For the past six weeks, I have been living in two places.

As part of the Rachael Ray show’s competition, “Hey, Can You Cook 3?!” I had the opportunity to travel to Orlando, Fla., and New York City multiple times over the past six weeks. Although it has been an exhausting experience, it has been an amazing one as well.

My Rachael Ray experience began with an audition tape I sent in at the suggestion of my boyfriend, Garrett Skaar. Within a week of sending in the tape, I heard back from the show’s producers and had an interview over the phone about my cooking experience and other interests.

The following week a camera crew was sent to my sorority house — Alpha Gamma Delta — for what I was told would be a video interview to further the selection process. At noon the day of the crew’s arrival, I received a phone call from Rachael Ray herself informing me I was one of the five finalists for “Hey, Can You Cook 3?!”

The next week I spent was at Walt Disney World for a series of challenges for the first episode of the series.

The experience of the first show was phenomenal in itself. I got to run all around Disney World before the park opened, and seeing the Magic Kingdom lit up allowed me experiences I would normally not have had.

Each show included an advantage challenge and an elimination challenge. Although I was nervous for each one, the advantage challenges often allowed me to have a little more fun because I knew there was less at stake. During the elimination challenges, I understood I had to keep it together — although that was much easier said than done — since my future on the show was decided.

However, about halfway through each challenge, I felt as if I couldn’t finish the challenge, and it was all too much to handle. Each time, though, I managed to pull it together and finish.

Evidently I did finish my dishes in time and well enough to make me the winner of “Hey, Can You Cook 3?!” In the finale, famed chef Jamie Oliver judged my and fellow competitor Donna Pierro’s dishes — hers was  amazing and she did a wonderful job on it — and was given the task of choosing a winner.

Winning, and the attention which ensued, wasn’t something I could have ever prepared for. I can’t say I am comfortable with all of it, but I have been blessed throughout the competition.

The people I have gotten to know, including the other contestants, have all added to my life and made the experience truly unforgettable.

Prizes Mayberry won:

– Four days of classes at the famous Le Cordon Bleu culinary arts cooking school in Paris

– A trip to Paris

– A kitchen with new appliances

– Mayberry will return to the Rachael Ray show for her own cooking segment that will air Dec. 11.

The five contestants

Madison Mayberry from Orange City, student at Iowa State

Donna Pierro from Montville, N.J., realtor

Lindsey Evenson from Salem, Ore., stay-at-home mother of three

Marvin Latimer from Conway, S.C., runs Latimer’s Funeral Home

Milton Drewer from Fairfax, Va., mortgage banker