Every morning I wake up wondering if today will be the lucky day I sleep in, but like a programmed machine, I illuminate my phone to read, “4.30am.” It’s safe to say I’ve developed a routine and this is only the beginning of my circadian confusion.
Gathered at an Irish Pub in the city last night, we devoured several plates of wings and beers (or wine in my case) and relished the feeling of finally having completed the course and receiving our “wings” to signify we are, now, all qualified flight attendants. To think when this all began I was still having a hard time knowing if I could do this job, not for difficulty but out of shame I was somehow just throwing my life away. I struggled to tell people I was off to Calgary to become a “stewardess” as the lump in my throat just seemed to try to cut off all communication to save me from embarrassment. Some days the job seemed exciting and full of adventure but I still had a hard time admitting it. Cycling through my head were the words, “servant in the sky” as I pictured bit and bites and cookies… Thankfully it turned out to be far more interesting than I’d anticipated and I’m finally past that feeling of shame knowing that the job should look as simple as bringing around snacks and drinks but that truly we are all equipped with the ability to react in a moments notice to just about anything whether it be firefighting, emergency evacuations or heaven forbid those nasty events we’ve all seen enough of on TV from years past. Cheri recently reminded me I’m going to have that life full of stories and adventures from small business to world travels and everything in between. A good reminder that while I might have been struggling, it’s all got a place in a bigger story!
Sitting around the table I think it hit us all that this might be the last time we’d all be together since our classes are over and everyone begins flying and heading to their respective corners of Canada. We became a pretty tight knit group so it was definitely worth a few toasts. Strange as it may be, I’ll actually miss the early morning radio programs that I’d listen to at 5 in the morning. Who knew there were perks to such early hours on the highway?
So today is my first day qualified and with nowhere I need to be and no exams I need to study for! I will, however, be using today to prep for my first flight on Saturday by looking out for the following:
-Melatonin: I’m told this will be my new best friend
-Compression Stockings: dear God these sounds horrible, but everyone swears by them and frankly, I don’t want varicose veins
-Ice Bag: Looking for the old school ice bag with the screw top lid and hopefully some 50’s design work on the outside to keep my lunches cold
-Lock and Lock Containers: the only ones that don’t burst when ascending and descending all day long
This evening Aaron and Amy have invited over a few of my coworkers for a celebratory pizza dinner! I’m excited to try out cauliflower GF pizza dough which I’ve been hearing so much about! We’ll be gearing up for new adventures, new destinations and great friends scattered from East to West!