One Week More

            So, just as I suspected, last night at the desk was really slow and easy. Just like the night before, it was me, Sofi, Felix, and Jen working, and by the time we got there, we only had about 85 check-ins to take care of for the day. We didn’t have any tour groups (that would’ve made it way too easy!), and housekeeping had enough rooms ready before four that we could check most people in as soon as they arrived. We were also offering a walk-in rate to fill as many rooms as possible, and we raised our percent capacity quite a bit due to walk-ins.

            At around eight o’clock, Jen went up to the Pioneer Grill and got us all desserts. The desk was incredibly slow, so I spent some time in the back office chatting with Jen and enjoying the chocolate milkshake she got me. Zach, one of the bellmen, also told me yesterday that I’d won that week’s “fridge contest”. Most of the guest rooms don’t come with mini fridges (only the view rooms have them), but we can rent them out to guests for a twenty-dollar fee. The bellmen are the ones who deliver and collect those fridges, so the money from that goes to them. Needless to say, due to that, they try to get us to sell as many fridges as possible. So, a few weeks ago they started a contest among the front desk agents. The one who sells the most fridges that week will get twenty dollars in cash from them. This past week, I guess that person was me. I sat with Brian, the bell captain, at lunch just now, and he said to remind him when I came into work this afternoon and he’d give me the money.

            This evening I’ll be working with Jen, Maggie, and David at the desk. I don’t remember how many check-ins we’re expecting, but I’m sure it’ll be pretty low again. I was also sitting with Nate and Alyson at lunch today, and Nate said that we have a Backroads group expected in this evening, which will make it even easier. I really like Backroads groups- they’re much easier to check in, and the people in the group are just really pleasant to work with (unlike Tauck). Backroads also makes it easier on the activities desk, since they have all of their activities already planned out when they arrive (also unlike Tauck).  After my shift today, I have the next two days off. I have a feeling it’ll be a weekend of laundry, shipping some stuff home, and starting to pack, but hopefully I’ll have time for some fun as well.

            Well, a week from today, I’ll be off the plane, back in the crazy heat of San Antonio. It’s starting to really sink in that so soon, I’ll be leaving this beautiful place and these people. Today at lunch I mentioned that I’m not working any more shifts with Nate. I only have five total more shifts at the desk, one of which I’ll be working with Cristina, two more with Jen, two more with Emily, and no more with Rob. I’m ready to sleep in my own bed again, but it’ll be weird not waking up to the smell of Cristina’s shampoo as she comes back into the room from taking a shower. It’ll be weird never hearing Jesse or Tanner walk past our open window, going to or from work. It’ll be weird never hearing Elliot’s music playing as I walk past his door, or saying hi to him when we see each other in the hallway. I got so used to dorm life really quickly, that returning home will probably also take some getting used to. I’ll really miss living right around these people that I’ve become so close to. We pretty much knew from the beginning that we wouldn’t be together for too long, but within a couple of weeks we all felt like family. I’m excited to go home and see everybody that’s waiting back there, but at the same time, saying goodbye to these people won’t be fun.