Accepted!

This morning while having a casual Friday lay in (veggie omelets! YUM) I picked up my phone to check my messages and came across an email from Disney. I opened it and....

Dear Kate,

Congratulations!

You have been selected to participate in the Disney College Program at the Walt Disney World® Resort! This is a valuable résumé-enhancing experience for all students, and we are proud to offer this opportunity to you.

You can find out additional details regarding your offer, including your role and program season, by following the instructions below. You must complete all three steps listed below in order to fully accept your offer.

I got accepted into the College Program! We were having such a laid back morning it took me a moment to actually realize what I was reading! I freaked out and told Francel! Then I had to know what position they were offering!  I had said I would do a bunch of different roles, so I impatiently opened the email on my computer and freaked out in excitement again... 

Dear Kathryn,

Congratulations! On behalf of Disney Worldwide Services, Inc., which is part of a business segment we call Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, we are pleased to let you know that you have been selected to participate as a/an Concierge cast member on the Disney College Program at the Walt Disney World ® Resort for the Fall Advantage 2013 season. This is a valuable résumé-enhancing experience for all students, and we are excited to offer this opportunity to you! This program will allow you to gain academically-oriented work experience - the kind that provides participants in any major with the tools they need to compete effectively in today's job market.

Please review your major responsibilities below:

Responsibilities may include completing check in/check out process for concierge club-level guests by inputting and retrieving information from resort computer system; proactively greeting guests, exhibiting the expected high level of Disney show quality, often times interacting with VIP's, celebrities, and executives; creating individualized ticket packages; being comfortable in a strong sales environment; making reservations and handling any special requests from guests; handling cash and other forms of payment, including foreign currencies exchange; maintaining cleanliness of common guest living/dining areas within concierge club-level; assisting with luggage and other deliveries to guest rooms; working concierge buffet line which can include maintaining overall cleanliness of buffet area and replenishing food, washing dishes, serving alcohol, maintaining inventory of liquor, and partnering with culinary team to ensure food quantity; partnering with property VIP tour guides. 

CONCIERGE!!!! I can't quite believe it's real still! Concierge was definitely my top choice! I can't believe I'm going to be doing a Disney College Program! 

Step one was accepting the offer, then paying program fees.  I am planning on opting out of housing (that's a whole other post :) ) but still had to pay a housing fee.  Once they approve of me not living in housing, then I have to work in the program for a month, then I'll get the fees back.  There is also a $100 program fee and a $4.50 processing fee.  Bye Money! Hello Disney!

Step three was my arrival date!!

JUNE 3RD, 2013!!! I start June 3rd!!! June 3rd until January 3rd 2014!!!

I can't believe this is real!

It also will count as my internship for my degree and I'll be able to go to school during the fall still of course! It's so exciting.  I'm on cloud 9 :)

I don't get to know which resort I'll be in until my start date.  Of course I'd like a deluxe because they have club levels and I'd get to deal with the club lounge and such, but any resort will be incredible! It's just so neat to think that I'll be working for Disney somewhere other than Canada!!! I LOVE Canada (the pavilion and actual country) but as I can't be a server at Le Cells, the fact that I can work somewhere else is SOOOO COOL! And my name tag will say my university instead of my hometown.  Kind of neat! Costuming will be somewhere else! I won't have Discovery Day! Gosh, it'll be so different!

I love that I get to go to Traditions again too!!! I LOVE Traditions! It's so magical! 

So my day has been full of excitedly tell my family then friends then the world! I'm going to be a cast member again! I get to go to the parks! I'm SO excited!!!!!!

We interupt regular programming to bring you this...

Little known fact about Kate: When I get stressed out, it's no good. haha. Usually I handle everything pretty darn well (in my own humble opinion) and can juggle (literally) super well. But sometimes, that extra straw of hay makes me hit: Stress Level 94!
That is where I am currently residing. I was fine with having an assignment, a class presentation, 2 two hour final exams and a meeting with a visa advisor tomorrow all before studying for another final exam the following morning, but it's the incorrect submission of a group project leading to me currently having no marks for it (even though I finished my part 4 days early) that is making me teeter on the edge.

Me in my Fun and Fancy Free days of joyous stress free living :D

When I was 14 I had my first job interview at a Wendy's and the manager asked me how I handle stress. I answered that "I drink tea." Yup, actually said that. Then I probably giggled, and corrected my answer talking about taking a step back, organizing everything by priority in my head, taking a deep breath, and going at it.  (The manager called and hired me before I even got home by the way! Yeeyah first job!)

So following my 14 year old self's very wise advise, I first made myself a steamy cup of Chai Tea (which is also nice because air conditioning is INSANE in Florida) and then I sat down, took a deep breath and organized everything in order of importance/things I can fix now.  I can't make my teacher mark our assignment, or email me back, so I just have to give it a bit more time.  I can however study my little life away and ace my finals tomorrow.  I have to give up a little control on our presentation and believe my group can do the tasks laid out for them, and I pretty much know exactly what I need to tell the visa advisor. I can do the final assignment (he only told us about it yesterday, it's extra credit and not due until Thursday at 2pm) on Thursday after my 8am exam.  See....stress level back down to a 52 :D

Stress isn't what you all want to read about...and I have to get back to analyzing financial statements and figuring out the purpose of cash flow statements per each group of interested investors and creditors, but here are so great links that I love to check out, oh you know, daily:

Peanut Butter Fingers: Julie Fagon is a realistic healthy food blogger, Orlando-ite, and writes my favourite blog!!

Oh She Glows: Angela Liddon makes the most incredible vegan cooking/baking and I want to make every recipe!

Disney Things: If you have Disney friends on facebook, you've probably seen one of these pictures.  They are all the 'simple' things about Disney we love

The Wonderful World Of Disney: Louisa was on her second UK pavilion contract when I went on my first contract.  She has done a J1 program (as a Jungle Cruise Skipper!), 2 CRPs and currently works on the Disney Cruise Line. Pretty much she knows everything!

Another Amazing Summer at Disney: Devon works at the Magic Kingdom turnstiles and the Town Square Theater where you can meet Mickey (and Co) & the Princesses! I don't know him, but I like his blog and if I ever spot him will going in MK I'll probably tell him I read his blog and he'll be either creeped out or shocked :) (If someone who reads my blog ever comes up and tells me I'll be the happiest person in the world, and then maybe we could have a Dole Whip together ;) )

The Disney Food Blog: I feel like this blogger and I are kindred souls. Especially when I saw together was a round the (Disney) world trip of Margaritas!! Soooo yummy!

The Disney Parks Blog: Oh course the official blog of Disney, they had a really good read about father/son Imagineers Rolly and Chris Crump.

Hope something in there keeps you a little entertained, of course there are also my favourite to read all the time Disney blogs featured in the "Check-check-check it out!' roll to the right of this post!! They are even listed for most recently updated on (I'm kind like that!! Okay..it does it itself), but Ariella just started her Canadian Cultural Representative Program over at My Year At Disney, Lisa at Disney ICP Summer 2011 just finished training in Tomorrowland (Congrats!), and Vicky is letting you all know about her cultural representative application process over at Another Disney Cultural Rep Blog (Vicky and I share an arrival date!).

If you want your blog featured on here let me know and I'll pass on the good word about your exciting blog! Or if you have any good ones that you know I'd love, please let me know!!

Enjoy the rest of your days! Remember: 

Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one. 

-Hans Selye 

This has nothing to do with anything really...but I watched Star Wars this week and
realized that Anakin Skywalker slaughters all of these guys! Plus their wives and children!
Now instead of being totally creeped out by them, I'm both creeped out and feel like telling them
not to kidnap his Mother and they could have saved the whole galaxy a huge mess.

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.