SO I am half way through the whole au pairing experince already! To be fair it does feel like I've been here a while but it's still nice to think that I've reached this mile stone.
So where to begin with my update? Well I started the Finnish grammar course which is good and helping I think. All the other people are older internationals who have lived in Finland quite a while. So in one sense I speak and understand a lot quicker and more fluently, but they on the other hand have been studying Finnish for a few years so they have a grasp of the grammar where as I have never strudied it before. So in that way it is quite challenging. I learn new vocab every time and the grammar I have learnt has really hepled me to hopefuly make less mistakes when I speak as I really had no clue about how any of it worked before and just spoke, hoping it was correct.
I have spent a lot of my free time with my aunt, uncle and cousins which is really nice. Been to the cinema a few times, went skiing with Anna and have stayed over night at my aunt's a few times. The children stay over at their Dad's every other weekend so that is when I get a chance to stay away one night if I want.
It snowed like crazy all through Januray and through half of Feb and I did atleast an hour and a half of snow clearing everyday which is really quite tiring. It was also really dark and gloomy in January. In february it got a lot colder like -20 to -37 but the sun came out (yaaaay!) and it hasn't snowed for about 2 weeks now which is a record since I've been here (fingers crossed) but aparentley its snowing again this Sunday. Its much more cheerful when the sun it out here and the snow might start to melt a bit in a few weeks which will be nice. My aim is to see some grass before I leave haha.
I have also helped out at Riikka and Tatus's school 3 times. I went into the different classes and did a presentation about life in England compared to FInland and about myself. It was quite daunting at first but it was enjoyable and a change. I also even taught and Enlgish class once one my own when the teacher was away! Riika's teacher gave me achocolate bar on the first day to say thank you, which was nice of him. I also got to have a school dinner the days I was there for free. The school food is free for all the students and everyone eats it. It is much nicer and helathy than English school dinners by a looong way. The food is actually something I would like to eat at home and is much better for the kids. The girls were very sweet there and showed me round the school during breaks and chatted to me lots.
Then for Yasmin's birthday she came to Finland :D It was so great as the whole thing was a planned surprise that she didn't find out about untill on her birthday 2 days before. I took the the train up to Helsinki at the weekend for 3 nights and most of the cousins came aswell. With had a meal at my aunt's a played a board game, then went bowling and then clubbing. We waited outside the blub for an hour and I honetsly think that's the coldest I've ever been! Though I would die soon of cold, don't think I warmed myself up again that whole night even when finally inside. I went shopping and ice skating with Yaz too. Elina and Anna came all the way from Joensuu too but Anna actually got ill about an hour after arriving here! It was such a shame becasue the train ticketd are so expensive and she'd come all this way only to be ill and have to stay in bed :(
A week later my parents came to Joensuu and only left yesterday. I spent a few night's with them at my aunt's which was lovely and my aunt and uncle from Helsinki were there too. There have been some winter sports going on in the town centre and we saw some ice swimming and some amazing ice sculptures too. Anna took me to see the 'vanhujen tanssi' last friday where all the 6th formers dress up in ballgowns and tuxedos and have a traditional dance. The girls all looked amazing I was very jealous of their pretty dresses, it would be great it we did something like that in Enlgand.
Last but not least I went to a thing called a 'Language Cafe' yesterday with Anna for English speaking people to talk to each other, organised by the university. It was great to finally meet some other internationals who sepak English as I don't know where they've all bee hiding out before. They also have a French meeting I will try out next week which will be even better as I really should be practisiing my French for uni. I'd love to go to both meetings every week but as I also do my Finnish lessons twice a week I think that may be too many evenings away from my job so I will just take each week as they come and go to as many as I can really.
Over all, I have been enjoying my stay more recently. I'm sure seeing my family helped a lot and also I don't feel that Tatu's bad behavious is affecting me as much. It was still pretty scary when Satu went away to Denmark for a couple of days and he has had a couple of really bad tantrums alone with me since I last wrote but I THINK he may be a little calmer these last couple of weeks or atleast it maybe I don't mind it as much now. I will end this new blog here as my arms are starting to ache from all this typing! I will probably write a new blog in a months time or some thing. Hei hei for now xx
Friday, 25 February 2011
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Suomi/Finland - Life as an au pair
Hello there my blog you,
So the next part of my gap year has officially begun, and as always I'm thrown straight into the deep end. I've been in Finland for 2 and half weeks now. I'm staying exactly 4 months, 3rd Jan - 3rd May.
I spent the first week with my fam in Finland, I had a few days in Helsinki and saw my Disney friend Elisa which was great :D then I went up to Joensuu in eastern Finland by train with my cousin Mikko and his girlfriend as that is where I am now au pairing. I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle in Joensuu for the remaining few days and did some shopping and went bowling with my three cousins and their bfs/gfs before meeting my au pair fam. I actually had the flu/a very bad cold for the entire first week that I was here, which was typical considering I'd just arrived! I don't think I could have caught it here in Finland as I actually started feeling ill the first night I arrived and a few of my friends back home had been ill, so I blame them I'm sure! There is of course lots of snow here and in Joensuu it has been very cold some days, it has ranged so far from -2 as the warmest and -30 as the coldest. I haven't really had too much trouble with it though, I think the amount of warm clothes my Mum bought me has really paid off!
SO i am into the second week with my au pair family. The mum Satu is really nice and chatty, we get on very well and do quite a lot of things together. She is very busy with her work as she's a doctor and always has lots to do in the evenings too so doesn't get much of a break, so I've been helping her get things done. Her daughter is 11 and caled Riikka. She could'nt be better behaved and is very sweet. She loves horses and was quite shy at first but now chats to me quite a lot and tries the English out on me that she has learnt. Her son Tatu though is a real handful. He can be quite a sweet kid as he likes playing with me. We play cars, and shooting games running round the house. We read toghether sometimes and he recently built a den is his room that he likes to play in. On the other hand he doesn't have any control over his temper. If he doesn't have his way in the slightest he gets very angry and can cry/throw things/ lash out at people a lot and it is next to impossible to calm him down. I felt I was controlling this ok in the first week but the past 2 days have been very difficult as he is home all afternoon with me without his mum and its hard for me to know what to do when he has a tantrum and throws mine or Riikka's things around. I realise this is part of the job, so I will have to stand up to it and let him know I am in charge, but for people who know me they should realise by now that the one thing I am terible at doing is standing up for myself, so this will be a real challenge for me. I am really enjoying everything else about the job and being here, so I really hope that the difficulties I have with Tatu don't ruin it as it is becoming very difficult for me. I am determined to not let it get to me and to work it out somehow so I'll up date on that next time, fingers crossed.
My work generally consists of clearing snow (lots of it!) from the drive, doing some cleaning, looking after Tatu in the afternoon and the children in general when Satu is out e.g. getting them to bed. I also have done lots of cooking such as lasagne, vegetable dishes, spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce, macaroni cheese and chocolate/coffee cakes etc. Some have been very successful, others less so, but I guess that's how you learn! It is all good practise for uni I am sure. In the evenings I have been going to a couple of exercise classes with Satu, going with Satu to take Tatu to football or Riikka to horseriding, going food shopping. Hopefully I am starting a Finnish grammar course twice a week starting next week in the evening.
I have one full day off a week and another day in parts, so I have been seeing my family who live in the same town. It is really nice that I have them as I'm not sure who else I would spend it with! I went shopping one morning with my aunt last week and then at the weekend on Sunday I was at my cousin's Anna with my aunt and Uncle then went to the Cinema with my other cousing Ellu. I should be seeing then again this weekend which is a nice break away. It makes me feel a lot more at home by having them with me here.
So the beginning of this experience has been quite a mixture as I have explained. I said when I first did this blog that I would put the bad aswell as the good bits so I want to do that still. Over all there have been many positive things so far, and I'm sure my Finnish is improving (we speak 2 days Finnish,2 days English) which is the main reason I came here. There are some difficult parts to the job to be sure, but I am optimitic that my time here we be very positive.
I will write again soon <3
So the next part of my gap year has officially begun, and as always I'm thrown straight into the deep end. I've been in Finland for 2 and half weeks now. I'm staying exactly 4 months, 3rd Jan - 3rd May.
I spent the first week with my fam in Finland, I had a few days in Helsinki and saw my Disney friend Elisa which was great :D then I went up to Joensuu in eastern Finland by train with my cousin Mikko and his girlfriend as that is where I am now au pairing. I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle in Joensuu for the remaining few days and did some shopping and went bowling with my three cousins and their bfs/gfs before meeting my au pair fam. I actually had the flu/a very bad cold for the entire first week that I was here, which was typical considering I'd just arrived! I don't think I could have caught it here in Finland as I actually started feeling ill the first night I arrived and a few of my friends back home had been ill, so I blame them I'm sure! There is of course lots of snow here and in Joensuu it has been very cold some days, it has ranged so far from -2 as the warmest and -30 as the coldest. I haven't really had too much trouble with it though, I think the amount of warm clothes my Mum bought me has really paid off!
SO i am into the second week with my au pair family. The mum Satu is really nice and chatty, we get on very well and do quite a lot of things together. She is very busy with her work as she's a doctor and always has lots to do in the evenings too so doesn't get much of a break, so I've been helping her get things done. Her daughter is 11 and caled Riikka. She could'nt be better behaved and is very sweet. She loves horses and was quite shy at first but now chats to me quite a lot and tries the English out on me that she has learnt. Her son Tatu though is a real handful. He can be quite a sweet kid as he likes playing with me. We play cars, and shooting games running round the house. We read toghether sometimes and he recently built a den is his room that he likes to play in. On the other hand he doesn't have any control over his temper. If he doesn't have his way in the slightest he gets very angry and can cry/throw things/ lash out at people a lot and it is next to impossible to calm him down. I felt I was controlling this ok in the first week but the past 2 days have been very difficult as he is home all afternoon with me without his mum and its hard for me to know what to do when he has a tantrum and throws mine or Riikka's things around. I realise this is part of the job, so I will have to stand up to it and let him know I am in charge, but for people who know me they should realise by now that the one thing I am terible at doing is standing up for myself, so this will be a real challenge for me. I am really enjoying everything else about the job and being here, so I really hope that the difficulties I have with Tatu don't ruin it as it is becoming very difficult for me. I am determined to not let it get to me and to work it out somehow so I'll up date on that next time, fingers crossed.
My work generally consists of clearing snow (lots of it!) from the drive, doing some cleaning, looking after Tatu in the afternoon and the children in general when Satu is out e.g. getting them to bed. I also have done lots of cooking such as lasagne, vegetable dishes, spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce, macaroni cheese and chocolate/coffee cakes etc. Some have been very successful, others less so, but I guess that's how you learn! It is all good practise for uni I am sure. In the evenings I have been going to a couple of exercise classes with Satu, going with Satu to take Tatu to football or Riikka to horseriding, going food shopping. Hopefully I am starting a Finnish grammar course twice a week starting next week in the evening.
I have one full day off a week and another day in parts, so I have been seeing my family who live in the same town. It is really nice that I have them as I'm not sure who else I would spend it with! I went shopping one morning with my aunt last week and then at the weekend on Sunday I was at my cousin's Anna with my aunt and Uncle then went to the Cinema with my other cousing Ellu. I should be seeing then again this weekend which is a nice break away. It makes me feel a lot more at home by having them with me here.
So the beginning of this experience has been quite a mixture as I have explained. I said when I first did this blog that I would put the bad aswell as the good bits so I want to do that still. Over all there have been many positive things so far, and I'm sure my Finnish is improving (we speak 2 days Finnish,2 days English) which is the main reason I came here. There are some difficult parts to the job to be sure, but I am optimitic that my time here we be very positive.
I will write again soon <3
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Home Sweet Home/ Time for the next adevnture!
Sooooooo I have been home a month and a half but it feels like sooo much longer I swear. The first week or so it was so nice to be back and I literally couldn't wait to get home from Disney when I was leaving. Looking back, Disney really was a fantastic experience. All the amazing times and the yes really bad times too made it everything I wanted! I got some work experience and met some amazing people. I had a fantastic time living in Paris but the work wasn't so interesting that I wanted to stay, it made me realise I really wouldn't like to be in a job like that for the rest of my life. Plus I learnt a load of French which was just great :) So all in all everyhting I could have asked for.
About 10 days after being home I went to visit Gygy my Hungarian friend from Disney and stayed with her in Budapest. I had a fantastic time and stayed there for 6 days. It was actually the first time I had flown anywhere completely on my own but no glitches (ok I did get on the wrong bus on my way home and no-one seemed to speak English so I nearly missed my flight but lets not mention that) so I am feeling rather wise and travelled now... ok maybe not that much! We did so much in those days and I really couldn't have asked for anything more form Gygy she showed me everything, I really did have my own personal tour guide! I stayed in her university halls in Buda and we did lots of touristy things during the day. Everything was seriously cheap too which was a plus. Ok so I did get my purse stolen on the second day, that was a low point, BUT just by chance I didn't have any important cards in there or my passport and only some money so I had enough to last and I have just the other day got most of the money claimed back on my insurance so it didn't really matter. I was on the bus and it was crowded and my bag wasn't closed properley so it was my own fault really. Gygy was my translator at the police station and we had to write an official report it was quite an experience for my first time in a police station. In the evenings we did lots. We went to a folk dance and a belgian bar on the second night and then also to an amazing cruise trip down the river Danube with a buffet dinner and musicians. The view was amazing. Another night we saw Beauty and the Beast at a lovely theatre (we can't escape Disney!) which was in Hungarian but with English subtitles at the top of the stage. One night we went to a huge club called Morrisons (yes I know its like the supermarket, lol) which was an entire building with 4 floors or something. I think we counted it had 9 bars and who knows how many rooms. Each room had a different type of music playing so there was RnB, House, Pop, Indie, Cheesy, you name it it was there. There was a karaoke room too so me and Gygy sang 'Hit me baby one more time' for Disney memories of karaoke. I also went to some parties at her university which was really nice meeting all her friends. I could go on about Hungary forever but I never made a post when I got back so I must move on or this post will take up forever!
I've visited quite a few uni friends now I've stayed at Poppy's twice, been up to visit Jen in Sheffield over Halloween for a long weekend (we went all out a zombies it was great) and visited my sister for a few days and Kim for a few hours as she was nearby. Laura is at home so I have been seeing her quite a bit and we are off to see Kirsty in Bedford this weekend as I finally have a car again(YES!)and we are going to a silent disco which I am a bit too excited about as I love these sooo much. Ellie has been here too as she's on a gap year working so I've seen her a bit and we are going to watch the new Harry Potter on Firday, I cannot wait. Anyone who knows me know that I am a super Harry Potter geek so this will be my heaven. I spent a week working with Alexander during his halfterm which was lovely to see him as I missed his party so he showed me all his pictures and I found out a bit about his time at college. It was be really nice I'm seeing him again at xmas.
To add to that, Niek came to stay for a long weekend too and we really did pack everything in. Ok so we did see 3 muscials which I know is a bit unacceptabole but we both do acting and he reeaally wanted to see them and I wasn't complaining :P so we saw Oliver!, Legally Blonde and Mamma Mia! They were all great and whole less cheesy (or atleast bearably cheesy) than I thought they might be. We also went to Thorpe Park, Ripley's Believe it Or Not and London Dungeons with lots of half price tickets so we really did do loads. I was pretty exhausted by the end of all those days in London, but it was really fun I'm happy I saw Niek and Gygy since Disney and hopefully we will all 3 meet up next year too.
Wow so looking back at that it really does seem like loads, no wonder it feels longer than a month and a half, BUT even so I am verrry ready to move on to the next part of my gap year now. 3 months does feel like a long time at home and if there's one thing I hate its sitting around and doing nothing. I guess this is a good length of time to be at home because I have managed to catch up with my friends and do some other exciting things but it still feels like I often have days lounging around the house trying to find things to do. I did try to find xmas work but I arrived a bit late and all the major stuff seemed to be taken so I will hopefully earn a bit with Alexander. I also may be doing a couple of scratch play performances with NYT which would be amaaazing but I've yet to hear back so fingers crossed for that. I have booked my flight for Finland and am off on 3rd of January. Just to mention I am now officially going to martial arts academy in China for the summer, how crazy is that?! I should explain more about how I ended up doing this but this blog is so lengthy I think I will have to leave that discussion for another day. So for now I have had a bit of a break here in Enlgnd but am sooo ready for my next endevour so not long now!xxxxxxxx
About 10 days after being home I went to visit Gygy my Hungarian friend from Disney and stayed with her in Budapest. I had a fantastic time and stayed there for 6 days. It was actually the first time I had flown anywhere completely on my own but no glitches (ok I did get on the wrong bus on my way home and no-one seemed to speak English so I nearly missed my flight but lets not mention that) so I am feeling rather wise and travelled now... ok maybe not that much! We did so much in those days and I really couldn't have asked for anything more form Gygy she showed me everything, I really did have my own personal tour guide! I stayed in her university halls in Buda and we did lots of touristy things during the day. Everything was seriously cheap too which was a plus. Ok so I did get my purse stolen on the second day, that was a low point, BUT just by chance I didn't have any important cards in there or my passport and only some money so I had enough to last and I have just the other day got most of the money claimed back on my insurance so it didn't really matter. I was on the bus and it was crowded and my bag wasn't closed properley so it was my own fault really. Gygy was my translator at the police station and we had to write an official report it was quite an experience for my first time in a police station. In the evenings we did lots. We went to a folk dance and a belgian bar on the second night and then also to an amazing cruise trip down the river Danube with a buffet dinner and musicians. The view was amazing. Another night we saw Beauty and the Beast at a lovely theatre (we can't escape Disney!) which was in Hungarian but with English subtitles at the top of the stage. One night we went to a huge club called Morrisons (yes I know its like the supermarket, lol) which was an entire building with 4 floors or something. I think we counted it had 9 bars and who knows how many rooms. Each room had a different type of music playing so there was RnB, House, Pop, Indie, Cheesy, you name it it was there. There was a karaoke room too so me and Gygy sang 'Hit me baby one more time' for Disney memories of karaoke. I also went to some parties at her university which was really nice meeting all her friends. I could go on about Hungary forever but I never made a post when I got back so I must move on or this post will take up forever!
I've visited quite a few uni friends now I've stayed at Poppy's twice, been up to visit Jen in Sheffield over Halloween for a long weekend (we went all out a zombies it was great) and visited my sister for a few days and Kim for a few hours as she was nearby. Laura is at home so I have been seeing her quite a bit and we are off to see Kirsty in Bedford this weekend as I finally have a car again(YES!)and we are going to a silent disco which I am a bit too excited about as I love these sooo much. Ellie has been here too as she's on a gap year working so I've seen her a bit and we are going to watch the new Harry Potter on Firday, I cannot wait. Anyone who knows me know that I am a super Harry Potter geek so this will be my heaven. I spent a week working with Alexander during his halfterm which was lovely to see him as I missed his party so he showed me all his pictures and I found out a bit about his time at college. It was be really nice I'm seeing him again at xmas.
To add to that, Niek came to stay for a long weekend too and we really did pack everything in. Ok so we did see 3 muscials which I know is a bit unacceptabole but we both do acting and he reeaally wanted to see them and I wasn't complaining :P so we saw Oliver!, Legally Blonde and Mamma Mia! They were all great and whole less cheesy (or atleast bearably cheesy) than I thought they might be. We also went to Thorpe Park, Ripley's Believe it Or Not and London Dungeons with lots of half price tickets so we really did do loads. I was pretty exhausted by the end of all those days in London, but it was really fun I'm happy I saw Niek and Gygy since Disney and hopefully we will all 3 meet up next year too.
Wow so looking back at that it really does seem like loads, no wonder it feels longer than a month and a half, BUT even so I am verrry ready to move on to the next part of my gap year now. 3 months does feel like a long time at home and if there's one thing I hate its sitting around and doing nothing. I guess this is a good length of time to be at home because I have managed to catch up with my friends and do some other exciting things but it still feels like I often have days lounging around the house trying to find things to do. I did try to find xmas work but I arrived a bit late and all the major stuff seemed to be taken so I will hopefully earn a bit with Alexander. I also may be doing a couple of scratch play performances with NYT which would be amaaazing but I've yet to hear back so fingers crossed for that. I have booked my flight for Finland and am off on 3rd of January. Just to mention I am now officially going to martial arts academy in China for the summer, how crazy is that?! I should explain more about how I ended up doing this but this blog is so lengthy I think I will have to leave that discussion for another day. So for now I have had a bit of a break here in Enlgnd but am sooo ready for my next endevour so not long now!xxxxxxxx
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
The end is nigh!
I only have 10 days till I come home it is crazy! I have 5 work days left with 2 days at Steam and 3 at BTM. This month has been so much quieter than the 2 summer months which was always expected. 90% of the people I knew left so haven't really been partying it up anymore! I kind of liked the fact is was more relaxing though with the 3 days off (despite the 10 hours days!) and just relaxing when I'm home. Work seems to take up the whooole day here though as I will get up at 9 to get ready for work, then leave at 10 (stupide bus times) to get to costuming ready to start just before 12 and then I don't finish till 10 and by the time I get home its about 11.30!
Tiffany came to stay the other week and we spent one night in Paris togther and then one night in my apartment. It was soo nice to see her and forget about Disney for a bit. We did go to the park one day, but its always so different being a guest there when you are not working so it was nice to show her around. We spent the other two days in paris and actually got so much done. We weren't in a rush but we were very efficient we went to the flea market, Versailles, catacombs, orangerie museum, Shakespeare and co bookshop and latin quarter to name a few! The hotel room was nice aswell.
I've been sorting out stuff for leaving gradually, present shopping, attempting to get my eurostar tickets but failing miserably and my mum now has to send them from England which is annoying but can't be helped. I am on my 3rd day off today before back to work tommorrow, I went to Paris with Elisa yesterday and we went to the Paris science museum. It was happy hour apparently so we got student tickets for 3 euros and spent nearly all day there lol. We also went to a famous cemetary before and saw the graves of Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison and Chopin. Afterwards we went to see the arch of La Defence which was huuuge and then headed back home in the evening. I am going to a swimming pool with lots of slides called Aquaboulevard today with a German girl from BTM which will make a nice change. Not really sure where it is but I guess I will will wait and see!
I had one really hard day at work on Steam near the beginning of the month when it was a aturday evening. We had changed to only having one train and there were around 47,000 guests in the park so this was no way enough and we ended up with 2 hour queues at every station! Needless to say we had plenty of guest situations and the guests were all just shouting and complaining for the 30 minutes I had to wait alone at each station. Was actually quite scary when you have 400 guests in a queue that you are in charge of and all of them are shouting at you! Not fun! Also when the train left Fantasyland station everyone actually started booing really loudly! Oh the lovely guests of Disney. I spoke to people on other attractions and they said it was the same with some of them having worked there for ages and had never seen the guests that bad! I hope I don't experience that again before I leave but I'm not working at a weekend again so I should be safe lol.
I have already started making plans for when I go home as the last thing I want to do is be bored and fed up, I am going to make the most of my time back in the Shire and have a break too as I have been working since I finished my last exam! I have already planned to visit Laura in Southampton, then I am going to Hungary for 6 days to see my firend Gygy from Disney. Also at the beginning of November Niek is coming to stay for a long weekend and we have booked tickets to go see Legally Blonde and Mamma mia which will be great :D I am really quite concerned about my money and all that though. I know I have enough right now till I leave but there is no way it will last the whole 3 months at home with everything I want to do and I still want to save some. I will have to find some kind of work as soon a sposs when I go home which will be difficult to work around everything else I want to do. I hope it all works out I will just have to keep searching untill I find something!
This last week I hope to do a lot more fun things and go out etc to party before I leave! I am definitely heading off to Paris for the night one last time and hopefully will have a party here in la Boiserie. My next post will probably be when I am back in England aaah can't wait! Definitely time to come home and 'rentre chez moi'. Kohta kotiin! xxxxxxxxxx
Tiffany came to stay the other week and we spent one night in Paris togther and then one night in my apartment. It was soo nice to see her and forget about Disney for a bit. We did go to the park one day, but its always so different being a guest there when you are not working so it was nice to show her around. We spent the other two days in paris and actually got so much done. We weren't in a rush but we were very efficient we went to the flea market, Versailles, catacombs, orangerie museum, Shakespeare and co bookshop and latin quarter to name a few! The hotel room was nice aswell.
I've been sorting out stuff for leaving gradually, present shopping, attempting to get my eurostar tickets but failing miserably and my mum now has to send them from England which is annoying but can't be helped. I am on my 3rd day off today before back to work tommorrow, I went to Paris with Elisa yesterday and we went to the Paris science museum. It was happy hour apparently so we got student tickets for 3 euros and spent nearly all day there lol. We also went to a famous cemetary before and saw the graves of Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison and Chopin. Afterwards we went to see the arch of La Defence which was huuuge and then headed back home in the evening. I am going to a swimming pool with lots of slides called Aquaboulevard today with a German girl from BTM which will make a nice change. Not really sure where it is but I guess I will will wait and see!
I had one really hard day at work on Steam near the beginning of the month when it was a aturday evening. We had changed to only having one train and there were around 47,000 guests in the park so this was no way enough and we ended up with 2 hour queues at every station! Needless to say we had plenty of guest situations and the guests were all just shouting and complaining for the 30 minutes I had to wait alone at each station. Was actually quite scary when you have 400 guests in a queue that you are in charge of and all of them are shouting at you! Not fun! Also when the train left Fantasyland station everyone actually started booing really loudly! Oh the lovely guests of Disney. I spoke to people on other attractions and they said it was the same with some of them having worked there for ages and had never seen the guests that bad! I hope I don't experience that again before I leave but I'm not working at a weekend again so I should be safe lol.
I have already started making plans for when I go home as the last thing I want to do is be bored and fed up, I am going to make the most of my time back in the Shire and have a break too as I have been working since I finished my last exam! I have already planned to visit Laura in Southampton, then I am going to Hungary for 6 days to see my firend Gygy from Disney. Also at the beginning of November Niek is coming to stay for a long weekend and we have booked tickets to go see Legally Blonde and Mamma mia which will be great :D I am really quite concerned about my money and all that though. I know I have enough right now till I leave but there is no way it will last the whole 3 months at home with everything I want to do and I still want to save some. I will have to find some kind of work as soon a sposs when I go home which will be difficult to work around everything else I want to do. I hope it all works out I will just have to keep searching untill I find something!
This last week I hope to do a lot more fun things and go out etc to party before I leave! I am definitely heading off to Paris for the night one last time and hopefully will have a party here in la Boiserie. My next post will probably be when I am back in England aaah can't wait! Definitely time to come home and 'rentre chez moi'. Kohta kotiin! xxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
The summer has ended and Disney continues
I've reached the 2 month mark and am still surviving the Disney experience ... just! Unfortunately I have been ill this last week so not sleeping very well and feeling lousy at work but it finally seems to be passing thank god! Lots of people at work have had the same thing.
Right I will try and start from the beginningish of the month and explain things in a vaguelly chronological way seeing as its been nearly a month since my last post! Hmmm Well there was results day which was strange being here so far away from it all, looking back I really should have booked a eurostar back for that day and taken some time off, silly Naomi! Not sure how I would have paid for that though to be fair. My Belgium friend Niek took me out to Cafe Mickey in the Disney Vilage though that eve and we had a really nice time, not quite school disco at Stonehouse but we had lots of fun taking pictures with the characters and generally being big kids. He is training to be an actor so we get on really well and seem to have lots on common :)
I have been out to Paris twice in the night this month. First time was at Duplex with a czech girl and then 3 people from work, my English friend Ben, Mikk the Estonian and Elisa a Finnish girl. We went on a Sunday so it wasn't too busy and overall a good night if a little crazy! Then a couple of weeks ago I went to a bar called Cafe Oz with Elisa again and my German friend Laura. It was a reeally cool australian bar which at night turns into a club. They push all the tables aside and everyone dances on the table and the drinks were reasonably cheap! It did close at 4.30am which did mean we were waiting for the first metro for an hour or so, but it worked out ok and had a really god night.
I did my training at BTM and it was very tough there are so many procedures etc. I much prefer Steam Train I have to say, ti definitely made me realise how attatched I am to the team there and I really like the job so whenever I am at BTM I am not too happy. I also may have pressed the wrong button when dispatching a train a caused the attraction to break down! They were not pleased at all and since I have only been on outside positions and not controlling! I am working there all this week though so they may give me a refresh or somehting. I have my hours up to 16th now and I am thinking I will come back end of Sept instead of extending to Oct. I am enjoying it here but I have thought of lots of things to do at home before I go to Finland in January and one person can only take so much Disney! Tiffany said she can hopefully come see me this month too which would be loverly!
As the summer is over and the peak season has ended I have started 10 hours of work a day with 3 days off. I have only done one day that long so far and it really took up the whole day. I woke up for work at 9 and then didn't get home till after 9 in the eve. Another day off though will be nice, I will try and do some more touristy things in Paris. Almost all my friends have left because they were only staying the summer so I have had to say goodbye to so many people which is sad, especially the people I am closest to. I have already planned to go see my Hungairan friend in Budapest when I am back home and Niek wants to come to London which would be great. It was so strange at work as there is usually 20 of us working and there were only 10 instead!
This also means that I have had to move residence as I was staying in a hotel before that was being used only for the summer as the Disney residences were full. I have now moved into the Boisserie a fulltime Disney resdince and arrived today. I am with an Italien girl and 2 French girls so will be speaking French at home all the time too which will be a great intense French experience for the last month when I really want to keep getting better before I leave. I haven't actually met the two French girls yet but the apartment is really nice. It may not be the 4 star hotel but ti is a lot cosier and ther is lots of space. I am lucky because some people have apartments of 6 but we are only 4. There is a really big room with Kitchen, liunge and Dining room in it, then two doors lead of to two corridoors each with a bathroom and bedroom for 2. There are lots of bits and bobs everywhere and it seems really like I home so I think my roommate may have lived in the apartment for a long time as I know the other Italien arrived today like me and she says her roommate has only been here 2 months, I will ask her when I meet her. It really reminds me of my aunt Anne's flat in Finland, all open plan and lots of trinkets everywhere. I could see myself living happily here. Also my Spanish and Finnish work friends are at the same residence as they are 2 of the 3 short contract people who are staying on at work because they are doing 6 month contracts which finish end of Sept. That makes it nice and I went to the supermarket earlier with Elsa earlier.
I will try and get to bed now it is neary 11(I'm alone in the apartment atm), as I have a loong day at work tomorrow and want to feel better for that! Night night England not too long till I see you dear xxxx
Right I will try and start from the beginningish of the month and explain things in a vaguelly chronological way seeing as its been nearly a month since my last post! Hmmm Well there was results day which was strange being here so far away from it all, looking back I really should have booked a eurostar back for that day and taken some time off, silly Naomi! Not sure how I would have paid for that though to be fair. My Belgium friend Niek took me out to Cafe Mickey in the Disney Vilage though that eve and we had a really nice time, not quite school disco at Stonehouse but we had lots of fun taking pictures with the characters and generally being big kids. He is training to be an actor so we get on really well and seem to have lots on common :)
I have been out to Paris twice in the night this month. First time was at Duplex with a czech girl and then 3 people from work, my English friend Ben, Mikk the Estonian and Elisa a Finnish girl. We went on a Sunday so it wasn't too busy and overall a good night if a little crazy! Then a couple of weeks ago I went to a bar called Cafe Oz with Elisa again and my German friend Laura. It was a reeally cool australian bar which at night turns into a club. They push all the tables aside and everyone dances on the table and the drinks were reasonably cheap! It did close at 4.30am which did mean we were waiting for the first metro for an hour or so, but it worked out ok and had a really god night.
I did my training at BTM and it was very tough there are so many procedures etc. I much prefer Steam Train I have to say, ti definitely made me realise how attatched I am to the team there and I really like the job so whenever I am at BTM I am not too happy. I also may have pressed the wrong button when dispatching a train a caused the attraction to break down! They were not pleased at all and since I have only been on outside positions and not controlling! I am working there all this week though so they may give me a refresh or somehting. I have my hours up to 16th now and I am thinking I will come back end of Sept instead of extending to Oct. I am enjoying it here but I have thought of lots of things to do at home before I go to Finland in January and one person can only take so much Disney! Tiffany said she can hopefully come see me this month too which would be loverly!
As the summer is over and the peak season has ended I have started 10 hours of work a day with 3 days off. I have only done one day that long so far and it really took up the whole day. I woke up for work at 9 and then didn't get home till after 9 in the eve. Another day off though will be nice, I will try and do some more touristy things in Paris. Almost all my friends have left because they were only staying the summer so I have had to say goodbye to so many people which is sad, especially the people I am closest to. I have already planned to go see my Hungairan friend in Budapest when I am back home and Niek wants to come to London which would be great. It was so strange at work as there is usually 20 of us working and there were only 10 instead!
This also means that I have had to move residence as I was staying in a hotel before that was being used only for the summer as the Disney residences were full. I have now moved into the Boisserie a fulltime Disney resdince and arrived today. I am with an Italien girl and 2 French girls so will be speaking French at home all the time too which will be a great intense French experience for the last month when I really want to keep getting better before I leave. I haven't actually met the two French girls yet but the apartment is really nice. It may not be the 4 star hotel but ti is a lot cosier and ther is lots of space. I am lucky because some people have apartments of 6 but we are only 4. There is a really big room with Kitchen, liunge and Dining room in it, then two doors lead of to two corridoors each with a bathroom and bedroom for 2. There are lots of bits and bobs everywhere and it seems really like I home so I think my roommate may have lived in the apartment for a long time as I know the other Italien arrived today like me and she says her roommate has only been here 2 months, I will ask her when I meet her. It really reminds me of my aunt Anne's flat in Finland, all open plan and lots of trinkets everywhere. I could see myself living happily here. Also my Spanish and Finnish work friends are at the same residence as they are 2 of the 3 short contract people who are staying on at work because they are doing 6 month contracts which finish end of Sept. That makes it nice and I went to the supermarket earlier with Elsa earlier.
I will try and get to bed now it is neary 11(I'm alone in the apartment atm), as I have a loong day at work tomorrow and want to feel better for that! Night night England not too long till I see you dear xxxx
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Steam Train uniform
So many people have asked to see it so here it finally is. One is costuming at I Imagination building with the sexy hat and one on Mainstreet station in my 1st week.
1 month of Disney!
I am now in my 5th week at Disney and much has happened since I last posted!
The more I work here, the more I like the job that I am doing. I have been out with the team quite a few times now and they really are a lovely group of people. I understand the job quite well now and though I still make mistakes every now and again I definitely know what I am doing overall. Saying that, yesterday I opened the station at Discoveryland too early, I looked like some mad woman running to catch up with the long queue of guests to stop them getting into the station!
Next week I am being moved to Big Thunder Mountain to do 5 days of training there so that I can work on that attraction too. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Overall it is good to be moving onto others things especially as I am here for longer than almost all the other people my age who leave in August, but even so I don't want to work on the Steam Train less haha. I really have become attatched to those trains! Plus everytime I have told one of the older workers that I am going to BTM (Disneylingo for Big Thunder Mountain) they all say how hard it is and how the group isn't very good and its very stressful! I remember how hard the first times at Steam were and I dread to think what this will be like! BUT it is a good oportunity to practise my French even more and learn new vocab and I guess a challenge is always good so I will update on that when I have finished it. The cowboy costume is miles better anyways :)
I have been to karaoke 3 times now and I love it lol, it s atradition now and I'm a bit of a regular. First time I sang YMCA with a group of us. Then 2nd week we sang Spice Girls Wannabe and I sang A Whole New World with a Hungarian friend and Spanish friend, which was quite a treat I'm sure! Last monday it was the goodbye of my Spanish friend Pere who has finished his contract already so there were about 30 of us there in the end and I sang Its Raining Men as a duet with him haha, first up and everything! Its really sad he's gone he always cheered up Main Street station.
My roommate Sophie left last week too because of problems with a friend back home, which was soooo sad because she was my closest friend here. Its very quiet in the room without her and I miss having her around but its kind of got me to go out with more different people and I am especially good friend's with a Hungarian girl from Steam called GyGy :)
I went out a lot last week actually as it was also an English guiys birthday and then I also went to Paris 'clubbing' for the night with some girls. That was a complete disaster as we never actually got in the club. We went to some guys apartment which was like a millionaire's flat and really surreal with these really god looking guys and velvet carpets, chinese vases and paintings, with opera programmes just strewn around the floor. Then one of them turned out to be a professional musician and serenaded us. Turned out they didn't want to go clubbing with us in the end and my friend was feeling pretty rough so we lef tin the end but did go and try to find the club. The station entrance was closed though so we found another club but weren't allowed in! It was 2.30 by this point so I don't know if it was too late or if they'd thought we'd drunk too much or what but it was so bad. We had to get a taxi to the bus station (though the view of Paris as we drove in the night was BEAUTIFUL) then we got a night bus for 2 hours where my friend got off at the wrong stop for her hotel and had to wait 2 more hours alone for the first train! Then the other 3 of us finally got to Val D'Europe the near by town and had to walk from there to home. We finally stumbled in at 6am. I wasted sooo much money on travel but atleast it was a story to remember!
I am seeing my parents and Yasmin next week yaaaay :D I can't wait and best of all is I have one day off when they are here! I only found that out today as I was doing training on BTM so thought it would be impossible to swap but it's all worked out :) They arrive on 10th and will go to the park free with my tickets I get then I will meet them there after work. 11th I will meet them in Paris after work and stay the night there then I have the next day off to spend in Paris with them. I feel rather out of touch with everything back home so it will be so nice to see them. Plus I have a million and one things I want my mum to bring for the next 3 months and I need to give her some stuff back so that is always useful! I will be shattered that week though with doing the training aswell.
I also now have 19th August off as my Germnan friend wanted to swap a dfferent day with me. This kind of works for me with it being A level results day and all :/ Even though I am abroud I have thought about it quite a lot, but all I can do is wait I guess, my sister and mum will go get them at 10.
I'll end my update here as its 11 and I'm chatting it up in reception so night night England. Lots of love from Paris xxxx
The more I work here, the more I like the job that I am doing. I have been out with the team quite a few times now and they really are a lovely group of people. I understand the job quite well now and though I still make mistakes every now and again I definitely know what I am doing overall. Saying that, yesterday I opened the station at Discoveryland too early, I looked like some mad woman running to catch up with the long queue of guests to stop them getting into the station!
Next week I am being moved to Big Thunder Mountain to do 5 days of training there so that I can work on that attraction too. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Overall it is good to be moving onto others things especially as I am here for longer than almost all the other people my age who leave in August, but even so I don't want to work on the Steam Train less haha. I really have become attatched to those trains! Plus everytime I have told one of the older workers that I am going to BTM (Disneylingo for Big Thunder Mountain) they all say how hard it is and how the group isn't very good and its very stressful! I remember how hard the first times at Steam were and I dread to think what this will be like! BUT it is a good oportunity to practise my French even more and learn new vocab and I guess a challenge is always good so I will update on that when I have finished it. The cowboy costume is miles better anyways :)
I have been to karaoke 3 times now and I love it lol, it s atradition now and I'm a bit of a regular. First time I sang YMCA with a group of us. Then 2nd week we sang Spice Girls Wannabe and I sang A Whole New World with a Hungarian friend and Spanish friend, which was quite a treat I'm sure! Last monday it was the goodbye of my Spanish friend Pere who has finished his contract already so there were about 30 of us there in the end and I sang Its Raining Men as a duet with him haha, first up and everything! Its really sad he's gone he always cheered up Main Street station.
My roommate Sophie left last week too because of problems with a friend back home, which was soooo sad because she was my closest friend here. Its very quiet in the room without her and I miss having her around but its kind of got me to go out with more different people and I am especially good friend's with a Hungarian girl from Steam called GyGy :)
I went out a lot last week actually as it was also an English guiys birthday and then I also went to Paris 'clubbing' for the night with some girls. That was a complete disaster as we never actually got in the club. We went to some guys apartment which was like a millionaire's flat and really surreal with these really god looking guys and velvet carpets, chinese vases and paintings, with opera programmes just strewn around the floor. Then one of them turned out to be a professional musician and serenaded us. Turned out they didn't want to go clubbing with us in the end and my friend was feeling pretty rough so we lef tin the end but did go and try to find the club. The station entrance was closed though so we found another club but weren't allowed in! It was 2.30 by this point so I don't know if it was too late or if they'd thought we'd drunk too much or what but it was so bad. We had to get a taxi to the bus station (though the view of Paris as we drove in the night was BEAUTIFUL) then we got a night bus for 2 hours where my friend got off at the wrong stop for her hotel and had to wait 2 more hours alone for the first train! Then the other 3 of us finally got to Val D'Europe the near by town and had to walk from there to home. We finally stumbled in at 6am. I wasted sooo much money on travel but atleast it was a story to remember!
I am seeing my parents and Yasmin next week yaaaay :D I can't wait and best of all is I have one day off when they are here! I only found that out today as I was doing training on BTM so thought it would be impossible to swap but it's all worked out :) They arrive on 10th and will go to the park free with my tickets I get then I will meet them there after work. 11th I will meet them in Paris after work and stay the night there then I have the next day off to spend in Paris with them. I feel rather out of touch with everything back home so it will be so nice to see them. Plus I have a million and one things I want my mum to bring for the next 3 months and I need to give her some stuff back so that is always useful! I will be shattered that week though with doing the training aswell.
I also now have 19th August off as my Germnan friend wanted to swap a dfferent day with me. This kind of works for me with it being A level results day and all :/ Even though I am abroud I have thought about it quite a lot, but all I can do is wait I guess, my sister and mum will go get them at 10.
I'll end my update here as its 11 and I'm chatting it up in reception so night night England. Lots of love from Paris xxxx
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