Today I got to dress in my somewhat abhorrent costume (not bad compared to some others out there - and I can wear a jacket that covers my stupidly 'neccessary' tucked in shirt) and had an on-the-job training day. It was mostly working around and learning where things are and what's what.
My trainer was some loud obnoxious guy who, by the end of my shift, I had decided I don't like much at this moment - we'll see if that changes.
I finally got to have a look around Pleasure Island - the clubby area of which I'd heard so much - and discovered the gay bar of the clubs. The discovery was purely accidental... our trainer said some comment or other about not wanting to let children seeing two guys or two girls kissing each other and "that kinda thing would go on in here."
I think it was after that an inner-monologue was constantly running in my head, and not alot of it was good about him. When he and a superior were bickering - or rather, the supervisor was talking and he was bickering - I turned off my good little girl mode and started throwing some of his comments back. Which I think he enjoyed actually, saying I was a girl after his own heart. The nice Brazillian boy I was training with told him "Yeah, don't mess with her" and I grinned and said he talks like he knew me. So yeah, me and the Brazil boy became mates.
I sent out a bulk email a lil earlier. For those who didn't get it:
Okay okay, the update. For those who I havent been able to contact yet.
My work as Custodial Host includes: cleaning spillages (vomit or other bodily fluids are called 'protein spills' mehehe) so keeping the area clean and safe, interacting with and assisting guests, and be a general person on the ground that keeps an eye on hings and helps guests with questions etc.
I finished training on Sunday, and started work today. I have to wear white pants and a white shirt with a bit of yellow and blue on it - so clotheswise I got the better end of the deal compared to some of the others. You should see some of the crap they make some kids wear. Mehehehe. So Im quite happy with that - except i think having a cleaner wear white is a bit stupid, and I have to tuck my shirt into the pants and that wont be very flattering, and i may need to buy some undies that arent bright or patterned since when i bend over people may be able to see my lil love hearts and flowers i have presently
The good news is that I can wear the same black shoes i bought for my traditions class, so that saves me buying more stuff i wont use - even tho shoes are pretty cheap here. I bought a backup pair the otherday incase mine werent acceptable and they only cost about AUD$13. But mine were okay, so I'm taking them back cos I was a clever lil cookie and i kept the docket.
Yesterday I had to jump on the wal-mart bus and do some shopping cos im starting to run out of food. Thanks to the American way of eating, almost everything is available in LARGE sizes. So I'm saving by buying 'bulk' stuff.
My first day I opened my apartments fridge, gagged at the contents, shut the door and said 'i think tomorrow im going to buy some "real" food'. These people live off junk and soda and beer. The girl i share a room with.... Im taking a photo then I never want you to say my room is messy ever again. She has clothes EVERYWHERE including encroaching upon my half of the place, and amongst these clothes are packets of chips, lollies, soft drink cans, you name it. Its really a bit gross. Me and the other 'Australian' girl (chinese student studying in melbourne, whose computer this is) are the only clean ones i think. Mehe.
The other night she was wielding a vacuum cleaner, I hate to think what she found in this carpet and under the couch. But anyway in short, us Aussies are keeping the place up. I, being the water-conscience Aussie that i am, insist on doing dishes in the sink instead of the dish washer if theres only a handful - the American girls think Im crazy and listen to me wide eyed when I explain our water restrictions.
So in comparison, we're the clean and healthy-eating ones. Last nite I had sausages and mixed veggies and Laura Ann - who is 'friends with Mickey and Minnie and sometimes Donald' - said "thats not dinner, thats sausages and....some weird multicoloured stuff" and then I had to accompany her over to the fast food joint across the road to get her dinner.
Ick.
Monday I went to Downtown Disney, where I'll be working, to check out the place, and several of my Aussies got on the bus too so we all went exploring and a bit of shopping. I got 2 of those rubber wristbands i wear (one for me and one for kirsty cos she collects them too) a rainbow mickey mouse ear pin, and a funny hat with monster ears and horns and fur and earflaps like my Heidi hat. It's based on the character Stitch from Lilo & Stitch and I loved it as soon as I saw it. I even put down the hat I had intended to get in favour of it (a green goofy hat with ears hanging down). I put it on and everyone agreed its very me. I like it cos when I shake my head the ears wobble. Two US ladies in the queue with us at an ice-cream parlour thought i was cute cos I was so rapt with it and kept saying 'look at my ears!! look at them dammit!!'. And i was sitting outside with it on and kids were pointing at me and were delighted when I waved at them.... so evidently Im a character performer anyway!!! HAHAHA.
Guests and cast alike liked it.
An attention-seeking hat.... I love it.
All in all, we made the most of our staff discount. One girl from Roseworthy (?), saved about $50 on her total spending for the day. And she bought quite alot.
Most of us are from Adelaide - well the lot that came in with me anyway. Out of the dozen or so of us, i'd say 7/8 were SA'ers. One girl is from Hallet Cove. The rest are more north, tho some go to Flinders. I'm the granny of the group, not that you can tell tho, running around with a monster hat on, and skipping up to the front when asked for volunteers at orientation. (Needless to say, everyone from Argentina and Brazil now also know Vicki from Australia, even though I dont know them.)
So once again, just like in school, despite my determination to go through this on my own, some people have kinda latched onto me, and they've accepted me pretty freely.
It helps going to a place like disney all together tho - we all know that we have similar personalities. And we do, stuff that I say and do that usually earns me a raised eyebrow and an 'oh my god what is she doing?' face amongst these kind of people back home are instead getting laughs and smiles. Having been separated from the rest in an over-21's apartment I thought that'd be the end of that once Orientation was over, but when I bumped into folks again on the bus yesterday they were all chirpy and really glad to see me again.
Aw shucks.
I stand out like a sore thumb still tho - Im not skinny and blonde and gorgeous like the rest of them, and I dress like a boy and/or funky rockstar, but like i said, we have all the performer's personality, and my differences are appreciated rather than scorned. So if you look at things from that perspective, being here is a bit better than woodloch - if only for the common company.
I still have a bit of my cold lingering. Im thinking of taking maybe 2 of my antibiotics, just to hit it on the head, but i'll grab some cold and flu stuff at the shops today and see how I fare. I dont really want to take any bombs yet, I may need them later.
And yes dont worry, of course Disney has taught me stuff. I HAD TO PASS CLASSES ON WHAT IM DOING! what do you think this is??? Give me the mop and send me on my way? Of course not silly woman, I had to earn my certificate - complete with mickey mouse pushing a broom on the bottom.
We had to show them we understood our instructions how to deal with sharps and what biohazard bags we put what in, how to correctly remove PPE and all the other crud involved. Then I had to pass a safety test and a Guests with Disabilities test - both of which I aced of course.
Im the only Aussie custodial in this intake. A Brazil boy with the wrong attitude in our class was challenging our table saying that its stupid we have to learn this cos as if we're gonna find a needle in the middle of a park. I asked if he was sure. He said yeah theres no way that could happen. I asked what if someone has diabetes and has to have an insulin shot everyday? He shut up and turned my attention back to my teacher with the smug smile I have.
I have access to a pool and gym. Too cold for the pool tho. The weather is just nice, but a lil chilly morning and evening when the squirrels come out. Teeheeeee. Havent checked out the gym yet, but no doubt after work when im frustrated sometime soon the weights will see I get some venting done. So far I've been too tired to do anything. I had my first sleep in this morning which was lovely. I keep going to bed early cos im tired, then waking up early cos ive slept my limit, and then im tired early again. But thats slooooowly correcting itself. Im waking up less during the night too. My bathroom has a shower/bath and lastnite I put the plug in and had a bit of a soak, not that its really built for laying down in, but it was nice anyway.
I've long since discovered I really am a custodial at heart anyway. I've instinctively cleaned up stuff around the place, and its always me who's first to replace the toilet roll or clean up the sink or tie the bin up to take out. Also, im constantly fishing the recyclables out of the bin and putting them in the recycling bag.
Mickey mouse ears are plentiful and I'm taking orders from y'all back home. Mehehe. Im a lil disappointed in the pirate stuff tho - I can get the same stuff for cheaper back there. Im hoping the actual Pirates of the Caribbean section will have better stuff tho. Fingers crossed.
Okay, I think I've just about covered everything there is to cover and I should head off.
Hugs to all.
