Life Challenges..

Life Challenges...

Three months had passed …quickly.

The pre-required observation time had come its final stage.

Although I had been actually working as a full-time Airline Hostess and not as an additional crew member, I was still new at this. However nobody could see or guess by the way I was running up and down the narrow aisle, carrying and balancing two full dinner trays, filled with porcelain dishes, glasses along with real cutlery, on my left arm and one on my right arm…and up and down, twenty two rows, three seats on each side of the aisle.

We had no serving cart in coach to serve dinner…and three choices of warm dinner dishes to choose from.

I was running a marathon on high heels.

So, my dears, gold wings had be pinned on my left “upper” breast but no other sign to witness I was a “fresh-woman” in the Flying University because I was flapping my wings like a pro! Mother Hen would have been mighty proud of me.

However I had to go through this critical phase because, if I did well, the skies were mine to fly away …indefinitely… and would bring awesome benefits.

On each leg I was working on, I had accepted all the pre-assigned duties given to me by the Flight Purser. He would then judge my performance and report to my supervisor.

For me, it meant that I was allowed no choice, no preference and only agree and cover each cabin service positions.

Although a rookie initially, practicing on the operational details of the galleys and cabin services, in both classes, it didn’t take me long to become fully familiar with flight management.

However every flight was a totally new experience of course. The passengers made the difference and also the crew, each time a new one with whom I shared strenuous hours of cabin duties.

 Finally, the biggest change was in my travel destination which gave me an occasion for wonderment for everything and everyone.

During all this diversity, I was getting more polished for each flight.

Upon the end of my trainee period, my supervisor had called, asking me to make a short stop at her office before my next crew briefing.

After the emotions of going through the two rounds of interviews, followed by the deep concentration studying during training in Kansas City, ending with graduation, I had now come to the final evaluation, the performance appraisal!

The pleasant smile on my supervisor’s face along with her warm greeting was for me enough signs. She was efficiently brief in her appreciation of my work. Her parting line:

- “ if you keep on doing what you do today and with the way you are… you will become one of the best! “ and her handshake with “ Welcome on Board!” ended her final and professional send-off.

I had made it!

The consecration of my employment as a full-time International Airline Hostess was a fact.

I would be able to choose my flight schedule for each month now. That was perfect as it gave me the chance to revaluate my personal life, review my living conditions and most of all, the possibility to open some “forgotten “obligations.

There was no point in avoiding those now.

I had to inform my parents and family in France who had heard nothing from me…since the beginning of my flying adventure.

Being a full time crew member gave me the benefits of reduced fares on all TWA flights and most airlines around the world.

For me, buying my first non-revenue, stand-by ticket and enjoying a flight as a passenger, from New-York to Paris, round trip during my three days off, represented a major task and one not to postpone any longer.

Face the bull by its horns.

That was me.

                                                             ***********

“Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.”

                                                 - Joseph Campbell -