Mini Update!

Jess got a phonecall from Michele at Yummy on Monday asking her if she is free to go to Florida in February! She was originally due to go July 14th FnB. She of course said yes and is still waiting to hear back from Michele, who needs to talk to Roger, to find out if she is officially going in Feb instead!

At the same time Karen (Wait Listee) got a call from Michele asking her if she was free to go from February too, she also said yes and is also waiting to hear back from Michele.
Well, well, well!!!

I seriously hope its my turn next. Huge hint to Santa there about what to bring me for Christmas this year!!!

UPDATE ON THE UPDATE (Sun 14th Dec):

Jess goes on the 17th Feb!!!
The WDWIP forums have been down for the last 4 days and it is maddening!!!!
I'm going home tomorrow to sunny Hastings until the 4th Jan :-D

The Christmas Countdown...

...has begun!!

Today is 19 days until Christmas and 26 days until my 21st birthday! Yay. Still no magical phonecall from Disney asking me to go and work for them though... :-(
Today is also 5 days until I need to hand in the 4000 word essay I'm supposed to be working on right now, instead of which I'm doing a December blog.

News from the Disney side of theings is that the Waiting List continued to move for a little while after Beth and Kirstie: Marisa (merch) and Rachel (FnB) are now also going out on the 23rd of June, so that was ace to hear that those guys are off the Waiting List and are on their way to WDW.

Chari, Karen and I are still hanging in there, but are aware that time is running out for us to be given a position as we only get to be on the Waiting List until the next round of interviews start in January.

I've jokingly said to Michelle that if I don't get a job, then I'll just spend the money I've saved up and go and visit them in Florida and have them like serve me in the Rose and Crown etc! It wouldn't be the same as actually being there and working alongside them all though.

Of course, the problem remains, if I don't get in WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY LIFE???
Answers on a postcard please! 8-)

In other news, there is lots of snow in the more Northern parts of the UK at the mo, which is making me very envious, because I wish to indulge all of my childish whims and throw snowballs at Tom (I said that because I imagine you'll be reading this!!!), build snowmen and just generally take lots of amazing photos of snow scenes!

We're having our house Christmas Day today though, which Ruth and I have spent the whole day counting down to! It's going to be awesome; we have a chicken joint, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, sprouts and other veg, pigs in blankets and gravy! Then to finish we have profiteroles, doughnuts and ice cream! Oh yeah, it's going to be good. I should just point out that we started the day with bacon sandwiches too, so by the end of it, we'll be properly fat!!!!!!!

I'm also Stewarding/Welcoming and Serving at the CU Student Carol Services tomorrow night. I'm anticipating awesomeness in the form of mulled wine, 3000 mince pies and a talk by Andy Croft!
Nought else to say I think. Thought for the Day, I hear you ask...!

Ummm... Ooooh I know: 'Throw your arms around the World at Christmas time...' (Band Aid) Seems rather fitting in the light of the fact that we're starting Social Action Week straight after the Carol Service and aiming to love our Uni, love our city and love the world in amazing yet practical ways. Whoop!

Ciao everyone, have an awesome December. Keep the Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust alive!

The Waiting List Dwindles.....

Sounds positive doesn't it...... Let me fill you in...

You see, we'd been doing lots of w a i t i n g and when I say lots, I do mean lots. Take me for example, it's now 28 days (so exactly 4 weeks) since my f2f and I've heard absolutely nothing. I'm thinking about e-mailing Yummy Jobs again to check if they actually got my previous e-mails.
So we're doing our waiting on the Waiting List and even have a thread on WDWIP - 'UK Wait List', basically a support group for those of us who can't talk about flights, insurance, Christmas away from home, wages in $ and what they want to see and do in Florida. We were even planning a get together since Kirstie, Chari and I are reasonably close geographically.

AND THEN, THE BOMBSHELL WAS DROPPED...

The Waiting List started moving, some Waitees needed to wait no longer!!!

The first person to get the call was Beth, on the 19th. She starts on the 23rd June as a Merchie! Then Kirstie was called today! She also starts on the 23rd June, but in FnB.
My excitement has literally grown and grown as the Waiting List has shrunk - it gives me lots of encouragement to think that I could be next. It's also making me quite nervous, because I have to have my phone on silent when I'm in lectures etc and I'm worried I'll miss the call.

So that's basically all of the TGI crew except me, I think, that have now been given a start date.... Let's see if I can get a little list going on (thanks to Matt for compiling it first!)

February 3rd

Louisa (DisneyGibbs) - F&B

June 9th

Michelle (mpark90) - F&B
Daz (Dazzlingdaz) - F&B

June 23rd

Beth (theb5) - Merch
Kirstie (Kirbie) - F&B

July 14th

Jess (Disneyjess) - F&B
Jo (*Minnie*) - F&B
Lee (Disney Dude) - F&B

July 28th

Karri (Karritada) - F&B
Matt (MattSource5) - F&B

August 18th

Helen (hen87hels) - F&B

There are more of them obviously, but these are the guys who I have met personally, who were all rooting for each other and who kept each other sane at the f2f (as well as before and after)! Hopefully I'l be joining them very soon and on that day, dear sweet and innocent blog of mine, you had better prepare yourself for an explosion of joy!!!!

What else is there to say at the moment? Well I can't seem to keep away from the Forums or from my e-mails or Facebook cos I need to keep up with all of the breaking news as it breaks!!
The problem IS that as more and more people get the call, I get both more excited and more nervous. Being on tenterhooks is not a nice place to be for a whole month.

Nevertheless, I have had plenty of things to occupy me; essays, presentations, seminar reading, meetings with my tutor re all of the above, dissertation planning and thinking about that rather ominous thing know as THE FUTURE. Unfortunately, the first and foremost aspect of these discussions revolve around employment plans....
Suffice to say that, beyond Disney, I have none! I've never really had any to be honest, but I think the mists are clearing in some areas. Let's hope I get some positive thinking done when my Network Course questionnaires come back from Tom, Ellie, Sarah and Joe.

My worst enemy at the moment - against whom I have no defence - is impatience. Wanting to hear from Yummy (preferably yesterday) and thinking about when I'll hear from Yummy is actually ALWAYS on my mind. I can't help comparing myself to the other girls and trying to see what it is that sets us apart and at the moment there's nothing save availability date and whatever perception they have of us from the interview.

Hopes are high.... :-)
Until the next time I'll leave you, not with a quote, but with these lyrics from High School Musical 3 (which I went to see with my friend Kathryn and really enjoyed) because it's how I feel about my WDWIP buddies, the TGI Crew:
You know how life can be, it changes over night,
It’s sunny then raining, but it’s alright.
A friend like you, always makes it easy,
I know that you’re getting me, every time,
Through every up, through every down,
No matter where life takes us, nothing can break us apart,
I just want to be with you!

The dreaded e-mail and Disney induced insanity

Well, the e-mail arrived in my inbox today. Let me tell you the story:

Well the forums had been going crazy with so many people tense and uptight with impatience and worry over when we were going to hear back from Disney via Yummy Jobs. Then they went down for a good few days and you could barely get on them at all...so I was out of the news loop for a while.

Not suspecting anything, when I checked my e-mails today, this was what was waiting for me:

Dear Victoria (Vicki)

On behalf of The Disney International Program Recruiters and all at Yummy Jobs we would like to thank you once again for attending the recent interview. We enjoyed talking with you and sincerely appreciate your interest in Disney’s International Programs.

We would very much have liked to consider you for the Cultural Representative Program and you were brilliant but unfortunately we are unable to offer you a position at the moment but we will hold your details on file until February and if position becomes available we will contact you to find out if you are available.

Once again thank you for attending the interviews and we look forward to the opportunity of offering you a position in the future.

Kindest regards,

Michele

Yummy Jobs was my reaction because I thought it was a flat out no and they were just being nice about it in a very Disney way!

However, when the forums came back up and news started to come in from everyone else, it seems that all is not lost (and I'm not alone on the waiting list)! It says they haven't got a position for me at the mo, not that they didn't like me
We could still be offered a post apparently, if they need more people or have someone drop out/get terminated/decide they can't commit etc. Even so, I'm distraught and in two (or more) minds about what to do. I can either: do nothing and wait for them to call, bearing in mind that the call may never come OR I can ask them to take my details off of the list, forgoing my right to be offered a job if one comes up, but enabling me to apply again for departures from September.

Confused? I am. I'm also keeping it a secret at the mo. You may then be asking why on Earth I'm posting this blog on the internet. Well the simple answer is, that if I don't tell someone, I may just spontaneously combust Most of the guys I was interviewed with got in and I am so happy for them its unbelievable; they deserved it so much and will make ace CRCMs. Having met them, I can vouch for that 100% On the other hand, its kind of like they've moved on and left me and the others behind - and its true, they have. It makes it a bit bittersweet for us though....
We do have to be grateful for small mercies though, some people got rejected outright and that must have been a terrible blow for them. Is knowing one way or the other better I wonder? Yes; if you got in, no; if you didn't!

What I've been trying to figure out is why some of us were waitlisted. You know - what factors led to it...
At first I thought it was because I chose Merch as my preference and they don't have as many roles (80% of participants go in to food&bev). No, not neccissarily. Someone else on the waiting list asked for f&b. Then I thought it must be start date, as I'm only available from August. No, not neccissarily. Someone else on the waiting list said they were able to go straight away! Maybe its a combination of the two....

I JUST WANT A PHONE CALL LIKE EVERYONE ELSE GOT TO TELL THEM THAT THEIR DREAM HAD COME TRUE! AND I WANT IT NOW!! AND I HATE WAITING AND NOT KNOWING AND LIVING IN FEAR OF NEVER HEARING ANYTHING!!! FINALLY, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO JOIN IN MY WDWIP FRIENDS' EXCITEMENT AT GOING TO WORK AT DISNEY FOR A YEAR TOGETHER!!!!

Rant over
Shall I leave you with a thought? I will - just because trying to come up with one will help me cope and I need coping strategies!

"Patience with others is Love, Patience with self is Hope, Patience with God is Faith." (Adel Bestavros)

THE wait to end all waits.....

Hello everybody,

As you can see from the title; I'm still waiting to hear the outcome of my f2f which was 11 days ago now!Waiting is not a good occupation at all - it destroys the brain! Since I haven't been able to get up before midday at any time this week, I don't hink anymore brain addling is required to be honest....

I know that they said 3 - 4 weeks before we hear but that doesn't stop all of us (on facebook and wdwip) from checking our e-mails etc every 5 seconds and speculating along the lines of 'Oh there were so many of us / I'll never get the job / Does registering again and again on the Yummy website mean we're not in? etc etc

Although when I got the e-mail saying we have to register on the new Yummy website I was a bit confused cos we then had to apply through the website despite only just having come back from our f2fs! I hope we all get it, I can't bare to think of some of us getting to go and others not, that would be too cruel to think about..... Still I have plenty to keep me busy, especially uni work - nasty 3rd year stealing all of my free time!

Also, the current event that is on everyone's minds is THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. That's right, America goes to the polls tomorrow! We'll be getting live coverage from midnight to 6am on TV over here and I think a fair few people will be staying up to watch it. As for me, I'm undecided: Obama or McCain? They both have their merits..... By this time tomorrow it'll all be over :-)

I'll be back with another update as soon as there is news (or maybe even if there isn't!)

Until then, in light of the fact that it's Rememberance Sunday this week, I'll leave you with this:
Stay safe, all our boys and girls who are so far from home. We haven't forgotten you!

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Private, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.
It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

"No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at Vimy on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.
My dad stood his watch in the streets of Arnhem,
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

"I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got a nice smile."
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white and blue.. the Union Jack

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life for my sister of brother..
We stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure, for all time, that this flag will not fall.

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife, daughters or sons."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget,
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone;
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

THE day (and touristy outings in London!)

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin the story of my interview:

DAY ONE

As far as travelling goes, I was not lucky. Due to a "fatality" at Woking, my train was delayed and then my tube train was delayed as someone pulled the emergency alarm at Sloane Square. Then, I got thoroughly lost on the way to my hostel, despite having looked up the directions - I turned the wrong way out of the tube station!! Oh dear.
Anyway, once I got to my hostel, I found I had the room to myself and set about unpacking as my as I could do whilst still keeping everything in my little locker.
In the evening I changed in to my Mickey Mouse t-shirt for the meal and made my way via Embankment Station, to the TGIs in Covent Garden.
TGI is yummy. Our server, whose name I don't know, was awesome and deserved a medal for getting everything right and keeping smiling! Louisa Gibbs (from WDWIP) also deserves a medal for organising the meal and sorting out all of the money etc. The meal was great cos we got to put names to faces that we'd met on the forums and generally chat to lots of people. There were people who'd had their interview the day before, randomers who had done things like the summer program and then us who had a Friday interview.
I was back at the hostel by half 10 and found I had a roommate. She finally got in at midnight but there was no way I could sleep anyway so it didn't really matter.

DAY TWO - INTERVIEW

Got up at 6am! Not good. Woke up my roommate when my alarm went off twice at 6 and 6.05. Ooops. I must say though, I did feel very swanky in my interview clothes on the tube with all of the business people. Thankfully it was only a two-stop trip on the Underground, so the fact that I then went to the wrong reception desk at the Disney building didn't matter so much!
They had a little camera mounted on a pole that took our photos "for security reasons" at the reception desk when we signed in! Anyway, we were taken upstairs and had to fill in some forms (that to be honest they could have sent us in the post and saved us an hour up there!). Then came the presentation and we were introduced to our interviewer Roger, who was giving it. People got prizes for answering questions and even for asking them afterwards! Then the times for our actual f2fs were read out. The first one was at 10am, mine was at 2.30pm!
I went to McDonalds with a girl who I had only just met; Michelle (Pender). There wasn't really a lot for us to do though and we went back to the Disney building pretty soon afterwards. After that, the
w a i t i n g xx b e g a n!!!!!!
I was fine until it got to around 2.15pm, then I got nervous. Also, the person who I thought I was going to have my interview with; Laura (from WDWIP) wasn't with me in the end. I went in with a girl called Gemma who had done the programme before and so Roger seemed to focus on her more than me....
It was over so very quickly that I couldn't believe it! I was calm mainly I think because I had downed quite a lot of Bach's Rescue Remedy throughout the day. I was asked 'Why do you want to work for Disney?' 'How will you cope with the heat?' 'What is your work experience?' 'What do you like to do in your free time?'. Then it was over. Just like that. I was a bit disappointed really as I'd been expecting a lot more - other people agree that it was a bit of a let down too.
Oh well. There was nothing else to do except enjoy the rest of our time in London, which is exactly what me and Michelle (Park) set out to do! We said goodbye to everyone and went to our respective accomadations to get changed. Then we met back at Hammersmith station to do some exploring! I'd also got to see another new roommate who was from Perth. I never found out her name, but she was very friendly and we chatted a lot. I wish her lots of luck with her new flat and lots of peace and enjoyment now that she's no longer living out of a rucksack!
Michelle and I visited; Big Ben, the London Eye, Harrods and Oxford Street, taking full advantage of Zones 1 and 2 on our travel cards! It was incredable fun and Michelle deserves special recognition for having the audacity to apply for a Harrods Loyalty Card (despite living in Preston!)
So that night I was very happy but quite sleepy when I got back to the hostel. I spent a long while chatting to the Aussie girl who was SO friendly and told me that I deserved to get on the CRP because I had a great British accent! Slept well that night, that's for sure and did a lot of my packing before I turned in.

DAY THREE

Check out day! Had breakfast at the hostel and then checked out. Stored my bag at the hostel and then took a couple of hours to go and visit St Paul's Cathedral. Except, "due to scheduled engineering works on the Central line, no services will operate to or from St Pauls"! So I did a bit of a walking tour all the way from Chancery Lane to Bank! Oh well, walking does you good.
St Paul's was amazing to look at as well. Then I got to see lots of other cool buildings, which to be honest I can't remember the name of!
After that, I headed back to the hostel to collect my bag and took my last tube journey: to Waterloo. I lunched at Burger King at Waterloo and then hopped on the train back to Southampton - I was back by 2pm. The first thing I thought? Soton is so cold! Sarah says that's because there is no polution!

So, that's my account of my trip up to London for the f2f. Now we have to play that all too familiar game - the Waiting Game! Now I need to throw myself back in to my lovely studies, especially to catch up with what I had to miss in order to go to London! We now have 3 to 4 weeks to wait until we find out if we were successful or not! Scary!
And so to end: The thought for the Day is "Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a Mouse!"

The interview draws closer!!!

That's right! The interview is FOUR days away and as yet I am only marginally worried!! Hmmm is there something wrong with me I wonder, not being worried yet? Then again I wasn't nervous about the phone interview until a few hours before.

Right, news:

Uni is really hard, but I'm getting through it somehow - largely because I haven't done a lot of the reading!! That's because I'm missing lectures this week and because when I fused some ribs and vertebrae in my back last week, I couldn't actually go anywhere! Take my advice - don't ever fuse vertebrae and ribs, it hurts, you can't get comfortable or sleep and laying around for a week is boring! I have no idea how I managed it for a whole summer...
I have to give a presentation tomorrow on the problem of depopulation in interwar France - not exactly the highlight of my week to be honest. Oh well, needs must for the sake of my degree and (I've become very excited about this recently!) GRADUATION!
Then again I'm also very excited about Christmas, but that's allowed right?? I say it is because this IS the Christmas term AND (very importantly!) the Disney Shop have their Christmas stuff in already!!

Worship Central is Wednesday night and High School Musical 3 comes out this week at the cinemas - we are organising a girly trip to see it - its going to be awesome!!! Plus, you know I mentioned the Disney Store? Well I bought the book of the film in there yesterday!! Well exciting :-)

And So To The INTERVIEWWWWWW!

The plan is this: travel to London to arrive before midday. Check in to my hostel (Globetrotter Inn) and then set out to explore the route I'll need to take both to the interview and to the meal at TGI (Covent Garden) that night.
It is a brilliant idea to meet up with the people who you'll be interviewing with because it means there is one less scary and new thing to deal with on the day of the interview! It also means that the recruiters will look at you and see you being calm, collected and chatty and think 'Yes, I'll employ her.' (We hope!!!)
So I'm aiming to get to the interview venue for 8.15am at the latest and meet up with some other peeps. The presentation starts at 9am so its going to be a pretty full on day methinks.
BUT we're going to be with actual Disney recruiters, at the actual Disney HQ in London!!
I'm expecting my interview will be quite late as I haven't had to come as far as other people (some guys I know are coming from Scotland and the North - as far as that is concerned they're flying or getting the Megabus/train - so shop around for the cheapest way to travel to the interview).
I'm booked to stay overnight that night at the Globetrotter, so after the interview I can go back there and change and then go home the next day. I could possibly see something of London or do a show. If you have the time when you're there, do see a bit more of London, especially if you'll not be back there again soon.

The thing that has been going round and round and round in my head is what answer can I give to THE question: 'Why do you want to work for Disney?'. I just can't decide on how best to approach it cos there's so much I want to say.
One tip for both the phone and f2f interviews is to get to the point and not to waffle. So I think I'm going to go for buzzwords like passion, people, dreams, experience....
The other questions I think I can better come up with answers on the spot:
o Tell us about your home town
o Describe your current job
o How will you deal with living with randomers from several countries
o How will you cope with the heat
o etc etc etc
All I need to hope is that they don't throw in a curve ball question, like in my phone interview when I wasn't prepared for, but got asked about a typical day at my job.

On the plus side my outfit is ready, my photocopying is done, now I just need to get out some cash and finalise my exact travel plans. Another tip from me, especially if you - like me - are unfamilliar with the tube; be prepared! Carry a map with you, plan your journeys before you go and keep your wits about you (and your stuff!) at all times! So I'll know for example; how many stops, in what direction, on what line I need to go, before I get there! Simple. I hope!

What else is there to say? Nought I think.

Thought for this day be:
'Hold your head high and keep smiling, cos that's just what a Princess does!'

Change of plan for October!!!

Hey!
Well I'm updating again (cynics may say that it's because I currently have naff all to do, but I have news to share - honestly!)

22nd October - Worship Central at Central Hall
23rd October - I have lectures 11am - 1pm and 3pm - 6pm AND I need to travel to London AND the CU's Progressive Supper (moved from the 22nd so we can all go to Worship Central!)
24th October - my f2f in London

So you see, I no longer have to rush around, leave Worship Central early, get to London absurdly late or anything! I do have to miss Progressive Supper (for anyone confused, that's a 3 course meal put on for freshers where they go to a different house for each course and therefore get to know lots of people inthe CU!).
Because I won't be here and Ruth (my housemate) will be out for part of the evening, we've decided it would be a lot easier to pull out :-(

I'm mega relieved because now - although I'll have to miss my 3hour Food and Cooking lecture - I can arrive in London A LOT earlier, possibly even do something and then meet up with other wdwip people!!

I know this is supposed to be a kind of Disney Blog, but unfortunately real life goes on alongside the application process, so I'm reporting it as it happens. Right now, for example, I'm rather peeved because I want to transfer to Argos in Southampton for Christmas (I've worked at Argos in Hastings for 4 years and worked in Southampton last Christmas) and they've told me I have to go for an interview!!!! All the other people I know from home who have transferred to other stores have done so with no problems and have a permanent contract there.... :-/ I'll just have to go to the pointless interview and see what happens.
The main thing of course is that I'll be earning £££££s which convert to $$$$$$$s to be used in Florida! Special.

What else can I say? Not a lot really except to leave you all with the thought for the day (not that I've actually done any thinking...yet):
Don't put off until tomorrow, the smile you can put on today. Bit of a random one I know, but I heard it and liked it and I'll have to keep smiling if I work for the Mouse. Failure to smile = end of the line! Dun-dun-derrrrrrrrrrr.

Ciao for now blogites

Back at Uni

Well the title says it all really. I'm back in Southampton for the term....

The next time I leave this city will be for my Disney f2f - in exactly one month's time I'll be on my way to London for the moment of truth. I'm not scared yet..... but ask me again in 3 weeeks and you might just get a different answer!

So ONE MONTH til my f2f; ONE YEAR til I could very well be writing this blog from Orlando, Florida! WHOOOOO HOOOOO.

But I have plenty to keep me occupied until then; Freshers Week here begins on Saturday when the first Freshers move in to Halls and goes on for the whole week! Between now and some point very soon, I need to get Microsoft Office because although I love my new laptop, that vital ingredient is missing.

My advice to anyone thinking/getting excited/wondering about the CRP, is DO IT but be prepared for lots and lots of waiting at every stage of the application process.

I'll leave with my thought for the day ~ Strenuis Ardua Cedunt - The Heights Yield to Endeavour (University of Southampton's motto) because at the end of the day hard work is the answer and this year I am determined to do a bit more of it!

24th October = Disney f2f day!!!

That's right, after a long break from my Blog, doing all of that infernal WAITING, I have news; good news, great news, amazing news, brilliant news, slightly stressful but life-changing news!

My face-to-face interview, in London, with actual Disney recruiters, is set for the 24th October 2008! Here's the e-mail;

Dear Victoria

Many thanks for your interest in the Walt Disney World® International Programs!

Recently you have interviewed for a position on the Cultural Representative Program at Walt Disney World; and we are delighted to inform you that we would like to invite you to meet with the recruiters from Walt Disney World when they visit the UK next month.

At this time you will be able to attend a presentation about all about the Magic known as Disney, and gain information about the Cultural Representative Program and the perks that come with it. After the presentation, you will have the opportunity to experience an interview like you never have before with the Walt Disney World recruiters!

Your interview will be held on Friday October 24th at The Disney Attractions Office at 3 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9PE. A map and instructions are below. Transportation to the interview is at your own expense.

You will need to arrive at 8.30 a.m as the Disney presentation will start at promptly at 9.00 a.m. After the presentation your interview will be scheduled. You must be prepared to spend the whole day and will be required to dress in professional / business attire.

If selected for a position, you will need to be available for dates starting February-September and lasting for 1 year.

For further information on the Cultural Representative Program please visit the website www.disneyinternationalprograms.com

In order for us to reserve your place, please send an email to confirm your attendance to michele@yummyjobs.com, by Monday 15th September

Please note that places are very limited and confirmations will be taken on a first come first serve basis. If interview places are full by the time you respond you will be selected to be placed on our wait list for any cancellations or our next recruitment session March 2009

If I do not hear from you within this time I will presume that you are withdrawing your application.

It is essential that you bring the following items to the interview:

1. 3 PHOTOCOPIES OF YOUR MAIN PASSPORT PAGE (picture page / passport no).If you do not have a passport please bring another Photo ID with your birth-date, such as driver’s license, etc.

2. YOUR ACTUAL PASSPORT (or another form of photo identification)

3. 1 PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE

4. YOUR ACTUAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE (OR CERTIFIED COPY)

5. Proof of your home address (e.g. on a bank or credit card statement)

6. An up-to-date copy of your CV

7. A black ink pen to fill out necessary forms

Once again, congratulations on reaching this stage in the recruitment process and we look forward to meeting you!

Sincerely,

Michele

Yummy Jobs
Unit 5, The Georgian Village
100 Wood Street
London, E17 3HX

Michele@yummyjobs.com

Of course, I sent back my confirmation straight away and then went to the WDWIP forums to share in the general excitement. Lots of people on there had their confirmation delayed and so got all panicky, but mine came through without any probs!!!!
It seems most of the girls I've met and am friends with on Facebook are on the 23rd, but there's still a fair few of us on the 24th.

Would you believe that, not only does the interview fall on the day when I will miss 5hrs of lectures (I only have 7hrs a week), but because I have to be in Hammersmith so early, I'll need to stay overnight. Guess what's happening on the night of the 23rd? Tom and I have bought tickets to see Worship Central at Central Hall in Soton. It's scheduled to finish at 9.30 but even so I'll have to leave early to be in London at 11pm!
In typical me fashion, I have planned everything meticulously though, so wish me luck with navigating the Tube and staying in a Hostel the night before!
The Hostel is Globetrotter Inn and I've booked two nights in a four bed room. That means I'll have somewhere to leave my bag during the day and I can change before going home again....
So now the real work begins: PREPARATION!!! eeek
On that front, I have my outfit sorted out, so that's a major weight off my girly mind. Got my shoes and sorted out which bags etc I'm taking.
One thing I do need to do, is go to the Registry Office and get a birth certificate, because I'll need it and copies of it for the interview.

So I've basically got lots to worry and fret and pester other poor people (like Tom) about, but also loads to look forward to. If I pull the whole thing off, well, that should be a feat worthy of my CV in its own right!

I'm still keeping up with a couple of online blogs, to see what daily life is like for those guys and girls who are out there right now. Seeing their pictures and hearing their thoughts really give you a great idea of what you're getting yourself in to.

In other news: I go back to uni on the 23rd Sept, ready to start lectures on the 6th Oct, so busy, busy, busy again! On the bright side of things though, I HAVE A NEW LAPTOP AND ITS shiny and AMAZING!!
What else can I say? Oh I need to leave you with a thought for the day.....
Life suprises you, accept the gift

I am through, I am through, I am through!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah! I have a face to face interview, in London, in October, with Disney. I am officially

EXTATIC!

I hoped, I dreamed and boy did I wait!, but all of that is finally over. I HAVE AN F2F!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's going to be amazing - officially amazing and I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to it. I think after I've done this blog I might just go and watch the Cultural Representative Presentation for the third time!!!!!!!

I'm so excited, I can't tell you how happy I am! That alone tells me how crushed I would've been to not get through! But I am, so who cares about that? I can officially start to think about what I'm going to wear now TO THE INTERVIEW, IN LONDON WITH DISNEY.

Can you believe it? ME, one step closer to working for the Mouse in Orlando, for a whole year. Crikey. Now I know what it means for gappers to have itchy feet - I want to go NOW! Not have to spend a whole other year in rainy old Southampton slogging my guts out over my dissertation!

But it does mean that I have the motivation to start mega saving for this trip - it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am so determined not to mess it up.

YES! YES! YES! I just can't believe it, this is the real deal now. Gosh, I'm going to be an absolute nightmare to live with from now on. Yay. See? Even that makes me say yay!

I told you before it a dream, a place of dreams and the product of a dream and I'm a whole lot closer to going there.

Anyways, that is the big news of the month. Now I've vented just some of my joy, I'm going to add to it by watching the presentation!

Quote of the Day? Here it is: 'Please cover your ears whilst I scream!!' - Kirbie (wdwip forums) on hearing she has an F2F.

This is the e-mail from Michele:

Hi Victoria

Many thanks for taking time in the pre-screen interview for the Walt Disney World™ International programs. We were impressed by your performance and are pleased to invite you to the next interview stage.

Your interview will be held sometime in October. We will be contacting at the end of August with details of the exact date and venue of your interview. If your contact details change please be sure to notify us!

Once again, congratulations on reaching this stage of the recruitment process and I very much look forward to meeting with you.

Sincerely,

Michele

Yummy Jobs

The Waiting Game

It's kind of a bit like grrr, then abit yay, sometimes I'm unsure and other times calm and collected! Basically, I'm all over the place. So there you have it; that's what The Waiting Game does to you. Phew!

It's now 8 days since my phone interview and 11 days until Momentum rolls around. The significance of Momentum is that I'm pretty sure the e-mail with the all important yes or no should arrive during the 6 days I'm down there.

The question is, do I deliberately make an effort to check my e-mails while I'm away and face the possibility of bad news ruining my holiday, or do I play an even bigger version of the waiting game? If I do that, I could have a double low if its bad news......

Ok, my decision is (at the moment anyway!) to wait to find out until I get home. That way if it is bad news, I'll only take it out on my parents and not the whole group of 60 going to Momentum.

What makes it worse is;
1. Some other countries such as Norway, don't have so many applicants, so they're almost guaranteed to get the job when they apply.

2. Spending loads of time on the Forums (wdwip.com) means that these girlies have become my friends and I hate to think we're competing against each other, but I guess that's the sad truth of it.

3. I heard someone say that they like to make it as representative as possible in the UK Pavillion. Does that mean you have more chance of getting the job if you come from N. Ireland (because there might be less applicants?)?

But the good thing about the fact that we're all in this together is that we're getting to know each other now, being friends on Facebook, so we know each other by real name, not just forum name and have some idea of where some people come from etc!

The good news for me, at the moment, is that I have things to keep me busy; sorting my room out, going to work and preparing for Momentum etc.

I do keep coming back to the financial and logistical side of things though.... At this moment in time, I have £235 in the account set aside for Disney, with another £130 or so soon to be added (I hope!). Plus my wages from June need to be paid in yet - and I reckon that will be at least £200! Yay for wages!

Mustn't get too excited though :-( I still have £300 rent per month etc etc ad infinitum to pay out..... It seemed a huge figure, but now I've started to save, I seem closer than I'd dared to hope, to actually getting there one day!
Although I must remember that my Mum had to bale me out of financial ruin again last month! Maybe finances aren't quite as rosy as I'd like them to be.... Que sera sera.

Thought for the Day: it's another one from Walt:
When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.

That's all for now folks! Next time I post, it will hopefully be with good news ON AN F2F!!!!!! That would brighten up my rather rainy August lol

The Phone Interview!!!

I'm now amongst the cool, calm and collected people who have had their phone interview with Yummy Jobs for the Disney Cultural Representative Program and lived to tell the tale!!!

Let's start at the beginning:

I sent off my CV and cover letter to Yummy on the morning of the 2nd July, I received a confirmation e-mail saying that we would hear if we had a phone interview in 3 weeks time.

So, the waiting began.... About a week ago I finally got an e-mail and arranged an interview time with Michele.

In the meantime, I'd been scouring the forums for posts of what to expect in the interview and had found a lot of sample questions. I spent ages preparing and perfecting answers to questions like:
Why do you want to work for Disney?
What has your work experience been so far?
How would you deal with an unhappy Guest?
How will you cope with the heat?
How will you find living with lots of different people from around the world?

They all came up in the interview which, I am not going to dissect, because it will just drive me crazy! I think it went well; I could have said more on certain things :-/ but it could have gone worse, I've decided that the fact I was on the phone for 20 mins instead of 10 is a good sign. Ok, it's a GOOD sign!

To be honest, looking back, it was kind of like a conversation, but I guess I - like everyone - was too nervous to do anything except reel off the answers! The lady who interviewed me, Hannah, had done the CRP before and so was really enthusiastic about it and we chatted a little bit.

Now we have another 3 week wait to find out if we have a face to face (f2f) interview with actual Disney recruiters in London in September. The only weird thing is, is that if I go to an f2f, then I still have a year to wait before I go.... I'm not sure why they do it so far in advance. On the other hand, if I get in early and get my place, the I can be all chilled out and have something to look forward to during the rigours of third year!

The thought for the day is a good one: If you can dream it, you can do it Walt himself said that - I guess I now need to apply it to getting a good grade in my degree, not just getting to work at WDW.
I don't want to seem cocky, but I can't see any reason why I shouldn't get through to an f2f, but it's like I said on the forums; let's hope they need a lot of people or some of us could end up out of luck.....

CV written, Cover Letter written, roll on July 1st!

is all that I can say right now!

But I should go back to the beginning really. You see, before I came home for the summer, I'd been working on a Disney blog - doing lots of research and reading up as per usual.....

But I hadn't exactly decided what I was going to do and how and when... it was just a bit of a distant dream still.

When I got home though and had a few days of relaxation and trawling the internet I got back in to the forums and the general excitement of the Disney world. I also decided to e-mail Yummy Jobs (ticket to the Magic) and ask them when I should apply to leave September 2009.

I got an e-mail back straight away from Kirsten saying that the date for applying for departure then was July 1st!!!! the next day!! So I spent all of today writing my CV and then this evening moved on to the Cover Letter.
Now, I'm not sure if its all complete rubbish or not, but if I want to be in with any chance of getting the job, I need to get in there quick and that means sending it all off tomorrow!

I've also now officially signed up for the WDWIP forums so I can keep up with all of the excitement as other people head off and share their experiences etc. My user name is Mushu

Well, what more can I say? I've taken that all important first step to the Magic so now all I have to do is wait and hope that what I put was not complete tosh but actually attractive to Yummy and not OTT either......

I suppose I ought to leave you with a thought for the day...... A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Except this journey will be a lot longer than a thousand miles, lets hope it doesn't all go wrong........

UPDATE: Sent my CV and covering letter off and it was received on the 2nd July. I got a confirmation e-mail from a lady @ Yummy called Michele. Now I have to wait 4-6 weeks to find out if I have got through to the next stage - the phone interview!
Here's the e-mail
Dear Vicki

Thank you for your interest in the Walt Disney World ™ International Programs!

These programs offer entry-level, practical training opportunities for individuals who are preparing for careers in Hospitality, Tourism or Leisure Management. Through on the job exposure to high volume Resort or Theme Park operations, participants learn how the Walt Disney World Resort maintains its position as a leader in the Hospitality and Entertainment Industries.

Participants must be at least 18 years old and authentically represent the culture and customs of their own country. These programs offer unique working, living, and learning experiences for one year. If you are successful you will be eligible for a visa for this period only. To find out more, please visit www.disneyinternationalprograms.com

We look forward to the opportunity to consider you for the Walt Disney World ™ International Program and will be contacting you within one month of receiving you application to let you know if you will be put forward to the next stage of interviews.

Kindest regards

Michele

7th July: Well, I've now got a Countdown Timer on my Desktop! It tells me that in 24 days I will hear, or will have already heard from, the people at Yummy Jobs as to whether I will be offered a phone interview for sometime in August! Oooh, I hate this waiting game, but it has given me plenty of time to pepare and gen up on my Hastings and Disney knowledge, as well as answers to some sample questions!

The Obsession Grows.....

I dread to think how many blogs I will have completed before I actually go away, but nevertheless here I am again!

As the title suggests, my obsession is growing with all things Disney; spending long hours on relevant Facebook groups, reading my new trivia book and ordering a Vacation Planning DVD to get me some real life footage of the Magic!

I'm working as much as possible at the moment under the proviso that early planning = more time to save up and more money for the trip! :-)

It's official though: I am obsessive. I'm doing lots of research (which if you are sceptical you might call escapism from the week of revision I am facing next week) and it is doing nothing more than exciting me!

You see WDW is more than a theme park (or many theme parks!), its more than the experience of a lifetime (although that's exactly what it is!); its a dream and the product of a dream and a place of dreams. That's where I'm going to go and that's what I am going to be a part of. That thought just makes me want to smile.
Other people's dreams may be to trek through Central America or backpack around Asia or spend a year working and partying in Australia - don't get me wrong, each to their own - but when the day comes that I go to Gatwick having passed my interview and got my visa and planned my travels and saved my money and more than likely spent some of that money on new clothes then that will be the day that my Disney dream comes true.

So now that little rant is over (!) what more can I say? "Goodbye clouds of grey, hello skies of blue" in the words of High School Musical 2. Because that's what it will be.... a whole year of amazingness.....

Thought to end with: Working at Disney is not my only dream, so I wonder if the playing out of one dream will lead to the formulation of another? Maybe I'll have decided on my future by the time 2010 comes around.....

Note to self: really must do some academic work between then and now or I won't be going anywhere..... error!

The Parents Approve!

Well I guess the title says it all really. But I want this to be a complete account so I'll give a few more details, because believe me, if they hadn't, it would've been game over!

Mum didn't seem that excited at first but now I think she realises, possibly from the amount of time I go on about it, that it is a highly sought after job. She's impressed by the benefits and I've been careful to not only go on about Mickey Mouse etc but the finances and practicalities too.

Dad was told by Mum and when he mentioned it to me, it didn't seem as if Mum had spoken ill of it, so that's the first good thing. Secondly, Dad approves in his own right and that's saying a lot, especially from a man who has seen so much of the world. Dad was with the Navy for 20yrs and has probably seen more of the world than the Mir Space Station!
He shares my view that there's nothing that special about Asia or Africa - don't get me wrong I'm sure that if I went to either of those continents it would be an experience of a lifetime, but I'm not that bothered and I'm certain I couldn't spend a year there.

Besides parents it's nice that when I've spoken to my friends - whose opinions I also consider tremendously important - that they're genuinely interested and happy for me. Most of them - no, all of them - have never heard of the Cultural Representative Programme and I've quite enjoyed telling them of it

Other things to report are that I've been thinking about the interview itself, not that I want to but needs must, and whenever I come up with things that I might need to demonstrate or that I would need to make me look good, it seems as if I have them! Yay!

Things I need to think about are that I need to decide when ie what time of year, I want to go. If I work through the summer and go in September/October time, that means I'll be travelling at that time the following year and I doubt that by that point, my wardrobe will be suitable for NY in Autumn.
On the other hand, if I need to raise more money then I'll have to work for as long as possible to fund myself. I need about $1300 which is about £700 for my initial costs; flights, insurance, visa, fees etc and to live off for my first or so, including the initial shopping that'll be quite a bit.

Hmmm...... lots to think about. AND TO BE EXCITED ABOUT TOO

That's why I've started this blog so far in advance, because if it all happens, then I want a record of the build-up, the planning and the excitement of all my dreams and fears etc recorded to look back on, two years down the line.

All of this doesn't really answer the years old question though: what will I do with the rest of my life post-graduation? I'll have to wait and see - 6 months ago I had no idea I would be doing this!

I suppose I had better end, in typical me fashion, with a Thought for the Day: Remember, it (Disney) all started with a mouse. If Walt can start with a mouse and end up with everything there is today, then I can start with a crazy idea and have an amazing year out. Right????

Call me obsessive if you will, but I bought a Disney Trivia Book Today and I am stupidly excited about receiving it and reading up on the place that I love so much and where - one day in the not so distant future - I Will Earn My Ears. YAY!!!!

The Plot Thickens....

Well, because I'm really sad, it's only a few hours since my last blog. Oh well.

I've spent a ridiculously huge amount of time today planning post-Disney travels!!!!!!

At the moment the plan looks like this:

1. Leave Orlando when my work contract is over and FLY to Washington DC. Whilst there visit; White House/Capitol Building, Vietnam Memorial Wall, Arlington National Cemetary, the Lincoln Memorial etc

2. Leave Washington DC on the GREYHOUND COACH for Boston which is a 10hour journey, but will be worth it methinks......

3. Is the Big Apple - New York, New York. Planning to see; Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero and Central Park. AS WELL AS SERIOUS SHOPPING!
My plan is to use New York as a base for further travel to Niagara Falls (another 10hrs on the coach but well worth it!) and elsewhere in the state.

Other exciting news is that the mild heart attack I was foreseeing over air fares may not happen.
EXPEDIA THE LIVING LEGENDS can do a multi-trip ticket for £450 max! That's London > Orlando, Orlando > Washington DC and New York > London all in one!!!!!
Whilst I know that 400 quid is still a lot of money, its a lot cheaper than what I had been seeing and is personalised for all of the random places I want to see.

I'm seriously considering finding a TravelBuddy on Gapyear.com when the time comes. Even if it is just for NY or chilling in FL for a few days after work finishes. Mum would have kittens, and I think I would too, about me going solo for a month in a foreign country.

Other coolness to report is that there seems to be a couple of good discount cards out there that will be useful for discounts on the Greyhound/Train and elsewhere hopefully!

So the plan is: save up, work, save up, work, save up, work, save up etc.
Budget wise, I would hope to break even and not incur any actual debt from the trip. As ever, we can but hope!

Thought to end ALL OF THESE PLANS WILL BE TOTALLY POINTLESS UNLESS I GET ON WITH SOME WORK AND ACTUALLY PASS MY DEGREE!

But to myself and anyone else reading this, whether it be 2008, 2009 or 2010 - never give up on your dreams. They may change over time, but they're never out of reach.

The plan emerges...

:D
I know that when you have an essay to do, you always find something more interesting to do with your time; tidy your room, hoover, bake a cake etc. But this has to be the biggest time wasting operation I've ever embarked on. It's also one that I hope will prove to be the opposite of a waste of time.

So.... the plan is: get through second year (not long to go!), get through all the scaryness of third year eg dissertation, finals and all that jazz, GRADUATE and then set off for a year in Florida. Whoo hoo!

I want to take part in the Disney Cultural Representative Programme at Epcot. Thus, I would work at Epcot for a year, representing the United Kingdom, getting paid, getting free entry + staff discount on all things Disney and living like a Uni student - which I have down to fine art!

Potential problems:
1. Money or lack of, including large student debt and overdraft!!!
2. It costs even more money to go; flights, visas, travel, food etc
3. I've heard they work you very hard (min 40 hr week) and the wages are not fantastic ($6.67 p/h)
4. You have to share a room with a stranger from another country - for a year. As well as potentially sharing a flat with 6 additional strangers from other countries.
5. They'll all want to get drunk and stay out until 4am every day, then they'll still manage to get up for work....I won't!
6. It's a whole year: what if I don't like it?
7. Will I have to resign from Argos/find a job when I get back?!?!?!?!
8. Missing all of my friends and losing touch with all my Uni mates :(

Ok enough problems. I'm sure the good will outweigh the bad. It's Disney after all! So now to the good points;

1. Get to spend a year abroad - always wanted to do that
2. Get to spend a year in Florida, at Disney, with all sorts of discounts
3. Will have a tan at the end of it everyone will be jealous of!
4. Delays my needing to look for an actual job and will look good on a CV when I do
5. Get almost a month to travel afterwards - so much to see
6. Opportunity to make friends from all over and then visit them!!!!
7. Get paid whilst over there
8. PIN TRADING! Plus the possibility to set up my own e-bay business selling stuff!

All in all, I'd be amazing methinks. Or am I so keen to avoid doing Uni work that I've actually retreated to a fantasy land????

The great thing is, I have lots of time to think about it. A year and a half in fact.

Though to end with Every day is another journey.... Where will tomorrow take me?
(Well, it will take me to a group presentation. But what I mean is; as one door closes, loads more will open. We'll just have to see if my dream pans out.)
Hope so.....