When I ask Siri to take me home, she doesn't take me down Hwy 70 to an exit where I make a few more turns and I'm home, no she takes me to down Hwy 70, to Hwy 64 to begin my journey east towards Louisville, then taking a turn south towards Nashville, to Chattanooga, and then entering Georgia. From there I drive across the state passing through Atlanta, till all of a sudden, I hit the palm trees. After a while I get on I-4 and now I am on the home stretch. Well...you get the point. My home, yes, is still the place I've grown up for the past 20 years on the same street, in the same room, but its not where my heart lies. No, my heart lies 10 minutes from where I called home for 4 1/2 months. Yes, Walt Disney World. My memories lay in the pictures, my CP memory box, and my name tag. The work you do as a Cast Member for the Walt Disney World Resort, is definitely hard, but its hard, loving, MAGICAL work. I am honored to have been a Walt Disney World Cast Member. In just my few short months I was able to honor Walt Disney's legacy by carrying out his dream...to make Disney "The Happiest Place on Earth".
I hope one day soon, I will get the chance to travel back home. Back to the place where I could be me, my bright personality, and where I could make a difference in a guest's day. They say a lot of us don't do it for the money (i mean the money is decent), but i'd much rather work for nothing then be unable to experience all the things I did as a Cast Member. The joy I received day in and day out was something that I didn't truly focus on a whole lot after 5 minutes, but just by being in the moment I was able to to love what I was doing again and again. The hugs, kisses, laughter, Happy Birthday's, the Orioles fans (because when the STL Cards weren't in the World Series, I had to root for my birthplace), Jersey week (because who doesn't like to meet a million people from New Jersey and ask if they were from where my folks grew up), and my brothers and their wives surprising me at work were some of the best moments that I can't replace and will never forget. It was in these moments that a home was formed that might not have been where I expected it to be, but where I know I will have one for a lifetime.
So, now you are probably wondering, 'well what the heck Hope?! You grew up in Missouri, this is your home, not some theme park.' Well you are right, I grew up here, had an amazing childhood, so why wouldn't I want to stay? Trust me I love it here, but my heart lies in Disney and that's not ever going to change.
May The Force be with you my fellow Jedi's,
Hope
