Graduating from Disney University

Since I have been at Disney, like every human that faces the fairy of doubt once in awhile, I have questioned if my time has been worth it… I have had some days where I realize that my job does not exploit the best of my ability to think, create and achieve. There have been days (very few of them) where I have wanted to just self term and go back to Bombay, back to my family.

The day I graduated from Disney University I said okay Tanisha before you left for Disney you made one of your “why I should go to Disney lists”... now you have 2 months to finish and the time has come to make your “Why coming to Disney has been the best decision of my life” list.

I believe everything I have learnt is not something accountable, it is something enigmatic, something untouchable and indescribable. Not a skill I can add on to my CV, but something I would have never gained had not come here … let’s just call them Intangible assets.

This was my has been my opportunity to suppress, batter and exhaust the huge travel bug that lives inside of me. I often say travelling is my passion, I love to explore, I love food and I enjoy cultures. Disney gave me the opportunity to explore America. From Las Vegas to NYC and from Boston to Miami. My travels have been with some amazing people, packed with pictures, amazing stories full of adventure and of course a couple of pounds from my most recent cruise to the Bahamas. Here I am now a year older, a year wiser and with an additional pair of ears (umm… My Mickey ears?)

The Art of tolerance does top the list. The way Disney expects you to behave and treat guests tolerance is the key to survival. I have acquired the ability to be tolerant towards ignorant guests, people from other cultures, Disney rules and of course BRAZILIAN TOUR GROUPS! (Hah!).

Living with people from 14 different nationalities (5 of which I share a house with!) has helped me to understand and absorb other cultures, to understand people from all over the world. Italians, French, Mexicans, Norwegians, UK, Thai, Germans, Brazilians, Canadians and the list goes on.

Interacting with people from all these different cultures and countries has only helped me appreciate, protect and embrace my own culture. I am the first ‘Indian’ most people here have known. It feels kind of special. At work I know I represent my country, I get to tell people what India is really about, I get to correct their misconceptions and I truly feel like an ambassador sometimes  :P and I have never been so proud to be an Indian as much as I have since I have worked at Walt Disney World.

I always tell people that when you do this program you are in this enormous Disney bubble, we live it and THAT is exactly how Disney likes it. We know all the songs, we buy all the merchandise, we love the Mickey bars, we never need a map when we go to the parks, we enjoy the parades, we know how to skip the queues for all the rides, we enjoy magical moments, when someone is talking about a country we automatically assume it refers to that pavilion in Epcot. Amidst all the fireworks and the chants like “DREAMS COME TRUE” and all the fantasy I do realize that Disney has reinstalled my faith in dreams, dreams that I want to achieve. Every Disney story is a reminder that dreams really do come true but not without struggle and of course that evil prevails.

So with my Mickey graduation ears on my head (, wearing  an ‘I love Mickey’ T shirt, my 'Commons’ housing ID around my neck, a Mickey bar in one hand and a glass of wine in the other I would like to raise a toast…

A toast to the ‘J bus’ (or Jungle bus) I take every morning at 6.57 am, to my 5 roommates from 5 different countries (Germany, Mexico, Italy, France and Japan), to all my lasses and the amazing happy Mondays, to my Italian boys and their after parties at 1532, to my only other fellow Indian here, to the 1000 boxes of wine Xanath and me might have consumed, to Bob and my rocking Saturdays family, to my amazing managers, to the incapability of my Italian and Frencie to say the ‘H’ In hungry or happy, to memories that will last a lifetime, to the great friends I will keep forever…. and of course to the Mouse that started it all.

As I tell my Dad if nothing I will come back to India knowing an abundance of random facts about Disney and my country and a lot of swear words in multiple languages.

…. I do realize it is a lot more than just that J.

Have a magical day!