My World As A Flight Attendant

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. My employer asked about the importance of our culture and what it means to us.  Here is what I say: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is a celebration of our heritage while recognizing our contributions and achievements in American society. I believe that our heritage shapes us, but humanity defines us.  In celebration of this month, I hope that the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes stops.  Let us not judge people with their background, skin color, accent, or physical deformities.  We all contribute to this world and have a role to play in society, and we can achieve it no matter where we come from.  We all came from somewhere and had the right to be someone else.  However, let us not forget our heritage and those people who helped us become who we are today.  Being a Filipino-American is not just an opportunity but a great blessing.  I love my heritage, am proud of my color ...

  Having a vaccine during the pandemic is a personal decision.  For me, g etting vaccinated is my pathway to freedom.   We all know that the pandemic has changed our lifestyles.  We were deprived of activities we love doing for many months, including social gatherings, handshaking, hugging, and traveling.  Honestly, wearing a mask is something I don't want to do, but I have to do it for safety reasons. I had my vaccine in March of 2021, and being vaccinated means I can enjoy some freedom again.  Because traveling is a part of my lifestyle, I need a vaccine to return and enjoy traveling again.  My children were all vaccinated as well, and they are getting back on track.  We all have our beliefs, especially about health issues and what we do for our bodies. We should respect each other's opinions on how we care for ourselves and beat the pandemic.  The choice is ours. Let us not argue about our differences. We are all responsible for our a...

  "Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” – Leonardo da Vinci For us who love to fly, this quote speaks to us in this present time. Our passion for flying takes us to a greater height, limitless horizon, and undaunted.  At the beginning of 2020, I was busy working on my first book about immigrants. I finished it in February and published it in March. I was getting ready to travel to the Philippines to promote the book. But it didn’t happen. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives and the world of travel. Demands have drastically fallen because of fear of traveling and global efforts to stop the spread of the virus. Travel warnings were heightened, and restrictions were mandated. Non-essential travel was limited. Planes have been grounded. Airports became deserted. Employers offered retirement programs and voluntary unpaid leave. Others have...

It has been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on our lives. But, unfortunately, our battle is not over yet. I want to pay tribute to those who lost their lives, to healthcare professionals, and other frontline workers who continue to sacrifice their lives in the line of duty. As a flight attendant and frontline worker, I respect and admire other frontline workers, especially healthcare professionals. There is hope to businesses, careers, and relationships that the pandemic has impacted. Keep that faith. I mainly used my sunrise photos to represent the HOPE that comes in the morning. The song "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is a favorite song relevant to our time with a message of providing comfort for someone in need. Our unprecedented era of the pandemic is bringing us together. A helping hand and a listening ear can comfort someone in need. Let us continue to encourage one another in any way that will help heal the world. Let us continue t...

  Dave has had a passion for aviation since grade school. He wants to be a pilot someday and save money to attend a flight school.  On his birthday in April, I visited them in Charleston and gifted him my I Love Flying journal. I found out about his passion for aviation. I was impressed with his vast aviation knowledge; even the language he used is the exact terms we use every day at work. We did some role-playing, me as a flight attendant, and he was the pilot flying the plane. He impressed me! I  bought him a pilot's hat as an additional gift and asked the pilots I worked with to write him a letter. Without hesitation, they gladly did. Dave framed the letters and hung them on his bedroom wall. His mom Bing told me that he was excited and happy.  I never thought that I Love Flying would turn out to be more than just a gift to this young man who loves aviation. My employer used our photo for Aviation Week. Isn't that something?  Inspiring the next generation in ...

Happy New Year to all of us! Do you have a favorite book that you want to read or carry along with you when you need some motivation, enlightenment, encouragement, or simply give you a little push or lift.  A passenger was reading this book on one of my flights, and I happened to glance at it. I started a conversation with the couple. I told them that I liked the author and loved motivational books like that. They shared with me some thoughts about the book and on being optimistic. To my surprise, when they were deplaning, the couple handed me the book. So that day was not only an opportunity to meet positive people like them, but I've been blessed with a new book! When it's a new year, we need a new mindset or maybe a better mindset to improve, grow, or be better human beings. Some of us create new years resolutions. Some have new goals, missions, and dreams to fulfill.  The cover of the book clearly reads: Empty out the negative. Make room for joy, greater confidence, and ne...

  The famous song of Frank Sinatra, "I will be home for Christmas," is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Listen to it here . . . We desire to go home for Christmas to celebrate with family and friends. However, inevitable circumstances prevent us from doing so. For example, some can't go home because of work. Christmas is a time to celebrate with our loved ones. Last year, the pandemic had prevented many of us from going home for Christmas because of travel restrictions. However, for the past months, traveling has been back. More and more people are traveling despite the complications of traveling, including the requirements and restrictions.  We have planned to go home to see our family and close friends. We are willing to do the additional steps or requirements to celebrate Christmas with them.   On a more profound and spiritual thought about "going home," unfortunately, many of us didn't have a chance to go home to our families from their hospital beds....

When I became a flight attendant in 2012, I told myself, "This is it; this is going to be my retirement job." I spent my days off traveling and blogging during the first five years.   Then in November 2019, that routine has changed.  But it has changed positively. I was inspired to start writing the book that has been on my vision board. The right timing came to me. I gave myself a timeline to finish the book. But I didn't meet my initial timeline and had to give myself more time.  My laptop was always open to work during my free time at the airport, and anywhere I am. No time wasted. There were early mornings when my mind couldn't stop thinking of something to write. There were sleepless nights. After four months, I finally finished the manuscript.  I did the final proofreading of the printed manuscript on the plane.  I was happy. I was excited but nervous at the same time. I know I worked hard to finish this book titled "What We Know for Sure: Inspiration...

A good night's sleep for a flight attendant is something we treasure.  But not every day is the same.  There are days we are deprived of sleep due to a short layover, and there are days that we enjoy a good night's sleep. If I have 6-7 hours of sleep, I usually feel good.  I wish it's always like that.   Dreaming good dreams is something we all want.  I believe that some of our dreams are connected to our feelings and emotions. On the other hand, some dreams are just random and unexplainable. Speaking of dreaming, even a doorknob can give a little inspiration. I love seeing inspirational words that create good thoughts and imagination. This hotel is doing a great job.  "Dreaming Big Dreams" is not ambitious.  Dream big and reach for the star. There's nothing wrong with that. If you stay motivated, determined, and focused, your big dream can be a reality.     What are you dreaming about?

"World Surpasses 35 million Cases of COVID-19." "Major US airlines continue slashing service during coronavirus outbreak: 'We will get through this" "How Airlines Are Dealing with The Coronavirus Outbreak" These were the familiar headlines on the onset of the coronavirus outbreak. Is the world prepared for this outbreak?  Most of us were caught unprepared, shocked, sad, and frightened. We were overwhelmed with the daily news that affected us emotionally. I often feel depressed with all the negative information I read in the morning. I had to tell myself not to be consumed by what was happening around me. It was overwhelming, but that was the reality. During the first few months of 2020, there were many uncertainties, fear of losing jobs, getting sick of the virus, and so much more. Then later part of the year, we finally felt and witnessed the impact of Covid-19 in the US and around the world. The pandemic has devastated the airline industry worldwide....