I'm Baaaaaaack

So I've been back in Baton Rouge for a week and man is it great to be back home with my family and friends. My last day of work was last Sunday and it was very sad to leave. I was excited to get back here to LSU but as the gate closed on me for the last time for about 9 months, I did feel a twinge of sadness. I definitely miss the whales and the people I work with.

The drive back to Baton Rouge that Monday was a tough one. My small Saturn was packed and the dogs were cramped together in the passenger seat. I caught a lot of traffic and rain but I knew the prize at the end of the road was well worth it!

A few days before I left, I got to go play with the other animals around the park and take pictures with them. Chuck, the guy who hired me and runs the Viva show, let me interact a lot with our Pacific White Sided dolphins and Beluga whales. That was really incredible. I also got to do a few roles in their show! The next day I headed over to Sea Lion, Walrus, and Otter stadium and got to hang with some of them.

As part of your last day you get to take cool pictures with the whales so I got to take mine with Keet. We also do Dining with Shamu and I got to do a couple of the talks for that which was a lot of fun.

So I realized that I matured a lot over this summer. It's kind of weird because I don't ever want to grow up and I didn't realize my maturing at all while I was there. I notice a difference now that I'm back though and I'm trying to get used to it. Haha. I noticed a few other things changed about me this summer too:

- I make my bed every morning now

- I eat Sonic like it's no one's business

- I am a Pepsi man now

- It was the first time I had ever felt homesick

- I clean impulsively now and can never look at anything shaped like a bucket again

- I pursued my dream, the one thing that truly makes me happy

- I lost 12 pounds, and no, not on purpose

- I find it weird to be in a pool that's not 50 degrees, salt water, and not be wearing a wetsuit

- I was robbed for the first time

- I got to witness and Beluga whale birth and take a small part in raising her

So good news!! Not only did I have an unforgettable summer, buuuuut, I get to do it ALL again because THEY ASKED ME BACK! Very, very amazing that I'll actually be working at SeaWorld for hopefully the rest of my life (as long as everything goes well). I just keep pinching myself, I can't believe it.

I re-read my blogs from this whole summer and it's funny to see how excited I was to leave and then immediately was so homesick. I kept saying how I still couldn't believe that I was actually working my dream job, and the thing is, I still can't believe it. It's just unbelievable, I'm sure I'll be pinching myself for many years to come.

So for those of you in San Antonio, I'll update you on what my life is like in Baton Rouge. Here I am a Senior Kinesiology major focusing on Sports Studies and minoring in Business. I am taking 16 hours this semester which is a pretty good load. I live in an apartment with 3 of my best friends Brent, Chris, and Cody and my two dogs Boomer and Sadie. I am the coach of University Lab Middle School and University High School swim teams. On the weekends we tailgate and go crazy for LSU Football (you just wouldn't understand it unless you're here).