I've been putting it off for a couple weeks now because I just didn't know where to start... it took me a while to come to this conclusion and to this day I'm still trying to put it all together so it makes sense to me... so here we go
At the beginning of this year I was set on moving to Florida. I wanted to move to Florida because I missed the lifestyle, the social life, the weather, the people and working for Disney. I felt as though it was something that I needed to do so I made the leap of faith.
After getting down here I was working as a server at Friday's still and waiting to get my big chance with Disney in entertainment. After countless attempts at auditions I never seemed to have made the cut, but I didn't let that hold me back. I decided to still apply for a job within Disney to start building something up for myself and after applying for attractions I was put on a waiting list.
while on the long nerve wrecking waiting list I worked, went to school, and thought a lot about the situation I was in right now. after a couple months of being away from my family I got a little homesick and with events such as my Uncle Andy passing away really hit me hard when being over 1,000 miles away from your loved ones and the most you can do is speak to them on the phone and see them once in a while.
then it hit me. A couple months ago I spoke to my sister on the phone about her sending me a little something in the mail. While on the phone with her, I'm hearing the usual commotion of my nieces and nephews running around, screaming and playing, but what was different about this phone call is that I heard two little voices next to my sister..."Etan, Ehan!" of course I'm wondering who that was and sister said oh it's just Ian and Bree, they see your picture on the phone and recognize you still.
"Um excuse, but they're TALKING!? they weren't talking when I left!"
so of course I was flipping out and my sister casually says "yeah! they've been saying things here and there, and they're both getting faster running around the house too, but when they see your picture on the fridge they still recognize you and say your name now"
At that point my heart sank.... it dawned on me that I was missing out on my family growing up, something that I can only see once in a lifetime and it really made me think over the next few weeks...
the next few weeks were filled with more school work before my trip to Spain, working a lot and moving over to Christians house after Alex left, but in that time period I came across the Video entry scholarship at Valencia and decided to join it since the rest of my tuition would be paid for, so why not right?
while working a lot I began to really think about the money I've been using towards driving to work, paying rent and doing my own groceries etc. with all that money being spent I still managed to be living very comfortable, but I couldn't help but think about the money I would be saving as well, had I stayed home...So I decided to do a little research and see what I came up with. If I stay in Florida, I still need to work on my in state tuition (so still currently paying out of state) for school, pay rent, do my own groceries and drive to work which is roughly a 50 mile round trip, so a lot more gas and missing out on my family growing up
vs.
Going home to a school close by and commute, not pay rent, not have to buy groceries, drive roughly a 5 mile round trip to work, and spend time with my family, Patty, and all the people I care about...
when looking at everything laid out face to face, it was shocking how close everything was overall....but Florida barely nagged it, with the condition that I get the Video Scholarship to continue my education. After traveling to Europe with Patty to Madrid, Spain and Paris, France I was notified
the results and that's when everything truly started to dawn on me
The reason I moved to Florida was unclear at first. It was something I felt I needed to do, because it was consistently on the back of my mind, but after months of being here it has all been made clear. I moved to Florida because I needed to have no regrets about my future. If I stayed home in Chicago and never came back I knew I would have had this deep curiosity in my head of "I wonder what it would have been like if I moved back, if I worked for Disney? would I still love it and everything about it and be happy?"
After traveling Europe with Patty over the course of my stay here I've come to realize that there is so many things to experience and see around the world in this short life that we have and to focus all my attention on one thing would be a terrible decision. So I decided after much deliberation to no longer pursue a future of any sort with Disney World.
And with that being said I realized Florida outside of Disney is not for me. Now I'm not trying to bash the state, or talk bad about it at all, but I'm just saying that outside of the Disney College Program, Florida is not for me. I need to be near my family, and loved ones as they grow together and learn from one another in the years to come while I continue my education and continue to explore the world
I've been happy about my time here, but even happier everything is clear now. I'm moving back home to Chicago by the end of the month after spending the holidays with Patty in Florida when she gets back from her Study abroad in Spain this Sunday!
and WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID goodnight, and happy holidays everyone! :)
