My World As A Flight Attendant

"Can I have a photo with you?" Taking photos of places, things and people is part of who I am. And being vain in pictures is something I know I have to change.  Today was one of the days that I felt like I was not the best me. In fact, I didn't get enough sleep the night before because of too much coffee. But since it was a "go home" day, my spirit was high, and my mood was upbeat. Surprisingly, I had two passengers on two separate flights who wanted to have a photo with me. I was flattered that they wanted to remember me with a picture. Having a passenger who tried to have a photo with me was not new, but two passengers in one day weren't normal.  I don't want to miss photos of good memories. If you're like me, I tend to forget things or people, but when I see them in pictures, I remember them. According to a study, looking at beautiful memories would make you happy. So this is what I do, sometimes.  We never know how people perceive us, how we ...

There are times when we feel like a star on our flights. Passengers were clapping as I got on the plane heading to Raleigh Durham. They were waiting for me not because I was personally late but because of my delayed flight from Jacksonville. I met Gladys on this flight. She's  going to Raleigh to attend her grandson's graduation. Gladys is a retired nurse originally from Haiti, a nice lady. Weeks ago, I traveled to Haiti and told her about my experience. She noticed my hand's scars and told me it looked like a "star." I told her that it resulted from my inability to cook, and I call it my world map tattooed on my hand. Gladys called me a star  and  said, I am  sitting with a star. She advised me that it's okay to have that scar and give myself a pat on the back because I am very nice and like a star. Some people treat us like a star.  Thanks, Gladys, for your kind words and for calling me a star. Speaking of a star, I love gazing in the dark sky at ni...

What do you do when it is your first time in your layover?  It was my first layover in Ottawa, Canada; I  took a bus from the hotel to downtown. It was a bit far but an easy, relaxing ride.  I discovered Byward Market, a famous place to walk, eat, and shop. Colorful benches were available for people to sit and enjoy the sun. So why don't I sit with the crowd and enjoy the nice  weather?  Time for lunch. The pizza place at the corner was inviting, offering half of the price pizza. It was an easy decision for me to join the crowd of pizza and promo lovers. I ordered my favorite pesto pizza, and did I say I finished the whole 12 inches?  I was originally planning to take half of the pizza for my lunch the next day, but I thought it would be oily and messy, so I ate the whole thin sliced pizza! Did I feel guilty about it? Maybe. I call this day my " splurge on pizza day ." The bad thing was, I was so full to buy the famous dessert on the street! Ottawa ...

Each country has its own traditional dresses. However, I must say that India is one of my favorites.  I meet many Indian passengers and have seen their traditional dress. This woman wears a beautiful dress in my favorite color. I couldn't resist asking her for a photo.  She's nice and didn't hesitate. I am curious about the dot on their head, but I haven't asked someone what it means. According to my research, they are called Bindi. There are different colors worn for different occasions and stages in life.  India is on the top list of my countries to visit to see the Taj Mahal, one of the Wonders of the World .  I would love to wear a traditional Indian dress when I visit to  experience their culture. I am from Asia, and I call Indian passengers my friends. 

Who is a fan of Starwars? I am not a big fan, but I would enjoy attending the annual festival. This mom-daughter tandem was heading to Chicago to attend the Starwars Costume Festival. They have been doing this for years because they love to have fun.  I admire this mom because she has a youthful spirit that keeps her young. Age should not hinder us from doing fun things. We have to do more of what we love doing that makes us happy. It doesn't need to be expensive or extravagant. There are ways how to be frugal yet  achieving a similar goal.  It's an understatement that I love traveling; It makes me happy. I travel to unwind, learn, discover and meet new friends. I was having fun with this Starwars tandem during the flight. They haven't deplaned, but they told me "they miss me already." That's so sweet! Having fun with passengers is what I hope to happen on every flight.  

Making other people feel important or special no matter who they are and what they do is something that I practice doing. During my layover in Texas, this girl was diligently doing her job setting up the breakfast counter. She's charming, polite, shy, and could barely speak English. I try hard to use my minimal Spanish language when meeting people who only speak Espanol. So,  I talked to her in Spanish and pinned a flight attendant wing on her shirt.  She was thankful and gave me a friendly smile.  She may not express herself well verbally, but she's good at what she does. A simple person with a simple life and maybe dreams. I hope I made her feel special that day.  People have different backgrounds, experiences, skills, talents, education, financial status, and personality. Some people prefer a simple living, and others have no choice. Sometimes simple life is what we need in this complicated world.