The end of the school day meant I was one step closer to being able to sit in front of my TV and let the stresses of middle school fade away while watching my favorite TV sitcom, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Not only was this show captivating with their crazy antics, but in relation to my life, it was almost the same. I like to think I'm London Tipton (the not so ditzy, rich, or entitled version of her at least). I grew up with my dad being in the hospitality business as a General Manager of various different hotels. This kind of lifestyle has exposed me to the finer things in life, such as but certainly not limited to: good food, good wine, and even better people. So, no, I might not be a billionaire's daughter who gets what she wants at the snap of her fingers, but I have experienced every element of hotel life and can confidently say that this lifestyle is just as hectic, glamorous, and eventful as the Suite Life presents it to be.

Hotel life has given me some pretty great stories. For instance, when I was younger, my dad would take me out to play golf with my plastic golf clubs on the Blue Monster, what I now realize is home to the World Golf Championship. Also, on my first day of high school (at a new school might I add), my mom lost the keys to her rental car so the hotel bus had to take me to and from school that day- talk about making an entrance. I would steal golf carts from the pro shop and drive out to this little hut on the golf course to do my homework amidst the Aspen trees in Colorado Springs. I would leave school during lunch just to get my favorite chicken sandwich at my dad's hotel and eat lunch with him in his office. I learned how to play golf from the one and only Anne Finke, a PGA hall of famer and PGA National Jr. Golf Leader. I personally greeted Selena Gomez and met her whole family, then she told me her friend thought I was cute. I grabbed Mike Tyson by the tie- who's the boss now, huh? Oh, and Muhammed Ali picked me up with one hand and gave me a kiss on the cheek. However, none of this would have been possible if I hadn't moved so many times.

I've lived in Jamaica, Florida, Colorado, California, and Texas; I find myself having to tell people my life story when they ask me where I'm from because I don't even know anymore. My family often jokes around when they call me a "hotel brat", a spin off of a "military brat" since I've moved around so much. At first it was difficult uprooting my life and starting over so many times, but I started to look at it as a blessing in disguise. I've had the ability to go from seeing mountains outside my window, then the Golden Gate Bridge, and finally to seeing the clear blue waters of Curaçao, all in the span of a month; our family vacations never get boring, to say the least. We've dined at the best of the best restaurants (especially in San Francisco, yum) and have had dinners prepared for us by Michelin chefs. Basically, six pack abs have never been a thought in my mind.

The perks that come with being so involved in the hospitality business are great, but nothing can compare to how hotel employees become family. I would look forward to walking into my dad's office, knowing everyone by their first and last names, to have conversations with them about anything and everything. I could walk into the kitchen to grab a cookie (yes, this was a regular occurence) and talk to the chef's, maybe even sometimes get a lesson or two. My favorite was when the housekeepers got so excited to see my puppy, Bella, when they came into the room. These employees weren't just workers, but they have made the hotel experience all that it has been for me. They made our transition into our new homes so much easier and welcomed us as if we were their own. Yes, I've had my own Esteban, Mr. Moseby, and Norman the door man, but one guy made it all possible.

I wouldn't be half the person I am today without my dad. He has shown me that this lifestyle is not one to be taken for granted. He has given me opportunities that I never could have imagined and has led me to create invaluable relationships with people all over the world, literally. As I've grown older, I've learned to appreciate the connections I've made and experiences I've had so much more. I wish I could put into words everything that I've seen because it is as amazing as you'd think it would be. While I try to figure it out, catch me on a cruise ship finishing up the rest of undergrad.