Bucket List Update

Hi Everyone!

Just a super quick update to say that I'm sorry I'm a slow writer and I promise that I'm trying to write updates as quickly as I can manage.

BUT...

If you want to go check out my Bucket List (Just click the little tab up the top there), you will see that I've updated it with what I achieved during my year at Disney.  I even included some notations on different items.

Now, I'll get back to writing and please comment with any questions or feedback you have, Thanks!

Enjoy!

15 Things I Learned on the Disney Cultural Exchange Program (Part 1)

So I've been thinking about how I could possibly start to blog about my experience and to be honest, it's a little overwhelming.  And since my go-to technique when facing an overwhelming task is to write lists, I figured that's how I would begin this process.  2015 was a huge year of growth and change for me and I learnt a complete butt-load of life lessons (yes, butt-load is the  correct term here).  I learnt so much about myself and other people and I came out a stronger person.  In fact I learnt so much I had to break this up in to 2 posts!  So here's your first installment: 15 Things I Learned on the Disney Cultural Exchange Program (Part 1).

1. Walt Disney World is both huge and tiny at the same time  

Disney is full of paradoxes, and one that I became aware of is the fact that despite how absolutely massive WDW is (it's like the size of a City!) it's begins to feel small pretty quickly when you live there.  People call this effect the 'Disney Bubble' and over time you realize that it really is like living in a huge invisible dome.  That's both a good thing and a bad thing.  It's good because getting around Disney World is incredibly easy - especially when you're a cast member and you can get just about anywhere without too much hassle.  Signage is impeccable and transportation is both plentiful and reliable.  Cast Members are friendly and helpful and cheerful music is always playing.  It's a magical wonderland designed to bring joy and happiness (and to get you to spend lots of money lol).  But sometimes it's so claustrophobic too.  You run into fellow Cast Members all the time, the crowds can be unbearable and the music starts to grate on your nerves sometimes.  The artificial quality of it all can be too much at times and you just want to spend one day without seeing something shaped like Mickey Mouse!  I made the effort to just get out of the bubble when I could and spent time in regular old Orlando.  It kept me same to not always feel like a perpetual tourist.  One of my favorite things to do was to catch the bus to the Florida Mall and just hang out there because it felt so normal, and that was very important for me.

2. I am so much older than I realized

This is what we call truth.  Oh my Lordy me, I am so much older than I think I am.  You see kiddos, in my mind, I'm still a sprightly young 21 year old, full of hopes and dreams and potential and so on. But in reality, I'm 32 year old and cynical and in need of sleep and coffee and with zero interest in clubbing and drugs and I have knees that creak when I get out of bed in the morning.  It took living and working with kids in their 20's for me to realize this.  I'm not meaning to sound condescending at all here, and I made so many great friends with people in their 20's at Disney, but I became very aware of how much I have grown and changed in the last 10 years or so.  I'm actually amazed at how much wisdom I have -I'm so wise now lol!  So It's not so much a criticism on others as it is a comment on myself.  And I've come to realize that I'm ok with myself and my age and who I have become.

3. It's best not to go in with too many expectations

This is a good lesson for life in general, but something I think anyone considering the DCP/ICP/CEP should take in to account.  I had so many expectations about what Disney was going to be like, what sort of job I would have, the fun I would have with my roommates etc and when those expectations weren't met, I struggled a lot to get my head around that.  In reality, I didn't get the job I really wanted, but I discovered that I'm a very good in retail and sales and that's helped me with my current job and plans for the future.  My roommates turned out to actually pretty nasty people and not the sweet and funny young ladies I had imagined them to be, but I eventually accepted that there were so many amazing friendships waiting for me outside of my apartment.  I wanted so much to work at Magic Kingdom that when I was assigned to Animal Kingdom I was truly devastated - but it turned out to be my favorite Disney park ever and I feel like I squandered my time there a little bit wishing for something else.  If my mind had been more one from the start I could have achieved so much more.

4. American's love Aussies and Kiwis

I sort of already knew this, but working in a Customer Service role just highlighted it tenfold.  People went crazy about it, asked so many questions, took photos and imitated my accent.  You get sick of answering the same questions over and over again ("Australia huh?  You're a long way from home!") and sometimes you will use an American accent just to avoid those conversations.  You'll have days where you simply cannot wrap your head around how naive and unworldly the average American is, but then you'll have moments where you're sitting in Miller's Ale House at midnight, trying to explain the complex rules of Aussie Rules football and having American friends actually wanting to watch a match with you and your heart will be so full of love for those crazy kids.

5. There are some really stupid people out there.

So stupid.  So, so stupid.  Disney Cast Members have a little joke that when people come to Disney, they accidentally leave their brains at home.  It's not meant to hurt or belittle people (and it's not something we actually say to guests) but it is unbelievable how many people fail to use common sense at Disney.  And I get it, truly I do - Disney is big and overwhelming and if you've never been there before and you're corralling four kids and trying to read a map and remember what time your fast pass reservation is and what parking lot your car is in.... well, something is going to fall by the wayside.  As a Cast Member, you just have to get used to stupid questions and assumptions and lack of understanding.

6. There are some really amazing people out there.
In 2015 I met some really fascinating people, like the woman whose grandmother knew L.M. Montgomery, the kid who looked like a super-cute toddler version of Thor, or the American father who was a random Aussie Rules Football fan and totally geeked out over sharing his passion with me.  I also made some incredible friends, like the ones who gossiped and giggled with me at work, drove me to Wal Mart at 11pm because we both desperately needed groceries, or took me to get a pedicure when some stupid guy stood me up and I was feeling sad.  People will spout cliche sayings about the DCP like it's a contest, but this one is true: it really is the people that make the experience worthwhile.

7. The roommate game is is tough
This is a whole blog post in itself!  I don't even know where to start with how crazy the whole roommate situation is.  Sometimes people get the most amazing roommates and everything is sunshine and roses and perfection - but that is extremely rare.
Living with strangers is difficult.
Living with friends is even harder.
Sharing a bedroom with anyone when you're over the age of 12 is a giant pain in the you-know-what!
You want to know a person's true character?  Live with them.  The sweetest person can turn into a psychotic monster if they don't like your placement of the toilet paper.  And being crammed into over-populated and aging apartments while you're adapting to a new country and working 60 hour weeks?  Yeah, it's tough.

8. Living in America isn't all it's cracked up to be (but sometimes it is)
This wasn't my first rodeo, I'd been to the US before so I had some idea of the culture and all, but living in America is very, VERY different from visiting there as a tourist.  Of course there's the fun of driving on the wrong (aka: right) side of the road and the excitement of visiting huge super-stores like Wal-Mart, but that novelty soon wears off and you find yourself having to adapt to daily life in a foreign country.  Despite the fact that you're technically speaking the same language, there will be translation issues.  Their paper money is just weird (seriously, so easily damaged!) and pennies will make your wallet triple in weight.  Adding on sales tax to almost everything is a constant nasty surprise, and remembering to factor in a tip (and working out what you're supposed to tip for) will do your head in.  People carry guns like it's not dangerous and going to the doctor is devastatingly expensive.  There is poverty in America that rivals third-world countries, and yet they speak constantly of freedom and how lucky they are, ignoring the violence on their local news programs every night.  Sometimes it's terribly overwhelming.
But then you chat to someone from Alabama about southern hospitality and you fall in love with their adorable accent.  You discover amazing places to eat and interesting products you can't get at home.  You go to a sports bar, eat buffalo wings and watch hockey, american football and baseball at the same time.  You watch the Oscars live and laugh at yourself when you realize you can't just google the winners.  You buy a bag of chips big enough to use as a sleeping bag and then try to explain to your American friends that we use the word 'chips' to mean both crisps and fries.
You realize that America is the weirdest version of Wonderland ever.

Is this thing still on?

Testing...testing...

Well hello there!  I'm guessing by now you had assumed me dead, having fallen to my death on Space Mountain or fed to the crocodiles on the Jungle Cruise - right?  And yes, I know, I went completely awol and didn't blog at all last year.  Bt if you're still with me I'd like to make amends.

For the record, I am back in Australia for the time being, my Disney ICP adventure having ended sometime in January, but I would still like to share my experience with you all.  And hopefully I can help out anyone who is thinking about doing the program in the future.  I make no promises, my updates will probably be sporadic and random at best but I will do my best to keep updating for you.

If you have any areas you're interested in or questions for me, please don't hesitate to let me know!

The Adventure Begins

Ok guys, sorry I have been soon unbelievably bad at updating this blog, but I've got a laptop now so I'm going to try and get some updates up.  I'm going to post these retrospectively, because even though it's been over a month since I came here, I want to share my entire experience.  My goal is to catch up with myself so I can post in a more real-time manner, but for now, I'll start with the beginning of my adventure and my journey to the USA.

So the day before I left Australia, I travelled with my parents to Melbourne.  We stayed the night at my brother's house which was nice because  got to say a last goodbye to my brother and his family.  On Friday morning, January 9th, I got up bright and early and made sure all of my stuff was securely packed before we headed to the airport.  I was excited, but at the same time it didn't quite feel real that I was moving to America.  I got to the airport first and messaged the other girls to let them know where I was.  Before long, Aprille, Hannah and Nichola arrived - I'd met Hannah and Nichola before but it was my first time meeting Aprille.  At this point our flight had been delayed, but we stayed positive and checked in before heading off for some final time with our individual families.  Finally the time came for us to head to the gate so we said our final goodbyes.  I tried not to get too emotional, but it was weird to think I wouldn't be seeing Mum and Dad for nearly a year.

Once we found our gate, we discovered that our flight had been delayed even further.  We were worried about making our connecting flight in LA, but there was nothing we could do about it so tried not to let it bother us.  The airline did give us all $20 vouchers to use in the terminal food court, so we stocked up on snacks for the flight.  Eventually we boarded and settled in four our 14 hour flight to LA.  As far as long haul flights go, it wasn't too bad.  It was my first time flying international with Qantas and I was very impressed.  Having an individual TV screen is so good, and it makes me wonder how I actually coped with my first flight to LA back in 2000 when I had to watch the same three movies as everyone else!  I watched Guardians of the Galaxy and Despicable Me 2 during the flight and went for lots of walks around the cabin and eventually we landed in LA.  We had missed our connecting flight and by the time we got through customs, we'd also missed the second flight they had booked us on!  Unfortunately, the next flight they could get us on wasn't until 10pm and it was only midday!  However, the airline put us up in a nearby hotel so we cold get some rest and relax before our flight.  I managed to catch a few hours sleep at the hotel which kept me going for the last leg of our trip, although the flight to Orlando was pretty tough.

But...FINALLY we landed in Florida at 6am on Saturday morning - about 12 hours later than we had originally intended.  The Orlando airport was very cool - we had to take a monorail from the gate to the main terminal building!  We picked up our bags and headed to the area where Disney's Magical Express picks up from.  We didn't have to wait at all before we got on to a lovely coach bus that we had all to ourselves!  Our driver was very friendly and told us lots of little tidbits about Disney World and Orlando during the trip to the hotel.  The moment we drove under that famous Walt Disney World sign was incredibly surreal, and it was even more special that the sun was just rising as we made our way on to Disney property.

Eventually we arrived at Disney's All Star movies Resort and made our way in to the check-in desk.  Check in was super easy and they even allowed Nichola and I to split the payment for the room which was very convenient.  We got given our magic bands, which have our names on the inside and we made our way to our rooms.  Nichola and I were kind of disappointed because whilst Hannah and Aprille had a room in the 101 Dalmatians area of the hotel (also where Lily and her Mum were), we'd been given a room in the Toy Story section, on the opposite side of the hotel.  But there were more dramas to come.  You see, when we got to the room, it wasn't clean.  In fact, it looked like someone had crashed it for a movie night or something because the beds were unmade and there were food packages everywhere!  Nichola ran back to the front desk so we didn't have to drag all our luggage again and when she returned she said they were going to allocate us a new room but it wouldn't be ready yet.  We left our suitcases with baggage services and went to find Hannah and Aprille's room.  We all had showers and got changed in to fresh clothes which was such a relief after so many hours of traveling!

We'd been messaging Lily, our roommate who was also staying at All Star Movies and she said she was heading down to the food court for breakfast so we made our way down there to meet her.  Once we found Lily and her mum, we snagged a table and got some food - I finally got my first taste of Mickey waffles!  After breakfast we checked out the hotel gift shop, which was much larger than I was expecting, and then said goodbye to Lily as she and her mum were heading off to a park for the day.

We returned to Hannah and Aprille's room and rang up to check on our room, but it still wasn't ready, so we all had a bit of a nap and just sat around watching old school Mickey Mouse cartoons for a few hours.  After a while, I rang the front desk again and they said our new room was ready!  The most exciting thing was that our new room was in the 101 Dalmatians area!  And we found out a little bit later that by some incredible coincidence, we had been put in the room right next door to Lily and her mum!  So crazy!  Nichola and I finally headed to our new room to get freshened up before the four of us caught a taxi to Walmart.  We wanted to see if we could get some bedding before the crazy rush of check-in day.  Walmart was great, but in the end we were all so tired we just wanted to go home.

Back at the resort, we had some dinner at the food court and then I skyped my family back home.  Nichola found Finding Nemo on the TV, so we watched that for a bit and Lily even came around to visit for a while but we were starting to doze off so we settled in to our beds to finally get a well deserved good night's sleep.

I'm still alive!

Hi all!  I'm so sorry this update is a long time coming but I've been so busy these first few weeks in America and I also don't have a computer at the moment so I'm attempting to to this update on my iPad.  This is just going to be a really quick update and I will do my best to put up more soon because I  want to make sure I don't miss out on anything.

First of all, this has been such an incredible adventure so far.  I won't lie and say it has been all sunshine and roses because there have been some huge challenges already, and I've had to learn to adapt my expectations of certain people and experiences.  That being said, I've also had some wonderful experiences and met so many lovely people so far, which far outweighs any difficulties I may be encountering.

I'm just going to go through a few of the basics here and then I'll go back and cover things in more detail in future posts.

Due to delayed flights, we ended up getting to Orlando 12 hours late so we arrived Saturday morning instead of Friday night, but it all worked out fine in the end.  I was lucky enough to be housed with the roommates I'd selected and we were allocated an apartment in Chatham Square (our first choice of complex), unfortunately we were given a 2-bedroom apartment, which means we have triple occupancy rooms/bunk beds.  We were pretty disappointed at first, although it hasn't been as bad as we first though it would be.  Our rent is significantly cheaper than a 3-bedroom apartment and they've also given us 2 fridges, which makes a massive difference in terms of space and storage.  Also, our apartment is really conveniently located near the main entrance to Chatham and it's only a 3 minute walk to the bus stop, so that's fantastic.

I was also initially slightly disappointed with my location as I was placed in Disney's Animal Kingdom park and that wasn't my first choice (I was hoping for Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios) but since my orientation and the training days I've had there so far, I'm actually really excited about working in DAK.  It's an incredible park and my location is great so you'll hear more about that soon. 

Because of my work/training schedule, I didn't get to visit a park until a week after I started, which I was pretty bummed about, but it was definitely worth the wait, and I got to have a day playing at Magic Kingdim yesterday - more to come about that!

I'm going to have to cut it short here because I have to head to work, but I've uploaded a few pics to Instagram if you want to check that out.  I promise to update as soon as I can!

The Day After Tomorrow

I named this post after a movie I quite like.  I also named it that because the day after tomorrow is a very special day - it's the day I hop on a plane and bid farewell to Australia for possibly more than a year!  After all my hassles and struggles, the day is finally here.  The day after tomorrow that is :)

Tomorrow morning, Mum, Dad and I will pack up the car and set off to Melbourne which is several hours drive.  We will spend tomorrow night at my brother's house and then on Friday (the day after tomorrow) I shall be up bright and early to make my way to the airport!  I'm travelling with 3 other girls - Nichola, Hannah and Aprille and we've arrange to meet at the airport at 9am to check our bags etc.  Our flight leaves at 11:55am so we will probably get a coffee and say our tearful farewells before heading through to our gate.

My bags are all packed and I am pleased to say I didn't have much trouble staying under the weight limit, although I have probably taken a lot  more clothes than I will need, but maybe that will save me money if I don't have to buy as many over there (wishful thinking!).  I'm flying with Qantas and one of the reasons I chose that airline is because they allow you two checked bags - I don't think I could pack my entire life in one suitcase!  

I can't quite believe that the day of my departure is almost here - it still feels like a bit of a dream to be honest.  I am starting to get excited but I'm not sure my brain has fully comprehended what's happening yet!  Although, that being said, I have noticed that I'm starting to get little excited butterflies in my tummy and jittery feelings when I think of what is about to happen.  To use a Disney film analogy, I feel a bit like Rapunzel, after waiting years and years for her life to begin, I've finally decided to do something, start an adventure - and it's both terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time!

It is unlikely that I will update again before I get to America, so I shall fare thee well and I'll see you all when I'm stateside!  

Christmas Wishes and Bucket Lists

Merry Christmas everyone!  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve here in Australia and I am writing this from my parent's house where I am spending the festive season.  I'm looking forward to spending some time with my family before I head off to Florida next month!  I can't believe how quickly everything is happening - it's less than 20 days until I leave Australia!

You will hopefully begin to see more frequent updates from me very soon, in fact there's already some blog updates you can check out.  You will notice I've added my bucket list to the navigation bar at the top of the page, I will try to keep that updated throughout my program as best I can.  Please let me know if you have any ideas for things I should add to my bucket list or great things to do in Florida, because I would love to hear them.

Also, I have been feverishly trying to get my DICP Guide up-to-date before my departure because I don't know how much time I will have to work on it once I'm in America.  I'm currently finishing off my posts on the visa process which has been a mammoth task.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy taking some time out to enjoy being with your loved ones.  Thank you to everyone who has been following along with me in this journey so far, and the real adventure hasn't even begun yet!

And the Vlogging Continues

I'm sorry that this is just another vlog update (unless you really like my vlogs, in which case - you're welcome!).  I am officially done with school as of tomorrow so I plan to work on updating this blog a lot more in the coming weeks.  But for now I just want to share my two latest youtube videos.  The first is an About Me/Roommate Survey video and the second is a Disney Tag video.  If you enjoy them, please head over to my channel HERE and subscribe!

About Me/Roommate Survey

The Disney Tag

Thanks for watching!

Vlog Update!

Just a quick update on my vlog.  I took my camera along when I went to Melbourne for my visa appointment, and got some random footage with some of my roomies.  I also share a little bit about my experience at the consulate.  The video is linked below if you're interested!

Visas, Roomies and Packing - Oh My!

Hey guys!  sooo sorry I've been MIA lately - I've just been so super busy and despite thinking "Oh I need to blog" about a hundred times, I never quite managed to actually write the post!  And this one is going to be just a quick update sadly, because I'm in the process of moving out of my apartment but I have plans to do lots of blogging and vlogging in a few weeks once things have settled down.  

So the three big things going on with me at the moment in regards to the program are:

1. Visa:  I have my American J1 Visa!  Yay!!!!  It was quite the stressful experience, but I'm relieved it's over and done with now and I'm all good to go work in the USA.  It took close to two weeks from receiving the forms in the mail to recieving my actual visa, but that was because I had to travel to Melbourne for my visa appointment.  If you live in the same city as he US Consulate it can take less than that.  I won't go into any great detail here and now because I plan to write a detailed post in the DICP Guide so keep an eye out for that!  I also vlogged some of my trip to Melbourne so I'll post that video as soon as I get a chance to edit it.

2. Roomies:  So I've got my Roommates sorted for Disney, which is super exciting.  There are 6 of us in total and I'm already having so much fun getting to know them.  Some of them are from Melbourne too so I got to catch up with them when I went over to do my visa.  Finding great Roomies was something I was really worried about so I feel really calm now that I have that sorted.  I'm sure you will see/hear more of them as time goes on :)

3. Packing:  No I haven't started packing for Disney 2 months early - I'm moving out of my apartment this week so I'm packing up all my worldly possessions and discovering how much crap I actually own!  I'm staying with family for the rest of my time in Australia so that will be interesting, but a good chance to spend time with my loved ones before I head off to the states.

So, that's a really quick update on me for the time being - I promise I will post more once I've got some spare time and I've finished packing and moving!

And we are live in 3...2...1...

Exciting news people!  I now have a YouTube channel!  I won't be uploading much between now and when I leave for Florida, but I have uploaded two videos that you might like to check out.  The first is just a little intro video and the second is a vlog of my interview day.

I will post the videos below, but if you want updates when I add more videos you can head over to my channel HERE and click on the 'subscribe' button.

Here's the Intro video...

And the Interview video...

The Countdown Continues

Helooooo!  Ok, super quick post because I have this amazingly awesome countdown ticker and I just had to share it!  Plus it's exactly 100 days 'til check-in :D

99 Days and Counting

So today is exactly 99 days until I leave Australia!  That might sound like a lot but when I think about all I have to do in the next 99 days I realise it's all going to go so fast.  To begin with, I have a big list of all the things I have to do for Disney like the visa and immigration paperwork and sorting out health and travel insurance.  On top of that I am also moving out of my apartment in about 6 weeks so I need to do a huge sort through of all my stuff and begin packing (my stuff is going into storage and I'll be staying with family until I leave for the States).  I also still have another term of classes, but fortunately I've finished all my major assignments so I just have to go to classes.

In the week since I received my acceptance I've been pretty busy.  Luckily, I am on mid-semester break for this week and next week, so I've been able to start sorting and packing but I've also done some Disney stuff too.  After officially accepting my offer from Disney, I received an email to pay the program fee, so I took care of that.  The next big thing I wanted to take care of was my flights so I popped down to the travel agent to get a quote HOWEVER, when I got home I realised I could buy the flight online myself at a cheaper price, so I ended up just doing it myself.  I'm flying out of Melbourne on January 9th so I'll have 4 nights in a hotel before I check-in at Vista Way on the 13th.

In between all my packing and organising I've been working on updating my blog and in particular my DICP Guide.  Make sure you head over there to see the new info about the Presentation and Interview Process and I'll hopefully have more updates coming soon.

I'm sorry this is a bit of a mixed-bag update, but I'll share more soon!

I'm Going to Disney World!!!!

In case you couldn't work it out from the title - I've been accepted into the Disney College Program - J1 Cultural Exchange Australia/New Zealand!!!!

This morning, at 5:30am, I was in the middle of a dream about Maleficent when my phone pinged.  I woke up with a start, grabbed my phone thinking "An email!"  An sure enough, when I looked, there was an email with a great, big, bold CONGRATULATIONS in the subject line.

I am so proud to say that I have been offered a role in Merchandise, and whilst it wasn't my top choice, it was in my top 3 and one of my High Interest roles so I couldn't be happier.  The best part is that most of the friends I've made on the facebook group have also been accepted so it's a really happy day all round :D

I will write more on this soon, but for now I'm just going to enjoy the happiness of it all.

I'm off to the most Magical Place on Earth!

What's in My Bag?

Today while I was making lunch my phone pinged.  When I had a look at what it was, I had a notification from my countdown app...

Squeeee!  The excitement and nerves are definitely building!  I've been thinking about my answers to possible questions and double checking all of the details for Tuesday's adventure to Melbourne for the interview and presentation.

One of the things I've been doing to get ready is working out exactly what I'm going to take with me.  I'm only flying to Melbourne for the day so I won't need any checked luggage, but I want to be sure I have all of the essentials in my bag.  Here's a picture of my supplies...

Now there are a couple of things missing from this photo, but I'll go through everything I'm taking:

1. Handbag
Obviously I'm going to need something to put everything in.  I got this bag 25% off at Strandbags because I thought is was a nice-sized, professional looking accessory.  It also has lot of compartments so hopefully things won't get lost in there!

2. Important Documents Folder
The only thing you're required to take to the presentation/interview is photo ID, but I prefer to err on the side of obsessive, over-prepared caution.  In my lovely pink folder I have a printout of my flight itinerary, copies of my CV and Cover letter, a photocopy of my passport, my Proof of Student Status form and a photocopy, and a printout of the confirmation of my presentation and interview times and locations.  I'm also planning to print out a typed copy of some questions I want to ask so I can make sure I get answers for them on the day.   Once I've checked in online for my flights, I'll print out the e-tickets and put them in there too.

3. Notebook and Pens
Just in case I need to take any notes or write down important dates, I've got a small notebook and 2 relatively new pens (just to be on the safe side).

4. Water Bottle
Hydration is important people.  Plus it means I won't have to waste money on buying bottled water.

5. Sunglasses
Very important because I'll be on the move in the sunshine and I want to be able to see properly!  And I'm sunsmart.

6. Passport
Even though I'm only travelling domestically, I thought it would be a good idea to take my passport with me in case they want to see it.  By the way, how cute is my little green passport case?

7. Camera
I've recently bought a new camera and I thought it would be fun to vlog some of the experience and maybe even get a few happy snaps.  Plus, I'm catching up with some family for dinner before flying home so I'll want to get some pics then as well!

8. Tissues
So, so, so important!  These little guys are so versatile - running noses, a surprise sneeze, a particularly poignant moment in the presentation makes me tear up, I get bored waiting for my interview slot and decide to make origami boats...

Plus, how cute is the little packet with owls on it?

9. My Survival Kit
This is the green thing that looks a bit like a pencil case.  That little pvc bag is what I call my 'Survival Kit' and I always make sure to chuck it in whichever bag I'm taking with me (unless it's like a tiny little evening bag and then my over-preparedness must suffer for the sake of fashion).  It's a bit like my own version of Mary Poppins' carpet bag because I had managed to cram so much stuff inside it like: paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets, hand cream, deodorant, sunscreen, lip balm, a hair brush, band aids and a few other bits and pieces.  Very, very handy.

10. Makeup
Since I'm going to be out from about 4am until around 9pm on Tuesday, I figured it's best to have some makeup in case I need to touch up a little bit.  In my colourful little pouch I have lipstick, lip liner and lip gloss, eyeliner and mascara as well as a small compact set that has blush and eye-shadow as well as a mirror.

11. Extra Items
There are a few things I haven't photographed but will definitely be taking:

• Purse with photo ID/Driver's License and some money for food and anything else.
• Phone & Charger
• A couple of snacks like museli bars in case I get peckish
• Possibly a small foldable umbrella
• My Keys (so I can drive to the airport!)

So that's my interview bag!  Hopefully it doesn't get too heavy, I think the water bottle is the only thing that will really weigh it down so hopefully it's not too bad.  I probably won't get a chance to blog again before Tuesday, but I'll make sure to write an update afterwards!

Have a magical day!

The Emotional Equivalent of Space Mountain: Part 3

I've been a bit busy lately but I'm finally getting around to updating the story of my application dramas, and tonight I shall share the conclusion of my tale thus far!

Last time, I had just received an email from Disney's Australian recruiter, and in that email she asked if she could phone me in two days time to discuss my application questions.  To say I was stunned would be an understatement of epic proportions!  I quickly replied to confirm the time for the phone call and then proceeded to spend the next two days wondering what it could all mean.  I figured she was just going to explain the situation to me, but there was that tiny glimmer of hope inside that made me think that just maybe I could still have a chance with Disney.

We had organised for the phone call to be at 8am so on the morning of the call I woke about 7am and just lay in bed waiting for the call.  Around 8:10 my phone rang and I had to take a few deep breaths before I could answer.  The conversation started with the usual pleasantries (I think we may have talked about the weather) before Jill, the recruiter, began to talk about my studies.  She confirmed that I had indeed begun my course in January 2013, but then she said the words that made my heart skip a beat.  It was something along the lines of "And you completed that in December 2013?"

For a moment I forgot how to breathe, how to speak, how to do anything.  

Eventually though, I found my voice and managed to say "Uh, no.  My course doesn't finish until December 2014.  I'm still a student."

Jill sounded surprised and quickly re-checked my application and CV before telling me the wonderful news: A mistake had been made and I was still eligible for the program!  I tried to remain calm as the conversation finished up, Jill promising I would receive the interview invitation in the next few days.  I think I said "Thank You" about fifty times in two minutes!

When I hung up, I just sat there staring at my phone for a couple of minutes, not really sure what to do or what to think.  After a week of devastation at having my dream taken away and finally beginning to adjust to that, suddenly it was being handed back to me.  I will admit that even though I was excited, it did take me a couple of days to re-adjust.  But by the time my interview invitation came through, I was ready to take my second chance and make the most of it.

So after not hearing anything for months, being made NLIC then being told it was a mistake, I finally got to book in my interview with Disney on August 25th, exactly four months - to the day - that I first applied to Disney.  My interview is on September 9th which is now only 4 days away and I'm pretty excited, so I'll make sure to update again soon!

Blog Update

I've been working on my blog a lot lately and there's more to come so I thought I'd give y'all an update:

1. I've finally set aside some time to update my DICP Guide.  See that button up the top there?  Go click on that and it will take you to my guide.  It's a work in progress and I plan to update it as I go through the interview.  I've recently added a tour of the Disney Careers Dashboard (including what those blue status bar boxes all mean!) and a guide to the Disney Look, complete with awesome (if I do say so myself) collages of Disney Look appropriate clothing that I made myself.  There will be more updates to the guide coming soon, so please keep checking back.
2. I'm doing some tweaking on my resources page (Once again, just up there in that row of buttons under my lovely banner).  I've recently updated the blogs section and as soon as I post this I will be adding links to some of my favourite vlogs too, so you should definitely check that out.
3. I've added a new way for y'all to contact me to ask questions, say hi or just to tell me whether or not I should be using the word 'Y'all'.  If you look to the column there on the left (with my smiling picture) and you scroll down a bit, you will see a section titled 'Contact Bec' and then there's a little form to send me a message!  I'll try to get around to questions as quickly as I can.  Of course you can also comment on any of my blog posts, in fact comments are encouraged!  I love to hear from people and I love making new friends so don't be shy to drop me a line.
4. For those of you following the story of my application dramas, I promise that the third (and final) installment is on its way.  If you haven't read about my dramas yet, follow these links to Part 1 and Part 2.
5. My interview with Disney is on September 9th and I promise to do a full report afterwards, so make sure to check back for that.
6. I recently hit 600 page views for this blog, which may not seem like much for some people but it's a very big deal to me.  Thank you so, so, so much to everyone who is reading along, please keep reading and make sure to tell your friends about my blog too.  

Ok, that's enough updating for now.  I better keep my promise and go add those vlog links to the resources page.  Keep reading and have a magical day!

The Emotional Equivalent of Space Mountain: Part 2

I promised I would update my application saga today so here I am, keeping my promise.  When we left off, I was about to call Disney International Recruiting in America.  After working out how to put in the international phone codes I managed to get through to Disney recruiting.  Unfortunately, my delight at speaking to a real person was short lived when I realised that I wasn’t going to get much help.   Unfortunately the recruiter in charge of the Australia and New Zealand program was out of the office (I knew this already as she was in New Zealand conducting interviews) and apparently she was the only one who could tell me anything about my application.  I was told “Your application still needs to be reviewed”, but pretty much couldn’t be told anything else except to call back in about a week when the recruiters would be back in the office.

So, frustrated and confused and a little worried, I waited that very long week until the day I’d been told to ring back.  Because of time differences between Australia and America, I had to wait up until about 11pm for the Disney offices to open so I could call them.  I spoke to a different person this time, but this call was even less helpful than the first.  Despite being advised to call back at this time, the recruiter was once again not in the office so I couldn’t speak to her.  This time I was given some generic information about application reviews involving a lot of variables like experience etc.  When I tried to question further about my application and personal information, it became evident that I couldn’t be told anything specific.  Even more frustrated, I wrote yet another email to recruiting but decided to call back the following day.  Once again the recruiters weren’t available but this time I was told that the delay could have been caused by me being ineligible for a visa.  Still confused, I woke the next morning to an awful discovery – according to my Dashboard, I had been made No Longer In Consideration.

I was devastated.  I didn’t understand what I had done wrong or why they wouldn’t even give me an opportunity to interview.  The explanations I had received didn’t make sense and suggestions that I wasn’t eligible were equally baffling.  I was disappointed, upset and completely bewildered.  Not expecting to really hear much, I nonetheless wrote one last email to recruiting, asking politely for some feedback or at the very least an explanation for the decision to make me NLIC.  To be honest though, I didn’t really expect to hear anything.

And I didn’t hear anything…until 5 days later, when an email popped up in my inbox from none other than the very recruiter I hadn’t been able to contact.  And what she had to say gave me a very small glimmer of hope.

To Be Continued…

Interview Prep Update

So this is just going to be a quick update on my interview prep - I promise to update my application saga tomorrow!

Today has been a crazy busy day and it started with me (finally!) officially booking in my Disney interview in Melbourne on September 9th!  Cue that excited dancing I was talking about in my last post.  Next up was my role checklist, which I filled out pretty easily because I'd planned my preferences aaaages ago like the nerd I am.  When I got home tonight I hopped online and booked my flights to and from Melbourne (I will be flying in and out on the same day).  After that I downloaded the Proof of Student Status Form to take into Tafe with me tomorrow and then logged into DOC (Disney's Onboarding Central) to upload the rest of my documents.

I'm going to update my DICP guide soon, hopefully over the coming weekend, and I'll go into detail about all of these things there so keep an eye out for that.

Also, I went shopping yesterday to get the last of the things I needed for my interview outfit.  I did a bit on co-ordinating with pieces I already owned so all I needed to buy was a new skirt, some stockings/tights and I treated myself to a new black handbag so I don't have to take my ratty handbag that's falling apart.

Today marks two weeks until my interview so I'm glad to have all of these things sorted now.  It's been a pretty bumpy journey for me to get to this point, but now I can sit back and enjoy the excitement.

Thanks for Reading!

The Emotional Equivalent of Space Mountain: Part 1

 If you read my last entry, you know that my application process for the program has been rather eventful.  I thought I would go into more detail about what I went through and the roller-coaster of emotions that I had to endure.

I feel I need to preface this story by saying that you cannot ever be over-prepared for the torture of waiting for updates on your application.  I thought I was prepared and boy was I wrong.  So very, very wrong.

So let’s back up to a couple of weeks ago.  After 14 weeks of waiting, Disney finally sent out emails inviting Australian applicants to interviews.  This should have resulted in me dancing around the house, squealing and singing Disney songs at the top of my lungs...right? 

Wrong!

In case you haven't worked it out yet, I did not receive one of those lovely "Please book an interview" emails.  My mind immediately started racing with thoughts and questions that all revolved around one theme: Does this mean it's all over for me, that the Disney Adventure has stopped before it's even begun?

Well, in a word: No. 

In three words: I'm not sure. 

In four? I don't think so.

You see my friends, this process is not always easy as the lucky, never-had-a-problem, gosh-this-was-simple, applicants would have you believe.  Oh no, not at all.  At this point I felt like I was on the world’s longest train journey and just as we were almost at our destination the train stalled at some stupid town where nobody ever goes!

"Attention Passengers, we have made an unscheduled stop at Frustration Station.  We have no idea when we will be back on our way again, so please just sit back, relax and stew in your over-active imagination's capacity to think up as many worse case scenarios as possible."

See, whilst I hadn't yet received an interview invite, neither had I been made NLIC.  In other words, my application was still open but just hasn't moved anywhere yet.  I’d been suspicious for a few weeks that something might be wrong, since I hadn't received an email about uploading anything to DOC.  I tried to get to the bottom of this through research and emailing Disney recruiting and the answer I got every time was "Keep checking your email and dashboard for updates."  (I will tell you now that nobody can send a vague email that doesn't actually answer your questions like Disney recruiting).  I did what I was asked and remained patient, sure that Disney recruiting knew what they were talking about, yet in the back of my mind this niggling little thought wouldn't leave me alone - a thought that told me something was wrong.

Well when I didn't receive an interview invite, it took me all of 2 minutes on to work out that something was indeed very, very wrong.  I emailed Disney but couldn't bear the waiting so eventually I bit the bullet and made a phone call to Disney recruiting.  It was an international call to their offices in Florida, since that was the only number I had been given.  And if I thought the waiting was annoying, I was about to learn that frustration could reach a whole new level!

Stay tuned for the next installment of my application saga!