Klara: Hey, Mak, Thanks for your time today. First we want to get to know you a little bit. You and Jac founded summit ski school and guiding. You operate in Furano and Niseko - Japan. Tell us a bit of your history and how you got here. You're from England. How did you get into skiing? Because England is not really known for its skiing tradition.
Makanzie: It isn't? No (laughing). When I was younger, my family and I would often hop on a plane for one, two, or even three weeks to enjoy ski holidays together. And I guess I have a really big family. So it was nice that we all went together. I guess that's how I started skiing.
Klara: That sounds like a cool family tradition! When did you make the decision to becoming a professional ski instructor?
Makanzie: I never really wanted to do a traditional job. I tried it and it just didn't work for me. So I went over to St. Anton and got a job as a nanny and... I know, don't trust me with your kids (laughing). And when I was over there, that's where I met Jac among other friends. They were already instructors and I knew that's what I want to do! So then at the end of the season me and my friend signed up to the level one Ski Instructor “Anwärter Course”. And yeah, that was the start of everything. The following years I did my Landeslehrer (Level 3) and finally the Alpine Course. I just kept going. Obviously, the higher up you went the better the pay got and also, you get better at skiing and you get better clients. So that was around three seasons. After that Jac and I decided that we want go to New Zealand for skiing.
Klara: Okay. And then what? When was your first time in Japan.
Makanzie: That was after New Zealand! I remember being on my last year in Austria sitting in a room with Jac, Adam and Iain and we were all watching the Salomon Freeski video, filmed in Rusutsu and just being like: "Oh my God, this is the craziest thing ever, we have to go to Japan!! So, we made a pact right then and there. It was me, the three boys, and yeah, after New Zealand, Jac, Ian, and I all made our way to Japan. Adam followed the year after, so there's that.