Loving Life

Everyone has a passion in life, something that they are really comfortable doing and excell in. Something which gives their life purpose and meaning, i suppose you could say? For example dance or some sort of musical talent, something that stands them apart from others and something that makes them come alive inside. Okay so I've not got an amazing passion, i used to dance; ballet, modern, tap the lot, gymnastics and drama too. I was really into it as a child but as i grew older i lost interest and slowly stopped. I then got back into it but then lost interest again and don't really bother with it anymore. My passion, the thing i love, that I'm really good at, is waitressing. I know that may sound odd to some of you, others will get what i mean...i hope anyways! I love talking to other people about their lives and meeting people through service. Every day is different and you meet a whole host of different people from different places. I love that I can have an influence on someones day, I can make it better for them, i can cheer them up and they leave with a smile on their face and greet them with open arms when they return (okay how cheese does that sound?! but you catch my drift..comes from being a supervisor too!)
Ever since I found and applied for this job in Disney, I knew that's what I wanted to do, and I'd do whatever i needed to do to get there.
When I arrived here, i knew I'd have to wait a specific amount of time until i could transfer into service but i knew right away that I'd be doing it as soon as i could.
As much as I have enjoyed the roles I have been playing since i got here, (chippie tills, chippie filler..I DESPISE THIS ROLE (only because i practically live in that place, i did a straight week of chippie filler shifts...not fun), seater, greater, beer cart and finally stocker (considered the guys role but everyone has to be trained on it...basically means you change kegs and the gas that runs the whole pub and literally make sure every area of the food and bev side of the UK pavilion runs smoothly)) I've not really felt the sense of purpose you get when you are serving people (with stocking, it was similar because it felt like you have purpose, that people need you and appreciate you more..if that makes sense?)
It made me appreciate my job back home alot more and also made me miss it.
But I've now been here what, 83 days? Close to 3 months now. I could pick up my pre service pack at 30 days and take my pre service test at 60 days. You have to pass that stage, otherwise you cannot move on to the next stage.
From my last post, I'm pretty sure i told you i was revising a shed load? Well from last Sunday, I've been revising non stop. Every night after work id sit and write everything out and go over and over it in my head. Id set myself the time scale of a week to take it in as it'll take me 2 weeks or so after i pass it to get my dates of when i have my training, I then have a week of food running and then a week of service training with my actual test being on the Thursday. Also, because this is a lengthy process, id set myself the target of being in service by mid May so i can start saving all my money and tips for when Ben comes out. A fair time schedule I'd say, even if it did drive me insane and my personal life suffered a little!
But yesterday, being Sunday, was the day id told myself i was gonna sit this test, and i felt i was pretty much ready. I felt calm and not really fussed about it if I'm honest, which is weird as at tests and exams, i usually am a wreck!
I went in and sat that test at 4.45 but it wasn't marked by the time i finished work...almost 5 hours later! As you can probably imagine, i was dying slightly but i made my manager sit down with me and mark it.
I passed.
Not even by a little bit. The pass mark is like 85%?
I got 96%.
I didn't just pass it, I near on aced it, words of my manager, not mine. Thats not me gloating and being all competitive or anything...Im shit at tests and never was really good at anything other than english and art so its a real achievement for me to have done so well.
I've never felt such relief in my life! i really need to have more faith in myself...everyone keeps saying it but i never believe it! I guess all those hours of studying did alot more than i thought they would!
So right now, I literally am the happiest i have been since I got here. I'm finally loving life! Don't get me wrong, its not horrible here at all, it is amazing and the people here are amazing and the experience here is amazing, but everyone is different so what i may be feeling now, may not be the experience others want. We all differ and this is my happiness :)
So I have an amazingly beautiful apartment which i love so very much and feel so much at home in, an amazingly awesome housemate, who I love to bits. My boy is coming to visit me in 58 days, which i am EXSTATIC about and love him so very muich for...literally, still buzzing! And I'm now going back into my passion, serving (and consequently, earning more money :)). Literally cannot tell you how happy I am.

67

The title of this post doesn't exactly give much away as to what the topic is gonna be about, for those of you reading who are here and know me well, will know exactly what it means without the slightest of explanations needed.
You'll be forgiven in thinking that its the amount of days Ive been here, but its actually not 67, its more than that. Its not the amount of days till my birthday, as again for those of you reading this, who are out here will know that I'm desperate to turn 21 and be legal again!
I'll cut the crap now and stop the 'climax' that's building. On Tuesday, when I was moving to Patterson (I'll come back to that once I've told you this!) i received a message which is the best news carrying message Ive received since arriving in Orlando. It read 'im flying out to see you on June 22nd till June 29th! :)' Yes. BEN'S COMING TO SEE ME!!!!!
Okay that's a little toned down as to the one I gave on Tuesday, mostly consisting of screaming, jumping on the spot and frantically calling Lauren to scream down the phone at her!
Literally Tuesday, was the happiest day I've had here. I cannot believe hes actually coming to see me...little old me, some 4350 miles away from home! I literally cannot contain my excitement. I love him so so much for doing this, I still cant believe he has and I'm counting down the days till he comes! EEEP! Up in my living room is a whiteboard which Ive got a countdown on...love it! Everyone at work is fed up of it now and cant wait till he gets here either, purely for the fact that ill no longer be annoying them with my countdown :) Don't care, so excited! I get to experience everything that I'm doing out here, with him, for a week. Its our own little holiday, something I've never done with a guy before so its gonna be awesome! Making a list of everything we can do as I've managed to get 6 out of the 7 days I've requested, off! Jammy right?! :) But closer to the time ill see if i can swap that day with someone so i can have the whole week with him :)
SO going back to the bit about moving, I'm now no longer living in The Commons, I've moved in with Lauren, to a 1 bed apartment in Patterson Court, just down the road. I'm LOVING it. Its so much cleaner and nicer and more homely that The Commons, although I would have liked to have stayed in The Commons as Kylie, Kitty and Meena are still there.
But I'm feeling more homely and comfortable here than I did at The Commons. On Wednesday, Lauren and I went to Typhoon Lagoon and sunbathed all day after a hectic day of moving! She then cooked me tea and we watched movies and ate very British food which was awesome...loving living with her! :)
I'm currently being swot and studying, blurgh.
I have to learn the menu from the Rose and Crown pub to be able to go into service, that's the WHOLE menu..so appetizers, entrees and desserts, kids menu, coffees, wines, cocktails, beers, scotches...the list goes on and on!
Ive so far learnt my appetizers, just done that now in like an hour, so I'm gonna get Lauren to keep testing me so it sticks better. Going to James and Stephens apartment later to have a revising session which will be good too :)
My aim is to take my test next week and then I'll go into my food running and service week at the end of April, beginning of May, which means I'll be in service mid may and earning more for when Ben gets out here! That's my aim anyways.
So that being said, I'm gonna cut off and go back to revising! :)

2 months down, 10 to go!

FML. 2 months? Really?
According to my little badge at the side, Ive been here bang on 60 days.Wowzer.
This week has been pretty chilled and a good one..I've had all daytime shifts so since last Sunday, Ive had every night off! Such a novelty back home seeing as management works more than floor staff and pretty much every evening!
Ive kinda laid back and done the bare minimum too..i mean it doesn't help with the fact that there have been tornado warnings for the best part of the week and there being no guests in Epcot! Being ER'd (early released for those who don't know) was literally the story of every ones lives this week as we literally spent the day tasking and shitting around chatting!
Ive never seen rain, or weather for that fact, like it! One minute the suns shining and its blue skies, next minute its literally pelting it down with rain, thunder and lightening like you've never seen or heard. There was one crack of thunder on Monday which sounded like someone had shot a gun just outside chippie! Ridiculous!
Also experienced first tornado warnings ever...quite scary honestly but i think it'd be quite cool to see one...obviously from very very VERY far away! They have tornado warning that come through the radio too, it sounds like my alarm clock!
Its also so random that people STILL come to the parks in weather like that! Its funny to see everyone walking around in ponchos and flip flops, trying to stay dry!
We also get macs to add to our 'beautiful' costumes...make you look like you're wearing a huuuge condom, but hey! keeps you dry! :)

A friend of mine who i haven't seen in like 9 months was in Orlando this week, to end his travel there before flying home. Hes actually like Ben's best mate too. We both said that, if i got the job at Disney, then he'd come visit on his travels and we'd meet up, so it was actually quite cool that we actually got to do that :)
Was so so good to see a familiar face and someone from home. Had so much fun...had my first experience of hooters (obviously with James!) and it was actually really cool, not as sleazy and degrading as i had imagined! We got pulled over by a cop too because the tail light and indicators were out on the back of his car! oops! but they did that thing like they do in the movies where they use a microphone to tell you what they want you to do! It was so odd! But luckily, playing the whole 'im english' thing, worked and he got off with a warning! But hes gotta drive the car back to Miami before flying home! Good luck to him! :p
He flying back to England on Monday..its so weird that Ive seen him, and in like 3 days hes gonna get to see Ben. I hate that, I'm so jealous of him! :(

Now that I'm at my 60 day mark, i can take my pre-service test, something that you have to do to get into service. Its such a pain because you have to learn so much for it but its gotta be done. Ive written out all my cue cards for the menu items , i just need to learn them now! Its gonna be such a pain, but so worth it. I'm wanting to9 get into service now...Ive enjoyed the roles that Ive done but i just don't feel challenged and I'm one who gets bored of things quickly. I'm bored and i miss serving! The moneys also an attraction!
So after Ive had my service class on Monday (8am start at Disney University..FML right?!) I'm gonna really knuckle down and start learning and then take my test as i then have to wait like 3-4 weeks before i have my service week and further tests before becoming a fully fledged server. The know how is there, its just getting there that's worrying me as i know what I'm like with remembering things and studying. Its taken me like 2 and a half years to know my menu at home inside out and back to front! and even then i still ask questions! But I'm just gonna do my best as that's all i can do!
Once I start earning that extra money then ill feel alot more comfortable and hopefully then Ben can come visit which would be amazing! But no pressure because I know how expensive it is to get here..i don't hold it against anyone who doesn't...I'm only here for a year...i don't want people to waste money on coming to see me!
But i hope he can.
I miss him so much..ahh, I'm gunna loose my head! But its fine. I find talking about him, oddly calms that and makes me happier.Like the memories. Like i feel privileged and i smile to myself because i have him and i have that with him. SAP! yeah i know, shhhh!
I've just realised how many times Ive just said 'like',oops!
I have a tendency to do that with certain words...i don't realise i do it and i don't mean to...just kinda happens and i overuse some certain words!
People pick up on it all the time and I'm like ooop! :)