Many consider what I do is pretty simple and straight forward. It consists of Coffee, Tea or Me..To the ones who assumes such, it's best that you get to know us better and to the ones who thinks they are only capable of doing such, flying has obviously not broaden your horizons neither have you been able to learn much from what it has to offer. I have nothing more to add except to feel sorry for you to have wasted much free education. That is because I have always believed that if you can survive being in the airline industry, you'll be able to work successfully elsewhere.
One of the questions I was asked during my interview was, why do I want to fly? 17 years ago, my answers included I love meeting people, I enjoy seeing places and it's obviously one of my childhood dreams. A year or so ago, when I went for a secondment interview and was eventually selected, my answers included I needed the money, I'd like to progress, I am looking forward to the opportunity of sharing my expertise and experience what it's like to have subordinates from all over the world. Most of all, I wanted to challenge myself and see how far I can go.
We tend to forget the little things when we are burden with life situations. We become frustrated, demoralized and worst off is when it affects our every day living. It is very important that we are able to see the good in everything. I guess flying is like being married. At the start, it's all fun and games. You are 24/7 in love. After a while, boredom and stress creeps in and if you are not careful, that's when you end up being out of love. Not happy? Resign.. Best advise given but how many are lucky or brave enough to do so? Leaving when you have nothing else good to look forward to is definitely not a safe or logical option. Running away from troubles and not learning your lessons is not the right way either. Therefore, most stay stuck and eventually become bitter. It's a terrible disease. It eats you up inside and infects everyone that you are close to.
So how does one continue staying in love, you ask? Well, for starters you got to be positive. See what you can do to make things better. Complaining and making a big fuss is not one of them. You can still affect changes by doing things silently. Start with yourself. Go do what makes you happy. I am sure, screaming your hearts out in agony is not one of them. When you are fulfilled emotionally and spiritually, you'll enjoy life more and what it consists of, people included. You'll be much nicer, more approachable and when you are proactive, you'll automatically be effective. It's a beautiful cycle and it can be achieve when your heart and mind is focus on doing what's right for your own well being.
There are days when I think to myself, why the hell am I still here? 17 years is a long time to be flying. After all, I am meant for bigger things or so I think. Whenever I feel this way, I'll keep reminding myself that no one is unimportant. I am doing exactly what was meant of me. It is how I do it that matters. I can don my uniform, put on my make up and give you my best smile and that's it or I can choose to go a little bit further by being sincere, caring and interested in what you have to say or share with me, to make both our lives a whole lot brighter. My presence might be good enough to be a mild distraction to lighten your burden throughout our flight and you might be able to make my day by making me feel useful, needed and appreciated.
I consider my colleagues, my family away from home. If we don't take good care of each other, no one else will. When we are away in another country, we are all we have. When one is sick, the rest will take turns to keep an eye. If the person is admitted into a hospital and the rest needs to operate home, whichever set of crew that lands into that place on the coming days, will go over for a visit and sends home feedbacks. When we go on long trips and we miss our Malaysian dishes, we'll try to shop for the ingredients overseas and cook the stuff in our crew lounge and have our meals together. We'll go sight seeing, have lots of fun shopping, get lost, find our way back together and protect each other from harm's way. We even share rooms at times so that we can have better sleep when one is uncomfortable or afraid to sleep alone for whatever reasons. We'll collect money, throw a party, buy presents and celebrate each other's birthdays or pass the cash over, to any of our flying members who were to find out and has to rush home to attend a funeral.
During the fasting month, when the Muslim crew needs to break their fast, the rest will cover for them and do what's necessary. No matter how tiring it is, we respect each other's faith. When the Muslim crew are on a night stop either in China, Hong Kong or Taiwan, our mandarin speaking crew will go all out of their ways to bring us to the halal restaurants or accompany us to the night markets and help us do the bargaining. They don't mind even though they fly into that sector practically every week. Why is that so? I believe it's because they care and they enjoy our company as much as we enjoy theirs.
When I was in Delhi many years ago with two other friends on a shopping spree in Janpath, we were nearly robbed and raped by a group of strangers at an abandon warehouse. Thanks to my Indian girlfriend who speaks fluent Hindi, we were saved and sent back to the hotel without a scratch. I got to thank my lucky stars that day and till today, my girlfriend and I can never forget that incident. The third lady has long retired. There'll be danger wherever you are. " Malang tidak berbau ". That's why it's always good to be aware of your surroundings and it helps a lot when others are there to keep a lookout for you.
I love bringing my family for flights with me. They get to see and understand what I do for a living. At the same time, I get to share with them my joy of flying and introduce them to the ones that has contributed to making me who I am today. It is lovely to watch people when they do things out of love. It warms my heart when others treat my family like their own. The only way you'll be able to experience that, is if you were to welcome them with open arms in the first place. Come fly with me and you'll understand what I mean someday :)
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