"I recognize you from your vlogs"

After the many adventures I already had with amazing people doing the Disney College Program, I must say..... I'm already tired.

tired from what? tired from going out, running around, photo adventures and dancing my life away! I'm still trying to hang in there because I know once work starts, it's all down hill from there on.

After pulling up to Chris's hotel room I start to get my bags out and what do I hear?

random girl- "Hey I'm sorry, but are you doing the college program?"

Me- "ummm yes?" 

random girl- "are you arriving wednesday? I think I know you from facbook, I saw your vlogs!"

ME- "O.o (my facial expression <<---) REALLY? thanks for checking it out! that means A LOT"

2 minutes later

Jenna- "and you're trying to say no one knows you? your famous and you know it" 

Me- ".....whatever" 

  

After all the shenanigans of the first few days of me being in Orlando I got to FINALLY meet with Chris, Lindsay, Ainsley, Danielle, Hayley, Juliette, Nick, Maria, Sarah, Adam, Kristy, Hannah, Kelsey, Brian, Nick and some old time friends who NEVER change like Christian, Lacey and Mikael with a "k":)

So what do we do? what any other awesome group of people do, we take pictures, eat, have fun before check in to calm the nerves and dance our lives away!

After the adventures prior to check in we slept.... for like 2 hours and then we made our way out in the night... or morning... for check in and what do we find? a group of like 50+ people already waiting (ya crazies!!!!) and after the long hall of waiting, we made it to our amazing apartment in vista way on the 3rd floor aka vaulted ceilings, and as a celebratory measure we go to a paint party with our very good friend Mr. Will the photographer and Shannon Lora to fully:

Let the ̶Me̶m̶o̶r̶i̶e̶s̶ Shenanigans Begin

The not-so-awkward meet up

SO no mater how much I remember how the program fell through my first time around, I still manage to procrastinate blogging, vlogging and editing photos.

I PROMISE I don't mean to do it, I just find my self always busy! Now I could get into detail about the last few days from staying at pop century, spending time with Jenna, and Brandie, Kiry, Frankie, Julie, Ya Ya, Ainsley and Miranda and going to the parks before check in along with House of Blues for my FIRST TIME EVER (and it was AWESOME), but I decided pictures are awesome too especially with awesome friends who impressed me with no awkward moments (except when miranda says "awkward")

Cheers to new adventures, new photos, new friends, amazing experiences, the Disney College Program, and new memories <3

P.S. Earl of Sand-which is HEAVEN

The Tip of the Iceberg

freakout, meltdown, anxious..... vomiting (JOKING)

was just about everything I was feeling yesterday, but I still managed to get on my flight. I'm still in a little bit of disbelief that it's all begun, that after over 6 months of waiting, my journey is right in front of me. Some veterans to the Disney college program know what I'm talking about when I say:

"I want the program to start already.... but at the same time I don't because I know it'll be over in the blink of an eye"

and its true. The wait felt like a blur almost. I remember being in the triple digits and now I'm in florida relaxing till I check in on wednesday.

In the end its NEVER goodbyes, but always see you later's. I'll see my family, and friends back home soon enough, but for now my new journey begins in just a couple days with all my friends who I FINALLY GET TO MEET IN PERSON and I have miss Jenna Cambio to thank me for that because if it wasn't for her I'd still be at the airport waiting for some pixie dust to take me to Disney.

Thanks Jenna, I owe you one now, and glad we didn't have an awkward first "OMG IT'S YOU" :)

Here's a few pics from yesterday as I FINALLY reach the tip of the iceberg before the new journey begins...... and fyi, THANK YOU Southwest for being a little late because I was able to take this amazing sunset picture :')

The Gift :: The Curse

I avoid it. I avoid it at all cost.

The very few people who have kept up with my blog since the beginning know exactly what I'm talking about. I avoid talking about very touchy topics that can be looked upon as "sad", "negative", or even "depressing".

I've created this world through social networks to view me as this positive optimistic blogger/photographer whose life consists of photo adventures, eating frozen yogurt, and traveling while trying to fully enjoy this short life we have, but let me tell you something....

I.am.only.human. 

What do I mean by that exactly? I mean that I too have my off days, my days where I question life and wonder "why does THIS have to happen to ME". I have my days where I don't want to blog... I've had fights with friends, lost loved ones, broken hearts, been hurt on more than one occasion and what do I do? I choose to not remember it... I choose to move forward, why? because its life and if you fix yourself up on one thing, it can consume your life.

Sometimes I wish I can forget events that have happened in my life, I wish I could start over with a fresh slate. I use to think that people who had unforgivable diseases such as alzheimer's had a gift to forget things they don't want to remember.

The reality of this unforgivable disease is that you don't have a choice and in turn... it can be a curse. You can loose it all in the blink of an eye and its scary.... and I witnessed it first hand with my own family. My grandmother.

3 months ago my grandmother on my Dads side had flown across Puerto Rico to the states, to stay with my family and I. My grandma Marina has stage 6 in alzheimer's in which she has no recollection of events that span from years ago all the way to 1 hour ago. Although this unforgivable disease doesn't take as big of a tole on the very long term memory, its damages can be hurtful to not only the victim, but the witnesses as well, as this disease robs someone of an entire life

This disease or gift, allows for forgiveness easily, happy times, and an easy going life. This disease or curse allows for instant mood changes, and forgetting not only memories that are not wanted..... but the ones that are wanted as well...

Everyday was a new adventure from going on walks into the forest, family gatherings, and swims in the pool to singing and dancing like there was no worry in the world, but everyday the same adventure could've been repeated and my grandma wouldn't know the difference.

After three months away from her birth place of Puerto Rico, she found her self on her way back home and the sad part about it...... as my parents drove away  with her to the air port I began to realize that when she wakes up in the morning "will she remember the three months that she was here with us?"... will she remember the times she had meeting her latest grandchildren who are my recent niece and nephew?

these thoughts consumed me and I came to the realization that this "gift" was a "curse" and I know that in time more people will leave this world and more people will enter it. I chose to write blogs to express how I feel, to document my journey in life and photography. I chose to write because when I'm older I want my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to remember me.... I want to remember me.

I want to remember the journey I had. there are very horrific diseases out there, some more forgiving than others, but one that strips you of your memories gives reason to believe "what's the point of life if you can't remember any of it" and that is something I will not tolerate. life is too short, and I pray on my life that I never get placed with this curse.

I love you grandma Marina and I'm writing this to always look back and appreciate the short life we have full of memories I have not only with you, but everyone else who means the world to me.

Thank you for everything grandma...... and let me just tell you on a lighter note....

you're the most photogenic woman I've ever met in my life

Love, 

         

          Ethan