Catching Up...

What?! I have a night off that I don’t have to do anything or see anyone?! I don’t get many days like this, where I don’t work super early, or work super late and when I actually have time to write about what is happening. Lot of things are happening. My program is quickly coming to an end, and as much as I didn’t think I would say this, I am ready for it to be over. I miss home. A lot of my current co-workers that are College Program students are extending their program to stay living down here and working for Orlando through the end of May. And well, all I really want to do is move back to Wisconsin and continue on pursuing what I know I can accomplish.

A lot of the people that I started working with when I first moved down here, have left. They’ve “self-termed” to move back home and either get a “real job” or finish up school. Out of the 15 or so of us that started at Seasons back in May, I believe 4 of us are going to actually stay and finish our program. The hardest friend that I had self-term happened last week, with my friend Lawrence. It’s going to be hard and different not having him around for the remainder of my program, but I know he’s back in New York pursuing is goals of working with a marketing firm and doing what he loves in a place that he can call home.

I’ve come to determine that only the strong survive working for Disney. Especially the College Program. There is nothing that is saying that I have to stay here and finish my program. I could, in theory, walk over to the main office building and say I wanted to go home and I would have 24 hours to be off property. It takes a certain type of person to stick through the program. Disney works the CPs the hardest because they are the cheapest labor, and they aren’t part of the union. It’s typical to have 12 hour shifts multiple times a week, doing physical labor, and interacting with guests the entire time. And we have to maintain the Disney smile the whole time that we are “on stage” in front of the guest. I set out to be part of this program, and I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, but I never imagined it to be this hard either. I’m going to take the last few months to soak in all that I can and grow as much as possible, because I know this is an opportunity that many people dream of having.

One of the hardest things that I have had to deal with is seeing all of my co-workers and roommates being able to see their families and fly home to see friends, and I haven’t been able to afford to do that. I’m overjoyed with the opportunity to be able to fly home for an extended weekend to spend time with my family. I know that I won’t want to come back once I’m there, but I need to be able to have that time with them. And it’s helpful knowing that they are going to be visiting me a few short weeks after I come back. And then approximately a month later, I can call Wisconsin my home again. I excited to be able to drive in Wisconsin again. And be able to see the landmarks and buildings that I grew up with. And go to familiar places. And smell comforting smells. And I’m overjoyed that I get to see my puppies again. I miss them more than most could understand. I envision a scene much like those that are shown of a soldier coming home, which might be a little exaggerated, but that’s what I see happening with Pal and I. I can’t wait to be able to see my little sister again. And to be able to see Nana all grown up from when I left her and she was barely taller than my shin.

As excited as I am to be able to return to Wisconsin for a few days, I’m still excited to be able to spend time with my family here, in Orlando, when they come and visit. I want to be able to show them all of the things that I’ve learned and how I go about a “typical” day as a Cast Member. And I don’t have to sleep in this awful apartment when they’re here!