Tales From the Turntable: Asia Initiation

Partying at Mickey's Retreat

August 22, 2001 was my first day in Anandapur. Where? Anandapur. That is the village we all spent our days in back in the Asia section of Disney's Animal Kingdom. When I started my time there most of the cast members were "internationals". We have a lot of lingo at Disney. I was technically a CP (College Program) at the time. The Internationals weren't allowed to work just anywhere in Walt Disney World. The Germans worked at Epcot in Germany, the French in France, etc... So all of the cast members from India, Indonesia, Nepal and Thailand had only one place to work... Asia. As that certain internship program was starting to change, nearly phasing out all of those cast members, some of us boring old Americans were going to be phased in. I was the first one to arrive and it was ... I don't even know how to describe it!

I was obviously nervous since it was my first day of work, but then to top it off I was clearly the odd ball. That didn't even phase me. I was quite excited! The hard part was going to be learning and remembering names. Let me give you an example of some of them:

Eet             Vikram      Cherry     Gede

Pim            Susil          Mimi       Danis

Oh             Dipesh       Anju       Putu

Chui          Wirda         Eka         Roy (that was the easy one!)

Girl            Dikki         Danita     Anjali

Moniq        Beam         Puneet    Mengkha

Yeah, so I'm learning how to open and close a ride, how to perform evacuations, each position at Kali, the history of the park, the story lines of each area, facts about our Gibbons (NOT Monkeys!!)... and then I'm trying to find my way in this land with names that are NOT at all normal to me yet. By the end, and today, these are just normal and flow off my tongue. But at first it was quite overwhelming.

After training was over I was on my own. This lone pale blond girl in a sea of strangers. My breaks in the break room were really lonely at first. I didn't hear any English. We had so many languages going on, but I didn't understand any of them. So then you sit there and think, "Are they talking about me? Do they all hate me?" I never said anything to anyone about how uncomfortable it was to always just sit alone and not able to socialize, but I heard that a manager did have a polite chat with the cast and ask them to start speaking English in the break room.

After that things really started to change and I actually started to make friends! It took longer with some, but I feel like by the end of everyone's time I had a great relationship with each person I worked with. One night in particular really seemed like the turning point, and it was then that I became part of the Asia family.

On September 7, 2001 we had an Area 3 party at Mickey's Retreat at Little Lake Bryan. This is a place near Vista Way for Cast Members. I only ever went to two functions there, this being the first. I can't remember exactly what makes up Area 3, but I feel like maybe it was just Asia and Africa. And in the scheme of the park, this was a rivalry. Africa always thought they were so much better because they had the Safari, but later in Asia we knew we were soon going to be the hot spot once Expedition Everest was open. In the ultimate form of rivalry and who is better than whom competition we had ... oh my goodness... Tug of War.

Ani, Bob, Wirda and Ria at Bennigans

Just picture this. Cast Members from Africa versus Cast Members from Asia --  and one wimpy Oregonian that was not exactly made of muscles, okay?!? There we were, barefoot in the sand by the lake. The sun was down, hence the poor quality of the photos seen here. We lined up holding the rope and it was on. We tried so dang hard... and we instantly had our asses handed to us. No contest. Do we had a rematch. Did it last any longer? Maybe only seconds. But dang it we tried!

After the cast member party a large group went to Bennigans just across the way right by Vista Way. I was scared to go to the Little Lake Bryan thing, but I survived, so I figured I had to go to this. And I'm so glad I did. Shenanigans galore! Drinking contests. Arm wrestling. It was so unexpected and such a blast! I think this was the night I was officially welcomed to the club! And really, when you are drinking at the bar with one of your managers, well if that isn't a way to feel initiated then I don't know what is!

From there everything felt different. I was part of a team of really awesome people. I started learning the Indonesian language down on the turntable when it was cold and guests were avoiding us. I have beautiful fabric from Thailand just waiting for the right thing to be used for. I made lasting friendships and learned about places that I never expected to even meet someone from. Heck, I was even proposed to by one, but we can save that for another day.

Eet and I at Halloween Horror Nights

However, before we go I have to address the two girls that made my transition to Florida life easier. Eet, from Thailand, is a total spitfire. We hit it off instantly. She is this tiny little thing, but she has no problem speaking up! I learned a lot from her, and spent a lot of my free time hanging out with her. I was so sad when I had to take her to the airport at the end of her program so she could return to Thailand. And she made me a Build-A-Bear that I still have to this day and sometimes let my little girl play with!

And then there's the one that ended up being my roommate after her program... Moniq from Indonesia! Oh man, what didn't we do together? At the end of the night she and I were often the two Cast Members closing the park, so that's how we started our friendship. This girl knows how to live life! It feels like we were constantly together. Shopping, bars, dance lessons... you name it, we probably did it!

Gosh, just writing this has brought back so many memories of those early days. I was sure some of the cast hated me, but here we are, still Facebook friends to this day. Some scared me, and then I ended up so sad when their final days came. I would even come in on my day off just to say goodbye before my friends would have to head back to their real Asia. It was quite a unique experience and one I hope I will never forget!

Moniq and I closing the park!

º0º See ya real soon!