‘I didn’t think I could ever really do it’
Membertou woman lands summer ‘dream job’ at Disney World
MEMBERTOU — It is said that Disney World is a place where dreams come true, and that slogan rings true for a Membertou woman heading there next month for a summer internship.
Kelly Paul, a student of hospitality and tourism management at Cape Breton University, said her application to the park’s Cultural Exchange Program was a last-minute decision.
“We need two job placements for the (CBU) program, and I knew I wanted to get off the island and see the world but that was a bit overwhelming, and I was just applying to random places and feeling discouraged,” she said.
“Then I remembered the Disney College Program — I always wanted to do that but I wasn’t in school, so I looked into it and just applied and got my interview two days later.”
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY
Disney’s summer internship programs require participants to be enrolled in an accredited college or university and is open to applicants from over a dozen countries.
Paul was in Halifax for a few days when she got her invitation for a virtual interview. It was a scramble to get the necessary paperwork sent off and then she thought she “bombed” the interview, but a few days later she received her offer for the 10-week Cultural Exchange Program internship in Orlando, Fla.
“It’s really exciting. We live in apartments on the property with roommates, so I just joined all the (online) groups and I’m making connections already, finding friends, so I’m just really pumped,” she said.
“I’ve been obsessed with Disney since I went there when I was 12 — I wanted to work there, I wanted to live there — but I didn’t think I could ever really do it,” said the 25-year-old, who even has a tattoo of Mickey Mouse.
“You need to work for it and you need to make things better for yourself and then things really do work out.” Kelly Paul
CHANGING DIRECTION
The founder and namesake
of the Walt Disney Company is quoted as saying, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them," — a philosophy Paul believes in wholeheartedly.
After high school, she struggled with anxiety and depression and “wasn’t making good decisions.” After a few tries at post-secondary education, she was working odd jobs and feeling directionless and knew she wanted to make some changes in her life.
“I wasn’t in a good place, and I just wanted to give up, but then my first nephew was born, and I just wanted to be better for him. I finally decided I was ready to go back to school and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” Paul said.
She was drawn to the bachelor in hospitality and tourism management program at CBU because of her passion for travelling. The internship in Orlando, in which she will be selling merchandise in one of the theme park’s many gift shops, will wrap up her first year of the three-year degree.
REPRESENTING MEMBERTOU
Paul is especially excited to represent her small community of Membertou.
“When I filled out my paperwork, there’s a spot where you put where you’re from so it’ll be on your nametag and I put Membertou and I’m just so excited to have that on there,” she said.
She is already making plans for her next Disney gig — the 12-month Cultural Representative program at Epcot’s international pavilions — but in the meantime, she wants to share her story to let other people who may be struggling that things do get better.
"Being a First Nations woman, and battling your mental health or whatever else, it can feel like things are all against you, but being brought up around strong and empowering First Nations women really gave me that push to do this,” Paul said.
“You need to work for it and you need to make things better for yourself and then things really do work out."