Week 1 in Review

Ok. So! I know it's been a while since I had a chance to write and tell you all what's going on. But I assure you, it's been a very long week in the life as an Orange Lake Intern, and I'm pretty sure that Taylor would back me up on that one. I'll go ahead and review it for you:


Monday: I had my first day at work, which was really orientation, which I was actually really excited about, which led me to go ahead and write a blog entry about it. Therefore, you kind of know all about what I learned at orientation and the people I met. However, what I didn't get to tell you about Monday was that I really liked seeing all the other members of my orientation group around the resort every time I go out to eat or play around at the pool. Which is kind of funny since they know me and know that employees aren't supposed to be using the resort facilities....guess that's the perk of being an intern and getting to live on property. Suck it!


Tuesday: My first real day of work on the job. Lynda, my trainer/the most awesome lady in the world can be attributed to my quick success at the hands of TSW (Timeshareware.... it's a long word. I know.) I learned how to check-in a guest, check-out a guest, work HotSOS (pronounced "Hot Sauce"), and be an all around good Front Desk Specialist. It was a lot of information to take in, but with all of the encouragement I got from Kris, Lynda, Bob, and other friendly front desk peoples, I quickly let all the information sink in and brushed off all of my mistakes--but not without learning something from all of them, of course. 


Wednesday: I had a whole new group of people to work with that day. I started training under Ana, who was wonderfully helpful. They let me loose on check-outs--to which I was a little apprehensive, but they had faith in me--and she was there for every mistake or question I had about anything. And she had sooo much patience for me. I also want to thank (as if they even know I'm thinking them on here) Michelle. She constantly came to my aid when I would be logged off the computer--since I had (and have) yet to receive any kind of technical log on information. I would get logged off, call Michelle, and she would sweep onto the scene with the magic key to making everything work. She has also been very patient with me and was ready and willing to help whenever needed. Another favorite that I discovered on Wednesday was Patrick. He's hilarious! He's the day manager for Wednesday and Thursday. But to top it all off, I got to go bowling with the crew on Wednesday. I didn't measure the success of the evening by the final score posted on the board at the end of the game, but rather how much closer I felt to all my fellow employees... and let me tell you, we are a family. We joke together, we play together and we have small rivalries that last for half a second... but at the end of the day, we couldn't think of anyone else we would rather work with. Or... at least that's the impression I got from everyone, and if it's a show they put on, they would be good at fooling just about anyone who took a look inside. 


Thursday: I was tired. Worn out. To the bone. My feet hurt, my eyes wouldn't hardly stay open and I kept staring off into space (which I told everyone was just me thinking too hard about what I was doing.) But that didn't make any sense, because everything I was doing was just wrong! All wrong! I didn't know what to do! What was happening to all the information I had stock piled from two days of hard work and even harder information memorization?! Thursday I couldn't seem to get anything right and I had many more questions than answers... and for anyone that knows me, I hate that. I hate not knowing how to do something or not knowing an answer to someone's question. And what I hate more than not knowing, is making them wait while I search the answer out. It's so frustrating to make them wait. But I guess we all have to learn the answers one way or another, and there's no better way to pick up on things than just to ask. All I'll say about Thursday is: it wasn't me in my best light. 


Friday: Friday, however, was me shining and splendid, spinning around in the galaxy of happy and flashing my pearly whites to anyone and everyone that came in smile radius. It was wonderful. I started off the morning knowing exactly what I needed to do. I was able to help everyone who needed me with little to no problems, I knew the answers to questions, I was able to resolve issues, I made customers happy. And then low and behold, when time came for us to get busy, who do you think was left standing in the lobby keeping time on the guests checking in (a very important job, so I'm told!) I was in charge of the customer experience, and I was in my element. I honestly think, sometimes, that I should have been in politics because I have such a knack for charming people when I can get to them. You know, that whole kissing babies thing--it's my talent. I was running all over the floor, greeting guests, keeping time, smiling, playing with kids in the lobby, adopting families into my life by learning all about them and all the while loving every bit of it. I wasn't tired, I wasn't bored. I loved it. All of it.... Until I got home.... then I crashed.


Saturday: And crashed, and crashed, and crashed. I crashed for 13 hours. I slept, waking up periodically every 2 hours, but never getting out of bed. There is something soothing and healing about not doing anything all day... about not getting out of bed, about watching your favorite shows for hours on end, about lazing and doing absolutely nothing. I got sick--bad milk, but it was ok, because I didn't have a thing to do or a single place to be. It was wonderful. And then I got to go eat with Taylor's mom and her mom's boyfriend and see Sex in the City 2. It was a great end to an eventful and tiring week. 


And don't get me wrong. I know it might seem like I had a hard week. I don't want it to seem like that at all. It was wonderful, amazing... and I don't want to leave. I'm loving what I'm doing here so much and I can't wait to continue learning everything the want to teach me. I know I'm still learning, but I'm proud of the progress I'm making and all of the things I'm learning. To think I came from no hotel experience at all and now I can run with the n00bb best of them. And, yes, I just said n00b. Love it. :)


Signing out till something else funny comes along!
Whitney