How diversity interacts with the flight attendant life

It is all about tolerance, patience and acceptance. I still remember the moment of my interview in Bucharest with Emirates representatives when all candidates argued in front of the recruiters that they want this job because the want to experience cultural diversity. Because it sounds really exciting to share stories or to work in a diverse team. This is totally true, but there is a little secret that you maybe not know: during the 2 months of training, in the form of tests intentionally disclosed or taken by surprise, students are being cathegorised and by this measure they will be selected for the future flights. Depending on the personality of each student, of the way he reacts in emergencies, but also by the interaction with each other, all future flight attendants receive a “label”. I used this word not to make someone feel like an object, but when the company employs 25,000 cabin crew, at some point you become just a number, and I consider this to be a sad thing. Moving from a small company where everyone knows the personality and preferences of everyone to a more than multinational company in my opinion, was a huge change which caused me sadness put also joy.
It’s a nice feeling to know that your job ends once you leave the airplane, and if you do your job and passengers leave happy and satisfied, it means that you had a productive, successful day, and you can go home with a smile on your face as you did everything it was in your power to implement the values with which you have identified yourself in front of employers, so in front of the company itself.
Coming back to the diversity term, you can look at this aspect exactly as your heart dictates in the sense that you can make friends easily or can you limit your job to the requirements relating teamwork, but from experience I can tell you there is not enough time to know a person in only one flight. There are many steps along the way, passengers you have to be aware of above anything, and these things don’t allow you to get to the heart of your colleagues in order to known them better. Time is very short, and sometimes you become a small robot who wants to end the flight successfully and to go home peacefully. I could say that that’s the sad face of a day at work, but because I am that kind of person that changes her mood at 180 degrees in one second, I remember all my long flights and immediately I’m taken back by memories which I will remember smiling all my life.
All flights involving a layover bring people together, creating a real team, and giving you the opportunity to meet the person behind the uniform. There is enough time for service, passengers and their needs, dinner break and finally for giving attention to the one next to you. It is very important to be an open person, to accept people you are working with and not judge them no matter what happens always thinking about one important word: DIVERSITY. Before you say something or you react in a certain way, you have to be always aware of the fact that “normal” is a word with a different interpretation because what is normal to me may seem odd, unormal, new, to you. The plane can been seen as second house where there are living different people. It is true that English be an obstacle, but the body language, the smile and the eyes will always reveal one’s intentions.
Even though once I moved to Dubai my English was not perfect, I loved it, embrace it and I always felt that there is something more than words. That something which approaches people from all corners of the world. Always remember that tolerance, acceptance, kindness, are just a few of the qualities which define us as people and it would be a pity to lose them. Human being is indeed the most complex creation!