“I had just arrived in Val d’Isère, France, for my first ski season and was super excited.

I’d already sorted myself out some bar work, so decided to grab my skis and hit the slopes. The sun was pretty strong but I wasn’t worried – I was using sun cream.

However, when I returned to the chalet to get ready for my first bar shift, I looked in the mirror and was met with what I can only describe as the worst goggle tan I have ever seen.

I had no idea what to do – there wasn’t enough foundation and concealer in the whole of France to hide my sunburn, or the tan that came after.

I would have cried off my shift but I needed the money, so I had to just suck it up and deal with the constant stick I would receive for the next two months.

I worked in the bar for my entire season and (as you can imagine) was persistently referred to as ‘tan girl’, ‘that English girl with the tan beard’ and every other tan-based nickname under the sun (pun intended).

In fact, it got to the point where I wasn’t ever called by my actual name – I’m not even sure anyone remembered it.

I loved the season, the resort and the bar so much I decided to return 12 months later.

Now tan-less and a year wiser, I couldn’t wait to get back and see all the people I’d worked with.