My First Season

My guest today is someone I met during her very first season at Club Med Cancún in May 2004. A fellow Montrealer, she was part of the waterski team and quickly made an impression. Before Club Med, she was a competitive wakeboarder and a Quebec champion. She grew up in a small lakeside town, which gave her a relatively sheltered upbringing, making her arrival at Club Med all the more eye-opening. That season brought together twenty-two nationalities working side by side, and she dove right into the diversity of cultures, ages, and lifestyles that defined the G.O. experience. She now looks back on it as both meaningful and deeply rewarding. In this interview, my guest shares a hilarious story from a night out at Dady’O’s, along with plenty of memorable moments from that unforgettable first season. After Club Med, she earned her Master’s degree from HEC Montréal and now works as an Operations Manager. Everyone, please join me in welcoming Jo Pilon! **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. (Originally aired on September 6, 2021).

Please check out her Instagram and give her a follow:

Instagram

 

 

 

From the flying trapeze to the chemistry labs of Cambridge University, our guest today has lived a truly unique life. His history with Club Med began as a young G.M. in 1995, but by eighteen, he was center stage as a Circus G.O. at Club Med in Opio, France, in 2001. Over the next six years, he balanced world-class academics with summer seasons abroad, even meeting his future wife at Club Med Nabeul in 2003. Now a published author of three books on his aerial passion, he’s here to tell us all about his story. Please help me welcome, Alastair Pilgrim! **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 visit the link below to check out Alastair's books and more information:

Welcome - Flying Trapeze Books

 

 

 

 

Our guest today is a man of many talents. Between 2000 and 2001, he served as a Tennis G.O. and DJ at Club Med Paradise Island. He holds a degree in Recreation and Leisure Management, with minors in Psychology and International Tourism, but it was a simple ad in a travel magazine that changed his life forever. Joining us all the way from Lima, Peru, by way of Dallas, Texas, let’s welcome Brady Urrunaga! **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 1998 to 2006. His first season was at Club Med Eleuthera as a Circus G.O. Before joining Club Med, he was a two-time provincial gymnastics champion and later played on the Turks and Caicos rugby team. He also met and married his wife at Club Med Turks and Caicos, something we’ll definitely be talking about, along with much more. This interview has been a long time coming, so it’s with great happiness that I welcome, all the way from Newfoundland, the amazing Josh Munden! **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 1987 to around 2002, beginning his journey during the opening season of Club Med Sandpiper as a lifeguard and swim instructor. Over the years, he took on a wide range of roles with the company before leaving in 1997 to attend law school at Pepperdine University. His career has been anything but ordinary. He later became a Cruise Director with Norwegian and Celebrity Cruises and has even written two books. There is too much life and adventure to fit into one conversation, so this interview will be at least a two-part series. Joining us from California, please help me welcome Fith Fithian! **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 2000 to 2002, beginning her very first season at Club Med Sandpiper as a Circus G.O. Her story before and after Club Med is just as fascinating. She holds a degree in Marketing and Finance from the University of Richmond and an MBA from Hofstra University. Before joining Club Med full-time, she was a Loan Officer in the Private Banking division at the Bank of New York. After visiting Club Med a few times as a G.M., she found herself completely hooked. After Club Med, her adventures became even more extraordinary. She performed flying trapeze at the White House Halloween party, where she met President Obama, and also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Most recently, in October 2025, she published her book Summer to Soar, which we will talk about in part two of her interview, along with so much more. From New York, please help me welcome Lizzy Heinrich Ellis! **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 have known today’s guest since 2004, when we first met at Club Med Cancun, but that is not the journey we are here to talk about. Today, we're discussing a far more powerful one. In May of 2025, he was diagnosed with throat cancer and faced an intense battle that included thirty-five radiation treatments and six rounds of chemotherapy. Through determination, inner strength, and unwavering focus, he came through the fight and is now cancer-free. He has since written an inspiring book about that journey titled Mind over Body: The Story of a Peaceful Warrior, a Journey of Resilience, Discipline and Rebirth. Joining us from Montreal, please help me welcome Simon Fortin!  **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. This episode is rated "E".

 

To keep up with Simon and follow his ongoing journey, check out the link below:

Instagram

 

Check out Simon’s book on Amazon, currently available in French only:

mind over body: le récit d'un guerrier pacifique: un chemin de résilience, de discipline et de renaissance: fortin, simon: 9798245483603: Books - Amazon.ca

 

 

 

 

Mon invitée d'aujourd'hui a travaillé pour le Club Med de 1992 à 1995. Elle a passé sa première saison au Club Med Ixtapa, où elle a occupé le poste de secrétaire du chef du village, avant de rejoindre le Mini Club par la suite. Après son passage au Club Med, elle a obtenu un diplôme en éducation et travaille aujourd'hui comme enseignante dans une école primaire. Comme beaucoup d'autres anciens G.O., sa fille a suivi ses traces et est aujourd'hui G.O. à son tour. Nous parlerons de sa carrière, de son héritage familial et de bien d'autres choses encore. En direct de Montréal, merci d'accueillir Ginette Bisson! **Le podcast My First Season a toujours été gratuit et sans publicité et peut être téléchargé sur: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora et Listen Notes. Et si vous aimez ce que vous entendez, n'hésitez pas à laisser un commentaire sur les podcasts Apple.  

Dans cet épisode, je vous emmène dans un voyage approfondi à travers ma saison au Club Med Otranto en Italie pendant l'été 1997, où j'ai travaillé chez Landsports. Je partage quelques anecdotes hilarantes, souvent à mes dépens, et je repense aux incroyables G.O. avec lesquels j'ai eu le privilège de travailler. C'était ma quatrième saison officielle au Club Med, et celle-ci s'est vraiment démarquée. Bonne écoute!  * Le podcast My First Season a toujours été gratuit et sans publicité et peut être téléchargé sur: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora et Listen Notes. Et si vous aimez ce que vous entendez, n'hésitez pas à laisser un commentaire sur les podcasts Apple.  

 

My guest today and I met at an EXGO Reunion in Cancun in 2008. His first season was as a Mini Club G.O. in Club Med Huatulco in 1997, and his first contract season followed in Eleuthera in 1998/1999. Originally from Ottawa, please help me welcome Jason “Big Jay” Reid! Before joining Club Med, Big Jay was finishing a two-year diploma in Recreation and Facilities Management at Algonquin College in Ottawa. Part of his studies involved a three-week placement at Club Med, which set the stage for his future career. During his first season, his roommate was none other than the Chief of Circus, Darwin. That pairing sparked a determination in Big Jay to learn the craft, and he soon became heavily involved in the circus shows. He loved every aspect of the trapeze, from learning the boards and pulling safety lines to acting as a catcher during the comedy skits. He shares several funny stories with a recurring theme: wardrobe malfunctions. Whether it was almost losing his bathing suit on a picnic boat or losing his bloomers during a circus performance, Big Jay knows how to handle himself! You can listen to our conversation here or wherever you get your podcasts. (*Originally aired on October 11, 2021)**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.