Just Let Me Be Me
I thought I could start afresh with this job. I'm just a trainee, not some high-flying cabin crew anymore.
But now, I suppose everyone in the training center knows that I was a cabin crew before this. Why?
-- Last Thursday at the HQ, we met the folks from the previous batch and just did some basic introductions.
-- Was having our tea-break when one came over and we started asking for tips about surviving the basic training.
-- He casually asked everyone our previous working experience.
-- He went back to his batch, and told the rest that we have a ex-cabin crew in our class. That's me.
-- Today, took a bus with a girl from his class. And she confirmed, everyone in their batch knows about me.
Well, I guess they're calling me "that air stewardess" now.
This is so not good.
I just want to be ME-- sloppy, loud, vulgar, and simply ME!
New Job, New Rules
One more day of orientation tomorrow.
Received the general manual from the center yesterday and it's THICK. Flipped through it, and much of the information is so foreign-- they're talking in terms so specialised that the manager just told us to "Relax now! We'll teach all these in training, so don't make yourself crazy by trying to understand everything now."
Oh. Think the job is so specialised and confidential that even our salary scheme is included in the manual. I guess this is how things work in this division-- you can talk all you want about the job and the company within colleagues, but keep it shut when others ask.
Yup. They even had a session for the trainees just to learn about the whole pay and bonus system. ~Whistles~
Here's something I can say (I suppose), since it came from a fellow trainee-- His female cousin has been in the job for 2 years, and she's taking home an average of 3 to 4k per month.
Yah. TAKE HOME. And the bonuses are not included YET.
But! Not everybody can reach that stage. Someone managed to hear from HR that-- Over a hundred candidates were called back to try the initial computer aptitude test. About 20 of us passed to the first panel interview. 11 were called back for the second panel interview, and 10 passed it.
AND! Heard this from someone working there-- Her batch, they had 12 to start training with. All passed part one of the training. Half failed part two. Only 2 managed to pass the on-job-training. Now? She's the only one from her batch that is still with the company.
OOOOOOOOOOOaaaaaaaaaaaaaWWWWWWWWWWaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
Well, the REAL challenge starts next Monday!
What? Close It Down??
One MSN-pal was reading my blog and she told me, "Hey! Your tagboard is so much more interesting that your actual blog!"
Huh? Went to take a look and woah. It looks like a mini-forum up there.
The MSN-pal went "Hmmmm. It looks heated... maybe you should take off the tagboard for a while."
No way.
Some may feel my blog entries are too 'poking' and too 'raw'. But hey, it's not like many 'Hate-sites' out there that encourage the use of physical violence or assault in times of anger. They talk about it, and tell readers to go out and commit a crime. Mine? I believe it's so much tamer.
Everybody's blog or online-journal is a virtual place for them to show their emotions-- be it love, hatred, upsetness, joy, boringness or grumpiness.
I love mine.
流年不利？？
It's the new year, and somehow my troubles just don't seem to go away.
Just when I thought everything's settled and I can start my new job's training on time, THINGS just happened.
For those think-- "Huh? You're still stuck with the medical checks meh?"
No. I passed the medicals and the report's good.
It's my training deeds that I'm troubled over now.
Timeline:
15th Feb morning: Met with the company's HR person-in-charge (PIC) and she gave the 2 copies of the training deeds which should be signed by my 2 sureties.
15th Feb evening: Met with the 2 sureties and passed them the deeds to sign. Obviously, they didn't understand the terms listed and took the deeds home to read through.
15th Feb night: I emailed the PIC and posted some questions which the sureties are unclear. But then, the PIC will be on leave from 16th and I wonder if she can access the company email from home. And let's face it-- It's the Chinese New Year weekend. Everybody needs a break.
16th and 17th Feb: Asked my sureties which areas of the deed that they need more clarifications. I couldn't reach the PIC, so the next persons I contacted were the other trainees. Well, it seems that every one elses' sureties have already signed without much questions. Hah.
One acquaintance, not a trainee, knows of me needing 2 sureties to sign the deed. He asked casually if both are female. When he heard that they both are, he went "Oh, then maybe that explains the drag. Guys-- when they agree, they just agree. If they don't agree, they just say No and it's still buddies"
Oooooooo. NOW I know.
18th Feb: It's the First Day of Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Gong Xi!
19th Feb afternoon: Contacted my sureties to see if they've signed or still unclear. One replied and said that there's still a part that needs to be clarified. Again, I contacted my fellow trainees and blasted them with the questions AGAIN.
Called the other surety and found out that yes, she's signed the deed. And I'll meet her on the 20th to take the deed from her.
19th Feb night: The first surety called to let me know that she wants to pull out.
Yah. You read that right.
Did I mention that it's the Chinese New Year weekend and nobody in the new company is around to help me?
And, did I mention that I have to report to the company in the morning on the 21st to meet the HR director and my new department's chief???
Yah. It's THAT bad.
Now, my main trouble's not about finding another new surety; It's- I don't have a deed for the new surety to sign on before Wednesday morning, before I'm to meet all the 'big-heads'!
Tell me-- what would YOU do?
Let me know, if you have the perfect backup plan. By Tuesday night.
New Year!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!!
And a Happy Birthday to me!!
What happens when your birthday falls on the first day of the Chinese New Year?
You go super-duper crazy and busy celebrating both!!
My Final Flight
Shall start off with the little coincidences that made up this final flight:
-- When I was accepted into the airline in 2005, I did searches on the Internet for more information about cabin crew life with them. One particular blog came up-- though it wasn't very detailed about the working environment, it gave a glimpse into the life of a cabin crew with the company.
----> This final flight, I flew with that crew from Singapore to Narita.
-- Got to fly with my training buddy from Narita to Ho Chi Minh City and back.
-- On the leg back to Singapore from Narita, I had an ex-colleague onboard who's recently joined another airline.
----> She was with me during our initial interviews.
Shall do this entry with pictures:
Left the house on 4th February evening for my final flight.
Reached Narita.
The next day, it's to the airport again. Showing up for work with my buddy.
On the hotel bus to airport
In the chief's jumpseat after the meal service.
HCMC hotel room
Before you know it, it's time to leave the hotel.
A shot with the chief before deplaning.
Being a poster girl.
When it comes to crazy poses,
I'm The Best!
Met RJ when we're checking-in.
After some hours of sleep, it's dinnertime.
The girls deciding on what to eat...
Decided!
Itadakimasu!
What else? Lemon Sherbet icecream.
~~
The next day. Getting ready for the final leg of duty.
All ready to go!
Later on the flight, it's crew meal time!
Our crew meals are business-class meals. Not sure when's the next time I'll get to be served THAT.
And then it's photo-taking time!
Me in my working apron.
Back to the jacket.
Acting busy.
Galley all cleaned for landing. Turbulence expected.
One last shot before I take my seat.
Farewell shot.
Probably last chance ever to be in an aircraft cockpit.
And it's time to get home.
Back to reality.
お疲れ様でした！
No Longer A Cabin Crew
Came back on Saturday night from my last duty flight.
A lot to say, a lot to do, a lot to show. Not sure what to do now.
More when I'm ready.
Last Layover Station
In Saigon now, and using the computer in the crew room.
Last time that I'll be here; last time that I'll walk out of a hotel with the other occupants looking at me with very interested faces; last time of 'a lots'.
Nothing much on my mind now.
Last Flight
Leaving the house for my last duty flight with my current company.
Everything seems so familiar yet foreign-- the fuss over my makeup to make it as perfect as possible; the last-minute luggage packing; the final check to make sure I have all items necessary for the trip.
Will be my last time doing all these.
Maybe I'll look back one day and cry over me giving up the job so easily. Maybe I'll look back and give myself a pat on the shoulder for a job well done in my one year-plus of service here. Maybe I'll look back and just smile.
Maybe I'll do all.
It's my last flight.
"Have A Good Flight."
空位？空间？空荡？空虚？
乘这几天不需要工作，大概把书房收拾了一下。
之前还以为，收掉要还公司的东西，会空出多一些的位子，让我放这一年来我从各地买回来的书。结果：也没多出多少...
这一年多来，每次上班前把飞行手册拿出来时，或多或少都会想一下：我辞职的时候，这个橱应该会很空吧。
现在，反而感到些些的空虚感。很难解释的感觉-- 有一点不舍得、开心、彷徨、松了口气的矛盾。
