Animal Stops and Classes

I had my first animal stop yesterday.  And by "my" first animal stop I mean I've stopped for animals numerous times, but my truck hadn't been stopped directly by an animal until yesterday.

The first one was while I was being show op'd.  So I had to show my evaluator just how I know how to call it in.  I did it all right, even the stopping ten feet away thing, which I hate. I prefer to stop more like thirty feet away.  But I called in when the rhino was in front of my truck and the warden asked me, "How far away are you?"  So I was honest, "About twenty feet..."  "Okay make sure you're just ten feet away, don't worry, he's not gonna do anything.  Then call me back when you're ten feet away."  "Oooookay."

So I pulled up closer to the rhino and as I did so my guests started freaking out.  "Is it okay to be this close?"  "What if he attacks the truck?"  "Will he attack?"

No worries though.  I was able remain calm.  Unlike the other time I came around a corner and there was a white rhino in the road and my spiel went something like this:

"And coming around this corner here, take a good look up there at those rocks.  That seems to be a kopjeohmygosh!" (coupled with me slamming the brakes... from like 4 MPH, so it wasn't really too dramatic)

Yeah... I got laughed at that time.

Anyway, we only made the entire ride shut down for less than five minutes with my animal stop.  Which is good because sometimes the animal stops have lasted upwards of fifteen minutes.  And that's not much fun when you're on a truck in an animal safe zone (no animals within sight, even) with crying children who wanted to see crocodiles.

But all has been well so far.  Every animal stop I've ever had, I've always had wonderful, happy, excited, patient guests.  I love my job!

In other news, I started my first class today.  Organizational Leadership.  And I'm super excited.  The teacher is great.  He's an old man teacher which, in my past experience, means he's either really really good, or really really bad.  This one is really really good.  But then I always think that about teachers after the first day of class... so we'll see how this goes. :)  There will only be like four assignments in the whole class, a project, two papers, and a final group presentation.

I have to say it's very, very different than any class I've ever taken before, since it's through Disney and I went to college in Mormonville.  The rules are stricter than any class I've ever been to before, too, though.  For example, you miss two classes no prob.  You miss three, you automatically fail and they notify your work location.  Every class is business attire and you have to wear a nametag.  And there's pictures of Mickey and the parks all over the walls of the classroom.  That has nothing to do with being strict... just something random.

There are also two big screen TVs on either side of the classroom that play the news before class and during breaks.  During class he uses those as his powerpoint.  So funny.

Anyway, I think it'll be fun.  I can't wait to start the Disney Heritage class.  I love my job!