Extraneous Entity (Unfinished)

I lit a scented candle to cross the threshold of dreamland. My soul lay still beside a rusty window, covered with a trashy cardboard. A craggy hands touched my soul... slowly and warmly. I whispered, "These gentle hands would take care of mine". I held on to this thought for quite some time, but it did not last.

I was once told that souls can talk to, meet, and feel each other. But it takes a bona fide love to make it happen. Unbelievably, your soul and mine rhythmically move to a soft distinctive sound.

---------------------
P.S.

I was decluttering my external HDD when I found this. I began to compose it on July 2, 2014, says on the file details. This could've been a great entry, yes? It is no longer auspicious, so, I will leave it this way... unfinished

First Layover at Frankfurt, Germany

Who would have thought that a junior like me could spend her first layover at Germany on her first month of flying?

I can still remember how I was shouting for joy after seeing my roster for the month of June. I immediately called my parents on Facebook messenger to share my happiness.

Due to the bundle of exhilaration in us, Jessica (my flying partner) and I shopped thrice just to get the best outfit we can strut in Bundesrepublik Deutschland. The night before our flight, we googled the temperature of the country. We found out it would be 11-22 degrees, which we considered cold. Hence, we put the winter-ish clothes into our suitcases.

All set!

The flight was full of good vibes. We used an airbus. The cabin was handled by the generous purser, Jessica and I, with adorable Egyptian twins. They are Jeddah-based and are very, very sweet and thoughtful.

We arrived to Frankfurt on June 14, at around 4 pm. We were accompanied by a coster to Steigenberger Hotel. On our way to the hotel, my eyes kept on twinkling while I was eyeing varied beautiful sceneries we passed by. Moreover, we were surprised to see people wearing short clothing. It was summer! We were like, "For real?".

We reached the hotel at 4:40 pm. Each of us had one snugly warm and comfortable room. We expected sun will go down sooner, like at 6 pm, so we quickly prepped for our globetrotting. Jessica and I had a hard time remedying our winter clothes. Haha! My all-black outfit was supposed to be matched with a pink biker's jacket which I eventually did away with, whereas Jessica just replaced jeans with her short pyjama. Brilliant thinking, isn't? *smirks* Though we had no choice but to wear our boots.

Luckily, the main attractions are just next to our hotel. Our first stop was the Main River. The place is picturesque, especially seeing those cruise restaurants. We then crossed the iron footbridge. Astonishingly, many padlocks are locked to the bridge. Wow! They have their own love lock bridge in Frankfurt. I even saw 2 grannies kissing on one side. So cute! After that, we went to Romerberg or the Old City. Very charmingly quaint! We were just walking and walking until our tummies growled. We dined in a pizza & ice cream parlor. Happy to be served by a German who knows how to speak a bit of Arabic. Yay! Anyway, Germans are very friendly. I swear!

I kept looking at my watch, thinking it might be broken. The small hand was pointing to 9 whereas the big one was at 6. I was very surprised! It's already 9:30 in the evening, but not a tinge of darkness could be seen. Wow! The sun falls below the horizon too late.

The next day, we just went to the mall and DM for shopping. Then, we came back to Romerberg to buy some souvenirs. We left the hotel at 2 pm, ready to fly back to Saudi Arabia!

What an experience! It is one of the unforgettable moments of my life.

Get Energized on Day Off

Saudia allows its flight attendants to go to their domicile after completing all the requirements (graduation, base transfer, line check, certificates, and licenses). So, I had a chance to see my parents who are now staying in Pampanga, my big sister with her family who spent their vacay, and was able to see my relatives who flew from USA and Taiwan.

It was a quick vacation yet it filled the empty felicity container in me.

I arrived in Manila on May 26. My whole family fetched me from the airport. They took me to Dampa to bask all Pinoy food I have craved for during my training. OMG! I ate a lot with gusto! And guess what's next? We went to Star City, as I requested for it since I love amusement park. Who cares about jetlag? Lol! It just sucks because we entered the park at 8:30 pm and they close at 10 pm. I think my 2 nephews, little sister, and I had a chance to take 5 rides only.

I spent my days off by prepping myself for the realm of aviation. I bought food/materials in the mall, pampered myself at the salon, had my teeth cleaned, and of course, had a quality time with loved ones.

Also, I went southbound without an itinerary. We just let the wheel spontaneously take us to random places. We just found ourselves wake boarding at Nuvali with sleeves and leggings on, in front of the closed Enchanted Kingdom (too bad), swimming in a resort in Pansol, breathing fresh air in Tagaytay, sipping hot coffee in Alabang, watching San Andreas movie in Las Piñas, relishing ice cream at Mall of Asia, and my favorite part is munching street food under the skybridge in Taft Avenue. Haha!

Those days fueled me up and those people are my happy pill.

New Home

Radium Compound is the accommodation of Saudi Arabian Airline's female flight attendants, located in Thumama St., Riyadh. It is such a beautiful, spacious place to reside in. It was completely built in February.

We arrived in the compound on May 5, 2015 at 2:30 in the afternoon. We were extremely exhausted, but upon seeing our new home, exhaustion vanished.

Our compound has villas on one side, which are mostly given to the seniors, and apartments on the other side for the juniors. Being a junior, an apartment was given to me with 3 housemates who are also my batchmates/friends. Our apartment is already fully furnished. We have all the necessities in here. We just need to fill the fridge with food and the closet with our clothes.

Radium compound's amenities are absolutely amazing! There is a golf cart, gym, a pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna, a steam bath room, sports area (basketball, volleyball, bowling, squash, table tennis, football, etc.) All for free! All we need to do is sign in and out. Moreover, convenience store, laundry shop, restaurant, and parlor can be seen in there as well.

Saudia is really pampering us, which I am so grateful of. Surely, they know how tiring our job could be, thus, there is a housekeeping department that takes care of the cleanliness of the whole compound. There are also buses/limousines that take us to the malls, embassies, hospitals, and other places. And you know what? All staff, cleaners, receptionists, and drivers are all very generous.

I am just hoping that Saudia can maintain this kind of handling forever!

U

The Retired Engineer & Retired Teacher

My parents have recently retired. Finally, after 3 years of filing of application for my father's retirement, it has been approved. In 2012, my father was 57 and decided to go into retirement, but his company did not allow him. He was able to prove himself an asset to the company, thus, management pleaded with him to leave the employment at the retirement age, which is 65. However, within the last quarter of 2014, Papa set his mind on quitting. Perhaps, he really was tired of serving. Imagine, he worked hard as an engineer in Saudi Arabia for 3 decades. Who would not get tired of it? Moreover, my mom left her teaching job, too. I know they have been greatly desiring to take a rest and to enjoy life to the fullest.

I am gratified by their retirement but I feel emotional at the same time. Going over my parents' hardships in the past, especially Papa's 33 years of labour, pinches my heart. They endured everything just to give us a comfortable life. And now, it is their time to loosen up. I am excited for them! However, when I am in the state of over-analyzing the situation, I take fright. Retirement goes with white hair. I do not want them to get older.

Mama and papa are very simple. They never wished for affluence. You know what kind of life they like to have when they get much older? They just want to reside in our province, specifically in a small bungalow with a yard at the back where they can plant some vegetables and a pond next to it. Simple yet serene!

My parents left Saudi Arabia and went to the Philippines on April 27, 2015 with my little sister and 2 nephews. My little sister will be staying and studying there as well.

Now, Papa is a retired engineer whereas Mama is a retired teacher. But never will they retire from being the best parents. May God continue guiding us in the new chapter of our lives. 

Dream At Stake

High school graduation was drawing near when I realized I want to be a flight attendant. During the enrolment day at the university, I was still not sure which major to take; Tourism Management or Mass Communication. But I have this great passion for public speaking, so I eventually opted for Mass Communication. Also, I considered the fact that many FAs nowadays are not even tourism graduate. That was the first simple decision-making I had that is connected to my dream of becoming a FA.

On my previous blog, I mentioned that I totally enjoyed my post-graduation job in Saudi Arabia, as an admission officer and as a part-time host. In 2013, my interest in flying harked back. I thought of leaving my job and go to Philippines. I was hoping that an airline would organize a recruitment and selection process for new cabin crew thru IPAMS by the time I am already in there. Due to the burning desire, I still submitted  my resignation letter in October 2013 and went to the Philippines in December, even though I was uncertain about the consequence. Yes, I know it was a risky and pricey decision. But all for my dream, I would. I managed to establish my parents' small business while waiting for IPAMS announcement. I had to visit their Facebook page every single day.

The next month, January 2014, mom told me she has myoma/fibroids. The bleeding was terrible as she was also in her menopausal stage. She needed assistance 24/7. My father works. My big sister does too and takes care of her 2 kids. My little sister goes to school. I did not think twice. I booked a flight straight off. A very sad thing happened. I arrived at Saudi Arabia on the 24th of January. On February 1, IPAMS announced a recruitment would take place on February 14 for Saudi Arabian Airlines new FAs. It was heartbreaking! My purpose of going to the Philippines was to attend a recruitment. I spent my whole savings for this. If it was just posted earlier, I could have stayed for a few days so as to go to the said event. I got depressed! However, I realized that perhaps it was not meant for me and mom needed me.

After that heartbreak, I did not stop chasing my dream. There were times I felt like it's impossible or maybe it's not really for me. But I kept pushing ahead with it.

While I was waiting for the opportunity from an airline, I worked at another educational agency. I began working in August 2014. The next month, I blessedly got an offer from an IT company for Quality Assurance position. They would double the salary I was earning at that time. However, it's a 2-year contract. It meant I have to stay with the company for 2 years and cannot resign any time I want to. It was another tough decision-making for me. Who would turn down such position with big salary? But what if after signing the contract, a door to my dream suddenly opens? I was lured to that big wage. My mind was laden with "what ifs". I sought advice from my family and friends. In the end, I declined the offer. I had a thought that God might want to know how bad I want this dream to be a reality. Moreover, I have no husband and/or kids, thus, it is too early for me to be profit-oriented.

I went on with my daily grind- working while waiting and actualizing my burning desire.

Before, I was too shy to get information from my acquaintances who work as FA at different airlines. But my eagerness and depression urged me to ask out loud. But be careful! You will encounter a few selfish FAs (friends or even bloggers) who give wrong information. I had a friend (Saudia FA, not a close friend tho) who told me that Saudia office in Jeddah does not entertain applicants. They hire employees thru an agency ONLY. She suggested that I should go to Philippines again and wait for another announcement. Little did I know, everyone can go to the office as a walk-in applicant. This information was given to me by an active member from www.pprune.org

On October 2, I submitted my CV to Saudia via e-mail. The next day, I received the invitation to be interviewed. I booked a flight, Riyadh to Jeddah, right away. My loving father accompanied me to Jeddah and patiently waited several hours for me. I came to Flight Operations Building and saw bunch of applicants. I was very blessed to be prioritized by the instructress as she knew I came all the way from Riyadh. The assessment process ended at 3pm. Our departure time was 8pm, so we stayed at Mall of Arabia. We were very, very exhausted. I decided to sleep at the prayer room. The lady cleaner allowed me to for she knew the whole scenario. I don't know how my father managed to stay awake inside the mall.

After 2 weeks, I was called by the HR telling me about the final interview with the General Manager. So, another flight was booked. On the same day of the final interview, the decision was given to me. And yes, I got accepted. The HR wanted me to take the medical exam straightaway,  but I had to refuse because we were bound to go back to Riyadh in the evening. I just promised to come back.

On the first week of November, I took the medical examination. This time, my father and I had to stay in a hotel as it would take 2 days as per HR.

Did my hardship end there? No. I terminated my dependent visa, as required by Saudia, and surrendered my iqama to my father's company (Ministry of Defense). On December 7, flight to MNL, I was stopped by the immigration officer. They were looking for my iqama. They told me that iqamas should be surrendered at the airport. My father is working in the government, how come they have different regulations? No iqama, no fly. But I insisted on getting in, because if not, I should shell out AGAIN for the rebooking. My father talked to their general manager. Gladly, he gave consideration. You think, it ended there? No! When I got back to the immigration, I dealt with the pervert personnel who indecently proposed to me. That's another story. So eventually, I embarked the aircraft.

I always find fulfilling a dream parallel to gambling. I always say that. See what happened to me? I am not rich, but spent a lot of money, especially for those plane tickets. No one knows if it would pay off or not. I sacrificed many things. No one knows if it would turn out well or not.

If you really want that dream, go and work for it! Nothing comes easy in life. You will surely fall down several times, but learn to stand up. If you need to become a gambler of life, gamble all your chips, but be wise. You do not want any regrets when you get old, do you?

FA Aspirant Seeking Place in the Aviation World

It has always been my goal to at least compose one blog for my page every month. However, due to busy days I've had since December, I was not able to do an entry for the month of February. Nonetheless, here I am, catching up.

If you are a frequent reader of my blog (if there's any, lol!), you are cognizant of the BIG BLESSING I've been wanting to divulge. I decided not to spill unless I already am living in it. And now, I am.

To all ladies who have the same ambition as mine, you know what the whole body picture is for.

Presently, I am Jeddah-based, going through a training before I become a flight attendant of Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines). Yup! This has been my dream since "college". For a pessimistic person like me, I felt it was not easy to achieve. Well, honestly, compared to other stories, I achieved it in a not so-hard way. It only appeared to be tough because of the patience I NEVER HAD.

I grew up in Saudi Arabia but took college in  the Philippines. After graduation, I returned to Saudi and was lucky to be employed immediately by an educational agency. I am thankful that this country has always job vacancies to offer Filipinos. Plus, I became part of media, serving the Filipino community. I fell in love with these jobs I lost sight of my dream of becoming FA. When I turned 22, I then recalled and this was the beginning of my quarter-life crisis. Seriously, this dream gave me hulking depression, pressure, and frustration. My family and friends were being consistently harangued about my silly dream.

I badly wanted this I could not wait. I was always making hasty decisions without thinking. My life temporarily became a world of gamble. I lost hope many times. But I was hungry for this I kept on trying and trying.

I was shortlisted for Oman Air through STB-DJL Philippine agency, but I was not able to attend the recruitment day with the employers because I was already back in Saudi Arabia. A few months later, I got accepted by Safi Airways, but my parents did not allow me to. Safi has a center in Jeddah but its destinations were my parents' concern. You may google it to know why.

I would love to be part of the other 2 prestige airlines, Qatar Airways & Emirates Airline, but I never had a chance to attend an Open Day/Recruitment Day. In October 2014, I was set to go to Abu Dhabi for the Open Day. When I called someone from the embassy, I was advised that I could not enter the hood without my sponsor (my father.) This made me really, really sad. But God is just so good. After that call, I checked on my e-mail and found a message from Saudia asking me to go to their In-Flight Operations Bldg. in Jeddah for an interview. I immediately booked a flight for me and Papa.

How I applied and got accepted? I will give the details on my next blog.