So You Want to Be A Flight Attendant?

Never have I had so many queries about my job since I became a flight attendant, and I am telling you, I have had a lot of varied careers before becoming a trolley dolly. The only thing close to intrigue of my current profession was when I was a live in nanny for 4 children to a single billionaire father, but hey that is another post :)

Being a Flight Attendant is definitely the best job I have ever had (the proof is in the years I have stuck to this career compared to my stints as a Secretary, Make-Up Artist, Call Centre Telephone Operator, Systems Analyst, Recruitment Consultant, Waitress, Banking Team Leader and the list goes on. So you can see being a Flight Attendant can satisfy even the most itchy of feet in someone like me.

So I am going to open this one up to you, my readers. I already have a few Q&A's ready to respond to regarding the career of a Flight Attendant and where to begin if you are at the beginning of your job hunt but before I do, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW about the supposedly glamourous profession of the skies and what it takes to be a safety officer on board an aluminum pressurised tube?

To be continued....

10 Reasons To Go RAW (or increase your intake)

After a lazy morning of lying in and making a gorgeous Green Smoothie, PPP and I discussed what changes we had really noticed in our 5 weeks of being vegan and stepping up our RAW food intake.

For those of you curious to make similar changes and what benefits can you expect, even just by having a Green Juice or Smoothie once a day, these are a few great points on what we have experienced so far:

Increased Energy - I used to wake up in the mornings feeling grumpy and tired and I have never been a morning person but now my energy is more consistent and I don't feel like I need a nana nap at 3pm in the afternoons. My workouts are harder at the gym.

Clearer skin - My dry patches on my elbows and both our faces are looking fresher and not so dry considering it is winter and usually the time of year your body becomes thirsty for moisture. Spots have been less too.

Weight loss - now I know it hasn't been very long of being vegan for us both, but I have been stepping up my RAW intake gradually over the last few months, most notable this last month. I have already started to show more definition in my body all over, and my clothes are looking looser with a couple of comments already that I have lost weight. Being a guy, PPP was mainly concerned with losing too much weight and retaining his muscle definition, but apart from an initial drop of 1 or 2 kgs so far, he has managed to maintain his weight, and he is getting more definition in conjunction with both our weight training sessions.

Less Anxiety - my occasional anxiety and stress attacks (not severe anyway) have made way for a much more chilled state of being.

A general feeling of lightness - goes for both of us. After big meals of cooked meat or starchy foods, you can tend to feel full and fall into a food coma shortly afterwards on your couch. However with this change in my diet, I never feel full or hungry. It is great!

Perfect diet for travellers! I am finding that I don't just sit down for a meal at the prescribed times we have been programmed to think we need to eat at. I just eat when I am hungry and graze throughout the day. Perfect for us flighties* when working and don't have long to eat, but have a whole day on your feet. Vegie sticks, nuts, dried and fresh fruit, help keep you going.

Much clearer thinking

Less hunger pangs during the day

No calorie counting

No sickness - when everyone else around us has been dropping like flies with winter colds, flus and viruses, we have remained healthy and vibrant! No sick days for us!

Are you RAW and if so, what are some other benefits you have noticed?

*Flight attendants

The evils of Aspartame - Get a load of this! Well, actually dont!!!

A friend of mine sent me the link to this today, and I am really glad she did. She is a doctor dealing with cancer patients all the time, and advocates a RAW lifestyle after years of tiring of treating the symptoms NOT the cause of our SAD diets and questioning "Why are so many people getting sick?".

This page and following clip are really interesting to watch exactly how much we have been fooled and how we can prevent ourselves from developing any of the nasty illnesses by checking our food labels. I have always known it wasn't such a great thing to consume (like most of us) but having the stats to back it up just makes it even harder for me not to start lecturing my passengers every time they ask for a Diet Coke.

Aspartame comes under names like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, Equal-Measure and Canderel, but is also found in many other products like:

• Diet sodas, juice drinks, and flavored waters
• Chewing gum
• Table-top sweeteners
• Diet and diabetic foods
• Some breakfast cereals
• Fiber supplements, such as orange flavored Metamucil
• Jams
• Sweets
• Certain vitamins (including childrens) as well as prescription and over the-counter drugs such as Alka Seltzer Plus, and some Tylenol medications.

Go on! Don't put blind faith in the authorities. Hear it for yourself and get informed! And another reason to consider going RAW don't ya think???

Economic Crisis hits the Middle East

Over brunch with friends in Dubai on Friday afternoon, I discovered a really interesting phenomena. Apparently the economic crisis has hit the Middle East and ex pats who have lost their jobs due to the crumbling economy and recent bout of lay offs, are driving their encumbered cars to the airport, then getting on a plane home to their mother country for good. It was after a glass of wine or two, so yes I can be a little gullible, leading me to search for myself to see the credibility of the story. Geez, wonder where they are leaving the keys????

Click here to read more

Flight 1549

It's things like this that give me goosebumps. I have been glued to my TV in my hotel room this morning, watching the story on Flight 1549 that successfully ditched in the Hudson river in New York Thursday evening. In training we are taught 'in theory' that is EXACTLY how a ditching should work, plane in tact, tail heavy, evacuate out onto the wings and jump into the rafts.

As the pilot is being hailed a hero (rightly so) I think the crew have also executed a successful evacuation and I cannot wait to read the report post investigation on whether the evacuation was prepared and how the crew reacted during the ditching,

Brilliant! Puts to test the theory that there cannot ever be a successful ditching. Good work guys!

Read and see more by clicking here

If You Can't Do Something Well.....(becoming a Salsera, Jazz Ballet & Skiing)

I am now no longer a Beginner Salsera! A few weeks back I completed a beginner course of Salsa classes and wow it was fun. Although not a complete beginner (I also did a full complement of salsa classes when living in Glasgow in 2006 however my partner was also female and as I was tallest, I was forced to learn the male styling), I found this time the class at first to be a little overwhelming. Perhaps it was because it was not held in the basement of a local bar with refreshments on hand to take off the nervous edge. Or maybe because this time around I was doing classes with my PPP (my boyfriend - his crazy nickname given by my pal Greensies in Ibiza!) and he is almost an expert. What ever the reason, I cannot even begin to describe the weirdo I became on my first night of classes.

For a start, PPP knew all the advanced dancers who had come along to assist, not to mention all the moves. I felt sooo silly standing there with no idea what I was doing. With PPP the star of the group, being used for demonstrations with other practiced dancers, I was left to learn my 1,2,3 & 5,6,7 on my own (pretty usual for the first few lessons whilst you get the steps down pat but I did need a little reassurance from my pal).

Every 1,2,3 step back, I was slowly edging my way out the door and the whole group were aware that my body language and death stares I was giving for free in PPP's direction 'for making me endure this torture' were telling the story that I didn't want to be there. Flash back to childhood when I begged and begged and begged to be taken to Jazz Ballet classes where all my preschool pals had been attending. Finally my mum decided to show me what I had been dreaming of, only to find that I declined to participate in any of the class, instead choosing to sit at the back of the dance room, with my legs crossed, frozen with a scowl firmly planted towards my mother, who was confused as ever.

Now I am not sure what makes me behave this way. Salsa classes have been on my Things to Do Before I Die list for a few years, and even more suitable now as I have a partner who loves to salsa (how he woooed me on the first night we met!). But why do I act the complete opposite to my apparent desires? Poor PPP was too confused as well, as I have been talking up my enthusiasm for this all year. And my actions were showing the opposite.

The only reasons I could come up with are that I hate trying anything that I am not good at immediately. An example of this was my first time skiing in Ruapehu, New Zealand in 2001. After 2 days of lessons I tried a couple of green runs. (I had already argued with my instructor on day 1 as I couldn't pick up the technique of snow ploughing when the rest of the children in the class were acing it!). And then my ski partner accidentally took me down a BLACK RUN! He, also a beginner, sailed down to the bottom without a care in the world, where as I fell over a few times, witnessed no less than two stretchers with patients in pain glide past, whilst I gave up, took off my ski's, threw a tantrum, then cried. Why couldn't I pick this up?

Complete ego I think, don't you? Why shouldn't I just throw caution to the wind and give these things a shot, without caring how I appear? As one of the more experienced dancers told me on the first night, "don't worry who is watching, and don't worry if you make a mistake, if you do just keep dancing then no one will know. And don't forget we have all been there."

I think now is a perfect time for me to rid myself of this EGO and give things I want to try a good shot, even if I don't turn out to be any good at it. Cuba trip in February 2009 is the perfect place to start. 11 days of salsa lessons in the Caribbean...hmmm shouldn't be too hard to rid myself of this ego, whilst I learn how to dance in front of some of the best dancers in the world....MUM!

Next stop, Amman, Jordan

Following my trip to London last month, I had a brief chance to get to know Jordan on the way home. A couple of days in the country's capital, Amman was just the right amount of time to see the main attractions and sample some of the local fare. I had intended to make the several hour journey to check out Petra, however this is a future holiday trip for PPP and I so I contented myself with Amman.

With the crew keen to get out and about, but also not so keen to be the decision makers, I took charge and planned our outings. The only pre-requisite being the mechanic requiring a sheep skin merchant (on orders from his wife). Interesting enough whilst browsing sheep skins, I found the original 'Uggs'. Not as pretty mind you, but VERY original.

I couldn't believe how built up Amman is. But very reminiscent of Lebanon I am told, never having been.

The Roman Ampitheatre

First stop was the Roman Amphitheatre. In my opinion wasn't that exciting, but the tiny museum underneath showcased some beautiful traditional costumes. The view of the Citadel from the Amphitheatre only encouraged me and my posse to find the easiest pathway up to it as it stood on it's lonesome in the Jordanian sky scape.

On our adventure through some back pathways and staircases to the Citadel, I was accosted by several young school children (I am talking around 10 years of age) demanding my kiss or waving to me like a starstruck teen who has just seen Britney Spears. It was fun and I gave away some of my honey coated pastries that were dripping on my feet as I trekked upwards past my adoring fans to the Citadel. It was all innocent and in good fun and not in anyway sleazy like some places I've experienced in this part of the world.

The Citadel

On arrival at the Citadel we were approached by some friendly locals offering an informative tour of the surrounding ruins. Their ID displayed government certification and they relied on donation for payment. The gentleman we had was very knowledgeable and tailored the tour to our time frame. As we were close to sunset and the museum was closing in half an hour, he rushed us off to see the Dead Sea Scrolls immediately then walked us around the ruins of the Citadel and the Byzantine Church. The flagpole in the distance is the Raghadan Flagpole which can be seen from all of Amman and is the 3rd largest in the world, the first being one in Turkmenistan. The flagpole can carry a flag up to 80 square metres.

Dead Sea Scrolls, Byzantine Church & Raghadan Flagpole

Our guide was also able to drive us to very near our hotel for a delicious local schawarma (lamb and yes pre vegan days...). All in time to wrap myself up in bed for my early morning departure back home.

And I thought I DIDN'T like Salad!!!

I have just polished off a whole bowl of salad, and I want more! This is crazy, as trying to increase my amount of RAW living food as much as I decrease the DEAD cooked food I am eating, I set myself up for the belief that I would have to get most of my nourishment from my smoothies and juices. However today has proven me wrong....

This salad is so simple yet so delicious either on it's own or as a side.

1. 2 avocados chopped
2. 3 Ripe Tomatoes chopped
3. Half a head of Romaine or Cos Lettuce chopped
   
4. 1 Spanish Onion chopped
5. Apple Cider vinegar to taste with a pinch of black pepper and 1/3 teaspoon of Himalayan Salt
   

Toss it all in a bowl and I dare you to tell me you don't just love it!

Also nice rather than chopping the lettuce, wrap the mixture up in a leaf and eat it like a wrap...YUMMO!

Black and White Ball - New Year Celebrations Cancelled (kind of)

I'm not usually a big one for New Year Celebrations, although counting back the last few years that could be the wrong perception:

2008 - celebrated with crew on my favourite layover in Hong Kong with dinner,then party in the city streets culminating in an expat Irish pub.

2007 - Casino Royale James Bond themed house party in London (House parties rock in the UK especially in the dead of winter!)

2006 - Edinburgh, Scotland with my local resident cousins, 1 day after landing from my 3 week holiday in Mexico. Celebrated at their world famous Hogmanay Street party. We failed to get the news flash to bring our own drinks as none were to be found for sale unless you had secured a pub to camp out in from midday....we still had fun though.

So I thought this year would be a quiet one. Wrong. PPP surprised me with a ticket to a Black & White Ball in Bahrain a few weeks ago. What surprised us the most however, was on arrival to the party, we discovered the King had ordered the cancellation of all New Years events in the country "in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza following days of massive Israeli attacks". After a few text messages to various friends around the Gulf region I discovered we were not the only countries effected.

In the end, the 700 something black and white partygoers were not left out in the cold, however all live music and dancers scheduled for the evening were cancelled, and although a more sombre tone lingered on the night, we still managed to enjoy the delicious buffet (PPP and I amazingly found it easy to steer clear of anything non vegan) and dance our little hearts out til the early hours of the morn. Saw some amazing dresses and met some lovely new people. And for once, didn't wake up with too much of a hangover. Bring on 2009!