Although I thought I was going to be in Seattle, WA, God opened an opportunity up for me to work at the hotel amidst my difficulty finding a job back at home. Making the decision to move across the country was probably the toughest decision that I have ever had to make...taking the risk of not knowing where I would be living, working in one of the toughest environments, and having to depend on myself solely to support myself financially. Since coming to the city, I've been really scared thinking about where I'm going to live in the next couple weeks, because housing is extremely expensive anywhere in or near NYC...especially having to live from paycheck to paycheck. It's been nerve racking thinking about how I will pay for bills and support myself making the little amount that I'm making, but I know that God provides and am learning to turn to him for support.
The decision to move across the country to work was one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, decision that I have had to make...weighing the pros and cons of going to NYC and praying about my decision. Although it was really tough trying to get my parents and family to understand why I wanted to take the job, I felt that God really gave me a sense of peace after asking him to help me make the decision about where I should go. I'm still not sure if the city here is where God wants me, but I know that he can take away anything in the blink of an eye, and he allows everything to happen for a reason, so I'm just waiting to see how he works.
A taste of what I learned during orientation today...
The Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue and Central Park South
Usually the Canadian flag is up in place of the British flag, but the flag changes based on the country of important guests who are staying in the hotel. So if a Chinese dignitary were to visit the hotel, the flag would change to the Chinese flag, for example.
The hotel just underwent a $400 million restoration being renovated by the El-Ad Group, the owner of the building, and the hotel is currently managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. The Plaza is the only New York City hotel to be designated as a National Historic Landmark.
The hotel features 282 distinctive guestrooms (130 hotel rooms and 152 private condo suites), although many of the rooms are subletted as condos for half of the year and returned back to inventory to be sold as hotel rooms. A standard guest room remodeled with a Louis the Fifteenth theme currently sells at an average rate of $965, although by December 2008, the rate is expected to skyrocket to $2,000 per night.
The hotel has gone through several ownership changes including Conrad Hilton and Donald Trump. The Plaza has provided locations for scenes in movies, such as Home Alone 2 and has served as the setting for many famous novels including The Great Gatsby and the children's book Eloise at The Plaza.
Numerous celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker and Bill Cosby have been frequent guests at the hotel, and several weddings including those of Donald Trump and Catherine Zeta Jones have taken place at the hotel.
Many notable individuals, such as Marilyn Monroe and Truman Copote, and nearly every U.S. president throughout history have stayed at the hotel. The Beatles stayed at The Plaza during their first visit to the United States, and John F. Kennedy delivered several campaigns speeches outside the hotel's main entrance.
All of the fixtures and sinks in the bathroom are made of real 24K gold--the only hotel to have this distinction in the world.
Many royal dignitaries from overseas have stayed at The Plaza including the queen of Saudi Arabia a couple days ago, who had the entire department store of Saks Fifth Avenue closed, so she could shop there privately. The butlers stayed behind to unpack her several suitcases of clothing and accessories, which included nearly 650 pairs of sunglasses.
The hotel rooms boast the largest in square footage of any hotel room in NYC. A residence/condo recently sold for $50 million, a record in New York real estate history.
The rooms feature all new flatscreen television sets including a AMX remote control device that can be removed from the wall and allows you to control the temperature and all the technology in the room, including the television set. The AMX system also allows you to access any of the butlers stationed on each floor 24-hours a day, and turndown and room makeup services are always available. Butlers will even personally pack and unpack your clothes for you.
More updates on the facilities and other construction later!
Good times. Looking through pictures of CBS since freshmen year, I came across a lot of really great memories. Here's only a couple (the main ones that I have pictures from).
One of our last nights together freshmen year...chilling in Brian's townhouse after large group (since there was no ACE) on Friday night.
Soul Caliber and ordering Chinese food take-out before falling asleep in Brian's townhouse!
Keeping one another entertained in Casc when we got bored... throwing cards at each other and catching food in the air!
I miss these times that we shared...times that we could only experience as college students, times that we became vulnerable to one another and got to see the true (and not surprisingly weird) sides of one another, times that we built each other up and kept one another sane during times of stress, times that we got to meet and know some of the most encouraging people who we probably wouldn't have imagined becoming some of our closest friends both personally and spiritually throughout the rest of college, times that we will always look back upon and cherish forever, times that for me really define some of the best moments of my life.
I miss you all so much (and wish we were still freshmen)! :(
Wow...I can't believe college is over. It's so hard for me to let go and to say goodbye to the ones that I've grown to love, to care for, to laugh with, to cry with, and to challenge spiritually over the past four years. I don't want to leave you all, and doing so is one of the hardest things if not the hardest thing that I've had to do in my life.
In less than 10 hours, I'll be leaving on a plane for Seattle. I'm not sure what God has in store for me on the opposite side of the country, but I hope that going back is only temporary, just like this life that we live on earth is temporary.
Whatever He has in store for me, I hope that my four years in Ithaca has helped me to develop the personal and spiritual foundation to battle with challenges that I face.
Congratuations, Class of 2008. I'm so proud of and love all of you!
Grew up in a small town And when the rain would fall down I'd just stare out my window Dreamin' of what could be And if I'd end up happy I would pray
Trying hard to reach out But when I tried to speak out Felt like no one could hear me Wanted to belong here But something felt so wrong here So I prayed I could breakaway
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change And breakaway Out of the darkness and into the sun But I won't forget all the ones that I love I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change And breakaway
Wanna feel the warm breeze Sleep under a palm tree Feel the rush of the ocean Get on board a fast train Travel on a jetplane, far away And breakaway
Buildings with a hundred floors Swinging round revolving doors Maybe I don't know where they'll take me But, gotta keep moving on, moving on Fly away, breakaway
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye, gotta Take a risk, take a chance, make a change And breakaway Out of the darkness and into the sun But I won't forget the place I come from I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change And breakaway
You found a place where you belong New friends that can do no wrong That's what you believe But who is going to be there when you fall To build up when you are feeling small Give you love that you need Who will, I will When the whole world turns against you, Ain't no lie
[Chorus] Don't you know that I will stand up for you No matter what you are going through I'm still on your side Any time day or night Don't care if it's wrong or right I'm still on your side
You want to run you want to break free What you want ain't what you need Can't you see that I care I know I'm hard on you sometimes But when you are looking for the things you can't find Don't you know who'll be there Who will, I will When it's more than you can handle Ain't no lie
[Chorus]
I'll be there, I'll be there, I'll be there I'll be there when you need me I won't let you go There's nothing I won't do I'll be there
[Chorus]
I will be around when the others let you down I'm still on your side Anytime you need help and you can't find nobody else I'm still on your side
******
Felly Dinner was awesome tonight. The freshmen have really been a genuine example to me of how much you can encourage people and show the love of Christ without requiring any special experience, skills, or abilities. All you have to have is a simple heart to serve Him.
