During the chat last night I tried to capture people's interpretations of the things they gain from seasonal work and the things they have to give up to do seasonal work.  Here are some thoughts from the tribe.

GAINS

Things You Get To Do:

• Hiking
• Biking
• Kayaking
• Rafting
• Learn to ski
• Have fun
• Sit outside and watch the animals walk by (and not care)
• Meet people from all over the world
• Exercise (more likely outside than inside)
• Snowboard on your days off, before and after work too!
• See amazing sights like the Grand Canyon

Things You Don't Have To Do:

• Cook - if you live in housing and go to an EDR (employee dining room) for your meals

Job Skills You Gain:

• Keeping a straight face when asked dumb questions
• Good at counting large amounts of cash
• Office skills
• Food service experience
• Customer service experience
• How to deal with the public
• Cooking skills
• Front desk skills
• Foreign language skills
• Gain insight on more a serious F&B environment
• Varied as the jobs available

Personal Skills You Gain:

• Character
• A greater understanding of who you are
• Temperance
• Independence

Things You Gain:

• Many new friends
• Clean slate at your new job / location
• Weight (if you have a great EDR cook)
• Not having anyone expect you to be some one you aren't
  
• Drawing spiritually closer to God

Things You Get To Experience:

• Up close and personal thunderstorms
• Whispering pines
• Clean mountain air
• Stars
• Seeing stars without light pollution
• The great silence
• Knowledge of different cultures that most of us otherwise would never even run across
• Visiting cool places like Chico and the Boiling River near Yellowstone

Things You Get:

• Free ski pass
• Free rentals
• Free lessons
• A break from technology
• A chance to be yourself and not have to worry about society as much

GIVE UP

Things You Give Up

• TV
• Materialism ( for the better! )
• Comfy bed
• Vegetable garden at home
• Cats
• Credibility with non-seasonal employers.  They may see you as a short time employee and a hiring risk, despite adding "seasonal" to the description
• Privacy
• A well paying job
• Cooking your own food
• Food choices

Things That May Not Be Like Home

• Cell and Internet access, availability, and speed
• Modern day services

And, in closing, I think this line is a good summary statement -

"Seasonal work is the only time I felt richer in experience with a decrease in income."

Got more?  Please post them in the comments.