So much happiness!

Time to play catch up.

First things first:

1. I got the job with Carnival! And I will be leaving in April/May

I found out Friday afternoon, a week ago. I had been checking my phone constantly for an email. It's actually a funny story. They had said we would hear back Weds or Thurs, but I sent an email to my recruiter on Tuesday asking if she needed me to fax them a form that I neglected to bring to my interview. Her reply said, "So I guess you heard you got hired." And I wrote her back and said no that I hadn't heard yet, and she said she heard everyone she sent from the US got hired so I could probably start planning. Well, as exciting as that was to read, I didn't want to get my hopes up in case she was wrong. So, I was waiting with baited breathe for the official email from Carnival. Wednesday came, Thursday came... and nothing. I even wrote on the recruiting company's facebook to ask when they were sending the emails (this was Thursday afternoon), and they said they had been sent out today and if I didn't get one to contact someone. So then I was convinced I didn't get the job, because I didn't get an email. But, I emailed the lady it said to because I was pretty sure everyone got an email whether you were hired or not. Friday came and I still had no reply while I was boarding a plane to Ohio. When we landed and were allowed to use our phones again, I checked my email and there it was! I immediately started squeeling from excitement, and all I wanted to do was stand up, scream, and do a happy dance, but I couldn't because I was on a plane full of people and probably would have been tackled and detained. haha

2. I got to see two of my best friends last weekend, and surprised one of them. It was the best few days I have had in a very long time.

My friend Grant who lives in Chicago, and my friend Megan who lives in Ohio are my two best friends from the performing arts school I did in NY. We hardly ever get to see each other, and the last two times we have over the past year have both been for funerals in our immediate families. Grant's sister Heather, who I wrote a post about earlier in January, and Megan's Mom. I kept saying how we really needed this because it would be our first reunion in a long time for only happy reasons.

Megan was the Artistic Director for a thing called the LOVE concert that her and her friend Lexi put together over 7 months. They both choreographed and/or performed in the pieces. It was a huge ordeal, and I called Grant in January to say that we should both surprise Megan and show up to the concert. Well, everything worked out perfectly, and Grant flew to Charlotte, then we both flew to Canton together.

PS- He was sitting next to me when I got my email from Carnival, and held my arms saying, "I think you're going to explode from excitement."

And I almost did.

Not only did I get the news that I got my dream job, but I had an emotional reunion with one of my best friends in the Charlotte airport, and then surprised another one that night. Too much excitement all in one day.


Grant and I went to the concert, where we had 7th row center seats. There were so many times we thought Megan saw us and the surprise was ruined. But, after the show we waited in the lobby for her to come out. I had made a sign that said "Love brought me here from Charlotte" and Grant made a T-shirt that he drew the Chicago skyline on, and wrote Chicago loves and Love wins always on it. We held up our sign/t-shirt and she walked out, did a double take, then yelled, "SHUT UP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!" Then we ran and basically tackled her. I'm sure everyone standing in the lobby was thoroughly confused.

We had the best weekend ever though. Also, Megan and Lexi are who I will be living with in CA, so that made this reunion even sweeter. I can't wait.

3. Everyone I know is trying to set me up. It's a little ridiculous.

First, one of the moms of a family I nanny for tells me she wants to set me up on a blind date with her friends younger brother. I laughed really hard and told her I would think about it. I ended up saying yes, because it's something I've never done, and I figured it could be fun. So that will be happening sometime in March. I'll let you know how it goes.

Then, at a wedding I went to yesterday, my Mom keeps saying how cute the groom's brother is. Then at the reception she comes up to me and says, "His name is Brian, he's 26, and he's single." HAHA and later still comes up again and says, "He lives in Knoxville." Thanks, Mom. I didn't even speak to, or meet Brian yesterday, but it was funny.

But, something I keep having to explain to people is that right now, I actually ENJOY being single. It's like no one believes me. But, I truly have never been happier to not be in a relationship, and so happy I'm free of the one I was in. I don't want to start out my Carnival adventure by starting a new relationship in NC, then leaving for 6 months, then moving to CA, possibly indefinitely. Nope, I'm just fine depending on myself, and I am having the time of my life.

4. Lastly, yesterday after said wedding, my sister and I got tattoos. It's on our sides, and we each got half of an E.E. Cummings quote. I have, "I carry your heart with me" and she has, "I carry it in my heart", and they each have a flower called a forget me not next to it. We got it because that phrase has always made us think of each other, and we wanted something to remind us of the other even though we aren't always in the same place. I also got a small tattoo on my wrist of a lower case h, in heather's handwriting. I can now always have her with me, and I can't wait to tell people about her when they ask about my tattoo. I love them both and really couldn't be happier with them. The rib tattoo, hurt so so bad though. I made many funny pain faces, that my loving big sister gladly took pictures of, and I squeezed her hand so hard that my thumb turned purple. haha

 my h.

I'm the left, Lauren is the right

So, those are the big updates right now. I'm just trying to get all of my paperwork filled out for Carnival, and waiting to start my adventures!

Interview Success!

This past weekend I traveled to Toronto for my interview with Carnival. I also got to see two of my friends from the HIS study abroad program I did in Korea this summer. I love reunions so so much.

Jason and Jennifer picked me up from the airport and of course we went straight to this korean restaurant and got Dakgalbi (chicken dish with lots of other tasty things in it) for dinner. It was so good, although not quite as good as Chuncheon's. We also made sure to get some Soju (essentially korean vodka) and reminisced about our summer in Korea. I so wish we had a place like that in Charlotte, I would seriously go all the time. After dinner, we decided to check out a norebang (singing room/karaoke). We had a blast singing songs, and of course Jason hogged the mic, haha!


Saturday I had to wake up very early to take a subway and bus to get to the school where my interview was. It was FREEZING cold and very windy, and I had to trek through the snow to get to both the subway and the building where my interview was. There were about 20 people being interviewed and there were four others from the US. The two guys doing the interviews were hilarious, laid-back and really made the whole experience so much fun. First we had a presentation for the whole group learning about Carnival and what our jobs would entail, and they answered all of our questions. We played a game where we had to in groups of four and each tell a story but only one was true, and everyone else had to guess which one. I guess it was to see how we spoke in front of a group of people and to see our personalities a bit. Then they assigned us individual interview times and we all left to go get food. I ended up interviewing at the same time as a Canadian girl who offered to drive me back to the subway so I wouldn't have to wait for the bus. We mostly joked around with the guys, and they asked us all of two "interview" questions and then they would go off on some tangent and laugh again. I felt really good about the interview, and they seemed to really like me, so I am very hopeful. I should know by the end of this week whether or not I got the job.


After my interview I headed back to Jason's house and took a nap because I was thoroughly exhausted. One of his roommate's birthdays was that weekend so we ordered chinese and had cake and canadian beer (which was very good by the way) and watched episodes of How I Met Your Mother. Then we decided it would be fun to go back to the norebang, since everyone else had never been there. We once again rocked out to some epic songs, and the korean guys that worked there kept giving us extra time for free. I think they really liked that we came back and brought more people with us. We got back to Jason's place pretty late, around 3ish. So I got what sleep I could and then had to be up to pack and leave for the airport. I had a blast, and I definitely want to go back to Toronto to see and explore more, maybe when its a little warmer.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

 HIS reunion. Love these two!

 Dakgalbi!

 SOJU

 사랑해

 It was snowing!

 I was really excited about the snow. Little did I know how much I would hate it in the morning. haha

 Jen and I at Norebang

 Waiting for the subway on the way to my interview

 View of downtown Toronto from Jason's apt

 Canadian beer

As I was leaving

It's February?

I can't believe it's February already, time is going by fast, which is okay by me because I want to be in LA. I have my interview with Carnival this Saturday. I'm a little nervous but also very excited. This will decide what the next year of my life will look like, and I'm really hoping part of it is on a cruise ship, we shall see.

I hurt my foot last week. Apparently I gave myself perennial tendonitis from walking all over NYC with boots that aren't made for walking. (pardon the pun) When Dad and I were walking down the concourse to take our flight from NOLA to Charlotte, I couldn't figure out why it hurt so much every time I put weight on my right foot. I spent most of last week limping around and taking it easy, just hoping it would go away on its own. But by Thursday I had enough and I went to the doctor. They did x-rays and everything but nothing was broken, just really inflamed tendons. I have to ice it 3 times a day, and I've been wearing a boot because it hurts a lot less when I do. Today though, it is feeling much better so I think I might leave the boot at home. I might regret that later...

My sister was home for about 24 hours this weekend. She came in for our friend Mandi's bridal shower on Saturday. I saw many ladies I have not seen for a long time, it was good to catch up and watch Mandi open all of her presents. My sister and I also made an appointment for something on Feb 25. I'll let you guess what it is, and I will post pictures after it happens. I'm really excited about it!

I started watching Quinn this past Friday morning. He is 3 and precious, and absolutely adores me. His mom said he even wanted me over grandma, and that's saying something! haha

Anyway I took this hilarious video of him, because earlier we were watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and I asked him if Mickey was his favorite, he said no and when I asked who his favorite was, he said, "ME!"

I love my job!