Well, I'm all packed. I have very little idea of how much of my own wardrobe to bring with me, how much time I will be able to spend NOT in my uniform. It's a good thing that I'll generally know that kind of thing after this cruise, before the 4-month one! According to my welcome packet, we should bring no more than two large suitcases. I managed to fit all of my things into one (my large suitcase isn't even the largest out there!)
Weird things I have to pack:
Long sleeve shirts and long pants in the middle of summer? It feels so strange to pack things like that when it's just now getting to be shorts weather! Sadly, I will be missing the perfect summer weather (in my opinion, I love the 90-100 degree days!)
Oh, and six pairs of shoes? That is insane! I would much prefer to wear my flipflops full time, and it would mean I'd have about half a suitcase worth of space for other things, but I need those shoes for my uniform/first day/theme nights with the kids.
Enough of the rant about shoes and packing. Onto the more interesting stuff!
I fly out to Seattle at 2pm, I'll have an hour and a half layover in Memphis before leaving for Seattle. I should get to Seattle around 7pm, 10pm for me! Holland America is amazing because they will reimburse me for dinner after I get to Seattle.
There's another girl who's new to the Youth Staff who will be staying in the hotel as well, I know her name and was told to meet up with her if I could. It'll be nice not being the only new person making their way to training and all that.
I'm kind of nervous about it now, it being so soon! At least I know once it all starts, I'll be fine!
My first job happens to be my dream job: professional camp counselor, haha! And I got it because I was counselor at Bonclarken and I speak French. God really has blessed me with this job, I'm not sure what else I could have done and liked.
Keep praying for me, I'll need courage and a lot of patience over the next weeks! :)
Friday, June 29, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Prepping...
I completed all my forms and emailed them back today. I also received an email confirming that I have until Saturday (thank goodness!). I should receive the plane ticket info and all that probably tomorrow!
Now, more info on what I will be doing:
I am a member of the Youth Staff with Holland America Line (called Club HAL). I'll be taking care of kids aged 3-17. Although I won't have to feed them meals, we'll spend about 8 hours average a day with them. On sea days, there are three 'sessions': morning, afternoon and evening. Some nights there's a theme party which we will set up beforehand (one night is pirate-themed, so we set up a treasure/scavenger hunt all over the ship!). Sea days, I think there's a schedule of activities to do.
On port days, I'll have either morning or afternoon shift. So, I'll be able to go explore some if I want (I'm not sure yet if I can go on excursions)! I can add to my list of places I've been!! Port days, we have have freedom to do whatever we (and the kids) want to do. We can make random crafts, go to the kitchen and make ice cream sundaes, play on the wii, watch movies, play games, etc.
In addition to the day, Club HAL offers an after-hours kid-sitting time (10am to 1am or earlier if the last parent comes before that). It's a calmer time, trying to get the kids calmed down and ready for sleep when their parents come. I think it'll be a lot of watching movies. I wouldn't do this every day, it's an assigned rotation. They don't want us all up until one every night!
It seems like they take very good care of the staff on Holland America. We're encouraged to mingle with the guest and help them with anything they need. Not like other cruise ships I'd looked at which have rules against the crew going into guest areas. My supervisor actually told me that in my free time, if I want, I can go to a movie, a show, go to a bar and drink with some of the guests, etc. WOW! We are still representing the crew of course, but I know I can do fun things but still show the good, polite, professional employee of the cruise line.
This is going to be an amazing experience.
God really has a plan, I realized that recently. Last week, I was trying to get in contact with someone so I could chaperone a group during Quest (at Bonclarken). I wasn't needed. However, Monday night (I would have gone up to Bonclarken Monday afternoon), I got my first email from Holland America, wanting to set up an interview for Thursday. If I had gone to Quest like I wanted, I wouldn't have gotten the email for a few days, and would have put off the interview. If I hadn't had the interview when I did, I wouldn't be going on this first training cruise! And, if I couldn't go on this cruise, I wouldn't be able to go on the second one (the 4-month contract one). The second cruise, my supervisor already had planned for me when she learned I speak French. It starts out in Boston-Montreal, then goes to the Carribbean, then to Europe, then back to the Carribbean (more on this later, when I know more and can actually confirm that I can go!)
I think that's about it! Questions anyone? I'll keep updating until I go. When I'm on the ship, I'll probably update once a week or so.
Now, more info on what I will be doing:
I am a member of the Youth Staff with Holland America Line (called Club HAL). I'll be taking care of kids aged 3-17. Although I won't have to feed them meals, we'll spend about 8 hours average a day with them. On sea days, there are three 'sessions': morning, afternoon and evening. Some nights there's a theme party which we will set up beforehand (one night is pirate-themed, so we set up a treasure/scavenger hunt all over the ship!). Sea days, I think there's a schedule of activities to do.
On port days, I'll have either morning or afternoon shift. So, I'll be able to go explore some if I want (I'm not sure yet if I can go on excursions)! I can add to my list of places I've been!! Port days, we have have freedom to do whatever we (and the kids) want to do. We can make random crafts, go to the kitchen and make ice cream sundaes, play on the wii, watch movies, play games, etc.
In addition to the day, Club HAL offers an after-hours kid-sitting time (10am to 1am or earlier if the last parent comes before that). It's a calmer time, trying to get the kids calmed down and ready for sleep when their parents come. I think it'll be a lot of watching movies. I wouldn't do this every day, it's an assigned rotation. They don't want us all up until one every night!
It seems like they take very good care of the staff on Holland America. We're encouraged to mingle with the guest and help them with anything they need. Not like other cruise ships I'd looked at which have rules against the crew going into guest areas. My supervisor actually told me that in my free time, if I want, I can go to a movie, a show, go to a bar and drink with some of the guests, etc. WOW! We are still representing the crew of course, but I know I can do fun things but still show the good, polite, professional employee of the cruise line.
This is going to be an amazing experience.
God really has a plan, I realized that recently. Last week, I was trying to get in contact with someone so I could chaperone a group during Quest (at Bonclarken). I wasn't needed. However, Monday night (I would have gone up to Bonclarken Monday afternoon), I got my first email from Holland America, wanting to set up an interview for Thursday. If I had gone to Quest like I wanted, I wouldn't have gotten the email for a few days, and would have put off the interview. If I hadn't had the interview when I did, I wouldn't be going on this first training cruise! And, if I couldn't go on this cruise, I wouldn't be able to go on the second one (the 4-month contract one). The second cruise, my supervisor already had planned for me when she learned I speak French. It starts out in Boston-Montreal, then goes to the Carribbean, then to Europe, then back to the Carribbean (more on this later, when I know more and can actually confirm that I can go!)
I think that's about it! Questions anyone? I'll keep updating until I go. When I'm on the ship, I'll probably update once a week or so.
These things happen so quickly!
Just a week and a day ago, I was thinking the only job I may be able to get right now is an au pair job. Then, last Monday I heard back from Holland America (I applied in February and was considering re-applying because it had been so long). I set up a phone interview for Thursday, went through with it and ended up getting an email to set up a second interview today (Monday).
The Club HAL supervisor was very excited about having me join the Club HAL team (more on what that means later). So, today she told me all about the job. She asked me again when I was available to start and was glad to hear I still said anytime. She'd already kind of planned on me getting through with training and having time back home before a specific cruise in August!
So, she gave me the information for my 'training' cruise. It's 4 weeks long, kind of a taster, to make sure I want to continue doing that sort of thing. It's on the Oosterdam and travels from Seattle to Alaska and back every week. Did I mention that it starts on July 1st... Less than a week from today! PLUS they book us to get to the city the day before just in case something goes wrong, we'll have a bit of leeway time to get there before the cruise. So, on Saturday, I will be in Seattle, in a hotel, waiting to get to my first job! Enough for a first post. It's been a busy day!
The Club HAL supervisor was very excited about having me join the Club HAL team (more on what that means later). So, today she told me all about the job. She asked me again when I was available to start and was glad to hear I still said anytime. She'd already kind of planned on me getting through with training and having time back home before a specific cruise in August!
So, she gave me the information for my 'training' cruise. It's 4 weeks long, kind of a taster, to make sure I want to continue doing that sort of thing. It's on the Oosterdam and travels from Seattle to Alaska and back every week. Did I mention that it starts on July 1st... Less than a week from today! PLUS they book us to get to the city the day before just in case something goes wrong, we'll have a bit of leeway time to get there before the cruise. So, on Saturday, I will be in Seattle, in a hotel, waiting to get to my first job! Enough for a first post. It's been a busy day!
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