With the Mouse

If this was the kick-off to the rest of my life, it started wonderfully: I got a 4.0 GPA this semester (an "A" in Comparative Race Relations!!!), and I spent this past week in Disney World with one of my best friends, Emily. This was the second time that I've gotten to see her in the past year, which is really quite a lot considering I usually see her once a year at best! We met up at the Orlando airport on Monday, hopped our Magical Express bus, and we were on our way to the Yacht Club!

Then an interesting thing happened: As we walked in the doors of the lobby, this very awkward but enthusiastic guy about our age asked us our last name, walked us to the check-in counter, then disappeared through a door. About two minutes later he reappeared with several other cast members carrying balloons. Emily and I assumed it must be someone's birthday, but he came to us! Apparently, we were the Yacht Club Family of the Day!!! This meant that we got a free upgrade to the concierge level, which meant loads of free food in the lounge, free soda, wine, beer, desserts, continental breakfast, and the best view ever from our room. We could see the entire Boardwalk, plus a brilliant view of the Epcot fireworks. Which we enjoyed immensely on our last night as we sat on our veranda munching on our free desserts. Our free food included duck quesadillas, crab rangoon, chicken satay skewer things, bacon-wrapped scallops, goat cheese and crackers, and caramel apple dippers. We also got a certificate, and Emily and I decided that, though we had always been friends, this certificate marked the day we became family :).

Also, I told the guy where I was from, and apparently his whole family went to W&M or worked in CW, which helped explain his awkwardness.



The rest of the trip was wonderful, too, of course. We saw the "Wishes" fireworks at the Magic Kingdom (and laughed as some woman bemoaned the crowds by declaring that it was a fire hazard... outdoors). We rode Soarin' and got Peach Schnapps Oolong Tea at China. We saw a lost duckling in the pool and tried to steer him towards his mother. We played a lovely round of mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens: I got two holes in one! We got manicures and pedicures at the Mandara Spa, and we ate at Sci-Fi Diner at Hollywood Studios. Rockin' Roller Coaster was closed, but we rode The Great Movie Ride and Tower of Terror. They were gearing up for Star Wars Weekends there, so we of course rode Star Tours and shopped for Star Wars gear. On the last day, when Emily had left and my mom had arrived, I saw Mickey as a Jedi, Minnie as Princess Leia, and Donald as a Storm Trooper.

Getting to see my mom was wonderful! We had a very relaxing afternoon together, walking the World Showcase, watching Impressions de France and riding Maelstrom, getting Italian Margaritas, and playing the "Kim Possible Challenge" in the Japanese pavilion (though we had a bit of trouble finding the Zen Garden to activate our first clue). We had dinner at the French pavilion and Ratatouille came around to each table (he was really a little animatronic rat, not a person in costume!) and I spoke broken French to our waiter.

The best part of it all, though, was getting to see Emily for a few days. We always fall back in so easily together-- I am so incredibly grateful to have her as my friend. And I think my body really enjoyed not sitting at a computer all day, or sitting reading all day. It felt nice to walk everywhere, and even though my feet hurt every night and I was sweaty and sticky during the day, I felt so healthy and happy! I think I want to keep that up.

I'm back home now, and happy to be here. I read The Golden Compass on the plane and finished it this morning, and it felt so lovely getting to read fiction again after so many history books. I got to spend yesterday evening with Zan, making dinner and telling him about my trip, and now I'm finishing up moving. I just have a few things left to transfer to my new living space, and then I get to organize it all! I'm actually pretty excited about all of this as I rather enjoy setting up house. Hello, Summer 2010! Hello, life!