HOW IS IT LIKE WORKING IN DISNEY WORLD

– Infinity Abroad –

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Many of you have been asking me about my Work & Travel USA programme in Disney World Orlando. As my work period draws to a close, I would like to share with you guys my WAT experience for the past 3 months!

As you all know, I joined Infinity Abroad – a professional agency based in Malaysia and Singapore that helps uni/college students like myself secure a short-term work arrangement with a U.S. employer, and get to travel in the USA. There are many great Work & Travel employers offered by Infinity Abroad across the USA, and I was lucky enough to be hired at Disney World Orlando! (Can’t deny it is the happiest place on earth xD )

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Working on the Disney property has been the happiest thing ever! I got to enjoy the perks of entering all the 4 theme parks as an employee! I have been to all the theme parks for more than once and I always feel excited to return the next day. “To earn your ears” means to go through an orientation about the history and the rules as an employee in Disney World. This is a great opportunity to learn about many insights that are happening in Disney that nobody in public would know about. I enjoyed working here because people are young and vibrant! I see tourist from all around the world flew in just to meet Mickey and it is their dream come true.

In case you’re wondering, I worked in a restaurant called Planet Hollywood as a restaurant hostess. My job was to manage guest reservations, greet customers as they walked in, and escort them to their tables. It was fun but challenging. To be honest, my work experience was not smooth and easy. Conversely, it was one of the toughest and the most challenging experiences of my life! I experienced ups and downs, especially during the first two months of my programme.

At times, I did not get good working hours and my working shifts were cut short by the management due to slow business, and it seriously made me reconsider my expenses and stretch my savings. On the other hand, I had plenty of free time, so I decided to find a second part-time job to offset the slow business (legally, you can get a second job on the WAT program, and it is easier than you may think!). The Bottom-line is: I worked 2 jobs during my stay in Orlando. I guess this is what they mean by “welcome to adult life” and “learn to be financially independent”!

I feel that one of the key highlights of my time living in Orlando was being able to meet so many new friends from diverse backgrounds! Not just Americans, I have also met people from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Peru, Argentina, Haiti, and others are from Jerusalem, China, Hong Kong, and Japan! Some of them were Work & Travel participants like myself, others are people who’ve had migrated to the USA and they have been living here since then. Snapchat is a big thing here but not Whatsapp, funnily enough. Therefore, I had to communicate and keep contact with them is through Snapchat.

Working here for three months will definitely change your perspective towards the culture and lifestyle of the Americans. Meeting new people and making new friends here is essential because when you are 9,358 miles away from home, you need friends to be there for you when you feel lonely. I am lucky enough to be able to spend my birthday here with some locals in Tampa and Devil’s Dan. Even though I missed out Miami, I would love to be back again one day!

So now that my work term is over, what’s my next destination? I am planning a trip to the West Coast in Utah, Arizona, California, and Seattle. I am so excited that I am now finally able to travel around States. Earning what I can and spending what I have 😀 Life is all about the experiences and the people you meet after all!

Infinity Abroad’s Work & Travel USA Winter 2018 intake is now open! Join my journey, be inspired and experience the USA like never before! For more information, please visit Infinity Abroad’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Infinity.Abroad.Exchange and follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hanlibubu/  for more stories of me traveling the USA or drop me a comment and inbox me to ask me more questions! You are more than welcome to ask anything about my travel experience 😀

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Next Location: UTAH