Number 18

18. Be promoted in the Four Seasons

After a few months working in Four Seasons, I knew for sure I was in the right place to start a career. I always had my 'plan' from my first day of classes at university, when I knew for sure I wanted to work in Hospitality. However, plans go astray, life situations change, but you have to find your own way SOMEHOW!

Last month I found out about a Manager in Training program which I felt could be the best way for me to grow in this industry.
Three days ago, I was interviewed and told I got the position! As long as I don't burn down the hotel in the meantime, I am more or less guaranteed a management position in the Four Seasons. To me...that seems pretty good!

Have a great week!!!

Countdown to Christmas

• Christmas tree (real one!) bought and put up - check
• House decorated - check
• Presents bought - check
• Visitors on the way (including Santa) - check
• Days requested off work - check
• Flights to Tenerife booked - check
• Freezing cold outside, snow on the way - check
• Lots of time infront of the fire - check 
• Lots of dinners and get togethers planned - check
• Impossible to walk in town without getting belted by someone elses shopping bag - check
• Christmas cards and presents arriving in the mail - check

All of this equals an excited Joanne! 

Everything in the city is decorated... the Christmas Starbucks cups are out again, Christmas lights are on from 16.30 when it is already dark. It's impossible to leave the house without 3 layers of clothes on and a hat and even then you feel the cold... everyone around is in good Christmas spirits and of course, Christmas music playing in every shop and radio station...

Let's remember we go together

 And so the decorating finally began...

Every Christmas we open the lights to find most of them are NOT working! This year was no different and we had a mad panic to get new sets so we could finally decorate the bare tree!

Some of the working lights(!) plus a small part of the presents!!

We've had these lights since I was a baby and every year I worry they won't work anymore, but once again, they light up! Definitely my favorites!

 I am now ALMOST organized and looking forward to a special visitor tomorrow for a few days...welcome to Dublin, Lydiuch!!! :)

Have a good night and happy Christmas countdown!

Feliz Cumple Belu!!!

Querida Belu,

FELIZ CUMPLE!!!

Ya sabes que te deseo todo el mejor, ahora, y para toda la vida. No puedo esperar el proximo diciembre para celebrar tu cumple y TU MATRIMONIO en Argentina.

Gracias por tu amistad y por ser una amiga muy especial en mi vida. Soy muy feliz de tener una amiga como vos.

Feliz cumple, que pases un lindo dia junto a tu familia y Marce.

Te quiero mucho!!!

Ice skating

Last week I went ice skating with Jacqueline. Both surprised neither of us ended up on our butts. Swan Lake, here we come.

Not much to say but just a few pictures...

It is officially the first day of winter today, and the holidays are drawing nearer. Let the Christmas shopping commence.

A good weekend to all. 

10 Things I'm Thankful for and 10 Things I'm Hopeful for...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my American friends and family!

This is my first year in six that I have been out of the US for this celebration. I remember this time last year, panicking about how we were going to fit everyone into Sale e Pepe for the Thanksgiving Brunch.. but having a lot of fun in the process.. how much I miss those times, the celebrations afterwards,  previous years at university with all the girls, dinners, travels, creating memories. Now, here in Ireland, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, and even though it hasn't been the easiest year, I feel I should give thanks to some people and for some things that have happened to me since Nov 2010...

In no particular order and without getting too mushy...

THANK YOU X 10 :

1. To my sister, Jacqueline, for being the BEST sister a girl could ask for. She is my confident, best friend, and just the most amazing little sister.
2. To the Four Seasons, for welcoming me into an awesome company
3. To my parents, for their love and attempted understanding
4. To my best friends, in particular * , Maggie, Asia, Belu, Lydia, Lorena, Gloriana, Ali, Taoufik and Zied. These people are no ordinary friends; they have become family to me over the years of knowing them. My relationship with each of them is different, and has evolved over the times we spent together, but I have 100% trust in all of them, and love them, and hope they will always feel the same about me
5. To God for my health and the health of most the people in my life
6. To the people around me who have given me the inspiration to better my life in any way possible
7. That I was able to do some traveling (although not enough!)
8. That I visited Disney World a few times (seriously, it's my favorite place!!!!)
9. That I saw my Dutch family after 2 years (And will again in a few weeks:) and reuinted with 2 great friends, Grace and Sofie in London, after so many years apart
10. For the feeling of being 100% and totally in love. (and everything that goes with that)

I read a quote the other day .... all emotions are good. I think that makes sense. If you didn't care about something or someone, you have no emotion... it doesn't matter. When you feel, you know it matters.

Hopes X 10

1. To travel to as many places as possible to visit friends and family, and to experience new places&cultures
2. To accompolish as much as possible from my 100 Things I want to do list... http://labellavidaaa.blogspot.com/2011/08/100-things.html
3.Good health for EVERYONE in my life
4. To move forward in the Four Seasons
5. To  purchase a property
6. ...
7. To be physically and mentally fit
8. To celebrate my best friends wedding (a little after next Thanksgiving, but it's ok..!)
9. To see all of my best friends as much as possible (normally this would be easy, but mine are in every different corner of the world!)
10. ...

There are many many more things I could write in this section, but most of it is covered in my 100 Things list.

What are you thankful and hopeful for??

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Enjoy your day!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Yep... Fall is over and winter has begun.. and we know what that means...Christmas isn't far away! It's still surprisingly NOT cold. Everyone has warned me of the snow from last year, and the havoc it played, but I'm still waiting for it to get even remotely snowy. I'm secretly excited for that weather to come so I can finally wear hats and scarves again, and wear my overly priced new boots!

Cold nights

Last week I realized (once more) that I am not a baker. A few days ago I decided to give it another try and baked a rainbow cake. The idea was great, the pics I saw online looked really awesome. Unfortunately mine looked like a reject from the rainbow cake factory...

Mixing all the colors was awesome!!! I felt like I was taking part in that scene from Hook with the lostboys in Neverland! ...." All my favorite neverfoods........."

Yes...those are chopsticks in my cake. I needed something to balance it!

Michael Buble was in Dublin a few days ago and switched on the Christmas lights on Grafton St. (My favorite street in Dublin city) The Brown Thomas Christmas windows were also unveiled and they were so nice!! I can't wait for my December visitors to get here so I can take them here...

Happy Christmas!

How nice!!

The streets of Dublin...

I FINALLY found a place in Dublin that makes Gelato. This makes me very happy. And the good thing about eating ice-cream in Ireland, it doesn't start melting on you 2 minutes after you buy it. I was able to stroll around Grafton St. ice-cream in hand, for a good 20 mins before I finally finished it. 

YUM..

All the shops have started to decorate too for Christmas. So exciting.  I love this time of year!! I already want to start Christmas shopping but I think it's a bit early to start hiding all the presents in my room. At least I will wait until we get our tree!

Brown Thomas

Every year the windows in Brown Thomas are decorated differently. I haven't been here at Christmas time for so long that I haven't seen them, or really appreciated them before...I wonder how much time goes into these before they are unveiled to the streets of Dublin. I can't speak for the last 8 years, but this year, they were so pretty...

This is my favorite

Anyone want to go Christmas shopping for me in Louis Vuitton??

I actually cannot wait for December to start. One of my best friends and her sister are coming to visit in the middle of December. Lydia, I can't wait!! Then of course it's Christmas week (and a trip to Tenerife), and then on arrival home, I will be greeted by my lovely Dutch family for a few more days of visits. What a nice month!!
I'm off to work.... ! Goodnight!