The Norway Pavilion Epcot

Now its 5.5 hours till 2011 starts here in Orlando, Norway just entered 2011 30 minutes ago.

Im going to work today in the bakery from 19.30-01.30, hope I get to see some firework.
Then after work were going to a huge party arranged by some of the awesome norwegians… See ya next year!

Hi. Sorry there havent been a update for some days now… There is a lot of things happening here now, and Im busy like all the time.

For Christmas, my family came over to Orlando. My father, his wife, my sister and my brother. We had some fun days, cruising around in a cabriolet visiting places. Have also applied for a social security number.

The 23th was a party at Bernts place. Morning of 24th I got out to Magic Kingdom and met my family, and we spent nearly a whole day there. It was great. Then we ate at a Mexican restaurant, I had buffet… Mmm…

The 25th we went to Disney Hollywood studios.

The last days have also been hectic. Working, got a new car.

Today has been a very long, but exiting day. Im still on my training, and today I learned about the Podium, outside the Restaurant Akershus, this is where we check in all the Guests for their Princess Storybook Dining. Since the Akershus serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, I had to get up about 5, and job starts at 7.30.

I felt like I got in to the tasks at the Podium quite fast and managed to do most things the right way.

After we finished a bit over 14, I had to wait for one of my German roomie, so I had some hours to spare. Which I thought was great, so I could fix some work related forms and e-learning. When I was finished with that, I went back to Norway and helped people who needed it there, and played my part as a Cultural Representative…  I was a lot of the time standing inside the stavechurch and told the Guests who came inside about stavechurches and vikings and the exhibition that is inside the church.

It was really interesting, and I got to talk to a lot of people who brought on their questions about Norway and me. Like: Do you understand the swedish and danish people? How many people lives in Norway? How do I say thank you in Norwegian? (some of the most common questions…) Some also told me that they were heritages of a viking.

I also walked around in the pavillion and talked to more guest about princesses, took photos, helped people etc.

The most interesting and exiting thing that I will definitely remember for a long time, is the family of 6 from Jacksonville. I met them outside the stavechurch when they started their Kim Possible adventure, and tried to help them. So somehow I ended up in following/stalking them (I was allowed when I asked if it was allright that I just followed them, because Ive never done the KP before…)

So I helped them a bit out in finding places in the pavillion, and we all ran around the pavillion like small children, the funny fact is that I was the youngest one there… When we came to the different places in the mission, I told them about the area and its historical connection, like one of the mission areas was with the Grete Waitz statue, so I told them about her. I got to talk a lot to them, and it was real fun to run around with this Kim Possible cellphone… When the mission finished we were near the Maelstrom, so I decided that since they had let me use some of their time, I should do something special for them, so I took them with me through the fastpass-entrance and then we took the ride. Afterwards I made them watch the 5 minute beautiful film about Norway, it was the 4th time I watched it, and I still get some tears in my eyes when I see it, I really love that movie…

At last I took them to the stavechurch where we first met and told them everything about stavechurches and the vikings that I know. Even though my throat was really sore after speaking a lot all day, it was so fantastic to see the whole family engaged and so truly interested in everything I said, that I gave them the same presentation I gave in the beginning of the day. When I see people who is active and engaged I get really positive myself and it helps me to keep going….

They actually asked me for my name so we could be friends on facebook, ofcourse, its great getting more friends around the country and world. Maybe Ill go to Jacksonville and maybe someday I will se them again… This is my precious memory for today, and its these things that you really remember, so no matter how tired you are when you get home, you just have to remember those special moments you have given others and the magic you together share, it really makes it worth it!!!

Yesterday was my first day at work in my costume, it was an exiting but hectic day at work.

First, we met Michel at the clock in at 6.55, then we learned how to clock in and get assignments from the system. Then we headed off to the Akershus (a replicate of the Akershus Fortress in Oslo which is the pavillions table dining), where we learned about the booking system and how we arranged everyones entry to the restaurant. Then about 8, it was time for tasting of good Norwegian food in the Bakery (Kringla Kafe og Bakeri), the chef there actually worked there since the opening, and nearly all the food is made on location, keeping up the good quality of Walt Disney World. We got to taste skolebolle, terte, verdens beste kake, kanelbolle, ostekake, en dansk og svensk kake, sjokolademousse kake osv… Cant really remember everything, but it was good!

Then we went backstage and learned about the stocking and where to get goods, to refill and cleaning procedures.
After that we learned about the beercart, which sells drinks and some snacks. Then we worked in the restaurant for a while and greeted people into the restaurant, and checked people in. It was a bit scary, but after a while I got the hold of it… Since we were some people, I used the opportunity to go around and talk to some of our Guests, which is really fun and easy.  A lot of the girls are dressed up like princesses, and very ready to meet the princesses inside the restaurant. I actually took some families inside the Stavechurch to show them the Viking exhibition and talked to them about my city and Norway in general, I believe that I really did a great job at that, because the father took lots of pictures of me when I was interacting with his little girls.

I wish I could just go around and talk to guests all the time. I really liked it.

Then we got lunch from the bakery and restaurant, egg, bacon, sandwiches… More food? Oh my. but very good… After a break we went into the restaurant to do some buzzing, because it was very busy. I told them I could not do so much carrying because I hurt my hand when I fell on the pavement last week (didnt pay enough attention when walking out of the bus, typical me). Then they looked at my wound and after some stress my manager followed me to the Disney Health Services where they rinsed my wound properly and gave me antibacterial cream and some waterproof bandages that I had to use at work. I was really scared, because I believed that the company really didnt want to help its employees in USA, and if you get sick, they will get rid of you, so I was too scared to tell the managers that I needed medical attention, but this was not the case with Disney at all. I believe that the managers cared for me the way they should, and if I felt that I needed some help, they would get it for me for free… So some of my prejudices were not correct, and thats great. (the wound actually looks a lot better now, and I think it will be good in a few days, thanks Disney)

Then I went back to Akershus, cleaned some more tables until my day ended at 16.30.

I met up with Joey which finished the same time as me and we went back home, I got some sleep and then we went to a german party in the Commons, before we took a cab to a local bar/restaurant and met some Norwegians… A really weird and exhausting day. But fun and interesting as well…

Bunad

I got my costume yesterday, and took it home today to try it on.
The Norwegian CRP costume is inspired by our national costume, the bunad.

I never wore a bundad before, so it was quite interesting to see how I fitted it. Luckily this bunad is made of cotton, in Norway its usually is made of wool, so it wont be that hot.

I really enjoyed wearing it, its a nice costume, Im proud of representing my country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunad

Im now an official Cast Member of the Walt Disney World Company. Yey!
Today we were at the Disney University, where we got trained in Disney values, conduct, visions, performance, attitude etc. in a course called Traditions. It lasted for 8 hours, and we also got to see some of the backstagearea and how Disney manages to keep up the magic performance show for all their guests…

We got our ID-signs and nametags by the end of the day, and got a visit by the boss himself, Mickey Mouse.

Me, Toby and Joey celebrated the official status with going to EPCOT in the evening and visited the Norway and German pavillion and watched the IllumiNation outside Norway. Joey said it was the greatest firework he had ever seen, I totally agree.

Im on a German Mac right now, so the letters are a bit different, sorrz.

Zesterdaz it was a throw-in partz for the Norwegian arrivals at the Commons, about 10 minutes walk from Patterson (where I live). It was awesome. I got to meet a lot of the Norwegian Cast Members.

We are not allowed to staz in the other complexes (everz housegroup is a different complex with own guards and that) after 01, because 01-07 is quiet time. So I had to go home prettz earlz, but thats okaz as well.

Todaz we have the daz off, so me and mz german roomies (Tobz and Joez) are going with some english girls to Florida Mall to buz some more food (we eat a lot) and check out the stores. Taco Bell <3

Today we got up early to go fill out a lot of paperworks and get our ID-cards.
Was at a meeting for some hours, and then we got our IDs after filling out some papers…. I cant say I got the best picture of me on the card.

Me, Joey and Toby went out to the Wal-Mart with the free Disney-bus to get some stuff for our apartment. We bought a lot, filled up the American size-cart, and had to take a taxi home.

So when we got back home I washed some of our clothes in the laundry room, and after that I made us food. Today we had some chicken and meatballs. I hope Im not the only one stuck doing all the cooking in the future, but its no problem making food for me… Now they all gone to bed, Im going too very soon, just needed my daily dose of facebook…

Today we get to sleep for a while, not starting until 12.25, so Im going to get a long sleep.
There will be a welcome-party for the Norwegians tomorrow, we are 7 I think, we were suppose to be 8, but one guy chickened out in London and went home instead… Thats allowed, but it really surprised me,  he seemed very eager to go and was like totally ready and exited… People are different and we can just respect their wishes and choices…

Amazing seeing so many visits to my blog, Im impressed… Tell me if there is anything you miss or have any comments what so ever. xoxo

Today we went out to check in at the Disney complexes!
We took a cab from the hotel about 11.30, and first had to go to the Vista Way/Main center to register and check in.

It didnt take long time, and we were out 20 minutes later. All the English people ended up at the Commons, while I was the only one assigned to Patterson Court, which is the newest and best complex in Disney Housing. It was built about two years ago I think…

When I arrived my apartment, 2307 (2. building, 3th floor ap. 7) I was curious about who else moved in there already, but it was empty, and now (20.00) its still just me here… Im going to live with two germans and one italian. Ill guess the two germans want to live in one bedroom, and I get to be the italian roommate. The apartment is really nice, its big and beautiful. )

Two bedrooms with their own bathrooms, every bedroom also has a wardrobe, internet, telephone and tv connection. The common area includes a livingroom, dining section, kitchen, outdoor terrace, wardrobe, some lockers and a corner workspace with internet connection where Im sitting right now.

I phoned up Kristina Dawood, which lives in the Commons, and went to her apartment for a while, before we headed out to Wal-Mart and bought a lot of stuff to my apartment. I used over 500 dollar there… :S But got everything for my bed, a tv, washing stuff for toilet, clothes and dishwasher, toilet paper, some food and such things you need in an apartment.

Tomorrow Im starting the day early with some housing classes… Have to do some paperwork.
Its nice being “home”, everything is unpacked and I feel like I could live here…

Today I was in EPCOT with Aleksander, another Norwegian guy working in the pavillion which I got to know through Facebooks Norway Pavillion group.

EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, but after today I can say: Every Person Comes Out Tired.
It was a great day! I also visited the Norway pavillion, it was great. I really liked it, though it was pretty small, but Norway isnt the worlds largest country…

We also went to Magic Kingdom to see the Disney parade, it was MAGIC!!! I nearly cried of happiness…

Today Im moving in to the Disney complexes… I hope that I get to live on Pattersons Court, its the newest and most up to date house complex.

Here are some photos of Orlando so far.