My First Season

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1976 to 1978. His first season was in Club Med Martinique as a Snorkeling and Picnic G.O. and he later taught Yoga and Kung Fu. He was born in Montreal where he started acting at five years old and holds a black belt in Karate and a black sash in Kung Fu. Now living in California, please help me welcome Eric Levine! Eric has one of the funniest stories about...

My guest today is Jeff Schonhoff, who worked as a Ski Instructor for Club Med from 1996 to 1998. His first season was at Club Med Copper Mountain, where he worked under CDV Aureo Stern. Following that, he transitioned to Paradise Island as a Golf G.O. Jeff’s journey with Club Med began in 1993 when he visited Club Med Huatulco with his family. A friend later encouraged him to try out for a ski ins...

My Guest today worked for Club Med from 1987 to 1992 and his first season was as a Snorkeling and Picnic G.O. in Club Med Paradise Island. He worked in Club Med resorts such as Eleuthera, Sandpiper, Turks and Caicos, and Sonora Bay. When he applied for his dream job, his application was sent back to him from Club Med with the note, “Not interested”. My guest did not take this lying down and you wi...

I had the supreme pleasure of working with my guest today during an amazing season at Club Med Playa Blanca during the 1996/1997 winter season. His first season was at Club Med Paradise Island in 1995 as a Sailing G.O., and you could say his parents helped him get the job. In later seasons, he did Lighting and DJ and ended his career in Club Med in 1998 where it all started. In his life after Club...

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1994 to 1998. His first season was in Club Med Ixtapa as a Petit Club G.O. During his time in Club Med, he was also a Circus, Sailing, Windsurfing, Waterski, and Ski Instructor. He was a pole vaulter and nationally ranked springboard diver in high school, and he has a very famous cousin. From Fort Collins, Colorado but now living in Florida, please help me w...

Mon invitée aujourd'hui est Amandine Allain, qui a travaillé en tant qu'assistante aux ressources humaines pour le Club Med de 2022 à 2024. Sa première saison s'est déroulée au Club Med Turks and Caicos. Avant de rejoindre le Club Med, Amandine a étudié l'administration des affaires à HEC Montréal, l'une des meilleures écoles de commerce de la ville. Amandine est liée au Club Med depuis l'âge de q...

My guest today is Amandine Allain, who worked as an Assistant HR Manager for Club Med from 2022 to 2024. Her first season was at Club Med Turks and Caicos. Before joining Club Med, Amandine studied Business Administration at HEC Montréal, one of the top universities in the city. Amandine has been connected to Club Med since she was four years old and is fluent in English, French, and Spanish. Orig...

My guest today worked for Club Med from 2016 to 2020. His first season was in Club Med Sandpiper in 2016 as Landsports Supervisor. During his tenure at Club Med, he also held Sports and Animation Manager and Assistant CDV positions. Before Club Med, he was a Division 1 Varsity Men’s Tennis team player and Team Captain at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, where he graduated summa...

My guest worked for Club Med from 1989 to 1997. His first season was in Club Med Punta Cana as a Petit Club G.O. only twenty-four hours after finishing university with a degree in Hotel and Tourist Administration! He has spent time with legends like Diego Maradona and Jacques Cousteau, and he is yet another EXGO who met their future wife in Club Med, and we will talk about that as well. Please hel...

My guest today worked for Club Med from 2015 until 2021. Her first season was in Club Med Sandpiper as a Mini Club G.O. Before Club Med, she attended Tulane University and graduated cum laude in Spanish Language and Literature with minors in French and Psychology. She was also a member of the Tulane Cheerleading Squad and don’t roll your eyes at me, but of course, we will talk about the movie Brin...

My guest today started as a G.M. in 1983. His first season was in Club Med Sandpiper in 2002 as a Reception G.O. Fun Facts: He started working at Club Med when he was 45 years old. He wrote something called, “How Club Med Saved My Life: A True Story” and we will talk about that and many other things as well. Please help me welcome, From New Jersey, Daniel Koellhoffer! Daniel worked in the Club Med...

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 Is...

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 toute...

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 h...

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...

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 w...

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 Me...

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...

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, a...

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!...

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...

My guest worked for Club Med from 1995 to 2001 as a Sound Technician. His first season was in 1995 at Club Med Turks and Caicos. He also worked at Cancun, Cherating, Sonora Bay, St. Lucia, and Punta Cana and he was also at the opening of Club Med World in Montreal. For the last 20 years, he has been working for Cirque du Soleil for such shows as Quidam, Ovo, Corteo, KOOZA, Joyà, and Allegria, and...

Seasoners, I am SO excited for today’s guest!! I have been waiting so long for her to come on the show!! This is two years in the making, people! I had the pleasure of meeting my guest during her first season at Club Med Columbus Isle during the 1995/1996 Winter season, where she was a Bar G.O. She is a triathlete; she has run 2 marathons and over 100 half marathons! She is a travel and sports fan...

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1997 to 2003. His name has come up quite a few times on this podcast, so I am very happy to sit down with him today. His first season was in Club Med Cancun as a Set Designer. He has so many fun facts about himself that I do not know where to start but they will be uncovered during this interview. He is originally from Southampton in England, grew up in Braz...

My guest today worked for Club Med from 2003 to 2008. Her first season was in Club Med Sandpiper in 2003 as a Mini Club G.O. She also worked in the Club Med resorts of Ixtapa, Punta Cana, La Caravelle, Hammamet in Tunisia and my favorite village, Lindeman Island in Australia. In her life after Club Med, she obtained a law degree from Bond University in Queensland, Australia and she is a Diplomat w...