Finally Here

The Fitness Center

A View from the Pool looking towards the clubhouse

A side view of the pool (standing near the hot tub)

The pool view from the clubhouse (different apartments are in the background)

After 18 hours in the car spread out over two days of driving, Dad and I finally arrived at Disney World today to start my internship. We arrived around 9:30am, pulling into the huge housing complex Vista Way Apartments. I was instructed to wait in line in order to receive my housing assignment and other important information while my dad attended a presentation over at a family and friends tent on the property. Disney sure does know how to greet you! There were tents blasting fun music and DJs giving away free prizes to trivia questions while over 1,000 college students checked into their new apartments. While I was waiting in line, I started talking to a girl named Jackie who was from upstate New York-near Saratoga! We quickly struck up a conversation about the nice change in weather (being in Florida!), our love for the beach, and our excitement for the next few months.

We decided to attempt to room together after only talking for about 15 minutes! It's amazing the people God brings into your life at just the right moment. Throughout the day, we attended multiple meetings about our specific housing complex, work information, and background checks together. The more we talked, the more we realized we had in common! The most surprising moment in the day was when we were talking about siblings and the occupations of our parents. I mentioned that my brother was in seminary and my dad had been a pastor for a long time and she looked back at me, almost with a look of bewilderment. I immediately wondered if I had set off an unwanted conversation about religion and Christianity with her. Surprisingly, she looked at me and said "You are an answer to prayer. I have been so anxious about who was going to be placed as my roommate, and I was praying it would be a person that shared like morals, values, and faith with me. I'm so thankful for you!" My jaw dropped! Here I am, in the midst of thousands of college students, and God provides a very sweet, fun-loving Christian roommate to me within fifteen minutes of arriving. Crazy!

Jackie had previous friends that had participated in the college program, and she suggested that we attempt to room in the newest housing complex called Patterson Court. There are five separate apartment complexes for Disney College interns, holding about 1,500-2,000 students each. Who knew! Our complex was just completed in May. We live on the first floor, in building one, directly across from the clubhouse (which has classrooms, a fitness center, the pool, and any information and resources we would need to have for the program)! Our building is about 1 out of 20 located at Patterson Court. I share a room and a bathroom with Jackie, and adjacent to the living room are two other rooms that house 4 other girl roommates. We met them tonight, and they all seem very sweet. We have had a very long day, but I am so glad to finally be in Florida! I will take pictures of my apartment when it is finally all set up tomorrow!