Slave Labor and Tender Mercies

Remember all that excitement you read about last week? Well all those delusions sprinkled with pixie dust blew away with a quick burst of wind when ! Let me tell you the TRUTH about being a housekeeper. Due to housekeeping's physically and mentally challenging nature, I literally wake up multiple times at night because of nightmares. Housekeeper after housekeeper kept informing me of their shock because I didn't not cry during training. Apparently, that is considered normal, even for the matured women. With pride I inform my readers that I, Jacqueline Ryan Peck, did not shed one tear; however, if I am being honest (which I try to always be), I was debating whether I should jump of my little ledge of wavering sanity and dive into the pit of despair and surrender to defeat. While cleaning the rooms, I plotted my escape route instead of whistling a happy tune like I was taught. I searched for any signs of an underground railroad that would lead me back to the comfort and warmth of home. Perhaps it would even come with a brave guide! As pessimistic as this beginning may seem, I come bearing a message of glad tidings and joy!

*My fellow Cast Members (Cast Members=Disney's cute way of saying employees)*

Roselie, my Haitian trainer, can make beds so fast, I freak! She is a tough gal with a quirky sense of humor, made more quirky by her thick accent. Needless to say, we clicked. Well...we clicked as much as the extreme language barrier and age difference would allow. Basically I follow her around all day like a little duckling. As we walk around, she points to people and says "dey's trouble, right Jack-lean?" I say "oh dey's trouble alright!". Or she redirects my cleaning tactics, sometimes telling me to not work so hard. And that summarizes most of our conversations.

Pam. Pam is the woman who runs the cast learning center. She looks like Barbra Streisand and sounds like the Nanny. But I love her. I go to the cast learning center for the last half hour of my shift and read and she always has a motivational speech or funny story about a dumb person. Oh how it feels like home to mock! Anyways, she is my favorite/only person I really talk to all day long.
which brings me to..

All my other Cast members. They are older woman from either Haiti or the Dominican Republic..which means, they are usually speaking in Creole or Spanish. By usually I mean about 97% of the time. Good thing I bought into the whole "Spanish will help you a ton in life" thing and took it all through out high school..oh wait, I didn't. Not only do I stick out, I can't compute any of the conversations around me. BORING. I am minority. Positive side: my reading time has exponentially increased since I cross the border every day for work.

*While I was Feeling Bad for Myself*
Slowly I started to let the whole "poor-me-Eeyore" routine of thoughts play in their natural downward spiral. But as soon as I would start to feel down, someone or something came to pick me right back up. Often in was inspirational talks given to myself about how I can do hard things and I focus on all the positives. These proved very effective. Other times, when I need extra help, it came in form of a person. Particularly a old man and a little girl. Roger (the old man) approached me in the cafeteria and sat with me all through lunch. (I definitely suffer through New girl syndrome and sit by myself). In mid-conversation, he told me I was beautiful and that he could tell how intelligent I was by looking in my eyes. He then said many words of encouragement that hit spot on the worries and doubts I was having only minutes before. This random act of kindness was then followed by a few minutes of reassurance that he was not hitting on me. Thank you cute old man for beaming sunshine into my day when most needed!
However, my favorite blessing was a little seven-year-old. Amanda timidly asked me for a linen bag and while I was searching for the object, she sweetly said "you're pretty." Instantly, I loved that little girl! I told her she was a pretty little princess and she returned to her room. Later, she came back and asked for my help naming her new stuffed rabbit. We decided on the name Cupcake and she left for the parks. While cleaning her room, I noticed the small rabbit and decided to leave a note welcoming Princess Amanda back "from" Cupcake. Her dad later tracked me down and gave me a warm thank you and a tip! That was the moment I fell in love with my job.

By the end of my training, my trainer told me that in all of her 11 years, no one had caught on and been as fast as I did. I passed. It is quite the reward to work your butt off by giving your best effort and then be recognized. I determined to take this resort by storm!

*Lessons I Learned This Week*
1. Stay and school and get a good job. I know this seems elementary but..many of the women here have no other ways to support their families. They are single mothers and just struggling to survive. I am not ignorant of the tragedies that are abundant in this world, but it is different when bitter stories surround you everyday. Their strength and hard work inspires me.

2. My duties might lack the luster of other positions in the company but hey, Cinderella started off exactly where I am. I decided long ago to love my job and that has become a reality. I sing and dance while cleaning the rooms now. My showcase includes works that vary from Hilliary Duff to Tom Petty to Bow Wow and everything in between. Such talent should not be locked away in a hotel room but at least the towel creatures I create can appreciate my musical spectacular! Can't wait for the day a guest walks in..

3. Sunday is a special day. Nothing makes you appreciate church like not being able to go. My testimony of keeping the Sabbath day holy has grown so much since being in Orlando. I can't worm myself out of work, but what I can do is have Sunday in my heart throughout the day. I bring materials to read during work and listen to church music. The extra effort I put in to make it feel like a Sunday brought an extra Spirit to my day: "Vibrant testimony comes of anxious seeking"-President Gordon B. Hinckley.

4. Take any illusions you may have about Florida being a warm getaway and shatter them with a sledgehammer. On many occasions I have found myself freezing. I even saw my breath the other day and that just fueled my anger towards those who deceived me about the weather here! bah.

5. and finally, my new life motto: just say yes! besides to drugs. This new perspective has been life changing and has led me to many spontaneous adventures. Including, but not limited to, jumping into pools with my clothes on, bible study groups, lots of new friends, and dancing through Morocco. Living life to the fullest!

That's all for now folks! Thanks for reading!