If you do it right she might like it. (And it won't take long)

As a ski instructor you get to meet all kinds of people from all over the world. One particular type I seem to often end up with is the, spouse, girlfriend, or significant other of the guy that use to ski way back when. For some reason, like the demands of a grown up life, he hasn't been skiing in years. She, of course, has never been. Now he is back in a full blown midlife crisis, and he is eager to hit the slops like he did back in his wild and crazy days. She on the other hand feels that he has dumped her off here for a whole hour, while he is out there risking life and limb as well as their financial security careening down some ice covered triple diamond. She has visions of having to taking care of a quadriplegic vegetable for the rest of her life. That is if she survives the inconceivable task of a one hour lesson on the beginner's hill with this old fart instructor. I'm sure my arrival was some what of a disappointment because, I'm equally sure that somewhere in the back of her terrified mine she was expecting the small consolation of having a young and studdly instructor coaxing her down the hill in his strong arms. Oh well lady you got to take them as they come.

Now these poor souls seem to fall into two categories, and you can tell which category that is from the very fist time they look at you. One has this wide eyed deer in the headlights; please don't hurt me, look. The other has this smoldering anger thing going in her eyes, this I'm going to get him when he gets back here look. Both of course present significant and unique challenges.

Let us start with the latter. She would much rather be lounging in the hot tub or in the bar or better yet cursing the closest mall for bargains, honing her fashion sense to an even finer edge. A quick check of her $700 outfit lets you know just where her interest lies. It's this same since of fashion that made her refuse to allow her husband to wear his favorite jacket from the wild and crazy days, just because it was two deferent shades of neon and came with a pair of matching white gloves.  Now don't get the impression that I‘m trying to down play the significant of her love of fashion, modeling her new outfit may be the only thing that got her out here. When she is asked what other sports she's involved in she will probably say "shopping". Like I said significant challenges.  Ever the professional I slide up with a big grin and say ‘hello, how are you?'  When she responds with the single word "cold", I know I'm in for a really significant challenge. With that in mind, I and my less then enthusiastic student start trudging over to the beginner's hill, and yes lady you have to carry your own skis. You got the old fart instructor not the young stud. We old farts know how to conserve our ever dwindling recourses. Half way over to the trail she begins to complain about her rental boots, they're stiff and heavy, "how far do we have to walk?"  Now this is the same women who would probably think nothing of parading seven or eight miles up and down some mall in a pair of strapless 4 inch heels, but 20 feet in ski boots is too much. A quick equipment check however reveals part of the problem. She's got them on the wrong feet. This woman probably has 60 pairs of shoes home in one of her auxiliary closets, and she more that likely changes shoes three times a day, but she can't get ski boots onto the right feet. Now she wants me to help get her boots on the correct feet. I have seen the inside of rental boots; I don't want to go near them without a full Hazmat suit and an oxygen supply. However, I am a professional so I take a deep breath, and make the quickest boot change in the history of skiing. Once that chore is done we actually can move on to the lesson. Now this kind of student can actually be more motivated then most. It may stem from that smoldering anger feeding a desire to show her spouse (and maybe the kids) that they can't abandon her and get away with it. She'll conquer this skiing thing just well enough to be able to go to the top of the mountain and make him ski with her on the Green Circles all day long.  

The other poor soul, the wide eyed deer in the headlights one, presents other challenges. She may be more congenial, but may not have the same drive to screw up her spouse's day. If they have kids, she may be eager to be able to join them. Not realizing of course that the kids, who have a life time total of three hours of ski time, are now hitting the rails over in the park. Her outfit probably cost a lot less then $700. At least parts of it will be borrowed, showing a lack of commitment, the rest is likely to be some dual purpose gear from Wal-Mart. Something with words like" Ski Time' or "Snow Bunny" printed on it somewhere. She can wear it skiing or for taking the baby to day care and sweeping the snow off the porch steps.

If you can give these ladies' enough knowledge for them to be able to ski well enough to actually enjoy it in one lesson you have really done you job. It may be a lot more fun to take a student that claims to be a Black Diamond, up to a Black Diamond trail. Then after he side slips halfway down teach him how to really ski at a Black Diamond level. However the fun factor you've provided the "lost souls" and their families is likely to much, much greater.