Deer Valley

I can't believe that my Deer Valley experience is nearing a close already. At the end of December I remember I was so scared about this whole thing, I didn't want to go through with it. I only thought of it as being an good way to grow my cooking experience. Who would have thought that I would love it and never want to leave. The start was horrible. My first day I was completely turned around and didn't pay attention to who anyone was. Walking onto the line, I met Kent first, he scared me. I met Pia next she helped me with my neckerchief and hat, she hardly spoke English. O'Neil hardly talked to me, he would come over and correct me when I was doing something wrong, so I thought we was stuck up and going to be rude the entire season. A few days later on Christmas eve, I totalled my car. Lets just say I thought these were all signs that I shouldn't be there. As the season progressed, I came to love it. Kent was really nice and taught me a lot about cooking, (how to use a knife, different kinds of herbs, what the five mother sauces are.) I ended up trying a lot of stuff that I had never had before. Pia and I became best friends. We would do all of our jobs together. She introduced me to most of the kitchen that also became my friends. Hector, Blanca, Carmen, Ravel, David, Angela, Joey, Clair, Marco, Marcio, Kris, Florencia, Gabriel, Kali, Chris, Teressa, and Martin.

I did a lot of growing up in this season as well. I am not so naive to the things that happen around me. I am afraid it was impossible to stay so naive in the area I was in. I consider this a good thing though. My room mate and friends at Rivers Edge, taught me about drugs, drinking and smoking. (I never did any of it) And being in the kitchen I heard a lot of things that I was sheltered from before.

Being a Mormon I was also asked a lot of questions. Most of the people that I was surrounded by had never heard anything about Mormons. The good thing is that a lot of people came to respect me for being able to follow my standards.

Another way I grew up was being able to go on my first trip with just friends. Pia, Hector, Florencia, and Blanca asked me to go to Vegas with them for a Weekend. It was a lot of fun. I didn't do anything bad either, just went and saw amazing shows and walked through the different style of casinos. I even braved going on the ride on the stratosphere.

Now that it is all coming to a close I am sad. Most of my friends are gone from the kitchen. I don't know what my boss thinks of me as a cook. All he says is that I am getting faster and I need to work on my speed, and that I am the best potato frier ever. I am the potato queen.

I know that I am going to miss my special family. Kent who was the dad of the group. O'Neil, the brother, who would always tease the boys flirting with Pia and I. he would say that he had to approve of every boy that could date me. He turned out to be the nicest and smartest guy I know. Then Pia my twin. I miss singing into the tongs with her. We both liked the same kind of movies and music. I just miss her.

Overall I think this was a great experience. Never before have I had a job where I didn't ever, not even for one day not want to go. I loved going and was glad to wake up every morning at 6:20 to head up to work, where I wouldn't return to the cabin till 6pm. I am going to miss it all so much.