My World As A Flight Attendant

We welcome our passengers by saying "It's our pleasure to welcome you to John F. Kennedy International airport where the local time is . . . . " Time is very crucial to aviation industry.  To be on time is a key.  A few minutes of delay can cause an interruption in the productivity and will create a domino effect. I am paronoid on being late.  Sometimes there are inevitable factors that cause our delays. It creates stress and subsequently puts us into jeorpady. There is a famous saying "Time is of the essence." It means that something must be done immediately.  Our job on the plane sometimes compels us to do things rush, in order to finish what we're supposed to do. We need to close the door on time. We need to be quick in order to serve everybody, if possible. We need to quickly respond to the demands. It is tiring at times.  But you have to get used to this kind of lifestyle.  Always on the go. Always on time. I try to manage my time well....

Come and join me to have a healthy mind and body. Keeping my mind healthy is easier than keeping my body healthy.  The truth is, I am not a healthy eater. But I try.  I falter once in a while, then I go back into the right track. Having healthy body means eating the right food and staying away from the unhealthy drinks.  It is doing some exercise, going to the gym or simply do some walking.  It is sleeping the right amount of sleep our body needs.  It means not abusing our body so it won't deteriorate. Having healthy mind means feeding your mind with positive thoughts. Reading, studying and learning are great ways to do it.  It means feeding your mind with wisdom. Healthy mind and healthy body will give us a healthy living.  We need encouragement and motivation to have both of this.  So please join me and let us do it.

One of the best things that I enjoy on my trip is when I have a long layover, in my hotel room on a nice weather, watching sunset and reading my book. Doing nothing is a good thing. It quiets our mind and gives us serenity. Watching the sun sets while the sky changes its colors means that it is the end of the day. The dusk appears and the night is coming.  It means that it is time to rest our body and mind, for tomorrow the sun rises again, giving us a new hope and a new life.

I love to participate in interactive boards like this. In Cincinnati, they have these boards where they ask you "Where are you from?" and "Where are you going?" When people ask me where I am from, I jokingly tell them that my accent is from the Philippines, that I used to be from New York, and I now live in Florida.  They tell me that I have a very little accent and it's not noticeable.  When they find out that I am based in New York and live in Florida, they tell me that I have the best of both places.  That's actually true! When people ask me where I am going, wait -- I pause.  I have to trust my memory or quickly look at my schedule.  That's the truth. With couple of flights that we have everyday, it could range from one to five or worst yet, up to six flights a day, I tend to forget.  Sometimes, all I can say is  - I am going somewhere. On a serious note, I am going to a place where there is love, happiness and blissfulness. I want...

                           A beautiful dawn overlooking the Gray's Lake in Ohio was happening. *A poem by Mewlana Rumi The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don't go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don't go back to sleep. * end of poem * Rumi is a 13th-century Persian poet.  I've heard this poem from one of my favorite authors, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and it has resonated with me from his books that I've been reading. When I have an early morning ride to the airport, I see the beauty of nature.  I hear the sound talking to me. I pause and give thanks again for a new day, a new life and a new dawn.

We follow dress code when we "non-rev." No tennis shoes or flip flops, no spaghetti blouse or shorts, and other revealing dress, no tattered jeans.  Company rules are important.  If you don't want to be reprimanded or if you want to keep your job, following regulations is necessary. I always say that I love my job and I love my travel benefit.  I will not jeopardize my job by not following rules - from the simple policy to the complex ones. This is me with my "non-rev" look. The aiport is my hub. And this is my life.

What are the magic words? We always wait for the magic words "I got a seat." These words are pleasing to our ears, everytime we "non-rev." Weather it is going home or going to places that we've prepared to go. There are many factors that determine our possibility to get a seat or to not get a seat  - - When it is oversold. The numbers of paying passengers who are hoping to get on that flight or waiting for their seat number.  The number of "non-rev" passengers who are more senior than me.  And the flight being payload optimized.  Payload optmize means that even if there are open seats, they will limit the number of "non-revs" that they will accomodate. So it is likely that I will  not get on that flight. To have a back up plan is a key. Especially when I am dying to go to the place where I am hoping to go.  Being proactive is necessary. I always say that miracles happen.  There are couple of times that I thought I would not get...

Am I ready? I am compliant. I had my breakfast and my second cup of coffee. I am prepared for the day. So I am ready. Every day I go to work, I follow a routine.  This routine helps me to be systematic and organized.  From checking my first flight in the morning, making my first cup of coffee, taking a shower, eating my breakfast, putting on my uniform, hair and make-up, to fixing my luggage and checking the hotel room if I don't forget anything. When I arrive on the plane, I also have a routine to follow. From doing the pre-flight, checking the cabin and making sure it is clean, checking the supply for catering, organizing and preparing the galley for the flight. I need to be ready for the passengers, and greet them with a smile.  I also need to be ready for any challenges I may face during the day. And ready for the unlikely medical or plane emergency I may encounter during the flight. All of these have been a routine for me for the past years.  T...

Jenny is my classmate and a friend. I call her "Bonita." As most of us know, bonita in Spanish means beautiful.  She owns a beautiful face. I thank her for our friendship. Bonita is from Peru, a Spanish speaking country. Whenever  I try to speak in Spanish, I always remember my mom who was a Spanish teacher.  I know some Spanish words and I try to use them when I meet passengers who is "habla Espanol." We worked this trip to Jacksonville, FL. It was a nice weather to go out and satisfy our appetite. Bonita is a chef and knows what's good to eat.  I am not a chef, and I eat what is available for me. I always see the sunset in Jacksonville. It is gorgeous and captivating.  And its magical aura has attracted me to live here. "Gracias, Mi Amor."  My favorite expression in Spanish.

Being outgoing has an advantage.  My trip to Madison gave me this exprience of a riding a "top down" car.  We were at McDonalds, and I saw this couple who just parked their red car. They seem nice, so I thought of asking her if I could take a photo with it. She didn't hesitate to say Yes.  I was glad to hop on it! There's a lot of nice people around.  They will not turn you down for such a silly favor like this. I believe that I would also have this car, and I wouldn't say No to someone who admire it and would love to take a photo with me. 

I have unforgettable trips, and this is one of them. When you are new, you learn your lessons.  I worked the first class on this flight with Rose.  Part of the benefits of paying the first class fare is they get a welcome drink as soon as they boarded.  I served them with the drinks they wanted. After taking off, we prepare for our galley and cart to serve them.  It was a long flight to Billings, Montana, so we were not rushing.  I was helping Rose prepared her cart. It was my time to serve the first class.  I approached the passenger on 2A and asked him politely what he wanted to drink.  He replied to me and said "you girls are too much talking" with a hand gesture.  My first reaction was to apologize to him and told him that I was helping my partner prepared her cart.  He was not obvioulsy happy about it, and he looked on my name tag. Time to deplane, I apologized again. Then, as soon as he stepped out, a lady responsible in ...

I fly a lot to Virginia and DC area. Visiting the Old Town Alexandria is one of the best things to do when you are in the area.  It is located just few minutes away from Washington, DC.  It was awarded "one of the south's prettiest cities in 2018." A quaint town that has a lot of things to do. Relax at the Potomac River waterfront, enjoy people and plane watching (which I do) or take the trolley to see hitoric sites, dine at a culinary cuisine of your choice or shop at locally-owned boutiques. Old Town Alexandria is one of my favorite small towns in the US.  I suggest, if you have the chance to go and see it too.

I love thrift books from thrift shops. This Book-Off shop in New York is a big shop and has many interesting books. This travel book has caught my attention - "1000 Places To See Before You Die."  I've heard about this, so I didn't have a second thought buying it. Do you think it is possible to see 1000 places before you die? Yes, I think it is possible. I have these frame on my wall that says "Fall in love with as many places as possible." I've fallen in love with many of them.  That list includes Santorini in Greece, Rio De Janiero in Brazil, Seward and Anchorage in Alaska, Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, Squamish in Canada, Batanes in the Philippines and a lot more to name. I am always grateful for this blessing of travelling. I will continue to travel until it's possible. Until I have the energy and resources to do it. I will continue to travel as many places as possible, and to fall in love with them. I challenge you to do so, to...

Getting fit and healthy should not have an excuse. Our lifestyle can be an excuse for being unhealthy. By not eating properly, lack of sleep and no time to go to the gym are some contributing factors to unhealthy life. Discipline is everything.  We can still find time to go to the gym and hit the threadmill if we find a spare time for 30 mins. To walk outside if the weather is nice. To bring our own healthy food on our trip. And to take a nap when possible. Health is wealth, as we all know.  It may be a though job for us to be healthy, but I believe it is still possible. I pledge to be healthy.  So help me God.

It is normal for us especially when you are new, to work with someone who will make us feel uncomfortable.  My 3-day trip started with a feeling of anxiousness.  My partner was though on dealing with people inside and outside the plane.  She's watching me immensely and guarding me for things that I did wrong.  Sitting on my jumpseat on our first flight, I was deciding if I wanted to continue that trip with her. Honestly, I was thinking of a reason to justify why I couldn't continue with the trip. Would I use a family emergency or fatigue as my alibi? I told my inner self "No, Lia. Challenge yourself. Don't be intimidated by her and continue with this trip." It was my last trip that month before I took my birthday trip to Santorini.  I invited her for some cocktails, and I paid for it. We talked and our conversation became more at ease.  Upon learning that she's a former policewoman and a divorced mom, I clearly understood right away...

Having friends in many parts of the country is a great thing. Alex was a former colleague from Veterans Affairs Office.  I remember those days that we were still talking and planning about our immigrating here. Time flies fast. Couple of years ago, we were still talking about it. And now we are both here, living our dreams. He was happy to see me.  He even drove almost an hour to my hotel to pick me up.  They showed me around downtown and bought me a nice dinner. It is always a nice thing that we have kept good relationships with people.  In the long run, they will treat you the way you treated them in the past.  That's what Alex did to me.

Christmas should not only be the season of giving. It was Thanksgiving week when I worked with Marilyn.  For some reason, she lost her wallet before we started our 4 day trip. I gladly offered to take care of her for the whole trip. She's very thankful. I lost my wallet too on a trip.  I had no resources and my partner didn't take care of me.  I wasn't expecting that I would be taken cared of by someone who is not really close to me.  But the feeling that no one could help you in time of need, didn't really feel good. I took care of Marilyn not because I was hoping for her to return the favor.  I took care of her because I wanted to.  I took care of her because I didn't want her to feel the same feeling as I did. Any season should be a season of giving.

You make your Christmas trip special. I was glad to have worked this trip with two of my favorites.  Steve who is married to a Filipina has been a friend since I started.  While Sophia is one of my favorite kids. She's a smart girl, a beautiful person inside and out. Thank you to Steve for sponsoring our Christmas dinner.  He's no longer with us and has moved to our mother company.  Sophia became a recruiter. I thought I had passed on my baton to her.  She is great to be a part of the recruitment team. You miss friends when they are gone.  That's why it is good to have memories.

We are proud Filipinos. Two full blooded Filipina flight attendants and a half blooded Filipino pilot.  What more can you ask for? It is unusual that we have this kind of crew.  I call this a 'Dream Team." It is nice to work with crew that has the same culture.  We understand each other more easily.  Our work ethics are naturally aligned.  Working with Anne was so easy.  We did our job with a touch of Filipina charisma, while we enjoyed the company of each other.

We didn't have a fireplace in the Philippines, obviously because we don't need it. I am always attracted to a fireplace.  Eventhough I don't like winter, I thought a fireplace is a romantic must have at home. A photo op of a working fireplace with Capt. Iggy is a nice memory.

A long layover to Raleigh Durham had made me visit Duke University. It's nice to see schools in the US.  Campuses are huge and some of them are historic and beautiful. I've seen couple of universities like Harvard and MIT in Massachusettes, Princeton in New Jersey, and New York University. I took a short course on Human Resources at PACE University in New York back in 2013.  It was not in the actual campus where I had my course, but it was at their satellite campus in Manhattan.  I took the HR course to upgrade my qualifications, and I must say that it was worth it. Few weeks after, I was hired as a Recruiter at a non-profit organization called FEGS. Duke University has a huge and beautiful campus.  It has a big garden called Sarah Duke Gardens. Flowers were at bloom and the trees and green grass were a nice view to see. A long and expensive taxi ride back and forth the hotel was worth it.  I had a nice lunch inside their cafeteria...

North Carolina is one of my favorite states. We do a lot of trips to Raleigh Durham.  Fying over it, you always see the green land. The weather is always nice especially during spring.  I take advantage of it. I stop and smell these flowers. Walking with my music on or listening to inspirational talks are things that I enjoy. When you are sorrounded with trees and lovely flowers, or when you hear the chirping of birds or when you see the beautiful colors of sunset  - I call it serenity. Being at peace for at last few hours is a choice.  Simple things can give us joy.

Every year I get these bruise. During our IRT, we also have to perform the drills.  To operate the overwing exit is always a part of that drill. Can you imagine how heavy the overwing exit is?  It is really heavy that it always gives me bruises the day after. I call this my living proof.  Living proof that our job is not as easy as what other people think.  It is partly a physical job and you need strength not just to operate the overwing exits during the time of unlikely emergency but we also need the presence of mind and leadership. We need physical strength and good health to do our job every day we work. We need stamina to deal with different issues we face inside and outside of our work enviroment. You have to love this job, otherwise it is hard to sustain that stamina. I am thankful for these bruises. They disappear easily anyway.  They are my living proof that I pass the IRT for another year.

The training we had before we recieved our wings didn't end there. We have what we call IRT or Initial Recurrent Training.  It is a yearly training that we also need to pass before we get recertified as a flight attendant.  It is a shorter one, but we need to do some online courses prior to going to the day of exam. We just have to prepare for it, and we'll be fine. This time of year, during May is always a little bit stressful for me.  I always start to do my online course as soon as they have it available. I am paranoid that I may not be able to finish it, and I also want to review earlier than cramming myself. I focus on it.  I pray for it.  And I always believe that I will pass. This photo was my first IRT.  My daughter was reviewing on her accounting exam, while I was concentrating on my own. Trust me, this feeling of anxiety prior to the IRT day is not just me.  There are more senior ones who go through the same dilemna. This is my...

I had this new and nice scarf from the Philippines. On my flight to Syracuse, I gave it away to someone who works there.  I was having my breakfast, she noticed my scarf and told me that it is beautiful. We later talked and she told me a little bit of her life, that her brother is sick in the hospital, etc. I felt she needed some nice things to elevate her positive spirit. After breakfast, I went back to the kitchen and looked for her again.  I handed her the scarf. She was thankful. Later, I learned from my pilot crew that she was talking about it at the kitchen. She's happy that she received that gift from me. I have this frame in my bedroom that says "Life is not about doing great things, but doing small things in a great way." I always look for opportunities where I can be that way. It was also a happy day me for me.  Making someone happy boosts my spirit as well.

One of the things that I personally do on my flight is to acknowlege and thank the military servicemen and women on board. I used to work as an HR Specialist in the US Veterans Affairs Office back in the Philippines.  I had 2 great years and it was my last office at the embassy before I immigrated to the US. Acknowledging and thanking the Veterans and the active miliary men and women on board our plane is I believe a good thing to do. So, to all of you active military and Veterans, we salute you and thank you for your service!

It was a nice spring weather in Des Moines, Iowa to go outside. The best time to visit Iowa is in spring to enjoy the outdoors.  Winter can be rough there, and you will not definitely see me going  anywhere out of the hotel. My partner, Kyle wanted to have his afternoon walk.  I joined him walking all the way to downtown, and  we discovered this park with nice art display. A nice walk on a lovely weather. This is my good memory in Des Moines, Iowa.