In case I haven't told you...because I haven't told you...my newest life adventure has taken me to Tokyo, Japan for the next year. I am starring in the opening cast of a show called King Triton's Concert at Tokyo Disney Sea. The list of "firsts" for this experience could go on and on; I am living in Asia, learning to be an aerialist, moving from the ensemble to a leading role, lip-syncing an entire show in Japanese, living in my own apartment, making a healthy salary....
This job. Well, it is hard on your body, hard on your mind, hard on your personal life. BUT, the hardest things in life often end up being the most rewarding or the most growing. There are so many times that I have already felt the need to pinch myself and make sure that I am taking in all of the amazing experiences that are "my job." The first of these came in my first break through while harnessed and suspended in our aerial strength training. Since then, the breakthroughs have continued to come...two steps, forward, one step back...just keep swimming.
Another "cloud nine moment" came during the costume fitting. Seeing myself in the wig, makeup, fin, and seashells, with the lighting--I was Ariel. I never felt that way about Aurora.
The latest and greatest moment to take my breath away was flying with wind in my hair, over the 700 seat Mermaid Lagoon Theater on what is currently the wold's most complex rigging system. Flying--an unrealistic dream--is my reality.
A quick cone with Ivo after
a port morning Princess Gathering
This one's kinda like Funchal, Madeira -- an island that is technically part of Portugal. Mallorca is an island that is technically part of Spain. We visited this island twice, both times being on the only two 4-day cruises in the Mediterranean. All of our other cruises in the Mediterranean were a minimum of seven days. What a 4-day cruise means is, cast members have to pack as much entertainment into four days as the other cruises held in seven days. These short cruises also mean a much different cliental porting out of Barcelona than that to which we had grown accustomed. In short...4-day cruises were dreaded. I'll leave it at that.
Because of the little time we spent here, I don't really have much to tell about Palma. But if nothing else, it was beautiful!
Beautiful Emma and bustling Palma
This pastry shop is famous for a reason!
Dancing on the Ring of Kerry
Believe it or not, we've finally finished all of the Mediterranean ports from my contract with Magic 30 on Disney Cruise Line. After our summer in the "Med," as we called it, we had a break in our contract where the Magic underwent a massive makeover in a 5 week renovation known as a drydock. During this time, I met one of my best friends, Bria, in Ireland;
Exploring the Ring of Kerry with this Irish Beauty, Bria
my sister, Victoria, in Turkey for a few weeks;
What a happy reunion this was!
and my ship roommate, Carissa, and her Portuguese boyfriend, Rodolfo, in Portugal; then headed back to Cadiz, Spain to re-embark on the Magic for the remaining three months of my contract.
Cherishing the last sunset from land in Cadiz, Spain
Much to our surprise, the ship was still in the "has to get worse before it gets better" stage. Our floating home was unrecognizable inside. There were contractors everywhere and they were anything but gentlemen. Unfortunately, they were with us for the transatlantic back to Florida, and as a result, my fellow cast members and I tried to avoid the crew mess like the plague.
"Are you sure we should be re-embarking yet?"
Because there were no guests on board and most of our rehearsal/performance spaces were still undergoing renovation, there really wasn't anywhere to go but our postage stamp cabins. That is, unless you had a hardhat and loved being catcalled and whistled at. This was when I learned the true meaning of cabin fever.
Goodbye Europe! See ya real soon.
But in the end, the overall outcome was a beautiful updated interior of the Disney Magic. The ship definitely had its problems from cut corners, but hey, at least it looked nice, right?
Here's a little glimpse of my cabin in case you are curious what they are like. No one likes seeing themselves on camera, butI suppose I'll deal with it for your benefit.
The first of these came in my first break through while harnessed and suspended in our aerial strength training. Since then, the breakthroughs have continued to come...two steps, forward, one step back...just keep swimming. 
