Newbie working at a DZ overseas

[nael 0]

This is going to be a little long winded, but basically I just want some opinions from other skydivers on this.

I have just started skydiving (a month ago), but I have a friend (who I met at my DZ)who went over to the US to work at a dz there for the summer. He's spoken to the DZO who has offered me a job at manifest and packing there for the summer.

I live in Australia, I can get cheap airfares but would still be spending every cent I have to get to america, and could only really stay for about a month if I wanted my job here when I get back. Taking into account my newbie status and the fact that I dont even have my A licence yet, do you think it's worth the trouble to go over there? I know I'd get to jump heaps more than if I stay here, but if I dont go now, I want to go in a year or 2 when I have more jumps under my belt, but this same oportunity may not arise again.

Basically, I'd get to do tunnel time (we have no tunnels in australia), get paid to work at the dz and get to jump more often. I'm just not sure if my low jumps and inexperience with skydiving would make it less beneficial than if I wait a year. Opinions?

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[slotperfect 7]

You have a great plan, but it sounds like a lot of money and effort to spend for only a month.

If I were you, I would continue to develop the specifics of your plan, waiting until I could come here for an entire season to put it into action.

Arrive Safely

John

[mr2mk1g 10]

If you spend every penny just getting there how are you gonna afford wind tunnel time and jumps? Sure you'll be paid to work at the DZ... but that aint gonna be a whole lot of money.

Why not buy a rig with your plane ticket money?

[nael 0]

I've spoken to some people here about this, and been told that if I want work at a dz I can probably get it here. I also realised that if I go to the US now, I wont have enough money for the equinox boogie in october which is going to be huge and I really dont want to miss it.

So, back to spending every cent on jumps, waiting for 200 jumps, and then heading over to the US for some tunnel time and fun when I can afford it! Thanks for the views, you both pretty much backed up what my friends here said.

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[Chrisky 2]

If you work at the manifest for a month, how are you going to have time to do more jumps than if you're not working at manifest?
Usually the manifest people don't get to jump that much during their work...

And even tunnel time? Why don't you just put all the money you would burn "on the way" in jumps at your local DZ?

My thoughts...

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...