Life in the Sky

 

I’m not really one to write about flight attendant life…one of the reasons being, it seems hard to explain. I received my bachelors in Managerial & Organizational Communication with a minor in Public Relations. I am smart and skilled. And people ask why did you become a flight attendant? Like I just settled for something or downgraded…truly this is a job like no other and can be compared to no other.

I grew up in a very exploration-minded home. My parents wanting us kids to see new cities and worlds. I treasured road trips with my mom and three brothers from Montana to California each year. I distinctly remember having to barter for a wallet on Canal Street in New York at age 12. My father took trips around the world, to places like Tajikistan or Zimbabwe and always returning with stories and goodies from across the globe. I knew what the feeling of seeing new places and meeting new people gave me. When I studied abroad in Prague, that’s when traveling really became a passion for me. I wanted to see how people lived…everywhere. I wanted to witness where they called home, even just for a short time. I wanted to discover each city for its uniqueness. And I realized, well yes, there is such a job where I can travel, meet people, and walk through a new city each week.

Having the privilege to travel is priceless. Being able to get on a plane to see my family whenever I can, is beyond a blessing. Feeling like I have the world at my fingertips is liberating! My bucket list seems possible, my dreams become reality. I’m in Florida on the beach one day and in Vancouver in the canopy of trees the next. One of my friends, who is also a flight attendant, will literally come to Chicago for the day to have lunch with me and go to a Chicago Cubs game. Then she will hop on the plane to work a flight to Germany.

This job does come with certain responsibilities and struggles too. The pressure of people’s safety being one and the thought of one day having to face a life-threatening situation being another. But being away from Jacob is my top struggle. We love to travel together and that is seriously the best. Jacob is understanding and gracious and knows that I enjoy what I do, but sometimes, being home with him is the only place I want to be.  The job can also be very exhausting. Work hours become days and days become nights and you have to remember what city you landed in the night before. All that considered, when Jacob and I step off the plane in a foreign city there is a rush of excitement and adventure that matches no other feeling for me.

Lastly, this job has shown me how much people need God’s love. People need a smiling face and a warm gesture. People need to feel welcome and wanted. People want to know they matter. I could do that with many jobs. But this one seems to fit me. With this job, 160+ people are stuck with me at 30,000 feet, you bet I’m going to make them feel safe and welcome. And hopefully, I’ll get a chance to talk to some and maybe make a new friend or be that person that makes someone’s day a little brighter. This journey of life can be an epic adventure. I plan to use my gifts to the best of my ability, meet awesome people, and never stop exploring.

Happy Adventures (& thanks for reading!),

Erika