Women Who Can’t Not: The Teacher With The Need For Speed

Some people wait for the perfect person, perfect timing, or perfect plan before they book the trip. Julie chose the other route.

After years of wanting to ski Lake Tahoe, Julie decided to fly across the country from Massachusetts, use two of her personal days as a teacher, and join a retreat where she did not know anyone. What she found was an adventurous weekend full of skiing, connection, laughter, new skills, and women who understood exactly why showing up mattered.

What made you decide to join a ski retreat in Tahoe?

Charlotte: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Your name, where you live, and what you love to do.

Julie: My name is Julie Giglia. I live in Massachusetts, south of Boston.

I’m a teacher, and I teach high school students. I’ve been teaching for 22 years, and I really love my job.

I teach financial literacy, business, technology, and 3D printing. It’s very rewarding.

I grew up in New Hampshire, the Granite State, with a great family. I went to high school there, was active, skied, and played a lot of sports.

Then I moved down to Boston for a new job, and I’ve been in Boston ever since.

Charlotte: Where do you like to ski?

Julie: My favorite place to ski is Killington, the Beast of the East. It’s the biggest mountain in the East, and it has a lot of terrain.

My smaller favorite mountain is Burke Mountain in northern Vermont. Mikaela Shiffrin trained at Burke Mountain Academy, and it’s a beautiful little place that not many people know about.

Charlotte: How did you find The Retreat Company and the ski retreat? What made you think, “I should do that”?

Julie: Skiing in California had always been on my bucket list because I had never skied there.

I was supposed to go in March 2020, but COVID canceled everything.

I’ve skied out west in places like Taos, Utah, Jackson Hole, Banff, Lake Louise, and Whistler. But California had always been on my list, and Lake Tahoe was number one.

I was researching because I could have gone on my own, but I didn’t know the area or the mountains.

I came across your retreat through Google, and I think ChatGPT may have brought it up too.

I found it around November and went back and forth about it.

I’m a teacher, so my salary is not huge, but I had money saved and credit card points.

I sent Charlotte, our trip leader, a lot of questions.

People asked me, “Are you sure you want to go do something where you don’t know anyone?”

And I said, “Yeah, because that’s the best way to go. You don’t have to deal with anybody else’s plans.”

So I pulled the trigger. I got my spot in December, right before prices went up.

What obstacles did you have to work around?

Charlotte: Were there any big obstacles in the way of you coming?

Julie: Coming from the East Coast, winter travel can definitely be a problem.

Snowstorms, flight delays, and getting stranded are always possible.

Going to the West Coast is also a big time difference.

I took a Wednesday night flight, stayed in Reno overnight, got a car, and it worked out.

The other thing was coming home during the weekend when the clocks changed.

We lost an hour, and coming back to the East Coast with the time change and a little jet lag was a lot.

But overall, it was great.

Charlotte: Did you ever think you might not be able to pull it off?

Julie: One of my friends encouraged me.

I was going back and forth about it, and she said, “Just do it. You always tell me to go do things, so go do it.”

I also had my Ikon Pass, so I didn’t have to pay for lift tickets, which made it more affordable.

My mom is going through dementia, and I take care of her every other weekend. That’s why I’ve only skied 10 days this year.

I can’t be two places at once, and being with her is very important.

But I did it, and I loved it.

What helped you feel comfortable before arriving?

Charlotte: When you were flying in and driving up, were you nervous at all?

Julie: No.

I’ve traveled a lot and have gotten stuck in airports plenty of times.

What are you going to do?

You just have to go.

I had a hotel room when I got there because I was tired.

The next day, I knew I was going to meet fun people.

People who do this kind of trip go for a purpose.

We met great people from around the country.

Everybody had stories and backstories.

Everybody had things going on.

But it was a place where we could share, help each other, guide each other, and give advice, even though we didn’t know each other.

It felt like a safe place.

Charlotte: Did the WhatsApp group help before the trip?

Julie: The WhatsApp group was great.

You don’t know the names with the faces yet, but it helped.

I actually looked up the area codes from the phone numbers to see where people were from.

I saw Austin, California, New York, New Jersey.

So in my mind, I knew people were coming from different parts of the country and that it wasn’t just going to be all people from California.

My brother was also concerned because he had heard about the big snowfall and avalanche conditions in the area.

I told him, “No, I’m not doing backcountry skiing.”

People read things and get concerned because they’re not there and don’t know the context.

What was the retreat experience actually like?

Charlotte: Tell me about the experience on the retreat. Was there a moment where you felt like it was all worth it?

Julie: One funny thing was finding out that Eileen knew people I knew from a ski trip in Japan.

She went on a trip organized by Boston Ski and Sports, which is my club.

It was like déjà vu. You find connections with people, and I thought that was really cool. Everybody was nice.

I was happy about learning how to wax my skis, and I think it made me ski better the next day.

Hearing everyone’s different stories was good too.

Overall, it was great. It was about meeting people, talking to people, and being kind to people. Everybody was super nice.

Charlotte: Were there any moments where the group supported or uplifted you?

Julie: Everybody was there to help each other.

Even if you weren’t the greatest skier, there were different little groups, so you could ski with people who matched where you were.

Nobody got injured. We laughed a lot, and it was fun.

It was a retreat with people you didn’t even know, but nobody was judging.

Nobody cared about anything except being there, meeting new people, and doing something they loved.

What are the small moments you still remember?

Charlotte: What highlights do you think about when you look back?

Julie: This is silly, but I couldn’t believe how big the pine cones were.

I found one and wanted to bring it back to put on my desk at school because I had never seen pine cones so big.

I put it in the sunroom, and then when I was driving out at 6 a.m. to get to the airport, I realized it wasn’t in my bag.

I forgot it. I know it’s silly, but the pine cones were really great.

Colleen told me a story about how she used to come up there as a kid, and her mom would give her 25 cents for every big pine cone she picked up.

Charlotte: Looking back, what does it mean to you that you came on the trip, overcame the hurdles, and did the thing?

Julie: It was great. I like adventure. I like doing things that are different, and I like meeting new people.

The only thing I wish is that it wasn’t on the weekend with the time change because getting home at midnight or 1 a.m. after a great weekend and then getting up the next day was a lot.

But you push through and survive.

What would you tell someone who is holding back?

Charlotte: Did the experience prove anything to yourself?

Julie: I like doing these things.

Some people would be scared and never do this, but for me, it’s great to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people.

I lead trips for my ski club, Boston Ski and Sports, so I’ve seen it from the other side.

People get scared. They wonder who they’re going to ski with and what the weekend will be like.

Being that person on this trip, it was nice having Charlotte there because she made everyone feel comfortable.

Everybody got along. You’re not there to become best friends with every person. You’re there to go, have fun, and enjoy the weekend.

Charlotte: What would you say to someone who wants to come on the trip but is holding back because of finances, distance, or fear?

Julie: If you want to do something different, get away, and meet new people, you become instant friends with 10 or 12 people who are all in the same boat.

It’s like getting a new roommate in college.

You don’t know exactly what you’re going to get, but if you go in with a positive attitude and an open mind, it can be a good thing.

You’re not going to be living with these people forever, but you’ll have connections with people you met, and that’s positive.

You don’t have to be the world’s best skier.

You’re going in with like minded people who are there to support you.

If you want a different kind of vacation, instead of going to Mexico and sitting in the sun with a margarita, this is active.

You’re moving. There is never a dull moment. Yoga, painting, waxing skis. It’s endless. You can’t sit still.

Charlotte: You also brought everyone a lovely gift.

Julie: I make jewelry, so I brought earrings for everyone and sunflowers for our fearless leader.

I like sharing things. Everybody likes to get a little something. It’s not about the cost.

It’s about making connections and giving people something to remember.

Those little things are memorable.

Would you do another retreat?

Charlotte: What is one word you would use to describe the ski retreat?

Julie: Adventurous.

Charlotte: What would you tell someone who is thinking about joining the ski retreat?

Julie: Do it. Just do it. Like Nike says, go do it. You’ll definitely like it.

Charlotte: What is another type of retreat The Retreat Company should do that is not skiing?

Julie: Hiking could be a possibility.

Camping could work.

A crafts weekend could be fun, where you make different things each day.

A yoga weekend retreat could also work.

I think it’s about bringing together like minded people in a more intimate setting.

Charlotte: What is your ski alter ego name?

Julie: The Need for Speed.

Charlotte: Anything else you want to mention?

Julie: I’m looking at Idaho. I saw that you released it.

It’s just timing and schedule for me as a teacher, and I used a lot of points for the California trip.

Sun Valley is definitely on my bucket list because I’ve never been to Idaho.

I’d also consider going back to Tahoe. We’ll see.

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