It's hard to believe it's been six months since I left Disneyworld. At this time I was stressing about leaving, packing, boys, friends, flights, UPS, everything. I definitely went though a hard time when I left Florida. It was wierd being about my friends and family from home because they couldn't know what it was like and I started every sentence with 'at Disney we,' which is never nice for the other person. I was also going through my first heart break, which as most people know isn't so easy. I also was moving to a new place in another new province with a new job. It sounds like the depression should have kicked in pretty hard, but I was okay. And now I'm even better. When I read that last message I wrote on March 19th, while I was staying at the Cabins, I can feel all the emotions seeping out of it. No wonder my Mum was concerned! However now looking back, a lot of those things that seemed like the end of the world have been reset to their actual size and things go on. I left the job I first had after Disney, and now I'm in Vancouver, where I really truly feel at home. I have incredible roommates (my sister Kimmy, her fiance Gareth and their pug Lily), and a job that even though I'm not fond of it, the people are so kind and I'm looking for something better. I have mended the friendships that I could with the people from Florida that I did wrong, and have forgiven those who hurt me. My heart is fully healed and doing well, I learned a lot of lessons about myself, love, trust, and guys from my relationship with Barry, and even though we were awful for each other, my only hope for him is that he finds someone who is right and works hard to make his life goals come true. A lot of the growing I thought I did in Florida, I actually did reflecting on it. I can honestly say that I am truly happy right now. Yes I have incredible stress about money for school, I'm boyfriendless, and have a somewhat crappy job, but I have a peace and calm inside me telling me that right now, as it is, life is good, and I'm happy. I am planning on reapplying to work at Disney, not to relive the experience but to further my career and love in the hospitality business. As I go through the process again I'll do my best to track it here, and I may eventually tell you about my Aunts visit (which was a lot of fun, we stayed at Animal Kingdom, ate breakfast with princesses and rode Dumbo soo many times!) or Klassy and mine's trip to New Orleans (it was absolutely mind blowing! The culture and history of the French Quarters gives you this feeling that there is so much to be thankful for and so much to celebrate and love) and I may even tell you about my last day of work (on St. Patrick's Day! We drank around the world).
If you are thinking of doing the Cultural Representative Program, all I have to say is don't think twice, don't hesitate, grab this opportunity by the horn and throw your entire self into heart first. It will make you cry, laugh, want to quit, never want to leave and if you're lucky it'll change your life.
Thanks for reading my blog and wanting to follow along on this journey that was the product of a lifetime of loving Disney, from the moment I first walked through the gates of Disneyland when I was 4 years old, to discovering the program when I was 12 years old, to the 5am drive home from Victoria to Courtenay when I decided not to wait and to apply right away, to the interviews, the waiting, getting accepting and to finally stepping off the airplane in Orlando and driving under the sign into the Happiest Place on Earth. I'm sorry I didn't always write as much as I should haveThank you all, and ttfn, because this isn't the last Disney has seen of me :)
Monday, September 6, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
The End
Well, I had my last day of work. I'll fill you all in one the trip with the aunts, Mardi Gras and my last month and my last day. It's a bizzare experience the whole thing and it's weird looking back at the posts from before I came. I never thought this year is what this year would be. To call it a roller coaster is an understatement, to call it the best year of my life is close to accurate and to say I learned a lot about myself while down here is definately true. I'm not as old as I thought I was, though I've grown up a lot. I did things I thought I never would and met people I didn't have a clue could exist - at both ends of the spectrum. I cried, I laughed, I fell in love. I got hurt, I hurt people and I met friends I hope to keep forever. I realized all over again why Disney is so important to me and the genius that is Walt. I saw managers who are destroying his image and managers who exemplify the people he strived to build his company around. I love this place. I would stay forever.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Yah, yah, i know...it's only been 5 months...
So I can barely remember what I did last Sunday let alone 5 months ago, but I'm going to try and break things down a bit since my return from Canada sooo long ago. Some key points and things that have happened....We'll go by month:)
August: Amy and her mum Lisa came and visited florida. They stayed at disney for a couple days then i went up to Daytona Beach with them for a couple days. It was sunny and we tanned and Lisa made some unbelieveably delicious food! I rarely cook, so having real food was fantastic. We went to go shopping after we dropped off the rental car and got crazy lost hiking around in the heat. It was quite the journey but we finally found a bus stop that took us back to where we needed to be...the hotel! We had this incredible view of the ocean.. the only thing between our room and the ocean was the pool!
In August I also started dating Barry. I wasn't going to write anything about him but 4 1/2 months later we're still together, and he's one of the main people I've done things with the last couple months. He's also Canadian from Ontario.
In the beginning of September Barry and I stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge in a savannah room. It was sooo much fun! We sat on the balcony and watched a giraffe lay down to sleep 25 feet from us! There were tons of zebras as well and this big ox/cow like things haha. They also had really good breads and dips from room service! get it! it's yummy :)
At the end of September Barry and I went to Miami for 4 days. We left after work and drove at night and were so tired we slept on the side of the road for a bit. yikes! We were trying to maximize time there by leaving as soon as we could, but we ended up being too sleepy from work. We had so much fun though, our hotel was on a boardwalk along south beach and we slept on the beach, played in the waves, rented a skidoo! ate on ocean drive, went shopping (yay) and just hung out. We had a really high room on the ocean side so it had a great view! Probably one of the best trips i`ve been on.
I don`t really remember October...I`m sure we did something. I think we stayed at the boardwalk (resort). It was gorgeous as well. We watched the first Hockey night in canada of the year at ESPN zone on the boardwalk. We waited forever to get a booth, and when we changed the channel to hockey on our tables personal tv we got booed by the college football fans! They`re nuts!!
November we went on a Disney Cruise!!!! It was a 4 night cruise and went to the bahamas (nassau) and castaway cay - disney`s private island! The food was yummy, the cast were friendly, the sun was fantastic and we had a room with a little deck so that was cool! We met some other really nice cast members that dined at our table as well as this family from tennesse (i think) that were so funny and nice. The people from the south always seem so friendly. By south i mean georgia and tennesse and even some texans..i know, i thought i`d never say it. That doesn`t mean they all are, but i`ve never been called ma`am and thanked so many times then when i have a southern table. Although they do have their opposites who demand plenty of A1 sauce and drink unsweet tea is if it`s going to disappear off the earth any second.
December was a rough month. Some of my favourite people left the program and it was really really hard to go back to work without them. Then christmas away from the family was really tough as well. We rarely are all together, so it was tough missing a time when we could have been. I love my family so so much. I worked december 24th, 25th, and 26th so it wasn`t much of a holiday. Then i also worked dec. 31st and jan. 1st. We sat until 10:50pm on new years eve so it was a late night but luckily my last table left right as the fireworks were starting so Barry, Aliiyah, Sam, Melanie and I went out and watched them. It was crazy spectacular! They set fireowrks off from behind the different countries in the order in which they celebrated new years and then had this countdown and went crazy from when new years hit america! The amount of ppl was crazyyyy but they were all pretty happy. Guests were a lot nicer and happier New Years eve then they were Christmas day. I know i focused mainly on trips, but i've been working all this time as well, and missed lots of other things I've done too. I went to Tampa with Jadrian and Jessica for a weekend to see So You think you can dance in october (i think) and we got our fortunes told! I went to a hockey game that Kim's Dad (Brad Lazarowich) was lineman in and we went downstairs afterwards and stayed over in the presidental suite at the marriot! It was crazy huge and soooo nice! I do have pictures of most of these things, but they are all in random places. I'll put them all together when i get home.
Home. sooooo freaky of a concept. This has become home to me and going back to Canada is a scary concept. I love it here and can't believe i have only 2 1/2 short months left.
This weekend coming up i'm going to Boston with my friend Melissa, and perhaps Washington, DC the weekend after and Chicago the weekend after that! Auntie Mary and Co. are coming down the first week of February and then i'm going to Mardi Gras (New Orleans) February 15th. Then just a month until this dream is complete. Time has gone so fast, but I've done some incredible things, met people that have changed my life and still have a lot left to do! I'll attempt to write something else before i leave, haha, but knowing me you'll just have to wait and see:)
August: Amy and her mum Lisa came and visited florida. They stayed at disney for a couple days then i went up to Daytona Beach with them for a couple days. It was sunny and we tanned and Lisa made some unbelieveably delicious food! I rarely cook, so having real food was fantastic. We went to go shopping after we dropped off the rental car and got crazy lost hiking around in the heat. It was quite the journey but we finally found a bus stop that took us back to where we needed to be...the hotel! We had this incredible view of the ocean.. the only thing between our room and the ocean was the pool!
In August I also started dating Barry. I wasn't going to write anything about him but 4 1/2 months later we're still together, and he's one of the main people I've done things with the last couple months. He's also Canadian from Ontario.
In the beginning of September Barry and I stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge in a savannah room. It was sooo much fun! We sat on the balcony and watched a giraffe lay down to sleep 25 feet from us! There were tons of zebras as well and this big ox/cow like things haha. They also had really good breads and dips from room service! get it! it's yummy :)
At the end of September Barry and I went to Miami for 4 days. We left after work and drove at night and were so tired we slept on the side of the road for a bit. yikes! We were trying to maximize time there by leaving as soon as we could, but we ended up being too sleepy from work. We had so much fun though, our hotel was on a boardwalk along south beach and we slept on the beach, played in the waves, rented a skidoo! ate on ocean drive, went shopping (yay) and just hung out. We had a really high room on the ocean side so it had a great view! Probably one of the best trips i`ve been on.
I don`t really remember October...I`m sure we did something. I think we stayed at the boardwalk (resort). It was gorgeous as well. We watched the first Hockey night in canada of the year at ESPN zone on the boardwalk. We waited forever to get a booth, and when we changed the channel to hockey on our tables personal tv we got booed by the college football fans! They`re nuts!!
November we went on a Disney Cruise!!!! It was a 4 night cruise and went to the bahamas (nassau) and castaway cay - disney`s private island! The food was yummy, the cast were friendly, the sun was fantastic and we had a room with a little deck so that was cool! We met some other really nice cast members that dined at our table as well as this family from tennesse (i think) that were so funny and nice. The people from the south always seem so friendly. By south i mean georgia and tennesse and even some texans..i know, i thought i`d never say it. That doesn`t mean they all are, but i`ve never been called ma`am and thanked so many times then when i have a southern table. Although they do have their opposites who demand plenty of A1 sauce and drink unsweet tea is if it`s going to disappear off the earth any second.
December was a rough month. Some of my favourite people left the program and it was really really hard to go back to work without them. Then christmas away from the family was really tough as well. We rarely are all together, so it was tough missing a time when we could have been. I love my family so so much. I worked december 24th, 25th, and 26th so it wasn`t much of a holiday. Then i also worked dec. 31st and jan. 1st. We sat until 10:50pm on new years eve so it was a late night but luckily my last table left right as the fireworks were starting so Barry, Aliiyah, Sam, Melanie and I went out and watched them. It was crazy spectacular! They set fireowrks off from behind the different countries in the order in which they celebrated new years and then had this countdown and went crazy from when new years hit america! The amount of ppl was crazyyyy but they were all pretty happy. Guests were a lot nicer and happier New Years eve then they were Christmas day. I know i focused mainly on trips, but i've been working all this time as well, and missed lots of other things I've done too. I went to Tampa with Jadrian and Jessica for a weekend to see So You think you can dance in october (i think) and we got our fortunes told! I went to a hockey game that Kim's Dad (Brad Lazarowich) was lineman in and we went downstairs afterwards and stayed over in the presidental suite at the marriot! It was crazy huge and soooo nice! I do have pictures of most of these things, but they are all in random places. I'll put them all together when i get home.
Home. sooooo freaky of a concept. This has become home to me and going back to Canada is a scary concept. I love it here and can't believe i have only 2 1/2 short months left.
This weekend coming up i'm going to Boston with my friend Melissa, and perhaps Washington, DC the weekend after and Chicago the weekend after that! Auntie Mary and Co. are coming down the first week of February and then i'm going to Mardi Gras (New Orleans) February 15th. Then just a month until this dream is complete. Time has gone so fast, but I've done some incredible things, met people that have changed my life and still have a lot left to do! I'll attempt to write something else before i leave, haha, but knowing me you'll just have to wait and see:)
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Canada, My Canada...
Yes! I'm in Canada! Well to be exact i'm at my grandpa's house on his crazy nice MAC because coming home i have learned i clearly don't update my blog enough! I arrived here on Wednesday around 330pm and got picked up by my Mum, Dad, Sister Carrie, Uncle Sean and cousin Arek. It was a shock to see so many people there, and after travelling about 10 hours i was kind of tired and out of it. Then we drove over to my grandparents house where i surprised my Aunties/cousins!!! I somewhat live with them when i'm at school in ontario and we're super close and they had no idea i was coming so it was really fun to see their shocked expressions! We all hung out and had a big dinner. Then i went home and got to see my puppies! It was so nice to see the house and sleep in my own bed. The more i sleep in a real bed the more i'm tempted to buy one in florida. haha. we'lll seeeee. Thursday we tanned by the pool, swam and generally just hung out. it was good times! Friday we got some things done like going to the bank, and getting everything ready for the reunion the next day! Oh i got to see my friend carly thrusday as well and then Friday i saw Jaquelyn on break at MudSharks so that was exciting tooo!!! I didn't really tell many people i was coming home, mainly because i wanted to see my family and all the relatives that were visiting and kinda lay low. Saturday we went tot eh farmer's market in the morning, which is always so much fun. I loveee the market! Such a great vibe. Then we came back and got ready for the big BBQ. We had all the family that travelled in, plus all the family from the valley for a huge dinnner outdoors. There was soooooo much foood and drinks and it was fun. It was really nice having everyone together:) Once most of the guests left carebear, kimmers, mummm and i played scattegories (so much fun!) and the felllas drank outside listening to tuness. Being here has made me realize how im never really around adults anymore, and even though i have a tendency to misplacing things, i've become a lot more independent and in charge of my own life. which is goood i'm thinking. haha. Today we had a huge brunch at grandma and grandpa's which brings me to now. Auntie Barb and John left to head back down island and Kimmy and Gareth have to leave later as well. Tomorrow i'm spending most of the day with different friends, tuesday a mix of family, friends and getting things together, and wednesday i head back to vancouver to hang out with Amy! perhaps Lara, and then Kimmy and Gar for dinner and the airport! Visiting home is definately wierd, but also fantastic.
Thinking back to where i left off with work, things have gotten better. We're still working crazy amounts of days and MIDs, but people seem to be getting better at helping out and being kind. There are some great new people arriving and i'm getting to know the ones that arrived in the last month or so a lot better. It's hard to get to know all the new people when you're a server because you don't really get to spend time with them at work and then there isn't that much time outside of work to do things. So it took a bit longer but i love them! My roommmate Patricia left on wednesday and i just found out that my friend Courtney is moving in! She's from Barrie, Ontario, is underage like meeee, and also a vegetarian like me! Seems like things could go pretty well:)
I'll be sad to leave home, but I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of florida life. I know in like a week i'll be missing my family again! Loveeeeeeee u guys:)
Thinking back to where i left off with work, things have gotten better. We're still working crazy amounts of days and MIDs, but people seem to be getting better at helping out and being kind. There are some great new people arriving and i'm getting to know the ones that arrived in the last month or so a lot better. It's hard to get to know all the new people when you're a server because you don't really get to spend time with them at work and then there isn't that much time outside of work to do things. So it took a bit longer but i love them! My roommmate Patricia left on wednesday and i just found out that my friend Courtney is moving in! She's from Barrie, Ontario, is underage like meeee, and also a vegetarian like me! Seems like things could go pretty well:)
I'll be sad to leave home, but I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of florida life. I know in like a week i'll be missing my family again! Loveeeeeeee u guys:)
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Not much to sayyy
Well all i've really been doing is serving, serving and serving. I work all the time and it's kind of frustrating sometimes because the morale isn't the best at the restuarant. It's been a bit better lately except one certain person, but people don't really help each other as much as they should. Also i had a bunch of money stolen from work, which is my fault for having it there, but still sucks. I guess that was the small town girl coming out, trusting people. Anyways i have now bought a really big lock. I'm really really excited for a upcoming trip though!!!! I have 6 MIDs, 2 1015s and a PM and then i get to go!! I'm not really sure what else to talk about, i've been pretty sick lately, i have the worst cough that won't go away for the life of me. Because of that i've been taking it easy lately, not really going out much and trying to take care of my health. We had a really fun Christmas in July gathering last night though that my husband Craig and sister Kelly put on with their friend Emily. It was fun but made me sad about what real christmas will be like. It'll be tough being away from my family and our traditions and all the little things we usually do together. But we'll make the best of it here. I'll probably work. haha. Anyways, that's all i really have, i went and watched the beauty and the beast musical the other day and the indiana stunt show then it was alyssa's last day so i went and met her jaime and jadrian at magic kingdom and we rode big thunder mountain (my fav!), pirates and then went to the Polynesian resort and had dinner at Kona Cafe. After dinner we watched the magic kingdom fireworks, Wishes, on the beach at the resort with the music playing. It was really nice. Alyssa is from Qualicum Beach, and is an amazing girl i'm really going to miss. From the very start we kind of had this island connection and got along so well. I'm hoping i'll get to see her when i get back to Canada.
I'm off to downtown disney for dinner and a movie and a wee bit of shopping...love you!
I'm off to downtown disney for dinner and a movie and a wee bit of shopping...love you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
