Well exactly one year ago today I was anxiously awaiting to find my name on the LIST; the list of the final interviews to become a flight attendant. It was pretty much the scariest most nerve-racking day of my life. I'll never forget how sick to my stomach I felt as I looked at that piece of paper searching for my name, and how heartbreaking it was to see my new friends not make the list. I remember everything about that day from the speech to the most intimidating one on one interview I've ever experienced. Following the long day of interviews I also remember waiting for that email to tell me my fate. My phone was pretty much attached to me, and I would check my email every hour just in case. Soon enough the good news came, and that good news has helped make this one amazing year.
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| CA State Capitol |
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| Beautiful Cathedral in Sacramento |
I love my job for many reasons. For one, I get to see amazing and beautiful places. I love experiencing the joy of finding someplace I never really considered exploring. There is so much beauty in this world everywhere you go. I've learned to never disregard an overnight because I've never really heard anything exciting about it. I felt this way about Boise and Sacramento, but absolutely loved them both. Sacramento is probably one of my favorite overnights now! I love joining in on different cultural events, going to a Giants game in San Francisco or randomly running into a Latino Festival in San Antonio. It is also great to see the wildlife of different locations, and how skewed a view I had of things. Just today, I nearly had a run-in with a skunk on the beaches on San Francisco. I didn't know they were even around those areas!
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| Bridge in Sac |
Though the traveling and adventure is amazing, there is still one part of my job I love more than anything. I love the people I meet and the different stories that I encounter day-to-day. I love how there is never a day that is the same, and how I have met life-long friends all over the World. It's great to run into flight attendant friends who are sharing the same overnight, or flying with someone you know.
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| Latino version of Elvis |
I've enjoyed laughing with my passengers and the group of old ladies talking so loudly on the phone, the entire plane could hear..."Doris, Doris ya there?? Here dear you take the phone I can't hear her. DORIS, oh you'll meet us at the bag place, ok that's where we need to go? Ok Doris....She said she will meet us where our bags go, apparently she travels more than us and knows what to do!"
I've met celebs without knowing it, and had a nice conversation with a rodeo clown who amazingly had performed at a rodeo I've gone to my entire life. I've had my share of embarrassing moments, from the announcement bloopers to having a lady freak out when I asked her if she wanted any snacks, she did not hear the world "snacks" (use your imagination)...we had a lot of fun joking about that one for the entire flight, and when she deplaned she told me she was going to get some "snacks".
Just a few weeks ago, I realized how much of a difference just listening to someone can make. Before we boarded our flight, the gate agent came on the plane and informed us that there was a passenger whose daughter had just passed away. When we started doing service I had the opportunity to speak to this woman. I just looked at her an she started crying. I sat with her for a while, and she told me all about her daughter and the car accident that took her life. She was only 21, and their family situation was not ideal, and she had heard the news via facebook. I couldn't help but cry with her as she told me some stories and showed me pictures of her beautiful daughter. When we landed, she gave me a hug as we deplaned and thanked me for being there. As I was cleaning the plane I noticed that she left behind her headphones. I knew her connecting flight, so I figured I could catch her before she left. I was lucky to find her in time, and she hugged and thanked me again. Those who know me well know that I am not a hugging person and that sometimes I struggle at being sympathetic, but this day was different. I only wish that I could do something more for her, and I hope that I helped to make her day just a little easier. I think this was a big moment that helped me to realize how much I love the people I interact with everyday, and how I can be there for someone and maybe make whatever experiences they are going through just a little better.
Being a flight attendant has changed my life, and I feel so lucky to be doing what I do. The experiences I've had and the people I've met are things I will never forget, they have definitely changed me for the better.
