My First Season

Harvey Richard S.

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1976 to 1979 and then returned in 1991. This first interview will focus on his early years. His first season was in Club Med Martinique as a Snorkeling and Picnic G.O. in 1976. From Montreal, Quebec, please help me welcome, Harvey Richard S., AKA Kid Mercury!! In later seasons, Harvey became an Animator, and he has quite the stories to tell from the early days. Harvey worked the first-ever winter season of Club Med Cancun in 1977 (with CDV Jacky Amzallag, Luc Distelmans as Animator, and another future CDV, Ye, on the Sports Team) and also worked at Club Med Moorea in 1979, as well. He recounts how he got his job in Club Med through his partner in crime, Eric, also from Montreal. You must hear Harvey’s famous (or infamous) animation gag that he and Eric played on the incoming and unsuspecting New York Charter at the airport in Martinique in 1977. Let’s just say that “Rocky and Joey” raised some heck! Harvey also published a children’s book called, “Stories for Souls of All Ages” that you can find on Amazon.com and everywhere you buy books, and we will talk a little about that. Harvey is a master storyteller, so you will really enjoy this episode about Club Med in the late 70s! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available 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 at Apple podcasts.

Please check out a video for his book!:

Stories For Souls Of All Ages - Available Now - YouTube

And his author's Facebook page:

https://m.facebook.com/KidMercuryAuthorEntertainer?eav=AfaDJxW1Jw8cib1Lnncs9hJR4ynaRnCi85DKbXfjQuDOnTwIsgcsaTVIb3cWVkKn_ac&paipv=0

 

 

 

 

 

Alex ElKayem

My guest today was born in Alexandria, Egypt then emigrated to Philadelphia in 1961. He got his B.A. and Master’s at Temple University and was 2 years into his Ph.D. when he decided to apply to Club Med. His first season was at Club Med Fort Royale in 1970 as a Tennis G.O., where only three weeks before, he was a G.M. in the same village! Altogether, he worked for Club Med from 1970 to 2001. Who is this mystery person? Well, it is the one and only, Alex ElKayem!! Alex only held three positions in Club Med villages. He worked one season as a Tennis G.O. and then he was in Public Relations from 1970-1973 and then he was promoted to Chief of Village and served from 1973-1976, working in such villages as Fort-Royal, Agadir, Cargese, Martinique, Marrakech, Caravelle, Hanalei in Hawaii and his last season as CDV was in Moorea. After village life, Alex went to work in the offices and held positions such as Directeur du Pays in the Club Med offices of Milano and Brussels, General Manager of the Sydney office from 1977-1979, and Managing Director of the Auckland New Zealand office from 1979-1983. After that, he was the Commercial Regional Manager in the Singapore office for South East Asia and then came to my hometown of Montreal to be the Managing Director for Club Med Canada from 1985-1993. After Montreal, he was the Managing Director of UK and Ireland in the London office from 1993-2001. Alex is now retired and living in Bordeaux, France, and is only the second person and the first EXCDV to record two interviews, one in English and one in French! If you like to hear about the golden years of Club Med in the early 1970s, then this interview is for you! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available 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 at Apple podcasts.

Alex ElKayem

Mon invité d'aujourd'hui est né à Alexandrie, en Égypte, puis a émigré à Philadelphie aux États-Unis en 1961. Il a obtenu son baccalauréat et sa maîtrise à l'université Temple et était à deux ans de terminer son doctorat lorsqu'il a décidé de poser sa candidature au Club Med. Sa première saison s'est déroulée au Club Med Fort Royale en 1970 en tant que moniteur de Tennis, alors que trois semaines auparavant, il était G.M. dans le même village! Au total, il a travaillé au Club Med de 1970 à 2001. Qui est cette personne mystérieuse ? Il s'agit du seul et unique Alex ElKayem! Alex n'a occupé que trois postes dans les villages du Club Med. Il a travaillé une saison en tant que directeur général du tennis, puis il a été chargé des relations publiques de 1970 à 1973. Il a ensuite été promu chef de village et a travaillé de 1973 à 1976 dans des villages tels que Fort-Royal, Agadir, Cargèse, Martinique, Marrakech, Caravelle, Hanalei à Hawaï et sa dernière saison en tant que chef de village a été à Moorea. Après la vie au village, Alex a travaillé dans les bureaux et a occupé des postes tels que Directeur du Pays dans les bureaux du Club Med de Milan et de Bruxelles, Directeur Général du bureau de Sydney de 1977 à 1979 et Directeur Général du bureau d'Auckland en Nouvelle-Zélande de 1979 à 1983. Alex a ensuite été directeur régional commercial du bureau de Singapour pour l'Asie du Sud-Est, avant de venir à Montréal, ma ville natale, pour occuper le poste de directeur général du Club Med Canada de 1985 à 1993. Après Montréal, il a été directeur général du Royaume-Uni et de l'Irlande au bureau de Londres de 1993 à 2001. Alex est aujourd'hui à la retraite et vit à Bordeaux, en France. Il est la deuxième personne et le premier EXCDV à enregistrer deux interviews, l'une en anglais et l'autre en français. Si vous aimez entendre parler de l'âge d'or du Club Med au début des années 1970, cette interview est faite 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.

Xavier Margain

My guest today worked for Club Med from 1993 to 1999 and held several positions such as Sailing, Snorkeling, Archery, Light Engineer, DJ, and Circus G.O. His first season was in Club Med Ixtapa in 1993 as a Telephone/Standard G.O. Please help me welcome, from Mexico City and now living in Quebec, Xavier Margain! Xavier worked in villages such as Huatulco, Playa Blanca (with Kenton Smith), Sonora Bay, Turks and Caicos, and Punta Cana. Xavier’s parents went to Club Med and thought he would be a good fit for Club Med. Years later after he graduated, Xavier was job hunting and walking around Polanco in Mexico City handing out résumés and he came across the Club Med office, walked in, had an interview, and then got a call the next day asking if he would like to work for Club Med. Xavier takes us through his interview with Club Med in Mexico, his first week in Ixtapa, and shares a pretty cool story about Kenton Smith in Playa Blanca in 1994 that I am sure many of you have not heard. Xavier also recounts a funny story involving the CDV Lefis in Huatulco in 1994 and you will love to hear his story about drinking rum and cokes with Spanish singer Julio Iglesias in Punta Cana and the story that Xavier shared with him. Xavier worked with a lot of special people in Club Med like Christy Harrington, Darwin, Batman, Salvatore Giarratana, Veronica Margellos, Laura Palmer, Rodrigo Tapia, Mary Kelly and Gecko, to name just a few. At the end of the interview, we share what we miss about Club Med and the adjustments we had to make in the “real 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 at Apple podcasts.

Joker and Renato

Hey everyone and welcome to a brand-new segment of My First Season. I do not have a name for the segment yet, but I have been workshopping the term, My First Season- “In Couple”. In this new feature of MFS, I will be interviewing a “couple” of G.O.s (see what I did there?) who have worked together during the same season. If there are three of you, we’ll simply call it In Thruple! So, any EXGOs who are very shy or not comfortable about coming on just by themselves, now you can come on with a friend or two that you worked with in the same village of Club Med and had a lot of laughs with. My guests today worked together in Club Med Paradise Island in 2001/2002. One was a Tennis G.O. and the other was Landsports and they are two of the founding members of the “Four Horseman” of Paradise Island. What the heck is a Horseman? Well, we will get into that and what these two guys are up to nowadays. So, without further ado, please help me welcome back to the podcast, James “Joker” Cradle and Renato Paiva!! Joker (Landsports) and Renato (Tennis) both remember meeting each other on Paradise Island and they share some stories about their time there. They never lost contact once their Club Med careers ended, and they fill me in on what they are up to these days. What Joker and Renato are up to is “Sports Fest Ixtapa 2024” which will be held on April 24-28, 2024, in Club Med Ixtapa! This unique event will allow you to compete in tennis, soccer, or pickleball against players with similar skill levels, making the games both challenging and enjoyable. This sports festival combines the thrill of competitive sports with the luxury and leisure of an all-inclusive resort Mexican resort. And yes, there is an EXGO discount. Please email Renato at: renato@sportsfestixtapa2024.com to enquire.

Please visit their website below for more details on this one-of-a-kind event:

Sports Fest (sportsfestixtapa2024.com)

 

Kimberly Eberwine

I had the supreme pleasure of working with my guest today in Club Med Columbus Isle during the 1997/1998 season. Her first season was in Club Med Sonora Bay in 1997 as a Fitness and Landsports G.O. From Columbus, Ohio and now living in Toronto, Canada, please help me welcome the amazing Kimberly Eberwine!!! Before Club Med and between the junior and senior year of her Creative Writing degree, Kimberly went to Sonora Bay as a G.M. and fell in love with Club Med and the culture. Ever the maverick, she did not apply via the usual route to Club Med and instead faxed the village of Sonora Bay asking if they were hiring. They were, and that’s how she got to work there! Kimberly shares so many stories from her seasons and some of my favorite stories are from her time in Sonora. Like the time when she first encountered the concept of “French Math” and two unfortunate diving mishaps she had with a first-stage regulator rupture and the second one involved bumping into a Portuguese man o’ war on her ascent after a safety stop, whilst wearing her “cute” bathing suit instead of the practical one (she explained me the difference!). Kimberly also performed that time-honored, first-season G.O. rite of passage of being on the “Black List”, but this was due to Gatorade and not partying. Gatorade? Yup, you must listen to find out why! When we get to her season in Columbus Isle, we share stories of our love of all things Jean-Paul Morales. After Club Med, Kimberly got certified as a scuba instructor on Grand Cayman (and reveals her favorite pastime while there) and then she got her law degree from Case Western Reserve University, where she was second in her class of over two hundred and graduated summa cum laude. We get into the three things she misses the most about Club Med and how Club Med helped her in her law career. **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available 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 at Apple podcasts.

Kate Coltman

In the two-plus years of this podcast, I have never had a guest with such a unique perspective on Club Med, more than my special guest today. She lived for a time in Club Med all over the world, but she was not a G.M. and technically, did not work in the villages either. Confused? From age 0 to 16, she changed countries every 6-12 months and started the flying trapeze at age four and she and her brother had 200 big sisters and brothers everywhere they went. She is the daughter of a very famous Chief of Village (whose episode aired in May of 2023), and she was born in Zinal, Switzerland, and has UK and US citizenship. In 2010 she was hired by Cirque du Soleil for the show, La Nouba, as part of the Aerial Tissue Team, and she stayed with the show until 2017 (based in Orlando, Florida) when it closed its run, doing ten shows a week. Who is this mystery person? If you had the pleasure of being in a village with her and her dad, then you already know. For those that do not know, please help me welcome and get to know, the amazing, Kate Coltman!! In this episode, we cover Kate’s earliest memories and what it was like growing up in Club Med until she was sixteen years old. And we do cover quite a lot of Kate’s time spent at La Nouba because she is the first guest on MFS to have worked at Cirque du Soleil. Kate tells us what the application process was like, visiting Montreal for five days to sign her contract and get fitted for her costume (and running into an EXGO she knew from Circus), to performing in the shows and her memory of her first-ever show for La Nouba. If you were a Circus G.O. or are a big fan of Cirque du Soleil shows, then you will love this interview with Kate. I really hope you enjoy this episode with a very amazing person!! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available 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 at Apple podcasts.

Please check out the link below to Kate's Pilates studio in Orlando:

Oak Tree Pilates

 

 

 

Julie Ford

I never had the pleasure of working with my guest today, but she worked for Club Med from 1988 to 2000. Her first season was in Club Med Eleuthera in 1988 as a Mini Club G.O. Everyone, please help me welcome one amazing Aussie, Julie Ford!! When she was a young twenty-something first-grade teacher, Julie went to Club Med Moorea by herself as a G.M. at the suggestion of her mother. Even after that vacation Julie still was not sure she would apply one day to become a G.O., but she eventually did and had her interview in the Club Med New York offices with John Shelly. Julie worked in such villages as St. Lucia (89), Ixtapa (91), Noumea (92), Lindeman Island (93), Cherating (94), and Copper Mountain (95). She worked with Chiefs of Village such as Pierre Ruffaldi, Andrea Livingston, Patrice Prual, Carlos Castro, and Jean-Pierre Franquin. Julie was at the opening of Club Med Lindeman Island with Carlos Castro in 1993. I ask Julie to go into detail about the opening and she was kind enough to oblige me. Julie shares a story about a “borrowed” VCR and a future Chief of Village that you really must hear! She remembers watching the live telecast of the Olympics announcement on September 24, 1993, in the theatre of Lindeman and the place going nuts when Australia won the bid. Julie told herself then that when the Olympics came in 2000, she would be a part of it somehow. Did she? You will have to listen to find out!! We cover a lot in this episode so get comfortable! At the end of the interview, Julie tells us what she is doing now, the things she misses most about Club Med, and if she would do anything differently. Please enjoy this episode with Julia Ford!!  **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podchaser, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.

Nastasja Glume

J'ai eu le plaisir de travailler avec mon invitée d'aujourd'hui pendant une saison extraordinaire au Club Med Lindeman Island en Australie pendant la saison 2000/2001. Avant le Club Med, elle est allée en tant que G.M. avec sa famille dans les Club Med de Santa Theresa, Djerba La Douce, Da Balaia et Marrakech. Sa première saison a été au Club Med de Kos en 1999 en tant que G.O. du Petit Club. Elle a ensuite travaillé à Valmenier-Valloire (1999-2000) avec l'incroyable CDV, Gibus, et elle a également travaillé à Palmiye (2000). Aidez-moi à souhaiter la bienvenue à Nastasja Glume, de Bruxelles! Nastasja nous raconte comment elle allait au Club Med avec sa famille lorsqu'elle était plus jeune et nous fait part de nombreuses anecdotes sur son séjour au Club Med. Nous parlons de notre séjour sur l'île Lindeman avec Gibus, et de tout le plaisir que nous avons eu avec lui. À la fin de l'interview, nous parlons de ce que fait Nastaja aujourd'hui. Profitez de cet épisode avec Nastasja! **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.

N'hésitez pas à consulter son Instagram où vous pourrez voir ses magnifiques dessins:

Nastasja Glume (@nastasjaglume.le_contour) | Instagram

 

 

 

Jamie Neilson

My guest today worked for Club Med from July 1993 to 2001 as Mini Club, Chief of Mini Club and Circus. His first season was in Club Med Ixtapa in 1993 as a Mini Club G.O. From Ontario, Canada, please help me welcome, Jamie Neilson!! Before Club Med, Jamie visited Club Med five times starting in 1986. He actually told his guidance counselor in high school that he wanted to be a G.O.! As a G.M., he went to Bermuda, Paradise Island, and St. Lucia. Jamie worked in villages such as Eleuthera, Roi Soleil in Saint Moritz, Guadeloupe, Huatulco, Arziv, and Punta Cana. Jamie took the train to Montreal for his interview in March of 1993 and not many prospective G.O.s can hand a reference letter from Ryan Leach and give it to the person interviewing him, in this case, Kevin Batt! Jamie met Ryan as a G.M. in St. Lucia, but I’ll let him tell that story. Jamie worked for Chief of Villages such as Toutoune, Teach, Hammer, and Alain Pistolesi, to name but a few. Jamie learned a lot from the late, great Darwin Hamilton and he remembers him fondly here. Jamie also reveals which CDV taught him everything he knows about leadership, management, and being a G.O. and who he considers to be a big brother. Jamie shares a pretty funny story from Eleuthera involving Darwin, Fergy, and a golf cart that you absolutely have to hear! When he was in Arziv in 1998, he created the Spice Girls' “Who Do You Think You Are” Crazy Sign and was pleasantly surprised to see that his Crazy Sign was being performed in Punta Cana in 2001! Jamie was also one of the first Field Recruiters hired by Club Med in 2000 and he talks about that as well. Please enjoy this episode with Jamie! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review at Apple podcasts.