nyc, mexico, banana.

i know, i know, i know - it's been forever! not many new things have been happening so i didn't want to write a blog that was only, like, four lines. i am still continuing to have the time of my life. i'm still so happy and enjoying every second.

the other night, i went to a seminar of sorts, whereby we listened to a couple stories from about six people who had done the college program in the past - some up to twenty years ago, and some up to five years ago. it was really cool to listen to what they had to say. one of the people talking, was in fact the man who helped to organize and create the interactive screen in times square, new york in front of the disney store. (that's the link right there in case you want to watch the video.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRRu5dKRfTU. it is such a cool idea and i couldn't believe i met him! it was so interesting. he even showed us a private video of some of the pre-cut videos that some of the characters made on a green screen. the initial idea was to have mostly predone shots, but in the end, it worked out better to have live footage, whereby the characters were in a room in the back of the disney store, they saw the passersby in front the store, and they went in front the green screen and did a couple seconds of live interaction. it's so cool.

we also recently went to epcot for a couple hours one night. it was extremely fascinating. while we were only there for a little while, we saw so much, so we are definitely planning to go back. we started out by taking a ride through the past, and it brought us to the present, and then showed us the future. it was so cool. there was even an interactive bit at the end whereby we chose some preferences, and it told us what our future was going to be like.

afterwards, we decided we were going to visit some countries. before this though, we stopped at an outdoor vendor and bought mickey bars. it was all of our first time trying this traditional "snack" at disney and they're great. we started our cultural experience in mexico. it is beautiful in mexico. we did the whole tourist thing, whereby we took pictures with sombreros and margarita glasses, and niza and idalia (who are actually from mexico,) bought some snacks and made us try them. some were great, some not so good. after that, we took a boat ride through mexico and it was so pretty. i definitely would love to go to mexico in real life to see what it's really like (even though i'd probably be a little scared, since a friend of mine told me that people randomly get shot and abused and there is so much crime.) so, you know, maybe one day, eventually i'll head over there. maybe.

we quickly passed through japan and holland, before making our way to italy, where we planned to eat our dinner. italy was so nice. picture perfect. not to mention the cute italian guys at the quick service restaurant we got our dinner from. i tried my very best to remember the italian i had learned at school before coming over here, but i remembered a total of about three words. we ate our dinner on the steps overlooking the water, and then we waited for the fireworks show.  that show was incredible. i don't know how long it lasted, but it was a good while. it was so, so great. it made me feel to cry. it was so nice. after the fireworks show, epcot came to a close, and we headed back home, after nearly getting lost in mouse gear, a huge merchandise store in epcot. the only thing i bought was a photo album so i could start printing pictures, and putting them all together. i think that was a very mature, necessary purchase.

work has been really great. i have been turned into an owl, because i just want to stay up all night, and sleep all day now, thanks to the glorious hours i have to work. (including tonight, i'm scheduled to work til 3 in the morning. super fun times, i know.) but i still enjoy every minute of work, and interacting with other cast members and guests. and i love that i can make a kid stop crying, simply by telling him that i have stickers for him, sent by mickey. it's truly incredible the amount of magic a couple stickers can posess. they fix every thing.

saturday night was my roommate, mariajose p's birthday. at first we were going to go on the party bus, but then a friend of ours told us that since everyone was working late, we could just go by his house to lime. so we all got ready and then the guy cancelled on us. we were so vex, but we made the most of the situation and had our own fun. we stayed dressed up and had a party for four in our room, complete with balloons, decorations, candy and those party blower things. it was so much fun. we then decided to walk over to walgreens (which is walking distance from our complex,) to get some ice cream and pizza and other party necessitites. while walking past the basketball court (which is right in front our building,) a guy dressed in a banana suit comes running out the opposite building, passes by us, and joins the basketball game that was currently taking place. it was like 12 at night and we were so confused that we just saw a banana running past us. obviously we had to interrupt the game to take a picture with him, and then continued on our way, as he casually continued playing his game. we went to walgreens, got what we needed and came back home. by then our excitement had faded a little bit, and we just sat watching tv together, still dressed up, until we all went to bed. it was such a fun night, and it was so nice that we made the best of a slightly disappointing night.

i decided to write this blog really quick, because i truly missed giving the updates, and mum told me that many people were complaining to her that i haven't been writing - whether that's the truth, or her way of tricking me into writing something quickly, i'll never know. but i am very late for getting ready for work. i hope everyone's still doing fantastic, and i miss everyone every day. keep smiling, and continue to have magical days! xoxox

give your support!

i know it's been a while since i've written a post. everything has been super busy. i've had very "exciting" hours to work, such as ending at times like 3.45 in the morning and what not. despite these hours turning me into an owl,  i've been surprisingly happy and full of energy and excited about everything. i worked i the confectionery yesterday and finally took a picture of the costume, which i'm sure mum will put up sooner or later, because i know many people are dying to see it! i love working in there. it's so happy and fast-paced so time really flies. i also love working in the chapeau. i love embroidering the guests hats and seeing their faces when it's done. sometimes embroidering a hat gets pretty tricky, and i'll have to redo it three times but it's okay, they always end up happy in the end. it's good when it's busy, but when it's not busy, we're hidden enough that we get to chat amongst each other. but it is kind of hard when i have such late shifts and all my friends have shifts early so i feel like i don't get to socialize enough as i'm accustomed to, but it's okay. next week my shifts kind of go back to normal, so i'm really happy about that.

now, if you live in barbados, or even if you're just on facebook, i will have to assume you've heard about little damien straker. if not, here's the run down: he's been diagnosed with hydrocephalus and also has a cyst on the base of his brain, and needs life-threatning surgery at the sick kids hospital in toronto as soon as possible. on march 23rd at the barbados yacht club, a fundraiser will be held, where the merrymen, spice and company and other features will be performing to help damien out. the tickets are a $50 donation and I sincerely hope that everyone not only buys tickets, but physically GOES to the yacht club on the 23rd to show your support. i wish i was home to go to the fundraiser but unfortunately that's not possible. i, myself, will be giving a donation nonetheless and i really would like all of you to do the same. i'm sure anything you can do would help. also, just spread the word about this. it's really important to a lot of people and all the support would be greatly appreciated. i knew damien a little bit from when i had "baby duties" at st. winifred's, and he really is such a sweet little boy, and it's even more personal because i'm friends with his brother. so please, please, please help him and his family out. show your love and support to this very worthy cause.

i hope everyone continues to count their blessings and i hope everyone truly appreciates everything they have. love life.

mini update

getting home at 4 am from work is so much different to coming home after a night at harbour lights. but strangely enough, i'm not over exhausted or anything (thus, me writing a blog tonight.) it rained all day long today, but it didn't bother me since i woke up at 1pm (since i got home so late from work last night,) and spent the whole day inside until i had to leave for work in the evening.

i was so genuinely happy tonight, that even when i got a terribly unhappy guest, that didn't offset me and i was still in a good mood. she was so miserable and communicated horribly, and got mad when i couldn't read her mind to do exactly what she wanted. i ended up having to do her transaction three times, which just infuriated her more. but it's okay, these things happen and i really didn't care, i'm never going to see her again in my life so life's good.

while working tonight, i got to see the whole electrical parade. it was amazing. incredible. from the spinning lights to the flashing lights to the twinkling lights, everything was perfect. it was such a gorgeous piece of artwork in a sense. it gave off such a pleasant vibe that the atmosphere became that much more magical.

today i felt so proud of myself, when a guest came up to me and spoke no english, only spanish. he asked if i spoke spanish and i replied and told him only a very little bit. so he asked me a couple questions and i was so happy when i was able to answer well enough for me him to understand. and he was so grateful that i tried to communicate with him even though i wasn't that good. it really motivated me to keep wanting to continue learning spanish.

so that's just a little mini update on today. i know i had to write something about yesterday, but to be honest, all my days blur together and if i don't write stuff down i forget when it happened, and don't know if i've written about it already! missing everyone as usual! lots of love! besos!

monthiversary

yesterday was my monthiversary. that's right, i have been here now for one month and one day. i can't believe how fast time has flown. yesterday when i woke up i skyped nan and pa for a while and then i just went to my class, and when i got home i booked the reservation for my second family coming up in about a month and a half (i am so excited about this, i absolutely cannot wait!) then i skyped my family and we had some good laughs, as usual.

after that we went to downtown disney again and it's just so beautiful. i don't know why i'm so fascinated by it. but the atmosphere is so romantic, and friendly, and family oriented and it just feels like such a happy place. again, i was permanently smiling, except the moment when my heart broke when idalia told me she met michael buble. i know! i still feel to cry at the thought of that. he's one of the loves of my life. the other love of my life is the pair of raybans from sunglass hut. i guarantee i will buy them eventually. because i do "NEED" them. we watched a couple entertainment pieces throughout downtown disney, including a dance competition for couples, and a solo guitarist, who actually seems to play all instruments by himself, including some really cool things that i had never seen before. i did quarrel with him though, because no one was singing and how can someone possibly play such a funky version of 'sweet child of mine' with no one singing?! he then gave me his guitar pick, which obviously made it all better.

i planned to go to the gym this morning, and when my alarm annoyingly went off this morning, i snoozed it again til an hour later. but i couldn't sleep. i was just too excited to get up and get moving - i don't know what the sudden motivation is but i was so glad i went this morning. it was a great start to my day. after that, i went online to do an assignment for my online course, and in the process of doing so, i received my grade for the first assignment i did, and i got full marks. just one more thing to add to the list of reasons why i'm constantly elated.

tonight, unfortunately, i work til just after midnight, but i will definitely not be complaining since i work til after 3am on friday and saturday night. really crazy shifts, but i don't mind, it's what i came up here to do.

people who go away to school are soon getting ready to head home for march break so i'm starting to miss home when everyone's together, having a great time. but if the first month flew by so quickly, i know the next five months are going to do just the same! sending lots of peace, love and pixie dust!

living in a movie

yesterday was a good day. i ended work at 12.45 in the morning, and that was the slowest time had ever gone since i've been up here, but it wasn't even that bad. when i got to the bus stop, i waited only for about ten or fifteen minutes, and when the bus came it was nearly empty. i was so relieved. i got home around 1.45 a.m and got ready so that i could catch the end of a friend's birthday party.

after about four or five hours sleep, i got woken up this morning, and couldn't get back to sleep because i was so excited about my day. today sammy and i (and her friend, cam) met up and went down to downtown disney. it was such a good day. the weather was perfect and clear and i was just so happy to be around such a familiar face, especially being family. downtown disney is such a happy place for me. it was the first time i went, and just walking around, you feel like you're in a movie with all the background music playing and the stores perfectly located and set up that it makes you feel like you're on a movie set, not just hanging out in real life. we walked around a bit, and browsed in a couple stores, including sunglass hut, where i found the love of my life in a pair of shades, but had to miss  out on buying them as they were a bit over my price range (they were $194.95 +tax, and my discount would only have been 10%.) but that's ok. i'll find them somewhere for cheaper and i'll be a happy girl. we then took a water taxi to marketplace (i think that's what it's called) where we had the most enthusiastic captain. he was hilarious. everything in downtown disney is so fascinating, and i was so excited to see everything. when we got there, we went in the rain forest cafe store, and i decided i wanted to win a prize. i decided to try the game where you put some coins in, and then there's a joystick and you have to try to grab a stuffed animal. i know people never get it done but i was determined... and quickly lost faith when i missed miserably. but afterwards, sammy tried and got a stuffed dog. he's now sitting on my bed. we continued walking around, going in and out of stores, playing with toys, and taking pictures (we even took a picture surrounded by flowers specifically for nan to frame, so someone reading this - do that favour for us!) we then went to watch the vow at the amc theatre. it was so good! of course i teared up a bit every now and then, but that's just me. it was such a good movie, and exactly my type of movie. i know, so cliche. but i don't care.

after the movie, we were walking back towards the carpark, and the atmosphere had changed drastically. the mood was so fun. the strings of lights hanging above us were so pretty, and the music that played as we passed the various places was coordinated perfectly with the feel of the night. we stopped to look at these human statues, if i may call them that. it's where these people are painted in a solid colour and they don't move a muscle for the longest periods of time, but every now and then they change positions. it was pretty cool. directly opposite of that, people gathered around to watch and admire this mexican guitarist who played insanely well. if you could just see his fingers move on the guitar you would be stunned. walking away, all i wanted to do was go back and lime. it feels like the perfect spot to just hang out, forget all troubles and just have a sincerely good time. i'm still just thinking about it, and want to go back.

when i came home, i started to fall asleep, but then niza came home with idalia, and we went to idalia's apartment and limed for a bit. when i got home after that, i sat with mariajose r and just talked about barbados, showing her pictures, and she is so determined to come to barabdos now, obviously. i was so proud showing off my friends, family, home and where i come from. i always get so sad when a really good day comes to an end, but it just makes me look forward to the next days to come. i hope everyone had a great valentine's day, but don't forget that you can spread the love more than once a year!

handwarmers?

well. let me just say, that i normally like working the outdoor shifts, because there are always so many people and it's so much fun. however. this morning, when i saw my first assignment was the east train cart (outside) i wanted to cry. today was FREEZING cold! i don't know the exact temperature, but it was so, so, so cold. and still is. before work, i had to head over to costuming to get a coat that goes with my costume, because my sweater (which is about the extent of my warm clothes besides my scarf and boots) was not cutting it. even when i got to work, i had to use hand warmers (which are little packs that you put inside your pockets (along with your hands,) to try to keep warm.) i was so cold all day long, it was the coldest weather i've ever been in. many guests told me they came here to get away from the cold but that they're pretty sure their home towns are warmer than here right now. my fingers and brain were both disfunctional and that was quite a challenge when i was trying to rush when there were a lot of guests to deal with.

tomorrow i get to sleep in, but i am dreading this week, as i mentioned before. i'm working til all hours of the morning every night i am scheduled to work this week, and next week (which i just got my schedule for.) ew. i know.

today was good, besides the weather. i have finally decided that i don't need to see snow as badly as i thought i wanted to. that can definitely wait a while. i got home and things seem to be just going wrong, with a lot of mishaps transpiring, but i know everything will go back to happy and joyful soon.

hope everybody's well and smiling.



i already published this blog tonight, but had to update it. something so special just happened, and made my day all okay again. the two maria joses came home and one of them told me they bought rings that they want them, niza and i to have. when i tried it on, i felt to cry. it was almost identical to the ring that my dad bought for me on our trip to disney when i was six. the ring he bought me was gold in colour, with mickey in my birthstone. this ring is just the same except silver (which i more wear with just a white diamond mickey.) i am so happy about this, it was such a sentimental moment, and now is something that has so much value to me. i am so, so, so happy. one of the VERY few things i remember from disney when i was little is now right in front my eyes (or right on my finger.) i miss and love you dad! (and mum too, don't feel left out or inferior!) <3

excitement

today was another great day, as usual. i started my day a bit unusually, though. as soon as i woke up i skyped with one of my favourite people in the world (steph, that can't happen again, i ran way too late - not like my usual organized self!) so obviously, that put me in a great mood from the second i got up. work didn't start until 11.30 so it was good that i could sort of sleep in. i was in the confectionery again. a few hours in, after my lunch break, i had a mandatory class called 'safety in motion,' which really was VERY interesting (i wish there was a font for sarcasm.) i was struggling to stay awake. in the beginning of the class, when we were waiting to start, the instructor was asking everyone where they were from and made a little comment to each person. when it got to my turn, and she asked me, and i replied with 'barbados,' every single person turned around and commented, showing how interested (and might i add, jealous) of where i came from. i felt so proud. after the class i went back to work, for again, what felt like thirty seconds before it was time for my bumpout. i was absolutely dreading getting to the bus stop, but for a change, my bus was actually there waiting. i did have to stand up, but that was definitely okay.

when i got home, i checked to see if my labor request (which i submitted for when my second family comes to visit me) had been approved, and i literally jumped for joy when i saw that it had been approved! so i spent some time talking to eri, making plans for the big day, with a permanent smile on my face. after that, i spoke to sammy on the phone for such a long time, that my ear and my phone were overheating, and we too, were making plans for our big day on tuesday when we're going to spend the day together. i am so excited to start seeing so much family!!!

i just got in from my night. i was just next door playing pictionary with some friends. it was actually quite fun, but of course when a man loses or gets told he made a move wrong, he can't possibly 'take it like a man,' so therefore the game was cut short by about two moves, but that's okay. it was time for bed anyway. i have to get my good nights rest for another busy day tomorrow. today was so good, filled with exciting news from home and from here. i'm even more excited to see what tomorrow will bring. (i know one thing, the electrical parade starts back at magic kingdom, so that's big news! but my shift will be done so i won't be able to see it. next week when i work til all hours of the morning i will see it for sure, so one thing to look forward to within those horrible hours!) anyways it's time for me to go to sleep. so depending on what time you're having this, have a great day, or have lovely dreams.

confectionery

today i worked in the confectionery (the candy store.) i wasn't exactly too sure how i felt about working there prior to today, because half the people who've worked in there hate it, and the other half adore it. but as usual with everything so far up here, i went with an open mind. i felt absolutely gorgeous in the beautiful yellow costume, with black shoes and a floppy pancake hat (yes, with a hairnet underneath.) it's really my best look. when i get to work, my first assignment was 'bulk counter.' this means that i had to help serve guests who wanted to buy the freshly made/baked items. the bulk counter is always especially busy. it felt like i was only working for a couple minutes, when someone bumped me out and told me it was time for my break.

at break, i had to buy dinner. i was so upset. today, i had made dinner to take and it was so healthy too, i was so proud of myself. while i was walking to the bus, i kept feeling like i was forgetting something, but i had no idea what it was. when i got on the bus, one of my roommates messaged me to tell me i forgot it, but it was too late. oh well, now i'm super prepared for tomorrow!

after break i was just working a register, which was also significantly busy. time just flies working in the confectionery. i was so happy the whole time i was working today, because people of all ages are so amazed and fascinated by what they are purchasing and they have the biggest smiles on their faces. i had my first "bad" guest today, who was anything but pleasant, but even she didn't get me offset.

the best part of my night though, was my last guest i was serving, who just happened to be the best looking guy i have ever seen. that really was the cherry on top of the cake. but just after that, i got my bump-out and it was time to head home. i get to the bus stop, waiting for the bus to take me home and EXACTLY the same thing that happened on monay (when there was what felt like eight million people and not enough buses or room on the buses that did end up coming) happened again, except my life wasn't saved by a friend with a car who happened to be working a late shift; i waited for nearly two hours for a bus (that i could actually get on) to come. i was pretty mad, but still, i was so thankful to sit down on the bus and just listen to my ipod. and i'm even more thankful now that i am in my bed safe and sound, and can finally go to sleep.

tomorrow i work in the confectionery again, so i'm quite excited, now that i know i like it. i hope we don't have a repeat of the bus scenario again, but it really wouldn't be the end of the world. i hope everyone spent their day with a smile on their face! lots of love!

love life

yesterday and today were my days off this week. yesterday was so nice. me and all the spanish roommates went to florida mall. there were endless stores that i'm sure we could have spent an endless amount of time in. charlotte russe was the first stop and i could have spent a million dollars in there. however, i controlled myself and bought only two pairs of earrings for $10 - it was a sale with the majority of the jewelry. i was so proud of myself. we then went to cotton on (with a few stops in between) where i bought a top, and then we went to forever 21. oh my lord, forever 21. it was HUGE! i got a huge shopping bag and made my way around the entire store. i got tons and tons of stuff, and even tried them on, but when it came time to check out, i only bought two tops. it was the least i'd ever bought in a mall. i was so proud of myself. after that, we went to the outlet mall which is directly opposite one of the housing complexes. we just window-shopped there and got back home relatively early.

today i just "blugged" around the house all day up until it was time to get ready for my first day of class, namely, corporate analysis.  this is a class whereby we look at the walt disney company and learn about its history, culture, performance among other topics, like innovation, technology, globalization, and diversity. since i'm not getting any credits for the course i chose, i was really quite open about my choice, and decided to pick the one that taught me most about disney since i'm here working for the company. some classes are held at my housing complex, but this one isn't - it's held at another one. so i figure i should be responsible and leave a bit early so that if i get lost i have enough time to recover without being late. of course, i'm the first person there like a loser! but i walk in, with no shame and introduce myself to the teacher. after a little while, she came back to me and asked "do you by any chance work in magic kingdom?" i told her i did, and she followed by asking "any chance on main street?" i agreed to that too and she said "at work on monday, were you colouring with a little girl?" and i replied yes to that as well, and after she very excitedly told me "oh my god! what a small world! you were colouring with me and my daughter! i knew i recognized you! and i recognized your watch too! (p.s. thanks dad) you really made her day!" that was the day, that i think i mentioned before, where i had to perform magical moments? i can't remember if i wrote about that in a previous post, but basically each store has a magical moment that they do, whereby the cast members give guests a magical moment, free of charge. so i went to the cinema, where art is sold, and i got to colour with little children (that was the magical moment i chose to do, because it's my favourite) and then i fill out a certificate for them whereby i say they are the "future disney artists" and i write their names on them and the date. so my teacher, remembered me and told me i was already her favourite.

our teacher is so funny. she is so energetic and really knows how to talk to us, keeping us engaged the whole time. i really like her, but like mum told me earlier, i really haven't met anyone yet up here that i don't like! the three hours of class really flew by.

after class, i came back home and realized i desperately needed to go to the supermarket. have i ever mentioned how much i miss my family? dad, this specifically goes to you. i deeply apologize for calling you nearly every day saying i need you to get me something from the supermarket. i didn't realize how much of a pain in the ass it really is until now (except it's a bit easier for you since you get the luxury of a car, and i have to take the bus.) but that is so besides the point. when i first got here, i was so excited to go to the supermarket, but even though it's only been twenty-four days, i'm already sick of it. also, my laundry is piling up. but i think it only looks like a bigger pile because my costumes are SO HUGE with skirts longer than me (yes, i do trip up sometimes)that they take up about 7/8 of my laundry hamper. i seriously commend all adults. nobody gives you enough credit for just living. honestly, i have no idea how you save money AND live at the same time! i am finding it excruciatingly challenging. especially those who have school fees, and medical bills and car insurance, and electricity and water and phone and tv and internet and maintenance and all those ungodly bills to pay? you are my heroes. seriously, give yourself a pat on the shoulder or do something uncostly that makes you feel good about yourself because you deserve it. it is so hard to  save my money and all i pay is rent, supermarket and entertainment. it is definitely a shock. but, i did not come here to make my millions, i came here for this opportunity, which i am still enjoying ever milisecond of. even when i sometimes get slightly angry, i'm still not really very angry. it's quite pleasant.

today, my brother's dream came true and he bought a car of his own. he wanted it to be a surprise for me, but i really don't know how he expected a "surprise" like that to last for six months in this day and age. but ben, i'm so happy for you, and happy that i still have carlos all to myself. you now have to think of a name for your baby, maybe carly, or carmichael, or carson, or carter (you get my point, it obviously has to have "car" in it.) ben i wish i could be home to see one of your dreams come true.

today also might have been significantly difficult for many of you at home. god received a great man into his home today. i am sure the majority of you who are reading this knew shane. i only had the pleasure of meeting him once, a few months ago. but from the time i was little, i had heard stories about him. in fact, not stories, but praises. i have heard his name come up in conversation many times, coupled with the beaming smiles on his friends' faces. i know that he was one of my mum's friends growing up, and i know all of my mum's friends are truly special. i believe shane is now in a better place, where he no longer has to suffer, but it is a reminder that time is short and you should really make the most of everything you have. i didn't really know him personally, but i knew of him, and i know that he had a special zest for life that is rare to find. he truly appreciated his time here and he did so without force. he was content and that is a quality that more of us need to find within ourselves. we complain about the minor things in life, like a bad traffic jam, or spilling something on a new shirt, or when we get a minor scratch on our car, but these things are so insignificant. we all need to learn how to look at the bigger picture and really be appreciative and seek out the good things, instead of constantly reminding ourselves of the "bad" things that happen. i believe that everything happens for a reason, even though the reason isn't easy to find at the moment it happens. i also sincerely believe in trying to make your dreams come true. it is NEVER too late. it doesn't matter how old you are, or how many children you have, or how many expenses you have. there IS a way to make your dreams come true and there are always possibilities. if something matters to you, go for it. do not hold back because of guilt, becasue of pressure, or because of any other reason today, becasue you never know what could happen tomorrow. i know shane will be deeply missed by many, many people; and he should be an inspiration to everybody to just love life, and to enjoy everything you do. we all need to stop taking life, love and even smiles for granted. we need to be more thoughtful. we could all be a little bit more like him.


i love and am missing my family and friends tonight, like always. i hope everyone remembers to tell everyone they love that they love them. and just smile. smile because of everything. smile because you're alive. and give kisses. give hugs. give high fives for that matter.


tomorrow i work in the confectionery, so i get to wear the truly beautiful and, i'm sure, very flattering, yellow costume, complete with a skirt that comes short enough that you can see about four inches of my legs from my feet, showing off beautiful black "hosiery", and an absolutely gorgeous pancake hat. it really is a stunning costume. but i don't mind! guests love them! i hope everyone reading and their families are safe and sound. I LOVE YOU.

go giants!

well i thought that today i wouldn't have anything to write about, because i thought it was going to be just another day at work... although days working at disney aren't ever just regular days. it's so refreshing (for the most part, most of the time!) if i'm being honest, i don't really remember what my day was like yesterday, because, as i believe i've mentioned before, all my days up here are kind of a blur and they all blend together. it was relatively quiet in magic kingdom though, thanks to the superbowl. now, i don't really know who exactly played, but i THINK it was the patriots and the giants or something? and i know it's american football. and that's about it.

this morning on the bus, half of the male population was overjoyed by the giants' (right?) win and the other half was so vex. it is so funny to see how mens' attitudes up here are influenced by a game. today the mvp of last night made a guest appearance in magic kingdom, so of course, the shops were empty for the entire time prior to his arrival. (and don't ask me who the mvp is because i have no idea - although i overheard someone at work saying something about eli today? so i'm guessing that's his first name?)

anyways, the day went by relatively quickly. i had a lot of role rotations which means that i don't stay in one area for too long. for example, i work in one location, then someone bumps me out, sending me somewhere else, and i bump the person working there out, who has to go somewhere else to bump someone else out, and it's a cycle that works like that. i like it when it's like that because i never get bored, and it gives me a chance to get to know a lot more people that i work with.

when it was time for me to clock out tonight, i was so excited. i feel like i haven't had time off (and i have a day off tomorrow) so i was so excited to just get on the bus and get home! so the disney vip cast members bus picked me up from the mouth of the tunnel, and then took me to west clock, which is where the bus that takes me home picks me up from. i was waiting with a friend of mine, among like thirty or forty other people. our bus finally came and everyone swarmed to get on, and the bus driver said he only had room for ten more people which is ridiculous! by this time, more cast members are coming and waiting to get on the same bus. more time passes and no busses are coming. by this time, the amount of cast members waiting to get on the 'a' bus is insane. everybody was complaining and getting extremely restless, threatning to call the bus company. of course, overhearing the meaningless threats, i decide to call, and of course, they could give me no information. i felt like i was in barbados. (by the way, by this time there is a minimum of a hundred people, and i'm not even lying.) so while waiting, i remembered i met a friend at work who told me he had a car, so everytime another vip cast member bus would come (which comes about every five minutes) i was frantically looking for him, desperately hoping he would step off the bus and give my  other friend and i a lift home. busses (that are not ours) keep coming, and he's not on it. so then i decide to call the taxi company. the woman told me they would charge about $23 to take us home and we were no way going to pay that. ever. so we keep waiting, soaking up everyones body heat and frustration. then i finally see my friend with the car, and i don't know how i got out the crowd, but i made it and asked him for a drop home. he couldn't believe i was still there waiting, because i had left basically an hour before he did. i was never so relieved to see someone in my life!

so now i'm finally home, and while i am fairly exhausted, i am so full of energy too. i finally have a day off tomorrow and am going to the mall with some friends! i've been putting it off, nervous i'm going to overspend, but i am going to have will power and am going to be responsible.

so just thought i'd share that little story. i know it probably doesn't seem like a big deal, but believe me, if you were there, you would have gotten SO vex. i was surprisingly cool and mellow about it - i haven't gotten angry since i've been up here. it's so nice. (mum i know you probably think i'm lying but i'm not.) anyways, i figure i can't just put all the magical moments in my blogs, i have to keep it realistic for all the future bajans interested! i'm missing home a bit tonight after i skyped stephie earlier today and i heard a couple stories about my favourite boys (8.5;).) definitely put a smile on my face though! i hope that everybody at home is as continuously happy as i am! lots of love and magic! <3

comfortable enough to sing

since i'm starting to get into the swing of things, there are not that many new things i can write about. so i think from now on i won't be writing a new post every day. i'm going to write as often as i can; i may end up writing new posts on consecutive days, or it may happen every other day, but i will, without a doubt, keep on writing so you guys can stay updated!

yesterday i worked again. i worked in many shops, like uptown jeweler's, the boutique, the tipboard, and the chapeau again. it was just another ordinary day of work, greeting guests, helping them ring up their purchases and putting a smile on as many peoples faces as possible. my weakness is the talkative little kids. i try to give the not-so-outgoing kids stickers and whatnot to keep them happy, but i love hearing the stories from the extraordinarily bubbly children. they are just so irresistable to interact with. they get such a joy from telling the stories of their days activities or what princess they just saw, or if they just high-foured mickey mouse. working in uptown jeweler's yesterday, for some reason it brought back a memory of when i was in disney. i vaguely remember my dad taking me into that store, and buying me a gold ring, with my birthstone in the shape of mickey on the top. i remember going into that store and for some reason being rushed, but still remember the cast members helping out being so calm and being so excited for me about my new "big girl" ring. that's about all i remember about that, but it suddenly came back to me when i was just lining all the stock up when there weren't any guests in the store (like i always do even if i'm in the supermarket at home and everything isn't in a straight line or in the right place.)

last night we didn't do anything. it is so weird not going to harbour lights every friday. lord, i miss that place. niza and i went down to the learning centre and rented a movie and just chilled out for a while before going to sleep. it's kinda cool though, because when you rent a movie (for free,) they give you a bag of popcorn! we didn't eat it but it was a novel thing that we thought was so fascinating. some of the bajan girls were over here last night, and they were doing each others hair.. with one of our forks.. which was, um, very cool and totally hygenic.
today for some reason i was just genuinely happy to be working (even though i snoozed my alarm about six or seven times before i could get up!) i started the day with putting on a giant mickey hand, and standing outside one of the stores right when the park opened, and i just waved at guests coming in, welcoming them to main street and magic kingdom. everybody of all ages got the biggest kick out of it. i had kids giving me high-fours and their parents taking pictures and videos, and grandparents enjoying just looking. time flew doing that, and i was disappointed when i had to go get another assignment which ended up being inside.

i love people-watching. some people are so careful about what they spend at disney, because it costs a fortune to be there in the first place, and moreover, everything is so expensive. on the otherhand, so many people go into the most expensive stores and can just freely purchase whatever they desire without even thinking about the price. today, a lady came up to me. she was wearing like old jeans with a few holes in them, an old tie-dye shirt, her hair was all over the place, and it looked like she had been saving for her whole life to be coming to disney world. she asked me how much a pair of earrings cost and i politely told her they cost two hundred dollars. she quickly glanced at them and told me "oh that's not bad, i'll take them," and she walked over to my register with the rest of the other jewelry she was buying. how nice would it be if i could just go to disney and buy whatever i want? (because i seriously want at least one of everything they sell -everything is so nice and would fit perfectly somewhere in my life.) today also in ccc (curtain call collectibles,) i was talking to this young couple who had a four month old baby.they then decided that they wanted to place their baby on the "shelf" with some of the plush items (don't worry, it was safe,) and i don't think i've seen anything cuter in my life! he was like the size of the mickeys and donalds he was with and you can barely see him in the picture - it was SO adorable!

today was generally was just a good day. it is a rule that you have to smile and project a positive image while on stage, but i didn't think of it as a rule and i was just smiling all day and happy to see people.


mum, i know you told me to let you know when i've finally become comfortable enough to sing in front of my roommates. and the past few days i have been singing constantly. adele actually sings a universal language that everyone knows fluently and her songs really allow me to reach the height of my vocal ability. so i'm back to singing all the time - and it's great!

we're now getting ready to go out for dinner. we're going to a mexican restaurant so niza is very excited, as am i. every time she invites me out i have things to do but not tonight!

hope everybody's well and i'll give you the next update asap! sending love, love, and more love. (and extra snuggles to fred and jen. and kit too i guess.)

missing the fam

i know, i know! i didn't post yesterday! i didn't think it would have been an issue, but have received many complaints! come on, give a girl a break! i'm just kidding- i don't want to get in the habit of not posting already. i love keeping all the loves of my life updated. the problem last night was that the printer wasn't working. no, the electricity went off. no, ben spilled water all over my bag. just kidding, those are excuses i use at school. honestly, i had the late shift last night, and got home just before midnight. i then had to wake up before five a.m to go with all the other international interns to apply for social security numbers, and everyone knows i need a little sleep to keep from turning completely sour and miserable. last night was my first official day without a trainer for any point. i was so nervous! luckily, i had one of the leaders close by who helped me when i wasn't too sure. i'm sure i made a couple mistakes, but guests were forgiving because i'm still "earning my ears." after we closed the shops up, i was still scheduled to work for another hour. so one of my leaders found me the VERY glamorous job of sweeping under shelves to find stock/merchandise. you would be surprised at what i found - pins, pens, toys, rings, watches, all that jazz. i really felt like i was working in luxury. i'm kidding, i'm kidding! anyways, after i got home, i just crashed. i felt like i only slept for three seconds when i heard my alarm go off not-so-bright and early.

so we had to take a bus to the social security office. it was really quite a chore, but seeing the sunrise was really beautiful. it wasn't really a sunrise as such, more of altocumulus and stratus clouds (no, of course i didn't google that!) stretched across the fuscia sky. it was really pretty. not as pretty as some of the select few stunning sunrises in barbados that i have witnessed thanks to the ever-faithful harbor lights - many peoples second home in summer and christmas vacations! i was at the front of the line in social security, so i was one of the first people to go in, thank god. there were about ten other windows where people from my group were applying. i heard officers asking them questions upon questions. my guy didn't ask me a single thing. i sat down, he said "woah, you have nice eyes," fumbled on the computer for about twenty minutes, and then ended our "question process" with "have a great day." i was thankful he didn't ask me anything though, i didn't even know what questions he would ask or how i should answer them!

everyone fell asleep on the way home. when we got home, again, i crashed and slept for a good few hours, which would have totalled nearly eight hours i slept - just right!

after chilling with the roommates at home for a little bit, we all went our separate ways, some to lime with friends, some to work and some just stayed in. i was one that went to work. another late shift. but it's ok, i won't even complain because it's what i came here to do. my first job was 'hatter 1,' whereby i embroidered peoples names onto the ear hats. i had a lot of familiar names to sew, such as 'brianna,' 'sydney,' 'liam,' 'maddy,' 'megan,' 'jacob,' 'josh,' 'jeremy' and many others. it's surprising how many of our family members names are so popular. i even had some names of my friends, but there were too many to list them all. i love embroidering the hats, but sometimes if the machines give trouble it can get very frustrating, but i never lose my cool... simply because it's against the rules! work flew by, but it also took forever to come to an end.

when my shift did come to an end, i was just standing in the confectionery waiting for the closing meeting to start. i was standing by a window, just watching the empty main street glow. again, i was in awe. i still cannot wrap my head around how magical it really is. yes, it may have been missing the background music and the buzz of the thousands of people wandering about, experiencing magic and beauty, but when it was absolutely empty, without a sound, it was even more beautiful and more magical, with the light bulbs iluminating all the shops and everything looking perfect, like a postcard. while i was watching nothing (which really was everything,) out of nowhere they rehersing for the lighted parade! music started playing and these creatures and objects made out of lights started dancing in the street. up main street they went, spinning in front my eyes, and vanishing by the time they got to the next window, too far out of my sight. it was short and quick, but so touching. i wish that all of you could experience all these things when it's quiet and peaceful, and no rush of a thousand people. it is so amazing.

at the bus stop waiting to head home, i overheard a girl talking to this guy. they were talking about home and their programs and what not, and she, obviously trying to sound cool said, "yeah i'm not really homesick, but i miss my bed. my family? psh. i've been with them twenty one years of my life. i can go fine six months without them. like if someone from my family calls, i'm like "ok i'm really busy i'll talk to you later," it's so annoying." now. clearly i couldn't say anything, but i was in absolute shock. i mean, i know my family is one from stories, but how can one person really not love their family that much enough to miss them?! i miss mine every second of every day. and i don't just mean mum, dad and ben. i mean every single member of my family i think about all the time. to all my family reading this, know that right this second, i am thinking about you and wishing you were here with me. there's something special you bring into my life and i'm missing it right now.

i just got back home and am in bed. i have a relatively early shift tomorrow so i'm gunna need my sleep! happy february everyone! have a magical day;)