The application process is 'just around the riverbend...'

My love for Disney started at a young age; like many other children I was bundled with videos and cuddly toys, the majority of them being Disney. For my 8th birthday I received an 'Ask me for Eeyore', and ever since I crazed for the over-priced Disney stuffed toys. I almost cried with happiness when my boyfriend won me a Dumbo stuffed toy from a claw machine in the amusements on a day out.

However, my dream for Disney begun not so long ago. I would say up until my visit to Florida in 2007, I was quite a negative person. Of course I could have dreamt of working with Disney from a very young age, but I didn't think it was possible, and there for didn't let myself. That holiday meant the world to me, after years of watching the adverts on television where the kids go "I'm too excited!", I was finally able to do so myself. Not long after my holiday was I due to finish school, where I was obviously looking for a career path of some sort. Travel had always interested me, but I didn't think I was the ideal person for it, so decided on a popular choice and an equally not-so-easy idea of doing something within the Psychology or Pathology industry and there for stayed on at Sixth Form. I knew there was a Disney ICP that I could apply for after my A-levels and university, yet to find out life wasn't that easy.

2009 wasn't easy for me; my dog passed away, I had trouble fitting in and I disliked Sixth Form alot. I attempted to get my self thrown out of Sixth Form so I wouldn't have to go back. Failing at that, I sat my exams and kept the pattern going and soon failed all but one of my exams. Disapointed with myself and even more at the fact that I'd made my parents un-happy, I thought I'd give it another shot. Sixth form was better second time round, I started over and our group of friends became incredibly close; it was a huge laugh. That's when I realised Sixth form was the right choice for me for a laugh, but as to point a direction in life for me, no. It took until March 2010 when I'd finally had enough and rang my mum up in tears saying I couldn't do it anymore, and a couple of weeks later I'd signed on the dotted line saying I no longer wished to participate at Sixth Form anymore.

I felt lost, I had no sense of direction for my life and nothing to do. I was un-employed, and soon after I'd fallen out with the majority of my friends from Sixth Form. Nothing a Disney film couldn't sort out though, and that's what suddenly gave me the get-up-and-go to do something with my life.

From there on everything's a bit of a blur, as everything's happened so quickly. Within 2 months I've grown as a person in everyway possibly! (And spent way too much time on the internet researching the DCRP that my eyes ache!) I worked for a family business, enrolled myself in college, applied for jobs and got a job in waitressing. Disney CRP applicants will see the joy in this; Food and Beverage! I feel that this is my destiny, the way everything has come about, and I'm hoping that to become a Disney Cultural Representative is my destiny, too.

I've never felt so anxious about applying for something, despite my new-grown confidence. The 25th of June couldn't come round any quicker. I'd like to wish everyone applying in June the best of luck, and whatever the result of the application, I'll be greatful for getting to know people through forums who share the same amount of passion for Disney as I do.