couru avec la torche olympique pour les Jeux olympiques de Montréal de 1976 parce qu'il avait gagné un concours! Par la suite, il a suivi un cours de plongée à Montréal avec quelqu'un qui travaillait au Club Med et qui pensait que Pirate ferait l'affaire. Pirate s'est rendu à New York pour son entretien et a ensuite été envoyé à Sonora Bay pour sa première saison. Pirate a légèrement déformé la vérité quant à son niveau de ski nautique et a une histoire amusante à ce sujet, ainsi que beaucoup d'autres histoires intéressantes. Si vous voulez savoir comment Pirate a obtenu son surnom et quelles ont été ses nombreuses autres saisons, cet épisode est fait pour vous. **Le podcast My First Season a toujours été sans publicité et son écoute est gratuite. Il est disponible sur: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, Podchaser et Listen Notes. Et si vous aimez ce que vous entendez, veuillez laisser un commentaire sur Apple Podcasts.
Monday Aug 26, 2024
Dakota Stockley
Monday Aug 26, 2024
Monday Aug 26, 2024
My Guest today is from Vancouver, Canada and her first season was in Club Med Sandpiper in 2016 as a Baby/Petit Club G.O. She also worked in Club Med Ixtapa in 2017 and met her husband during her first season. You may recall that only a few weeks ago, her husband, Dylan Kett, was on the podcast, and now we will get her version of that encounter and who fell for whom first!! Please help me give a warm welcome to Dakota Stockley-Kett! Before Club Med, Dakota studied Early Childhood Development at Capilano University. A neighbor of Dakota’s worked for Club Med in 2005 and told her about her experience. Dakota applied twice and had a Skype interview with Club Med and was then sent to Sandpiper. We talked about what it was like meeting her future husband, their wedding at Sandpiper, Hurricane Irma in August 2017, and many other things. Please enjoy this interview with Dakota! **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.
Monday Aug 19, 2024
Mark Kelton
Monday Aug 19, 2024
Monday Aug 19, 2024
My guest today worked for Club Med from 1993 to 1997. His first season was in Club Med Copper Mountain as a Ski Instructor. He is yet another EXGO referred to me by recruiter extraordinaire, Shehime Arshad. Fun Fact: He attended the same university (for 1 year) that I work at, Concordia University, in 1992. During the summers at Club Med, he was also a Tennis and Golf G.O. He saw an ad for Club Med in a ski magazine and knew someone who had worked at Club Med who told him about it. Seasoners, please help me welcome, from Toronto, Ontario, Mark Kelton! Mark also worked in the Club Med resorts of Eleuthera (1995 & 1996), Paradise Island (1996/1997) and Turks and Caicos (1997). Mark goes into detail about each of his seasons and shares some very humorous stories that range from getting a jack-o’-lantern sunburn during his first beach season in Club Med, hockey tournaments with very competitive Russian NHL players, and being stunned by the shows that Mike Coltman put on in Eleuthera in 1996. Mark talks about the band that was put together during his first season called Los Mogles. Mark was asked to join the band because a G.O. was convinced that since Mark played the tuba, he could easily play the bass! Mark also shares a story about how Dan and Chantal (RIP) became ski instructors at Copper Mountain. The interview ends with Mark sharing a story about the Alpineglow Stube, a restaurant in Summit County, Colorado that sits atop Keystone’s North Peak, that a Brazilian G.M. took Mark and fourteen others to (robes and slippers?!). It’s a must-hear story at the end of a very entertaining interview. Please 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.
Monday Aug 12, 2024
Virginia Di Vaio
Monday Aug 12, 2024
Monday Aug 12, 2024
Today's guest brings a unique international perspective to our conversation. Born in Rome and living in cities like London, Paris, New York, Milan, and Sydney, she proudly calls Brooklyn, New York her home. Her journey into the world of hospitality began remarkably early, becoming a seasoned traveler and a Club Med enthusiast from infancy. She embarked on her first adventure to Club Med Vittel at six months old and explored numerous other Club Med destinations. Her serendipitous encounter with destiny occurred during a family vacation at Club Med Turk and Caicos when CDV Mike Clarke discovered her vocal talents during a karaoke session. This chance meeting led her to join the Club Med Artists Program the following summer. In 2017, she embarked on her first season as a Mini Club G.O. at Club Med Sandpiper, where she honed her skills and embraced the vibrant atmosphere of the resort. Please help me welcome, Virginia Di Vaio! Virginia embodies a multifaceted talent, equipped with a degree in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan, fluency in three languages, and a background in musical performance from her high school days. Today, she graciously shares insights into her formative experiences at Sandpiper. Virginia reflects on how her tenure at Club Med laid the foundation for her subsequent corporate role at Estée Lauder. During our conversation, Virginia offers poignant reflections on her camaraderie with colleagues and the aspects of Club Med life she holds dear. Join us as we delve into Virginia's fascinating journey and discover her time's lasting impact within the dynamic world of Club Med. Welcome to the My First Season family, Virginia, and thank you for sharing your story with us! **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.
Monday Aug 05, 2024
Dylan Kett
Monday Aug 05, 2024
Monday Aug 05, 2024
My guest today worked for Club Med from 2014 to 2018. His first season was in Club Med Turks & Caicos as a Lifeguard. He studied Recreation Management at Santa Fe College in Florida where he is from, and according to some G.O.s he worked with, he is considered one of the five best rappers of all time! Please help me welcome, Dylan Kett! Dylan also worked at Club Med Columbus Isle, Sandpiper, and Ixtapa in various positions as Landsports and Water Sports Supervisor. Dylan met his future wife at Sandpiper in 2016 and shares that story and many others with us. Dylan tells us who he enjoyed working with and if there is anything he misses about Club Med. And yes, we’ll find out if he is indeed one of the five best rappers in the world! Please 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.
Monday Jul 29, 2024
Jimmy Dimopoulos
Monday Jul 29, 2024
Monday Jul 29, 2024
Seasoners!! I am SO excited for today’s guest!! You may not know that I have been searching in absolute vain for the name of the person who interviewed me for Club Med in Montreal decades ago! That’s right, I have been searching for the name of my guest for many years. A chance conversation with an EXGO set me on the right path. I reached out to him, we had a lovely conversation and yes, it’s him! He worked for Club Med from 1988 to 1992 and was also a recruiter for Club Med from 1994 to 2000. His first season was at Club Med Cancun in 1984 as a Bar G.O. He has one of the BEST Club Med interview stories you will ever hear. Please help me welcome from my hometown of Montreal, Jimmy Dimopoulos! Jimmy went to Club Med Cancun as a G.M. and decided he wanted to work for them right there. Sadly, his application was rejected, but did that deter Jimmy? No way! Jimmy then decided to drive from Montreal to New York, leaving at 4:00 am, to get an interview, to prove that he was G.O. material. Jimmy also has the best G.O. roommate story you will ever hear, Seasoners!! All I can say is that it involves two Kudamundis (Mexican raccoons)! Trust me, you want to hear this hilarious story! Jimmy also worked at Club Med Haiti from 1984 to 1985 with the legendary Chief of Village, Jean-Pierre Batard. He then switched services for his season at Club Med Eleuthera in 1985 with CDV Jean-Pierre Roch, and became a Waterski G.O., with Ye as his Chief of Sports. And yes, we of course talk about my interview that Jimmy conducted in Montreal! Please enjoy this special trip down memory lane with Jimmy! **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.
Monday Jul 22, 2024
Sheera Ashely
Monday Jul 22, 2024
Monday Jul 22, 2024
My guest today worked for Club Med from 1997 to 1998 as a G.O. Nurse. She worked in both Club Med Sandpiper (her first season) and Paradise Island. Fun Fact: She went to Club Med Playa Blanca on vacation in 1997 during the season I was there, and we are not sure if we remember each other! She is from New York but now lives in Sarasota, Florida. Please help me welcome Sheera Ashley! Before Club Med, Sheera was working full-time and attending nursing school at the University of Staten Island. After her trip to Playa Blanca, she called 1-800 Club Med and flew down to Sandpiper for her interview. We cover both Sheera’s seasons in detail, and we get a look at village life from a nurse’s perspective. Sheera shares some rather humorous nursing stories and we play the rapid-fire Club Med question game. Please enjoy this episode with a very charming (and photogenic) person!! **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.