Friday, March 11, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
Monday Musings.
Monday, January 25, 2016Todays Thoughts. *** it sure will. S x
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| Todays Thoughts. |
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| *** |
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| it sure will. |
S x
Thursday, January 22, 2015
I'm on a boat!
Thursday, January 22, 2015my home on the seas. Hi I'm Scarlett and I live on a giant floating tin can that travels the world and my boss is a giant mou...
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| my home on the seas. |
Hi I'm Scarlett and I live on a giant floating tin can that travels the world and my boss is a giant mouse. A sentence that has actually come from my mouth one too many times. Living on a cruise ship, people always ask me 'Why?'. I've even had people say 'god I can't think of anything worse than even holidaying on a cruise let alone living on one'. First of all- rude. Second of all- Let me try to explain...
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| thats a lotta miles. |
I never in a million years thought I'd be working on a cruise ship and honestly I too never saw the appeal. When I got the job, I ummed and ahhhed, not sure whether it was the right thing for me. But part of my new 'throwing caution to the wind' attitude that I had been developing that year I thought, 'sod it, just do it'. You can always just get on a plane and come home right?
And to add to the cliche, it was the best decision I've ever made.
After my first contract I was about 90% sure I wouldn't be returning for another. It was tough, but I'd done it. I was going to place it on my wall of accomplishments, and one day tell my grandkids 'I worked for the mouse once'.
However you go home and as you start to tell your loved ones all your little stories you forget about the things you hated and the times where you just wanted to flip a table, yell 'I QUIT!' and storm out the room. You remember that hilarious time you went on a very old rickety bus in Columbia or ate three giant crepes in your half hour break in Juneau, Alaska, because they wouldn't let you bring them back on the ship. You don't remember the hours you spent cleaning the ceiling or the times you stood contemplating what other jobs would be less boring but would earn you millions. Or the hurricane in which your TV fell of the shelf and for a period of about 24 hours you packed an emergency bag and thought there was a very high possibility you were actually going to die. Oh and don't forget the 9 consecutive sea days.
Instead you talk about San Diego, Cabo san Lucas, Key West (be still my beating heart), Alaska, Vancouver, cabin parties, that day trip to DisneyWorld, late nights in San Fran, swimming with dolphins, dancing to Taylor Swift with Cinderella, stargazing, christmas carolling, staying up all night, crying with laughter on the floor during Nemo's Coral Reef Adventure, crew awards night, chicken tenders, free pizza....you get the picture.
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| sailing away from Cartagena, Columbia |
And you find yourself back on that plane.
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| can't go anywhere without a little moral support. |
Yes it's tough being away from home for so long, over holidays and birthdays, missing out on milestones and thanking Facebook for allowing you to feel like everyone at home is still living some sort of normality.
Yes you work EVERY day of your contract, and I'm talking 4/5 months at a time, some people even working up to 8 months in one go. and most of these days are at least 10/11 hours.
Yeah you probably don't get paid as much as you like, you sleep very little, you see your boyfriend (who is actually ON the ship) for about 20 minutes per day and your cabin makes you feel like Harry Potter, pre-Hogwarts, when he was just the boy who lived in the cupboard under the stairs.
Yes Christmas is going to be a little bit shitty.
Yes some days I am starving and the last thing I want to eat is a bowl of rice and a furry apple.
And yes some days I'm lying on the floor kicking and screaming about how much I hate my job.
Yet in the next 5 minutes something wonderful has happened and I am crying with laughter and thinking how could I ever leave this place. You learn to appreciate the smallest things, like someone saving you some sweets from the bag from a guest before they get rampaged, or leaving you a little note to let you know that you're doing okay. You learn to love FaceTime and taking pictures at certain moments thinking how you can't wait to show people at home. You make this strange place your home, the people like your family and your routine becomes something you don't remember ever living without.
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| just can't beat the view. |
Embark day is my favourite. We say goodbye to people we've only known for 4 days and gain a whole new group of people who are full of excitement and blow off the cobwebs of the last cruise. Its like having the first day of school, twice a week, every week of the year and I love it. I think its the feeling of letting these people into what has become your home, and theres almost a pride to showing them around and letting them into our little world. Yeah you do this knowing you've got a few sea days to get through, probably a rainy day in the Bahamas and many a toilet accident (I work with kids), yet its all part of the adventure.
There is something about that ship sailing away from a port and knowing that in the few days until you see it again anything could happen.
There are so many days when I question why I do it, and I know one day I will have had enough. But for the moment each day I remind myself 'A rough day at sea is better than any day in the office.'
It's not for everyone and its not forever. But for now, it is for me :)
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| a moment of freedom! |
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Everybody Goes to Hollywood...
Tuesday, February 11, 2014Los. Angeles. City of Angles. La La Land. Tinseltown. Whatever you call it, people know where you are talking about. Famed for its rich ...
Los. Angeles.
City of Angles. La La Land. Tinseltown.
Whatever you call it, people know where you are talking about. Famed for its rich and famous, its cut-throat entertainment industry and its endless beaches, LA is a twenty-somethings paradise.
Travels after camp led us here. If you have ever wanted to head west, absolutely do it. California is one of the most bizarre, beautiful, tacky, magical, brilliant, scariest, richest, poorest, craziest places I've ever been. Not many places can you find the beautiful Paramount Studios opposite a 24hr laundromat or a homeless man sunbathing on Santa Monica Pier.
City of Angles. La La Land. Tinseltown.
Whatever you call it, people know where you are talking about. Famed for its rich and famous, its cut-throat entertainment industry and its endless beaches, LA is a twenty-somethings paradise.
Travels after camp led us here. If you have ever wanted to head west, absolutely do it. California is one of the most bizarre, beautiful, tacky, magical, brilliant, scariest, richest, poorest, craziest places I've ever been. Not many places can you find the beautiful Paramount Studios opposite a 24hr laundromat or a homeless man sunbathing on Santa Monica Pier.
The amount to do in places like this is overwhelming so I have put together a little list that might point you in the right direction of the best things to do...
1. Universal Studios- The best $80 I've ever spent. As a poor travelling camp counsellor you might scoff at the price and think you'd prefer to sun yourself on the beach for the day but I promise you, sacrifice a few Pinkberry's and go here instead. You will not be disappointed.
2. Hollywood Sign- If you follow what your Sat Nav tells you is the sign you will end up at the Griffith Observatory and by all means have a gander inside- its really cool (and is featured as a party venue in 90210 which we got very excited about) but you do end up being bombarded with information about physics and telescopes and stuff and in reality all we wanted was a cliched 'I'm jumping in front of the Hollywood sign' picture. Ask the security man in the car park if you can get any closer to the sign and he will give you an address to punch into your GPS that takes you to an incredible location past lots of potential celebrity filled houses.
4. Hire A Car- LA is known for having the worlds most useless public transport system. The metro has something like 10 stops throughout the entire city and we would drive past the same bus stop three times during the day and see the same people still sitting there waiting for a bus. So hire a car. It is the most worthwhile purchase you will ever make. Be prepared to be absolutely ripped off and just remember if the deal seems too good to be true then it probably is. Grit your teeth and set some money aside to hire a car and a GPS. Fuel is CRAZY cheap so once you've got the car it you will relish in the ease and comfort and laugh at the people walking down the freeway.
5.Santa Monica Beach and Pier- Doesn't really need an explanation. (Just don't fall asleep on the beach for 7 hours after a crazy busy week in New York and working with kids for 10 weeks, as you will end up redder than this beauty of a sunset and that is not as pretty).
6. 3rd Street Promenade- We completely stumbled upon this shopping paradise completely accidentally but it is perfect for daytime shopping when you don't want to be inside an air-conned shopping mall that could transport you back to Westfield, Stratford in a millisecond and night-time wandering (Kitson included, yay!).
7. Hollywood Walk of Fame- Don't deny the inner fangirl within you of walking the entire 1.3 mile stretch of star tiles, just to look for Beyonce's name. Its fun and leads you to Hollywood and Highland which is also great (hello California Pizza Kitchen/Hooters) and a $5 tourist shop which is fantastic for spoiling your family with the various holiday tat.
8. Hotel Roosevelt- We were really cheeky and snuck into the pool of this hotel. Just look the part and stroll right in (we definitely did NOT look the part so maybe just stroll right in) and once inside there is a incredible fluctuation of random and amazing people. Think 90210 meets Made in Chelsea pool party and along with the slightly higher drinks prices, you feel a little like Cady Heron pre-Regina George 'Plastics' makeover. Its pretty lush though and even though you spend most of the time just waiting for your cover to be blown, they are super nice and its a really great place to spend a few hours. (They were setting up for the Sons of Anarchy after party which we obviously tried to plan to hide in the toilets and appear amongst the mingling celebs, but then decided our tourist-tastic outfits we were wearing were more embarrassing than the prospect of getting kicked out the party!)
9. The Cheesecake Factory- An entire restaurant dedicated to cheesecake. I don't see how you couldn't love it.
10. UCLA- Drive through Beverley Hills and towards the UCLA campus...If you have seen any college based american movie there is nothing more exciting than seeing for yourself that sorority and fraternity houses are an actual real life things and the UCLA houses do not disappoint. From the fairy lights and blaring pop music to the road basketball games and shirtless gardening football players you will feel like you have been transported into American Pie : Beta House. Faaaaantastic.
1. Universal Studios- The best $80 I've ever spent. As a poor travelling camp counsellor you might scoff at the price and think you'd prefer to sun yourself on the beach for the day but I promise you, sacrifice a few Pinkberry's and go here instead. You will not be disappointed.
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| Universal Studios- Magic. |
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| View from outside the observatory- it is a little closer in real life... |
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| *insert cliched double chin jumping picture* |
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3. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.- With a favourite past time of mine being to shout 'Run, Forest, Run' at passing runners I couldn't not visit this amazing restaurant. It's Forest Gump themed, they have glasses that light up and a whole shop full of Forest Gump goodies as you exit. Just go, you'll get it.
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| 'My mama said I was special...' |
4. Hire A Car- LA is known for having the worlds most useless public transport system. The metro has something like 10 stops throughout the entire city and we would drive past the same bus stop three times during the day and see the same people still sitting there waiting for a bus. So hire a car. It is the most worthwhile purchase you will ever make. Be prepared to be absolutely ripped off and just remember if the deal seems too good to be true then it probably is. Grit your teeth and set some money aside to hire a car and a GPS. Fuel is CRAZY cheap so once you've got the car it you will relish in the ease and comfort and laugh at the people walking down the freeway.
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| Hire a car...expensive but it will save your life. |
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| Santa Monica |
7. Hollywood Walk of Fame- Don't deny the inner fangirl within you of walking the entire 1.3 mile stretch of star tiles, just to look for Beyonce's name. Its fun and leads you to Hollywood and Highland which is also great (hello California Pizza Kitchen/Hooters) and a $5 tourist shop which is fantastic for spoiling your family with the various holiday tat.
8. Hotel Roosevelt- We were really cheeky and snuck into the pool of this hotel. Just look the part and stroll right in (we definitely did NOT look the part so maybe just stroll right in) and once inside there is a incredible fluctuation of random and amazing people. Think 90210 meets Made in Chelsea pool party and along with the slightly higher drinks prices, you feel a little like Cady Heron pre-Regina George 'Plastics' makeover. Its pretty lush though and even though you spend most of the time just waiting for your cover to be blown, they are super nice and its a really great place to spend a few hours. (They were setting up for the Sons of Anarchy after party which we obviously tried to plan to hide in the toilets and appear amongst the mingling celebs, but then decided our tourist-tastic outfits we were wearing were more embarrassing than the prospect of getting kicked out the party!)
9. The Cheesecake Factory- An entire restaurant dedicated to cheesecake. I don't see how you couldn't love it.
10. UCLA- Drive through Beverley Hills and towards the UCLA campus...If you have seen any college based american movie there is nothing more exciting than seeing for yourself that sorority and fraternity houses are an actual real life things and the UCLA houses do not disappoint. From the fairy lights and blaring pop music to the road basketball games and shirtless gardening football players you will feel like you have been transported into American Pie : Beta House. Faaaaantastic.
All in all LA is an incredible place. It can be scary (our trip wasn't without night out drama, crazy people and a few gun shots) but the best way to enjoy is to live like a local. Prepare yourself for a crazy ride!
S x
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Blogging Fail- Camp Arrivals!
Tuesday, September 24, 2013So I completely underestimated exactly how crazy busy life at camp is and did not have even a minute to write any of it down...so I am going...
So I completely underestimated exactly how crazy busy life at camp is and did not have even a minute to write any of it down...so I am going to try and summarise 10 weeks of crazy into a few little blog posts!
A week of training included preparing camp, moving lots of huge adirondack chairs, many hilarious how to and how not to skits performed by many interesting characters, lots if 'Hi I'm (insert name), where are you from, what are you doing?', the longest most hilarious first aid training including me stabbing myself with a pen and making myself bleed whilst demonstrating how to safety remove a twig from a child's leg, and the most important skill of all- the correct way to toast a marshmallow.
And then after thinking you are so trained and prepared a nuclear attack filled with evil unicorns and raining broccoli could strike and you wouldn't be fazed, the kids arrive. No amount of training, learning, preparing can prepare you for the arrival of 250 excited, stagey, brilliant, American kids. That first 24 hours is something I will remember forever. Everyone is as distressed as moth in a light box but does so with such excitement and positivity that no kid would ever know. And they are smart little cookies. Who you are terrified of for the first 3 days but who then make you laugh, sing, cry, shout, learn in so many different ways that you become thankful that they are there.
So after an almost too quick goodbye to mum and dad (you have to do these things quick like pulling off a plaster to avoid any dramatics), waving as I went through security and practically hearing my mums heart break as I toddled off, I was finally on my own and sweating profusely in the departure lounge of Heathrow. It's safe to say this was the only time I was completely on my own as after making friends with some other keen beans wearing their CA tees I was surrounded by people/children/animals the entire 12 weeks I was away. Yup,say goodbye, you leave any time by yourself on that 7 hour plane journey to NYC.
Having arrived at Newark, bustled onto a bus and to a nicer-than-expected hotel, we were sent to our rooms which we were sharing with people from our camp. After meeting the two girls from my camp I chilled out, we laughed and wondered about what camp would be like. Thinking about it now we were so right and sooo wrong. A lovely Aussie called Paige also fell into our room at about midnight who was going to another camp and had been travelling for nearly 72 hours. Crazy. I hope she liked camp.
Anyway the next morning after a hideous wake up call of 5.30am and my first taste of French toast (cue new obsession), CA took us to our pick up point where we got on a bus again for a looooong 5 hour journey to camp. After stopping on the way for Pizza Hut buffet (paid for by the camp owners, I knew I'd like them) we arrived to very excited returners and some slightly terrified newbies. It's odd thinking back to how unfamiliar camp looked when we first arrived but now you can't remember not knowing it like the back of your hand!
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| chairs, chairs and more chairs. |
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| first night bonfire. |
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| can't complain about this really can you. |
Join me in my next post for more tales from camp!
Scarlett✌️
Thursday, May 30, 2013
14 DAYS- WAHOO
Thursday, May 30, 2013In 14 days time I shall be flying the figurative nest and moving to America for 3 months. Crikey! After applying through Camp America I h...
In 14 days time I shall be flying the figurative nest and moving to America for 3 months. Crikey!
After applying through Camp America I have been placed at Long Lake Camp for the Arts in New York. To say I'm excited is the understatement of the century. After spending last summer on the brink of insanity working at an insurance company, (don't ever do it to yourself), I swore that I would do everything I could to not have to spend another summer in a job I hated. So after a really simple application process with a few minor bumps in the road (who'd have thought snow could affect a job application...only in England could this happen!) and rejecting one placement after a mini freak out, I was finally placed in what seems like the most perfect place I could have asked for. I have been placed as a Unit Leader...who knows what that means but it sounds greaaaaat. I think it will involve making sure the kids are happy all the time and liaising with their rents to check they are happy with whats going on. Lots of smiles and happys. gooooood :)
My 'scary' visa appointment was as easy as pie and even though my appointment wasn't until 8.30, I was in early and out by 8.45! Nice and efficient those americans.
Been organising all my stuff and buying bits and bobs. Latest purchase was a High School Musical watch. not sure it was a essential item but its damn cool. I've also kitted my self out with some neon pink trainers and lots of those tiny mini toiletries that make you feel like a giant, the standard union jack flag to maintain my 'Britishness' and a variety of random items from amazon including a head torch and an alarm clock that changes colour depending on the temperature. If you can't have one at camp then when can you!
There has been lots of talk from other counsellors about ensuring to bring wellies and a raincoat. Most people would hate the fact they might get caught in the rain but if you know me you know that rain is one of my favourite things EVER and if I could wear wellies all day everyday I would. So in celebration of the potential thunderstorms I have purchased some shiny new wellies and a cracking yellow raincoat. WOOP.
As I've got two very slow weeks to go I am spacing out my things on my to-do-list in order to pull me out of my current daily routine of lying in bed watching old Sabrina episodes and eating spaghetti hoops. Mother said today 'Why don't you think about what you are going to do once you come back from America?'. What a joker.
Anyways if anyone is reading this, I shall be blogging and maybe vlogging from my American adventure so would love for you to follow this blog if you fancy! Please let me know if you are heading to camp would be amazing to speak to some other nutters who are willing to spend 10 weeks with kids 24/7!
Scarlett ✌
After applying through Camp America I have been placed at Long Lake Camp for the Arts in New York. To say I'm excited is the understatement of the century. After spending last summer on the brink of insanity working at an insurance company, (don't ever do it to yourself), I swore that I would do everything I could to not have to spend another summer in a job I hated. So after a really simple application process with a few minor bumps in the road (who'd have thought snow could affect a job application...only in England could this happen!) and rejecting one placement after a mini freak out, I was finally placed in what seems like the most perfect place I could have asked for. I have been placed as a Unit Leader...who knows what that means but it sounds greaaaaat. I think it will involve making sure the kids are happy all the time and liaising with their rents to check they are happy with whats going on. Lots of smiles and happys. gooooood :)
My 'scary' visa appointment was as easy as pie and even though my appointment wasn't until 8.30, I was in early and out by 8.45! Nice and efficient those americans.
Been organising all my stuff and buying bits and bobs. Latest purchase was a High School Musical watch. not sure it was a essential item but its damn cool. I've also kitted my self out with some neon pink trainers and lots of those tiny mini toiletries that make you feel like a giant, the standard union jack flag to maintain my 'Britishness' and a variety of random items from amazon including a head torch and an alarm clock that changes colour depending on the temperature. If you can't have one at camp then when can you!
There has been lots of talk from other counsellors about ensuring to bring wellies and a raincoat. Most people would hate the fact they might get caught in the rain but if you know me you know that rain is one of my favourite things EVER and if I could wear wellies all day everyday I would. So in celebration of the potential thunderstorms I have purchased some shiny new wellies and a cracking yellow raincoat. WOOP.
As I've got two very slow weeks to go I am spacing out my things on my to-do-list in order to pull me out of my current daily routine of lying in bed watching old Sabrina episodes and eating spaghetti hoops. Mother said today 'Why don't you think about what you are going to do once you come back from America?'. What a joker.
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| Hello Long Lake! |
Anyways if anyone is reading this, I shall be blogging and maybe vlogging from my American adventure so would love for you to follow this blog if you fancy! Please let me know if you are heading to camp would be amazing to speak to some other nutters who are willing to spend 10 weeks with kids 24/7!
Scarlett ✌
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
25 Things About Me
Wednesday, May 15, 2013Dad's a photographer. Can you tell? Hello there...ooo well this is new this blogging malarky but here we are lets get over the ini...
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| Dad's a photographer. Can you tell? |
Hello there...ooo well this is new this blogging malarky but here we are lets get over the initial cringe and get on with it shall we?
As a newly unemployed graduate with not a lot to do I thought I'd start a blog to have something to fill the times where I should be doing something else. Am off on some fun travels soon and apparently keeping a blog is the thing to do. No-one will read this but hey I'll just pretend they do as we all like to think we are a little bit interesting!
Thought I'd kick things off by trying the 25 Things About Me post. I'm not sure I have 25 different words in my vocabulary so this should be tricky but lets have a go.
1. My name is Scarlett. I am 22 (just). and I like scotch eggs.
2. My best friend is my dog.
3. My favourite thing is waking up in the middle of the night and having a drink by your bed that is for some reason always the perfect temperature.
4. I like anything American. mostly their boys and their Reese's peanut butter cups. and I'm going there in a month for 12 whole weeks.
5. My room is like a shrine to anything made for the under 15's. Think one direction, high school musical and penguins. This sounds completely creepy but I promise you its not.
6. Three words I'd use to describe myself would be embarrassing, excitable and noisy. woah there.
7. My favourite day of the week is Saturday.
8. Glee is my life, my soul and my ultimate love. If Ryan Murphy wasn't 47 or gay, I would marry him.
9. I live with 4 of my best friends. and one other randomer who we try and get rid of daily but to no avail.
10. Cauliflower is the spawn of the devil.
11. I have a scar on my forehead after cracking my head open during a game of 'lets run and climb through everything we can in the airport' whilst enduring a 12 hour delay on the way to Spain. I got to go on one of those beepy carts and got blood in my eye. Bruiser.
12. I once went running up saying 'Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii!' to someone I didn't know, thinking I knew them .Got out of the situation by saying ' oh don't you know me? well, its your loss'. WHAT.
13. Even though I'm 22, every time I buy alcohol I get the giggles and feel illegal.
14. I am obsessed with YouTube.
15. I am allergic to Pineapple.
16. My best friends parents were visiting my parents and I when she was born. I was literally there when she poked her little head out to the world. BM4LYF.
17. My other best friend is about to have a baby and I CAN'T WAIT.
18. I sing all the time to the point where I actually irritate myself.
20. I LOVED SCHOOL. and I work there now like a massive loser but its the best job ever.
21. When I was younger there was this girl who I was absolutely terrified of, because she was so god damn friendly and smiley and in all honesty, I would avoid at all costs. She is now my best friend. (and still so god damn friendly, its the best).
22. I am a recently graduated student of Film, Radio and Television and Marketing (the ultimate 'mickey mouse' degree).
23.....if you've got this far I'm very impressed and we should be friends.
24. I award myself the ultimate procrastinator of the year award every year in procrastination from my last coursework deadlines. (I made a trophy and everything).
25. This blog is word vomit on a page...Enjoy!
Got to dash the dogs just been sick. Delightful.
