366 Days in the Sky

I've been working in a place where I witness the beautiful sunrise and sunset; where I can admire the stunning lights of the whole city at a glance; where my breathe is taken away by the aerial beauty of Swiss Alps and Niagara Falls; where I am literally above the storm and thunder and would just get amazed how both start; and where I feel like I'm Peter Pan flying over different clouds. This is how beautiful my working place is. It's a place that has changed me and my whole life.

April 26, 2016 marks my one year in aviation. Oh, the time! It flies as fast as an airplane.  In the span of one year, many lessons have been learned.

I will not talk about how I dreamed to be a crew member and how I became one. I already talked about that on my previous blog. This time, I want to share how my life and I have become over the year.

The biggest challenge I took is the independent life. Who would have thought I would cook kare-kare and pinakbet? Yes, I learned to cook! I learned to do chores. But not only that. Independent life means having more responsibilities. I am responsible for my own expenses, so budgeting has to be learned. When I face problems, I need to solve it on my own. When I bump into arrogant people, I should defend myself. It's no longer a kind of life where family is there to catch me always. But there are times that independent life becomes tough. It makes me feel I am alone. I remember one night when I got home from a layover and a long haul flight, feeling so famished. Restos in airport were already closed. I don't eat food from aircraft because daily consumption of such will ruin one's health. I was shaking in hunger. I grabbed some chips to fill my growling tummy, so I could have the energy to cook. I was crying while eating. I just missed the moment when I go home from work and meal is already prepared by mom.

I meet different kinds of people; from best ones to worst ones. Some test my patience and even provoke me to curse. I was so helpful and generous back then that I got being taken advantage of. But in this field, being adamant seems like a requirement. I needed to learn how to say "No". Not all their requests must receive the word "sure". Thankfully, I still get a chance to work with people who teach me how to appreciate my job more.

When people ask what my job is, I proudly answer "I am a flight stewardess". In the Philippines, they look high upon us. But in every flight, there is always one guest who thinks about and treats us like we are slaves. This is a hurtful reality! I won't be hypocrite here. There was a time when I thought I AM ONLY A WAITER who serves food and drinks. But after that, I realized how hard the job of a waiter is. It is hard to deal with several customers all at the same time, worse with demanding ones. It made me realize how important they are in our society. Now, I could say to everyone, "I CAN BE A WAITER TOO." Followed by a wink and a smile on my face!

Have you read my previous blog where I mentioned the stability in life I could get from being an aviation crew? I would say I was not wrong. God knows how grateful I am for working with Saudia. I am now giving financial support to my retired parents with the help of my big sister, though my parents own a small business. Hihi! I buy things I need and want. I was able to invest in car and insurance. However, I need to learn the ways of budgeting and saving, because  unfortunately I burn cash.

In 366 days, growth has been earned in every aspect. Working in the sky is fun, but not as glamorous as it may seem. But remember, those unglamorous things you see are the ones that teach you to spread your wings wider and fly higher.

Happy 1st anniversary to you, aviation chick!