Taking it to the skies
I was in uniform and ready to go. I was always jetting around to different parts of the globe. People always asked me how I ended up there (back then) or how I ended up here (doing whatever I'm doing now).
Someone even asked if I did not want others to know that I was once with an airline. I must admit that I had quite a laugh when I was asked that question. There really is nothing to hide. Memories remain as memories.
Yes, I was attached to an airline back then and it still remains a pride to have been attached with one of the world's fastest growing airlines that many dream (and continue to dream) to work for. Out of the thousand candidates who attended the interview that day, apparently only 13 were selected. I must add that it was quite a tough competition, which I know many of my former colleagues would agree. Being in the airline was just a phase of life and a chapter in my storybook. It was fun while it lasted but being attached to an airline for life was definitely not what I had wanted. Needless to say, I did not feel fulfilled. I had set myself a Mission and flying in a beautiful uniform was definitely not the way to materialise my goals. Even while I was attached to Emirates, I did my best to stimulate my mind with many different activities. I tried to complete my PhD thesis, tried to write my book, joined the Emirates' Special Assistance Team, tried to think of some interesting ideas to make a particular flight more interesting... perhaps that was why I loved the A380 Business Class lounge. I got to meet and talk to very interesting people - and most of whom did not understand why I decided to fly. People stereotype all the time. If you fly, they think you're uneducated or unable to gain employment back home. On the fleet, we have got doctors, nurses, PhD holders, engineers, actresses, models etc. Everyone in an airline flies for a different reason. So, there really isn't any use stereotyping 'cabin crew'. Every experience counts and my experience with Emirates definitely counted! How often do you get to be stuck in an enclosed space with 500 over people (I was working on the Jumbo A380 fleet by the way)? You're stuck in an enclosed space filled with people from different backgrounds, age groups and beliefs. This was an amazing experience! You get to meet people from all walks of life and observe how certain people have a tendency to behave in a certain way under certain circumstances. The different cultures and different practices and ways of dealing with things were all intriguing to the senses. Given the pressure and the challenges that crew members had to deal onboard, you would be left with no choice but to eventually rise beyond the senses and see the people for who they really are at heart and not their physical appearances or behaviour. It is you who determines whether a phase of your life helps build YOU to be a better person, or whether it was a WASTE of time. Every experience counts. The Law degree, delving into natural medicine and therapy, Ph.D, journalism, cabin crew, bookwriting and Yoga... Nothing was ever a waste of my time (though it appeared that way to others). To some (who have voiced out by the way), I was floating from one boat to another. They believed that if I had read Law, I had to become a lawyer. That was the only road they saw. But life is one filled with endless opportunities. I loved reading Law. I loved the development of the analytical mind and critical thinking. I loved debates. I loved everything about it except the fact that Law in reality, isn't as FAIR and JUST as many people believe it to be. The process can be very bureaucratic. I was also a journalist and that too, was not a waste. The skills I had learned from journalism taught me about the publishing world. I loved writing but I knew I did not want to write negative news! Educated in Law, I was working on a high-profile corruption case back then and that was enough. It got me plenty of front pages but what hits front page is hardly ever good news. I wanted to write pieces that would inspire and teach people something to enrich their lives in some ways or another. Hence, I created a free online magazine that does just that. Joining the airlines allowed me to work with a lot of people under pressure. You need to refine your organisational skills, teamwork, train your efficiency and alertness and yet, remain poise in that uniform despite all the hard work you have been put through. I assure you that is definitely no easy job, switching from the outdoor coat to kitchen apron and high-heels to cabin shoes, then back to high-heels again. Carrying your cabin crew manual that is as thick as the encyclopedia, and having to study that for your refresher every year! You've got to force yourself to smile even on gloomy days, and learn how to juggle so many roles in one flight; security officer, chef, babysitter, psychologist (there are depressed people who would want to speak to you, YES!), medical team (first-aid is common), mover (try pushing those meal carts and taking down a metal container from a high shelf and you'll understand), waiter/waitress, bartender (if you work up in the lounge), cleaner etc. etc. etc. etc. Oh yes, although crew members are paid big bucks, the job is highly demanding. You are expected to be efficient, alert and play nice even when passengers are unreasonable. If people are already facing problems in their daily life dealing with the people around them, try facing over 500 different people almost every single day! I must however add that it was not all beautiful sunshine with that job. It was what it was - just another job. I had my fair share of days when I felt I was not doing enough to fulfill the Mission I have set for myself by remaining in that job. There were times when the job became too repetitive, monotonous and probably even felt that it was an insult to the education that I have received (quite a number of crew members I've spoken to have felt that way). All of us have had those days (in any job). But it is not the experience or circumstances that define us. It is up to us to infuse meaning to any single experience. Life is what we make out of it. When I joined the airline, a group of people said I was crazy to have done so. Apparently, it was a waste of the Law degree, it was not professional, only uneducated people become cabin crew, blah blah blah... And when I quit, another group of people said I was crazy to have given up on such a salary. Apparently, it was such a comfortable job; stress-free compared to other ground jobs etc. So you see, you will never please everyone! I had my reasons WHY I read Law, WHY I delved into natural medicine after graduating from Law, WHY I joined journalism, WHY I joined the airline, WHY I decided to quit the airline, WHY I decided to do all the things I have done and all that I am doing now! But one thing is for sure, I treasure every single experience because I choose to do so. Every single experience was a building block to fulfill the Mission I've set for myself in this lifetime, and every experience from now onward will also continue to be so. People may not see my reasons but why would it matter? When the eyes see only separation, they see no connection or unity in any matter. The most important thing however is that I do and I know. We connect our own dots. I've done a lot of different things in this lifetime. Again, life is a long and exciting journey that is filled with unlimited possibilities. People may expect you to conform to society's expectations and behave in a certain way, but the most important question one must ask is if you feel fulfilled as a person when you do the things that you do. Do not let people tell you what you should do or what the right thing to do is. Ask your heart. What moves you? Remember, it is not other people's job to connect the dots. It is yours. Make your life worthwhile and live it up the best you can. And while you are at it, throw in a few smiles or so. It'll brighten you and the people around you. Love and light, Genevieve
Yes, I was attached to an airline back then and it still remains a pride to have been attached with one of the world's fastest growing airlines that many dream (and continue to dream) to work for. Out of the thousand candidates who attended the interview that day, apparently only 13 were selected. I must add that it was quite a tough competition, which I know many of my former colleagues would agree. Being in the airline was just a phase of life and a chapter in my storybook. It was fun while it lasted but being attached to an airline for life was definitely not what I had wanted. Needless to say, I did not feel fulfilled. I had set myself a Mission and flying in a beautiful uniform was definitely not the way to materialise my goals. Even while I was attached to Emirates, I did my best to stimulate my mind with many different activities. I tried to complete my PhD thesis, tried to write my book, joined the Emirates' Special Assistance Team, tried to think of some interesting ideas to make a particular flight more interesting... perhaps that was why I loved the A380 Business Class lounge. I got to meet and talk to very interesting people - and most of whom did not understand why I decided to fly. People stereotype all the time. If you fly, they think you're uneducated or unable to gain employment back home. On the fleet, we have got doctors, nurses, PhD holders, engineers, actresses, models etc. Everyone in an airline flies for a different reason. So, there really isn't any use stereotyping 'cabin crew'. Every experience counts and my experience with Emirates definitely counted! How often do you get to be stuck in an enclosed space with 500 over people (I was working on the Jumbo A380 fleet by the way)? You're stuck in an enclosed space filled with people from different backgrounds, age groups and beliefs. This was an amazing experience! You get to meet people from all walks of life and observe how certain people have a tendency to behave in a certain way under certain circumstances. The different cultures and different practices and ways of dealing with things were all intriguing to the senses. Given the pressure and the challenges that crew members had to deal onboard, you would be left with no choice but to eventually rise beyond the senses and see the people for who they really are at heart and not their physical appearances or behaviour. It is you who determines whether a phase of your life helps build YOU to be a better person, or whether it was a WASTE of time. Every experience counts. The Law degree, delving into natural medicine and therapy, Ph.D, journalism, cabin crew, bookwriting and Yoga... Nothing was ever a waste of my time (though it appeared that way to others). To some (who have voiced out by the way), I was floating from one boat to another. They believed that if I had read Law, I had to become a lawyer. That was the only road they saw. But life is one filled with endless opportunities. I loved reading Law. I loved the development of the analytical mind and critical thinking. I loved debates. I loved everything about it except the fact that Law in reality, isn't as FAIR and JUST as many people believe it to be. The process can be very bureaucratic. I was also a journalist and that too, was not a waste. The skills I had learned from journalism taught me about the publishing world. I loved writing but I knew I did not want to write negative news! Educated in Law, I was working on a high-profile corruption case back then and that was enough. It got me plenty of front pages but what hits front page is hardly ever good news. I wanted to write pieces that would inspire and teach people something to enrich their lives in some ways or another. Hence, I created a free online magazine that does just that. Joining the airlines allowed me to work with a lot of people under pressure. You need to refine your organisational skills, teamwork, train your efficiency and alertness and yet, remain poise in that uniform despite all the hard work you have been put through. I assure you that is definitely no easy job, switching from the outdoor coat to kitchen apron and high-heels to cabin shoes, then back to high-heels again. Carrying your cabin crew manual that is as thick as the encyclopedia, and having to study that for your refresher every year! You've got to force yourself to smile even on gloomy days, and learn how to juggle so many roles in one flight; security officer, chef, babysitter, psychologist (there are depressed people who would want to speak to you, YES!), medical team (first-aid is common), mover (try pushing those meal carts and taking down a metal container from a high shelf and you'll understand), waiter/waitress, bartender (if you work up in the lounge), cleaner etc. etc. etc. etc. Oh yes, although crew members are paid big bucks, the job is highly demanding. You are expected to be efficient, alert and play nice even when passengers are unreasonable. If people are already facing problems in their daily life dealing with the people around them, try facing over 500 different people almost every single day! I must however add that it was not all beautiful sunshine with that job. It was what it was - just another job. I had my fair share of days when I felt I was not doing enough to fulfill the Mission I have set for myself by remaining in that job. There were times when the job became too repetitive, monotonous and probably even felt that it was an insult to the education that I have received (quite a number of crew members I've spoken to have felt that way). All of us have had those days (in any job). But it is not the experience or circumstances that define us. It is up to us to infuse meaning to any single experience. Life is what we make out of it. When I joined the airline, a group of people said I was crazy to have done so. Apparently, it was a waste of the Law degree, it was not professional, only uneducated people become cabin crew, blah blah blah... And when I quit, another group of people said I was crazy to have given up on such a salary. Apparently, it was such a comfortable job; stress-free compared to other ground jobs etc. So you see, you will never please everyone! I had my reasons WHY I read Law, WHY I delved into natural medicine after graduating from Law, WHY I joined journalism, WHY I joined the airline, WHY I decided to quit the airline, WHY I decided to do all the things I have done and all that I am doing now! But one thing is for sure, I treasure every single experience because I choose to do so. Every single experience was a building block to fulfill the Mission I've set for myself in this lifetime, and every experience from now onward will also continue to be so. People may not see my reasons but why would it matter? When the eyes see only separation, they see no connection or unity in any matter. The most important thing however is that I do and I know. We connect our own dots. I've done a lot of different things in this lifetime. Again, life is a long and exciting journey that is filled with unlimited possibilities. People may expect you to conform to society's expectations and behave in a certain way, but the most important question one must ask is if you feel fulfilled as a person when you do the things that you do. Do not let people tell you what you should do or what the right thing to do is. Ask your heart. What moves you? Remember, it is not other people's job to connect the dots. It is yours. Make your life worthwhile and live it up the best you can. And while you are at it, throw in a few smiles or so. It'll brighten you and the people around you. Love and light, Genevieve
You made the best use of your time in Dubai and that was what mattered. People are always so quick to judge the next person they see. Abdul Kalam, the former president of India was a paperboy. Nothing to be ashamed about this. W Clement Stone was also a paper boy and he went on to become one of the greatest men who lived. Master Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari from the SRCM organisation was also a businessman before he went full-time into spirituality. Everyone inspires others in their own unique way. I've learned from you that life is a drama that we ourselves stage and arrange. In each lifetime, we play different roles -- son, father, student, teacher, friend, employee. I've always been fascinated with your life story and it always reminds me that no one can ever tell me what I can or cannot do. Thanks Master.
ReplyDeleteYou're pretty inspiring you know that? You seem to be such an all-rounder. I'm not sure my experiences at have been as interesting as yours when I was your age. You look real pretty in that uniform by the way.
ReplyDeletewe are who we are. no need to gain the approval from others. we just need to stay true to ourselves.
ReplyDelete