2 Months!!!!!

Oh my goodness gracious me! Only 2 MONTHS until my Cultural Representative Program starts!!!!! I am So excited! If you can't tell....I CAN'T WAIT TO START!!! Anticipation is a double edged sword - if you're anticipating something it means something awesome is coming up, which is exciting; but I'm crazy UNpatient so it drives me crazy waiting! With all the surprise Disney trip commercials this year I asked my parents why they never surprised us, and they said it was so we could anticipate the trip and that part of the fun was looking forward to it. So I'm trying my best to think of this experience that way as well - I have to enjoy the lead up to it, because once it starts it's fast and hard until it ends again! Plus there are tons of exciting things in between now and August 16th: (Ready for the recap? You must have it memorized by now as well!) 

• My return to Beautiful British Columbia
• My reunion with my long lost sister Carrie who had been living in Toronto for far too long
• Hanging out with the greatest Grandma in the entire world! 
• Getting to hold/cuddle/give-back-to-her-Mum-when-she-cries my beautiful niece Clodagh! (just kidding on that last one ;) )
• July 1st weekend celebration with whole family (finally we can all be together!)
• Running outdoors without choking on thick air (humid 35 degree Orlando makes me die after 2 minutes)
• HARRY POTTER 7 PART 2!!!! Ahhh!!! Opening night baby - yeeeeyahh!!
• Baking/cooking with Carrie! We have SO many yummy recipes to try!
• My friend Claire's Wedding!
• My friend Erica's Wedding!
• Bridesmaid/wedding activities! 
• My sister Kim's Wedding!!!

Plus all the time spent with Friends before moving away for a long period of time.  Here is a secret...I don't know if I'll be visiting Vancouver at all during the year of my program.  It's an expensive flight and although it would be nice to be able to, it's not a guarantee so I want to get lots of friend and family love in while I can! Also my poochie Kona will need some mad love before I leave, pet-less living is HARD!

I can't find a picture of Kona so here is Lily who looks like a tormented
Beaver in the pool. Can't wait :)

My visa arrived at my home this past week and I'm so excited to see it!! There are 9 UK and Canadians arriving on August 16th, 3 being Canadian.  Myself and Tamara are both from the Comox Valley (even though I've never met her) and then there is one other girl whose name is slipping my mind right now but she is friends with my friend Jill so it is a small world. 

This contract is already so different from my last one, for starters I arrived in March in 2009, and got the chance to work my way into the Orlando weather, Disney summer guests, and high season.  This time I'll be arriving at the end of summer, in the heat/thunderstorms, with big crowds, on podium for Food and Wine Festival and then it's right into Christmas! Secondly my arrival group last time had 6 or 7 people and was mostly guys! 

Hopefully I'll be able to meet more people from other countries this time! I know this sounds silly, but I was nervous when I first arrived and spent the first couple days in a pack with the Canadians. This time I'd love to get to know the other 2 girls but we have a better chance of branching out and being part of the other countries crowds in the beginning as well! Also I've already been chatting with August 16th arrivals from Germany, the UK, and Africa so it'll be super exciting getting to meet these people all in person..in 2 MONTHS TODAY!!

School has been crazy busy!!  We just finished mid terms last week and we have finals next week! Ah! Plus group projects in between! I have been doing accounting homework for what feels like 1,000 hours today.  I finished two quizzes and my take home final exam! Phew! I'm pretty nervous about the in class final for accounting and will be studying like a crazy person for it all weekend! And everything else.  Here is my schedule next week:

Monday:

All 3 classes plus:

Quiz/Test in Human Resources

Assignment Due in Human Resources

Group Project due in Accounting plus 2 cheat sheets

Studying

Tuesday:

Entertainment class/Group Project

Insane studying

Wednesday:

Entertainment Project due/Presentation

Human Resource Final Exam

Financial Accounting Final Exam

Studying

Thursday:

Entertainment Final Exam

Looks fun eh? I also have some personal paper work that I have to get done this week as well, which gets to count as my "fun break activities" (isn't that how you always think of paperwork?)

Therefore this weekend is going to have a TON of studying in it, except for a little reprieve to celebrate Yelitza's Birthday with her!!! This weekend is also Father's Day, so even though I'm not home I'm hoping to get a good skype in there!

I actually have a pretty traumatic mid-weekend last weekend that mainly revolved around an incident with a creepy man getting way too personal following me down Universal Blvd in his car as I walked to Universal Studios.  I felt super violated and upset, but a little park time helped a lot. I hung out in Harry Potter work, rode Duelling Dragons 4 times in a row, took in the sounds and scenery and had a really good time.  Also I started the pilgrimage to Universal (it took about 2 hours to walk there...in 35 degree weather + humidity) because they have a Starbucks there and I have a gift card.  However once I finally arrived they had a big ole sign saying "This location is not set up for gift cards." I was a little sad as it was the iced passion tea that had inspired me not to turn back. Can't win them all haha.

Monday after school I hung out with my friend Nick from the Canada Pavilion (Le Cellier) kitchen. We sun tanned for a bit by his pool and then he made me the most delicious dinner! I don't really cook myself actual meals, I usually have some oatmeal, or some quinoa, or a smoothie or something like that, so when he offered to make veggie burritos I was so excited! And MAN was it good!!  The fact that Mexican food is probably my favourite in the world right now helped, and that he's a professional chef, and that I don't usually eat flavourful food, but I was one happy camper! 

That about sums things up I think. Thomas Kinkade was in our class the other day! However we (the class) weren't! We were kicked out for Thomas Kinkade and Professor Logan's meeting (alright, we were kicked out so we could work on our projects) and even though we camped out we didn't see him.  I feel as though Tuesday morning Professor Logan said that Thomas Kinkade either got sick or lost and didn't come, but then I thought it said they did meet so I'm not sure what really happened! (it's an 8am class okay? That's early to fully comprehend! ...just kidding!) I'm sad that my entertainment class is ending. I would go to Professor Logan's class at any time of day everyday for the rest of summer/until he ran out of stories. Yup, I'm just that into class/Disney knowledge.

I'm going to try and knock out my cheat sheet assignment for Monday before heading to the gym for a sweat fest. Hope where ever you are in the world the sun is shining and you've got a smile on your face. 

Life is good today!

Ps- I have a confession today was well...I have been listening to Christmas music on Pandora while studying!! It's both soothing, happy and somehow keeps the stress levels down! 

Are you the type to count down for Christmas from 6 months out? 

Or do you not allow any Christmas music or decorations until December 1st?

Know what's even better? Disney Christmas, especially fireworks! I know, I have a problem...

Accepted Times Two!

I interrupt our regular programming to bring you this message from our sponsors:

(aka ME!)

You may notice a countdown to the right there, as well as a spot just under it that says "Follow by email." If you want to, you can type your email in there and instead of having to check all the time if I've updated, apparently it will email you when there is a new post! Exciting!

Also if you have any questions - whether you're about to start the program yourself and want to know more about it, or more specifics, or if you have any questions about me, if I keep mentioning someone or something and you don't know who or what it is, you can email me or leave a comment at the bottom of the post! Email me at: katewdw@live.ca and I'll respond as fast as my little fingers can type! If there are lots of questions I'll even make a post of it. Feel free to ask anything :) Now back to regular programming...

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life's passing seasons

bring the best to you and yours!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

On my way out the door to my first ever Zumba class this morning I found this email in my inbox:

Good morning Kathryn!

I have some great news for you, you have been successful in your interview with Disney cruise line last week so congratulations!

You have been chosen for “Assistant Dining room Server”

Please stand by and I will get back to you as soon as I have more details on when we will start your process with your medical and criminal background check.

Let me know if you have any questions!

It was a pleasure meeting with you!

Eric Theriault

CEO-Co-Founder/Director of Recruiting

Cast-A-Way Cruise and Resort Hiring Agency

Exciting!!! It's nice to be accepted, especially after I didn't think the interview went so well. However I most definitely am going to do the Cultural Representative Program at Walt Disney World and am sooo pumped for that to begin!! Maybe sometime in the future I'll do a cruise line contract :)

In other news I did a Zumba class this morning because I bought LivingSocial deal for 10 classes for $20 dollars, and usually they are $10 a class so it was a pretty baller deal! I can also take spin classes with it, but they all seemed to be full. I was super nervous going, as I am not a dancer at all, but it was really fun. The beats are great, the instructor, Inna, was amazing, and I found myself smiling at points which doesn't happen that often when working out.

I got my sweat on a bit, and then the run/walk 4 miles home made for a pretty great workout. My sister Kim's baby is coming pretty soon so I'm going to spend the rest of the day making a few different meals I can freeze for when they are tired out by the newborn, as well as some of the yummiest Energy Bars I've ever had!! They are great for on the go and are packed with yumminess!

Almond Butter Energy Bars

1 cup Crunchy Almond Butter

1 cup Brown Rice Syrup

1 cup Liquid Honey

4 Tbsp Molasses

2 Tsp vanilla (extract works!)

1 cup chopped dried apricos

1 cup dried blueberries (or currants)

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup flax seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

5 cups Bran Cereal (like Raisin Bran...I use Nature's Path Flax Plus Pumpkin Raisin Crunch Cereal)

2.5 cups Quick Rolled Oats

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, over low heat, cook almond butter, rice syrup, molasses, honey and vanilla until blended.

2. Add apricots, blueberries, almonds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds and sunflower seeds and mix well.

3. Add cereal and oats; mix well.

4. Pour mixture into two 9 inch square baking pans (or a 9x13), lightly greased (I didn't do this). Place down with clean damp hands to compact evenly.

5. Let stand for 30 minutes, until firm, then cut into squares.

6. Freeze 1/2 the batch for next month. (I didn't do this either...they are toooo delicious, eat them!)

Right now I'm just trying to figure out summer university things and get everything together hopefully.

Here's a little Disney tidbit for you. This is my absolute favourite Disney World Commercial. I am only slightly embarrassed to admit that I cry every single time I watch it. Perhaps because her curly locks remind me of mine when I was little, or because of her determination to be just right and do it herself. Or because this is how I hope every little girl feels when she goes to a Disney park.