Extended, But Saying Goodbye

So the good news is I have been extended on my program until January 3rd 2014. It means I'll celebrate Halloween, Christmas and New Years in Disney World, and that I'll have worked 7 days shy of a full year for Disney. I'm staying in my current location, The Emporium, which opens up lots of doors for learning new skills and trying new positions. Seeing as how only one or two are left for me to try, I'm pretty excited about it.

The bad news, however, is that my roommates are going home. One was extended, however she and I will not be living together come August, one was denied her extension and the other three are ready to go home. As many issues we've had over the past six months, it's still hard to think about how in three weeks the life I've known for seven months will end, I'll pack up and move into another, smaller, apartment and they will pack up and leave for their homes in Arizona, Nebraska and Louisiana. This means no more early morning video game watching sessions and no more leftover jambalaya in the fridge. This means my roommates will no longer be in attractions, photopass and character attending, but will only be merchandise. And they will only be in the same location as myself. I'm not sure if that's a good change or a change I will come to dislike.

I knew this time would come, but the fact that it's so close is surreal. I wasn't expecting it to happen so fast, for the time I was to share with them to end so quickly, but it has. And so, if you're getting ready for your DCP, let me stress to you: savor every moment. Don't be upset too long, and don't get annoyed over the petty things. Go surprise each other at work when you can, and spend as much time as you can stand with those you love. It's a bittersweet feeling, and it's a depressing one. I'm losing three of my best friends and I have three weeks left to make it worth it.

Until next time,
Kelci

There Are No Goodbyes

We only say "See ya real soon."

So yesterday was the last day in the Emporium for two of the most wonderful friends any girl could ask for, and boy oh boy was it a toughie for all involved. I tried to say my see ya real soon as well as I could, but I know that I'm better in writing and I knew that I'd probably end up just crying about it instead of talking so here I am. It's been nearly five months since the majority of the Spring DCPers arrived in the Big E, and while we've been saying our goodbyes over this past month to some beloved girls and our Thai friends, this goodbye was a little bit more hard hitting for me.

Not that I don't absolutely love all the people I'm friends with in the Emporium, but these two in particular are probably some of my best friends while down here. And even though we rarely hung out outside of our work location, our times in the Emporium together will always have a fond place in my heart. I am literally the luckiest person alive to have been blessed by their presence and to have been able to get to know these girls, even if it was only for so short a time.

This is probably the most difficult part of the DCP for anyone. It's the goodbyes.

Even though here at Disney we tend to just say "See ya real soon" it's hard to pretend that there isn't a chance our paths may never cross again and that this program will be the last time I get to see some of the most wonderful girls I know. We are all headed into our lives from here, and who knows when we will see each other again.

But then I look at those wonderful people I'm surrounded with and realize that even though we may be headed to our separate cities, states and countries, we will always be friends. We will always be The Emporium Family.




Photo by Mike Thomas, taken 5/24/13 at the Monsterous All Nighter at around 4:00AM.

Four Weeks to Check In and Tying Up Loose Ends

Well today, December 10th, marks the 4 weeks to go mark on my DCP countdown. Keep in mind that this started at 108 days, and I'm now at 28! I'm starting to slowly get things ready to go and I have started packing up some of my clothes and shoes in order to be able to focus on my family and friends my last couple of weeks at home.

It's getting really real now, as today is also the two week mark from my last day at Payless Shoes, where I have been for close to two years. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than ready to be out of that awful corporation (I will miss my boss and some of the wonderful people I've worked with), but I'm ready to go. I won't be mourning this separation, but my last day at my other job is gonna be tough.

I started working for the Everett Silvertips in 2008, and I've spent four and a half happy seasons as a Sales Associate in their team store. If I wasn't leaving this year, I would have hit my five year mark which is half the time the team has actually been around. This job was my first serious job, and boy will I miss it. I've made some wonderful friends in the Store, and I honestly don't think anywhere will ever come close to how much I enjoy the people at that job.

I'm 100% sure I'm going to cry on Sunday while I'm working, as I'm going to be mourning leaving so many people that I love behind. Not that I would change the fact that I'm leaving for the world, but I'm going to miss a lot. This move means no more Silvertips Hockey, no more weekend games with some of my best friends, and no more boss to listen to me and give me advice and reassurance when I need it. It's going to be tough, but they keep reminding me that it will be worth it, and that's what I'm trying to keep in mind!

Other than that, my final for my last class I will EVER take at EVCC is complete, and I'm just awaiting my grade to be posted. I think I did okay, and now I'm going to spend my last two weeks at Payless not slacking as bad as I want to, and enjoy my last month at home. Come December 24th, I will be free from my slavery at Payless, and free to spend time at home getting ready to go!

Next up should be about my adventures in packing my entire life into 5 suitcases and a backpack and saying goodbye to friends and family.

Watch out DCP! Here I come!

Kelci