My First Season

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1991 to 2002 (22 seasons!) and his first season was at Club Med Copper Mountain as a Ski Instructor. He worked aboard the Club Med 1 in 1994 and Club Med resorts such as Cancun, Pontresina, Punta Cana, Roi Soleil, Sonora Bay, and Sandpiper. Fun Fact: he replaced me as Chief of Sports in 2001 in my favorite place, Lindeman Island in Australia, though we sadly did not meet. He met his future wife at Club Med Sonora Bay in 1998 and has DJ’d worldwide in countries like Spain, Mexico City, Vancouver, Miami, and Berlin, in his life after Club Med. Seasoners, please help me welcome, the one and only, Eric Turner! Buckle up Seasoners, because Eric came with stories! We detail his 1998 Sonora Bay season with Hammer, and where he met his future wife. Eric got married onstage by a G.M. during the 1998/1999 Copper Mountain season and his son was born while Eric was in Club Med Sandpiper during the 1999/2000 season. Eric takes us through the Chief of Village stage that he was part of in Club Med Vittel in 2001 and he probably has one of the best travel nightmare stories you will ever hear. Trust me, you will want to listen to this story! In his life after Club Med, Eric became a Producer, live techno performer, and self-described synth nerd and we talk a little about this. I know you will love this episode with Eric so 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. 

Please check out the link below to Eric's YouTube channel and subscribe:

SURCO - YouTube

My guest today worked for Club Med from 2018 to 2022. Her first season was in Club Med Sandpiper as a Teen Club G.O. She held other positions such as Fitness, Landsports, Sailing, Circus, Events and Animation, and Sports Manager. Before Club Med, she attended the University of New Haven and earned a Sports Management and Nutrition and Dietetics degree. While at university, she was on the track and field team, competing in the Pole Vault! Fun facts: She was born in Sydney, Australia, and moved to the United States in 2001. Her name means “laughter” in Aboriginal, and she has competed in American Jiu-Jitsu and Gymnastics. Please help me welcome, the one and only, Keira Mezei! Keira’s journey to Club Med is unique. For much of her youth, Keira attended summer camp in the Poconos. She met her best friend there (who is from England) and when they both aged out of camp, they promised to meet in a different country around the world each year. Her friend came up with the idea to apply to Club Med to be able to work and travel at the same time. Keira also worked at the Club Med villages of Turks and Caicos and Sandpiper and has fond memories of her time there. Keira learned to sail in Club Med and became proficient at certain circus show acts such as Double Hammock, Lyra, Rings, and Chains. Keira is a massive bundle of energy and positivity with an infectious laugh, so 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. 

I had the pleasure of working with my guest today in beautiful Club Med Columbus Isle in 1996. He worked for Club Med from 1990 to 2000 and his first season was at Club Med Punta Cana as a Mini Club G.O. Here is something interesting: For almost six years, he worked exclusively in Club Med Punta Cana doing various jobs such as DJ, Landsports and Sailing and we will ask him how that happened! From Santo Domingo but now living in Barrie, Ontario, that’s right we now claim him as Canadian, please help me welcome, my Chippendale brother from another mother, Rafael Baez! In addition to Punta Cana, Rafael worked in the Club Med villages of Turks and Caicos, Columbus Isle, Huatulco, and Paradise Island. He has many stories from his ten years in Club Med (including many celebrity encounters) and we shared many laughs during this interview. Rafael recounts what kind of work he was doing before Club Med and how he secured his interview with Club Med with the help of a co-worker. When the conversation switches to Columbus Isle, we share our respective stories about meeting Patrick Dupond (RIP), star dancer and former director of the Paris Opera Ballet. If you were an early 90s G.O., you will love this interview. Please enjoy this episode with Rafael! **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 was kind enough to be one of my first-ever guests on this podcast on March 8, 2021 (over 3 years ago). Back then I stuck to the script, and we only covered her first season, so we are back to do it right! She worked for Club Med from 1989 to 2001 and held many positions such as Beach Team, Hostess, Mini Club, Chief of Mini and Petit Club and in 1998 she went to work in the Miami office alongside Howard McCarley as a Sports Affecteur. Fun Fact: She was the very first Female Animator in Club Med history! She is also the Administrator & Moderator of one of the biggest EXGO Facebook groups, called “Official Club Med EXGO Facebook Group” with 9k members. I can only be talking about the one and only, the pride of Canada, G.A. Robertson!! G.A. worked in Club Med villages such as Playa Blanca, St. Lucia, Sandpiper, Wengen, Cherating, and Copper Mountain, to name a few, and has great stories from all her seasons so you are in for a treat, Seasoners! G.A. details the unfortunate flooding that happened during her third season in Club Med in 1991 in Playa Blanca, but it is a must-hear story. G.A. drops many names from the past during this interview and even talks about the Club Med connection that happened with her last two current jobs. We talk about the Club Med EXGO Facebook group she founded and so much more. Please enjoy this second interview with G.A.! **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. 

If you missed G.A.'s first interview three years ago, please click on the link below:

G.A. Robertson | My First Season

Greetings, Seasoners! I am delighted to introduce the second installment of our "In Couple" series, where we delve into the captivating narratives of G.O.s or couples who have shared unforgettable seasons. In today's episode, our special guests are a genuine couple whose paths intertwined at Club Med Itaparica in Brazil in December 1990. It was her second season in Club Med and his sixth within the Club Med family. Adding an enchanting twist to their tale, he hails from the United States, while she is Brazilian. What heightens the excitement of this episode is that I had the supreme pleasure of working alongside both of them during my first season at Club Med Turks and Caicos in the summer of 1994. Without further ado, let's extend a warm and enthusiastic welcome to the exceptionally charming duo, Steve and Juca Cohn! This remarkable couple has been happily married for thirty-one years, and they graciously take us back to the inception of their romance. Steve and Juca regale us with stories ranging from their engagement in August of 1991 to their dream wedding at Club Med Punta Cana in October 1992. Steve guides us through the process of Juca obtaining her Green Card, and he shares the incredible surprise he orchestrated in January of 1997 when Juca became an American citizen while she was working at Club Med Copper Mountain and while Steve was stationed at Huatulco. To maintain the element of surprise, I won't divulge any details here, so you'll have to tune in to the interview for the full experience! Please enjoy this heartwarming journey through the decades with Steve and Juca Cohn. **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. 

To hear Steve's first interview, please see the link below:

Steve Cohn | My First Season

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1987 to 2012. His first season was a bit unusual because he went to Club Med Chamonix as a guest for two weeks but then got hired to be an Entertainer. He was also a Chief of Animation, Chief of Sports, and Chief of Village. Please help me welcome, from Belgium, but now living in Japan, the one and only, Fred Dawance! Fred is the 10^th EXCDV to appear on the podcast and I am glad to connect with him finally! Some fun facts about my guest: Fred graduated from Law School with a minor in Philosophy, he climbed the Matterhorn in 2003, he became a proficient magician (cards, comedy, and mentalism), a lifelong Beatles fan, he named his son Lennon and met Sir Paul McCartney in 2005 and after Club Med, he obtained his MBA from the University of Paris! So much of Fred’s time in Club Med is covered in this interview and some highlights are his stint as Chief of Sports aboard the Club Med 2 during the 1996/1997 season, his Chief of Village stage in the Winter of 2001, “Friday Night Fever” in Club Med Bora Bora in 2007/2008 and his many seasons in Japan. Please enjoy this episode with Fred! **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 1999 to 2003. Her first season was at Club Med Copper Mountain as a Boutique G.O. Before Club Med, she attended Arizona State University and obtained a degree in Recreation Management and Tourism. She was part of the ASU Internship Program, and that program helped her land an internship at Copper Mountain. She later became a Snowboard Instructor and worked in Crested Butte three times and one summer season in Cancun in 1999. After Club Med, she obtained a master’s degree and has been teaching for the last twenty years and is currently teaching kindergarten. From Northern California but now living in Colorado, please help me welcome, Megan Demgen! During their teenage years, Megan and her sisters were whisked away by their parents to Club Med resorts in Eleuthera, Huatulco, and Turks and Caicos. Megan shares a Y2K story from her 1999/2000 season (sitting in stairwells?) and she met her future husband that same season. She took a road trip from Club Med Copper Mountain to Crested Butte with EXGO (and MFS guest) Sammy Orodenker while listening to TV theme songs from the 80s! Megan has many more stories to share, so please 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. 

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1990 to 1992. Her first season was in Club Med Playa Blanca with CDV Andrea Livingstone, as a G.O. Nurse. She is originally from Queens, NY and now lives in the Sunshine State. She went to Club Med as a GM in Haiti and Copper Mountain in the early 70s. She then went to Club Med Cancun as a GM in 1987 and realized that Club Med employed nurses too. Two years later she got the Club Med magazine in the mail and inside was an article called, “Become a G.O.” and that’s what she did. Please help me welcome, Andrea Chassen! Before Club Med, Andrea attended the University of Buffalo and then obtained a master’s in nursing at NYU. Andrea was a Clinical Specialist at a teaching hospital in Philadelphia and had a month to put everything in order before she left for Club Med after her very positive interview. Andrea also worked at Club Med Punta Cana, Sonora Bay, and Eleuthera. Do you like Club Med nursing stories? Well, Andrea has some! Get ready for scorpion and sea urchin stings and a Chief of Village who did his own stitches! What?! If you were an early 90s G.O. you will love this episode! Please enjoy this episode with Andrea! **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 2009 to 2021. She was born in Italy, has an English Literature degree from SMU, and is currently pursuing her MBA at Bellevue University. Her first season was in Club Med Sandpiper as a Reception and Planning G.O. She held other positions such as Reception Manager and Room Division Manager. I hope you are ready for some funny and interesting stories because this guest has them! From Italy, but now living in Dallas Texas, please help me welcome, Giulia Fitzgerald! Giulia worked in the Club Med resorts of Sandpiper, Turks & Caicos, Cherating, Cervinia, and Napitia in Italy, to name a few. Giulia has a ton of interesting stories to share with us. Stories like scuba diving with Tiger sharks at Club Med Columbus Isle, a rather amusing “monkey” story from Cherating, and a wild Matterhorn ski story when she was in Cervinia, that you have to hear to believe! We engaged in some rapid-fire questions with Giulia as well as go over if she misses anything about Club Med and who she enjoyed working with. Please enjoy this episode with a very 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. 

My guest today worked for Club Med from 2015 to 2019. She started as a Tennis G.O. during her first season in Club Med Punta Cana, but she also was a waterski and Circus G.O. in later seasons. Before Club Med, she graduated from the University of Denver with a Communications and Marketing degree. After Club Med, she attended Barry University in Miami and obtained a master’s degree in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology and she now has her own business in Utah, called “Sarah Sutin Performance". Everyone, please help me welcome the amazing Sarah Sutin! Sarah went to Club Med Punta Cana as a G.M. with her mother when she was a junior in college, and then went back her senior year. Sarah interviewed in Los Angeles with roughly one hundred other people and did not wait long before she was told she was headed back to Punta Cana, this time as a G.O. From getting lost during arrivals at Punta Cana, to popping blood vessels during the Spanish Web at Turks and Caicos, to being a “towel holder” at Punta Cana foam parties, to Hurricane Irma cutting short her 2017 season at Turks, Sarah shares some of her most memorable stories with us. Sarah also worked in Club Med Cancun in 2016/2017 and helped with the opening of Club Med Miches in 2019. We talk about her life and career now in Parks City, Utah, who she enjoyed working with at Club Med, and what she misses most about Club Med. 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. 

Please check out Sarah's website below:

SARAH SUTIN (sarahsutinperformance.com)