First Thanksgiving & Christmas in Florida… 7 months down 5 more to goooooo

Back home in England we don’t celebrate Thanks giving. I don’t know why as I think it’s a beautiful day. It was something different to experience and me and the girls decided to celebrate thanks giving even though it’s not our culture.

This photo warms my heart ❤️

We celebrated thanksgiving a day early because we had a double shift on thanksgiving day.

At work I’ve never seen anything like it. Turkeys everywhere. Lots of decoration and lots of FOOD.

When the members arrived with their families they were very impressed! And it was a lovely to watch them and take care of them as the children opened up their presents.

It was a really long day but with my amazing friends we pulled through it together.

We even met the famous Lord Sugar

With Christmas just around the corner we decided to do a secret Santa as we won’t be spending it with our families and won’t be getting much.

We even tried to do a Christmas dinner. Each apartment cooked parts of the Christmas dinner and we all came together to plate it all up.

Not to bad for a bunch of interns haha!

Over all spending Christmas Eve with my new FL family was something new and very heartwarming.

SECRET SANTA ❤️

It felt strange having Christmas in the sun with no actual seasons like spring / winter / fall extra. It felt like we were stuck in time and nothing was going forward 😂 But it was something new and exciting…

Christmas Eve for us felt like Christmas because we were opening presents and having Christmas dinner. Christmas Day felt like Boxing Day. Oh and here in America they don’t celebrate Boxing Day! Just like we don’t celebrate thanksgiving. Strange but cool in a way.

Christmas Day at St.Andrews was a joy to work. Again the decorations made it feel a lot like Christmas.

So my American Christmas experience away from home was easier than I thought. Because we were all together we didn’t have time to be sad on our own.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ❤️🌴

St Andrews standards

You get many country clubs around America and you get many members that have been to different clubs but here at St. Andrews is one of the best clubs around Florida.

Not just my personal opinion many people / members and families love coming here because we provide the best of the best. We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentleman.

We listen to the members. We know how they like things done. If you think about it they are our bosses. Excellent service comes with training, nothing comes naturally, but you will have a natural way of greeting the members. When you serve the same member a lot you have your own personality with them. They trust you, they know you, they know what to expect, and it will become easier and easier the more you know the members.

We set our standards high and we give our best each and everyday. You’ve got to be in it to win it, as they say. To be in this type of business your going to be tired, your going to get stressed, but don’t forget why your here. Don’t forget your here for a purpose. And never forget that your doing a brilliant job.

St. Andrews Christmas party ✨🌲

We’ve been working so hard these past couple of months and it was so nice to feel like a member for 1 night

We had our Christmas party at the country club and it felt like we were actually members.

It was a little strange because the members were actually serving us food of the buffet 😂 but it was a lovely evening and some of the members joined us.

Everyone looked amazing and the managers and some volunteers did an amazing job with the decorations.

Afterwards we all went to Dubliner for karaoke and cocktails ✨

First Christmas away from home …

Now it’s December and Christmas is just round the corner I’m going to speak to you about my experience feelings and thoughts about having my first Christmas away from my family.

Also you wouldn’t believe this is the weather here in December 😍

To get myself in the Christmas spirit I’ve decorated my room nice and cozy to make it feel like the outside is cold. (If that makes sense 😂)

As this is my first Christmas away from home I don’t feel upset about it due to the fact I have my 2nd family here.

We’re doing a secret Santa which is absolutely amazing and will be nice to all get together on Christmas Eve to exchange gifts.

Even though I’m working a full day on Christmas I get to have Christmas Eve off work to FaceTime my family and open up my gifts they have sent me ❤️

Even though I’m far away it feels like there right here with me.

How America has changed my life! 6 months down 6 more to go…

Before I knew about this opportunity I didn’t know what I wanted to be or what I wanted to do, I didn’t know where my career was going and I didn’t have anything to look forward to. But oh my how all that has changed!!

As you know by my previous blogs I loved at home with my parents living the Luxury life of not having any bills, my personal cleaner (My mother and farther 😂 who I’m so grateful for) food was always on the table after work, and I had no responsibility’s apart from college work and my local job. My laundry was always done and on my bed ready for me to put away.

When I came to America I knew I had to pull my weight and provide for myself. And as easy as it sounds it’s actually been really hard! Most people who come here have already lived by themselves at university housing or have had their own apartment. If your like me my tip for you would be to learn how to work the washing machine before you come out here 😂

But now I can positively say I am a changed person! My confidence has risen and it’s so lovely to see my family see a difference in me! ❤️

Everyday is a new adventure and I have plans ready for my return home. I’m even looking at coming back here in September because I love it so much and it’s changed my life forever. Having the experience working in a country club will impress your employers and it will set your standards high and will look amazing on your CV!

I’m progressing each day into the person I am today and it’s done me the world of good. Back at home I used to stay in bed all day and party all night. Yeah that sounds great but it wasn’t the life I liked. But America has truly opened up my eyes and my heart.

We are like one big family and we support and help each other and can I just say my boss on the floor is pure class. When he sees potential he will push you to be the person he sees you becoming. He doesn’t let things slide and he will tell and teach you the right way, no short cuts, everything is the best of the best and I am so bloody proud to be working for St. Andrews. 4.5✨ how amazing! And we are doing better and better everyday!

If you are thinking about doing this program and have questions or need someone to talk to that’s been here and done it please feel free to contact me, I would love to talk to you ❤️

Email: mollyclipsham@hotmail.co.uk

Instagram: molly_clipsham

Facebook: Molly Clipsham

I can’t wait to see what my next 6 months here awaits me ❤️

Banquet events / socials

Before I get talking just look how beautiful we’ve set up the fall social!

It’s amazing how you can transform a room into something so beautiful, it blows you away!!

And you always need a little bit of fun behind the scenes 😂

But seriously, if you ever get the chance or had the chance to set up a room for an event / social you will understand the time and effort it takes to make it look the way it’s visioned.

It takes us around 2/3 days to set up a room like this and after the event is done you’ll be surprised how quick it is to break down. It’s definitely tiring but hard work pays off. Eventually. But you feel great knowing the members were so happy with how everything turns out.

Wedding ceremony’s

The room gets transformed nearly every few days into something wonderful!

Thanksgiving at St. Andrews

So I’ve literally just finished a double shift working thanks giving and OMG I’ve never been so tired 😭 but it’s all worth it making the members happy!

It’s crazy how it takes 2-3 days to set up a room for an event and it takes around 1-2 hours to break it down.

Even though it was a long and tiring shift being with my new family pulled us all through it. Working through the pain was a challenge but when you come home you feel so good about yourself.

Oh and the one and only LORD SUGAR was here for thanks giving!! If you don’t know who he is then please watch one of his shows “The Apprentice” he’s best know for his famous line “You’re fired!”