The End of the Beginning

My Disney College Program internship experience officially concluded on January 2nd. I spent the day packing up my things and saying goodbyes to all the people I've spent the last 5 months with. I didn't really expect it to be as sentimental as it was…sure, I expected to be sad, but for an experience that lasted just under half a year, the DCP turned out to be a pretty pivotal experience in my life.

I've been MIA for the last week while getting everything ready to depart from the program. Per usual, I didn't start packing until the night before/the morning of departure, but I was able to get everything put together before we did our final check out. It's funny how many things you can accumulate over the course of a few months…I came to the program with two suitcases and duffle bag worth of supplies, but I feel like I left with enough stuff to furnish a small apartment. Go figure!

Of course, the big question on everyone's lips has been, "Josh, when are you coming home?" Well, I finally have an answer, though it's not necessarily the one that will please everyone: Not soon. I received a phone call right before College Program graduation asking me to interview for a position in Disney's Anaheim-based administration building, Team Disney Anaheim. The opening called for a "Training Tool Developer," someone who takes professional documents like training guides and does proofreading, editing, and other types of style-based analysis. Since I got my degree in English I felt like it'd be foolish not to at least go in and try the interview. Turns out that interview went better than I expected…they offered me the job! That didn't make the next step easy, though.

To be honest, I'd really planned on coming home after my internship concluded. I didn't really think that I'd end up with a potential career route here in California, but I also really wasn't ready to leave my friends and family in the Midwest. And to be honest, I'm still not ready for it. I haven't been home since my program started in mid-August, and I feel like I never truly said any goodbyes since I thought I'd be coming back in January. But it seems that between the networking and working in the park, I was able to make things play out even better for my career than I'd planned. I felt torn in two when they called to offer me the job because I didn't want to desert my home or friends, and I still don't. But the opportunity to do professional editing for an internationally-recognized company was just too valuable a prospect to pass up, so I accepted the position. I start next Monday, bright and early at 9 AM.

So, as I walked out of Carnegie Plaza and said my goodbyes, it truly felt like the end of the beginning. Sure, there's an opportunity out there for development and growth that I'll be taking on with this position, but I also feel like I'm leaving two families behind on the way. For one, I'll be missing all of my people from the Midwest..my real family back in Rockford, my friends from Rockford and Charleston...that's a family to me. Then I'll also be leaving my College Program family, the group that disbanded. Even though we'll keep in touch and all that, it'll never be the same. There was a lot of comfort in just being able to go across the hall or down the stairs and be with close friends, but now we'll all be venturing into new grounds. Whether we're taking on jobs or other internships in the real world, going back to schools or friends that aren't the same as when we left, or simply going home to figure out things from there, it's all going to be different. And it'll be intimidating. But we'll all be alright in the long-run as we venture into the unknown. I met some of the most dynamic, talented, creative people I've ever met during my 5 months in the College Program, and I wish them all the best of luck. In the meantime, I'll be camping out here in Cali trying to see just how things are going to turn out for me.

Unfortunately, as this is the end of my program, this is also the end of this blog. Farewell to the Finding Nemo background, as I'm getting ready to move on to other things. This new job will have me working 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday, but I'll also still be working occasionally at Nemo to scrounge up some extra cash or cover for when they're in need. Maybe we never truly "leave behind" the past, but just carry it with us as we progress into the future. Yeah, I like that idea. I'll certainly be coming home, soon if I can help it, but right now I'll keep you all with me as I move into my personal unknown. Thanks for the support, the well wishes, and the reminders when I forgot to post! I've loved writing for you all, and I hope everyone keeps in touch! Enjoy 2011!

-Josh