Shifts

sun 30th

3-8

mon 1st

3-9:30

tue 2nd

8- 3:15

wed 3rd

3- 9:30

thur 4th

3- 9:30

fri 5th

off

sat 6th

3- 9:30

sun 7th

3-8

mon 8th

10-6

tue 9th

8- 3:15

wed 10th

10- 6

thur 11th

3-8

fri 12th

off

sat 13th

10-6

i'm back

ok, so we left off on saturday. wet and miserable. sunday 16th i had a pamper day to get ready for the week ahead. very relaxing but nothing to really say.

monday 17th

i got up and got ready to go to universal studios in business casual. but when i got there it was time to change into my Hippogriff wardrobe...unfortunately unless someone takes a picture of me in my wardrobe you wont be seeing that. i then went off to the ride to start my training. so the next 2 days i was training for operation of the ride. i got to ride the ride...more than once i must say and it was great. so what if it's a baby ride.

the third day, wednesday 19th

i was in ollivanders today. the wardrobe is so different. both of my outfits are hot but im hot in my swimsuit here so that won't make any difference.. another full day then i went into the breakroom and did my exam to ensure i knew everything...well 10:4 to that. i passed with flying colours and got signed off super quick and apparently the quickest one ever. me done good.

20th
today was my day off but i picked up a shift so i could earn more money. it was good. nerve-wracking to say the least but i had fun. i love my job. it seems everyday it rains and the ride can't operate with lightning and that's when it gets scary. everything went ok though. thoroughly tired though and in work again tomorrow.

21st
off. yay. today i went to the mall to get aquainted with my surroundings and i loved it. bit big but i got a bath bomb and a pen which is also a fan. took me all day. i never knew malls were so big, you can get lost in them.

22nd
in work...again nothing special to report. it's hard work and very sweaty and hot but i enjoy it and   my colleagues talk to me so it's a great place to walk.

so this week ive been in work solidly apart from tuesday and today, saturday. i'm so glad i got signed off because i can officially operate the ride and the other safety positions. the people i work with are so helpful as well. if i can't remember something they help so i dont forget anything. i haven't had chance to see the fireworks yet but have been on some rides.

so enough about work...now for the fun stuff.

i have pictures of things i have been given, bought, achieved and used:
have fun looking:

my certificate

everything i need to know

the weekly newsletter

i got this. yayy. not many people get them.

my work bag

first bus pass

my work pass and lanyard clearly stating im a gryffindor

ah yes. that day when i ate a bug. well technically it was a glass of sour milk, tuna, meat, mealworms, crickets and grasshoppers. yum. not been the same since. team #turnup

the remains of my rocky horror live actor plus show kit.

such an embarssing night

bertie botts every flavour beans. don't worry Olly, you will get some of your own.

so i have two way to go cards aswell. 5 of these means 1 applause card. just proves how hard im working.

so it's hot, i love work, and i get to play but for the last two days i've not been well. i have a cold and a cough, mucus, yuck. i went to the pharmacy and they gave me sudafed but i had to sign a meth log as apparently people make drugs with sudafed. how odd.

so today has been my day where i haven't been out. i wanted to go to seaworld but being ill has its consequences. tv, bath, blog, games and sleep before a packed week of work.

the only thing left to say:

i love and miss you all.

have a good time at international quest Olly and only 71 days till we hug.

glad ur enjoying your holiday mum, ive received your emails so thankyou. looks like a hard ride. i remember it. in the car it was tiring. hehe.

Day 4

so day 4. not a good day to be honest. it's been raining all day, thunder and lightning until about 4 in the afternoon and everyone who went out last night and drank even though they were under 21, are sleeping or staying in. so i've been updating my blog and had a shower, watched Dark Water, which i will say is quite a good film. i've played facebook games, looked up where i'm working, had lunch and stared into space.

i think i might write some of my story and do some spanish but i cant decide whether to have a bath or not. i might do that tomorrow so im ready for work on monday.

i can't even work the TV as you have to hav a two way connector cable to get tv working here.

Day 3

so today was a lazy day. not much to report except i now have a phone. ask me if u want the number.

i can't however call the UK. but ont hat note i seem to have lost my UK mobile. I had it int he departure lounge and so must have had it on the plane cos i didn't text Olly back from there so must have put it away and when i got here i couldn't find it but had my charger. so god knows where it is. i have looked everywhere and tried again and again to find it but no use. maybe ill look again when everything is in order, not that i'm not clean. in fact im being really tidy.

Day 2

so today was orientation.
we went to Universal and got given our job roles and mine is:

WWOHP- Flight of the Hippogriff yayyyyy

view from my ride which you can just see on the right

operations room

uniform. grrrr. very hot

yes i bought a chocolate frog

also got schedule for the next week.

weekend off

Mon- Take one- UO orientation

Tues- UO orientation- treasure hunt in parks

Weds- Action- UO orientation- get uniforms and wear from now on.

Fri- WWOHP orient and NEWT Exam------yes i have to take a Harry Potter exam.

so orientation finished and i went to walmart on my first shop. that place is far too big. got comfy bedding because believe it or not im cold at night...even here. you can literally spend hours in that place.

Day 1

ok so i arrived safely and my apartment 1-303. it's lovely. here is a photo:

outside lobby

living room

random view

driveway

bathroom

kitchen

entrance

so today we had our AAG orientation. we learnt everything about America that we need to know. bus stops, traffic, safety etc. we then had a Yummy Jobs Orientation which is where we got to know people by playing games, eating pizza and chatting.

I then went into Orlando and the I-drive. I visited Ripley's believe it or not odditoriam, Titanic, the experience and CSI, the experience. i wasn't allowed to take photos of the last two but will upload photos from Ripleys.

wall-e

shrunken head

prop from edward scissorhands

berlin wall--- ive touched it.

vampire woman

lizard man

gurner

john lennon done with a book. his face is the pages of the book just carved down.

then i got lost and got a taxi back home and went to bed.

so far

I can't believe i haven't written anything since March. so much has happened. the biggest news is that i will be an attraction attendant. what have i done since. 

1. well i have been to London twice to get my Visa which is so difficult to get. you have to pay so much money to go and then food and if you're like me you leave stuff in silly places then you have to go around London and find them. but eventually i got my Visa.

2. I have got my flights. details are:

11th June

MAN TO MCO

11am- 15:20

9th Sept

MCO to LGW

18:15- 07:25

3. I also have my CRB so i am now officially a children's cast member for universal Orlando.

4. I have my housing sorted and my address is:

La Palazza

Metrowest

2450 Lake Debra Drive

Orlando

FL 32835

5. I also have my bus schedule.

6. Orientation dates:

AAG Orientation

June 12th- 11am- lobby

Universal Orientation

June 13th- at universal 7:15- 1pm

Training

17th- at Universal 9-4

Training

18th- at Universal 7:45-5

well only 3 days to go 3333333333333333. not long and a lot to do. already left Chester for the summer but will be going back there.

sat i will be doing a car boot to get rid of some of the clutter I've accumulated over the last 8 or so years and hopefully again on sunday.

in the evening on sunday i will be going to the theatre to see Alice in Wonderland Ballet.

Monday is the final day to sort through packing for America and to go shopping. early night...very early night.got to get up at 5am. i probably won't sleep much. too excited and nervous. then off to the airport on tuesday.

for now it is farewell. i will update again when im in America

Role

This is the big one. the email where i found out my role. i was so excited when i read this:

Hi Catherine,

Greetings from the Yummy Jobs Team!

 Thank you for patiently waiting to receive your role on the Universal Orlando Resort® International Program.

 Your job role at the Universal Orlando Resort® this summer will be…

Attraction Attendant

This needs to be printed, signed, and then scanned back to me by the 13^th March 2013.

Please note:

·         You will be given your work location upon your arrival at the Universal Orlando Resort®

·         You are not guaranteed to be placed at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter®

·         Shifts will include late nights (such as midnight, 1am, 2am, 3am)

·         Positions offered were those in which you selected ‘yes’ on the job description forms

·         If you are working in Food and Beverage (service, restaurant greeter and food cart attendant), you will receive a $3.00 USD voucher for working shifts over 6 hours. Vouchers can be used to get $3.00 USD off their meal in team member cafeterias.

·         Your pay will be indicated in your participant agreement; the base rate is $7.85 USD/hour with some roles paying $8.00 USD/hour.

·         Per the ‘Participant Section’ (page 2), your position could change at Universal Orlando Resort’s® discretion (what is offered in the agreement is subject to change prior to, during, or after your arrival). Your corresponding pay rate could change also. The Universal Orlando Resort® will try their very best to keep you in the same position; this is just in case there are unforeseen circumstances which require changes.

·         As per the agreement, the signed copy needs to be returned to myself by the 13^th March 2013. A hard copy needs to be taken to the Universal Orlando Resort®.

is this a dream come true or what. I put attractions down as my first choice and wow i got it. they must have liked something about me. the only other thing i asked for was to work outside. this was to ensure maximum tanning and weight loss. 

well some other people will be thinking that. the more you sweat, the more weight you lose and i wanna lose stones not pounds.

well until next time folks.

xxx

Checks

so i got accepted but had to fork out £750 on xmas eve or before to ensure i could go. ouchy. well my lovely boyfriends helped me out here and lent me the money. he's the best. 

next i had to fill out the criminal background check. this was easy so everything seemed to be going ok. the next task was finding out my role.

for the visa to be accepted i had to fill out my proof of student letter 5 times. it just kept getting rejected. I will go damn you.

well i think that in the end whatever we (the uni, me and yummy jobs) did worked and i can finally say im off to America.

Acceptance

OMG, it has happened. i did it. i actually got accepted. ok, bring it back. well now the fun starts.

Dear Catherine,

Greetings from the Yummy Jobs Team!

Firstly we would like to thank you for your efforts at the recent Universal Orlando® Resort interview sessions for the International Program Summer 2013.

The Yummy Jobs Team, Alliance Abroad Group and Sherri Meyer very much enjoyed meeting and interacting with you at the recruitment events.

 On behalf of Universal Orlando® Resort we are delighted to be the first to say

Congratulations

Universal Orlando® Resort were very impressed with your application and interview and are delighted to offer you a position on the International Program for Summer 2013.

Once again we would like to offer you our congratulations on being accepted onto the Universal Orlando® Resort International Program and we look forward to assisting you all the way through your program.