Get to Know Me!

Hello, bonjour, and bienvenidos! I know that you're all dying to know who I am, as you should, so allow me to introduce myself! My name is AnnaMarie and I'm 24 years old from Grand Rapids, Michigan. If you're here, chances are you know that I like to travel.

My love for travel started when I was 13 and my brother and I took our first trip to Peru (thanks mom!). That was my first experience of a culture outside of my own and I realized that there is so much more to life than the city I had never left before. I've always been one to push myself to do the biggest and the greatest, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I was 20. After 4 rejected applications, I was FINALLY accepted into the Disney College Program. If you've never heard of the DCP before, it's an 'internship' with the Walt Disney Company. You can use it for college credit if you would like, and your school allows, but I decided to take time off school to work instead. I had accidentally graduated early with my Associates in General Studies so this was a sort of stepping stone into the real world.

I did the college program twice. The first time, I worked as a Gate Agent at Star Tours in Hollywood Studios, and it was the most amazing job I have ever had. I was surrounded by people who loved Star Wars as much as I do and made so many lifelong friends. Unfortunately, my internship started in January of 2020, and we all now how things went from there. I was devastated to lose my job, but it gave me time to think about the future, to really think. I had no job, I wasn't in school, and generally wasn't allowed to leave my house for much longer than the initial two weeks we all thought. I had always loved acting as a kid, but you always hear how there is no money in the arts and if you don't have a STEM job then you must be making the wrong decision. Well, I had nothing to lose. I was cast in my first short film in August of 2020 and I knew that being on a film set was something I wanted to do. From there, I did a few commercials and joined an agency in Kalamazoo, Mi. I did a commercial shoot with Biggby Coffee and was cast as an extra in an upcoming Netflix Film 'A Family Affair' starring Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman.

I was offered my job back at Disney World and I was ecstatic. I received an email saying that I would be working attractions in Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios and I was so excited to be a toy. The excitement didn't last long; I got a call saying they made a mistake and CP's wouldn't be placed in Hollywood Studios at this time and instead I would be in attractions at Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom (my least favourite land in my least favourite park). I was determined to make the most of it despite not being thrilled with my placement. I hadn't even finished my training before receiving an offer to Lifeguard in the Sassagoula Region (my dream job in my favourite region). While a part of this program, I completed my Associate's in French and was well on my way to finishing my Bachelor's in Spanish Interpretation and Translation. During this program, I had spontaneously booked a trip to Greece after trying the delicious food at the Greek booth during the Food and Wine festival at Epcot.

I booked this trip with EF tours, so even though I was traveling on my own, I would have a tour guide and would be with about 20 other 'solo' travelers. I gave them my money, and they booked all the accommodations, the transportation, and the excursions that I was interested in. I had so much fun on this trip and would recommend EF tours to anyone that hasn't travelled big before. This was my first time going somewhere alone and to have a detailed itinerary and contact information was a big relief to my mom.

Fast forward to one year after Greece and I'm feeling a twinge of sadness as it's been so long since I've been anywhere. With a simple Google search, I found myself accepted into a work exchange program in Oxford, England, which is where I am writing this from. My host room in an amazing city waiting to hear back from auditions I've submitted while here. It's been a whirlwind of a month, but I'm so glad you're here. Thanks for reading and safe travels.