About a tattoo

There are a lot of mixed feelings about tattoos among my acquaintances and especially among the Crew.

Well just to start with Cabin Crew should generally go careful with tattoos, but that doesn't mean it is not allowed having them at all. It is not allowed having them visible in uniform. That means that I have seen colleagues all covered in genuine tattoos at the pool during the layover and couldn't even imagine there were so many, because in uniform you could see none. 

This is the question that every airline will ask you at the recruitment day because their image depend on your appearance, so it is important for them to know how you present yourself. After all you will become the brand ambassador, right? How to answer? Just be honest, they will discover the truth later on during the initial week of training anyway: that is when you will have all the medical checks.

I have declared mine straight away at both airlines I have worked for and got recruited at the first shot in both cases. Because they are not visible in uniform. I know there are some extremely strict airlines that would allow none even in those spots of your body that never see the light of the day, but that is too extreme for me: if rules are so silly for such a secondary matter, how are you gonna be treated on more serous questions, starting from your own freedom of movement?! Thanks, but no thanks.

In my opinion a tattoo is a normal human behavior that is old as the human race and it is found in many different civilizations in history. Having them today doesn't mean we are less civilized (than those who are against it). It's about esthetics (both for the supporters and opposed). There is some kind of sex appeal to it, some primal instinct of attraction. But beware: once you start, you will want to go on and on! 

Bottom line, when you decide to go for a tattoo: 

• think not twice, but multiple times over a long period of time. Before doing my first, I taught about it for 2 years (ok, that's also because I was in high school, my mother didn't want me to have it and I didn't have enough money. So I had to wait to go out of home and earn for it). 

• You want something significant that you will never get bored of. Because it is going to stay with you for the rest of your life. Don't even start talking about the laser, I don't conceive that in my universe. What's the point of deleting (and paying for it, even though you're gonna be left with the scar) something from your body that you put it there yourself in a first place?! If you are not sure DO NOT DO IT. But you do want a story behind the tattoo, something that made you passionate about it and will make the others understand or like it too.

• Then I have a golden rule about the tattoos: NO numbers, NO names, NO zodiac, NO family/pet portraits (you have a photo album for that). And nothing dedicated to someone else. It is your body, you should do it just for yourself. This way you will avoid unpredictable future endless possibilities, but regretting won't be one of them.

• Choose the spot by imagining yourself in a business attire. Whatever is covered can be your playground. This way your personal passion will never close any doors for your professional future. In your current job tattoos might be allowed, but you never know where you will end up in life and you don't want to miss some fantastic opportunities just because you have a tattoo! Why business attire? Because 90% of the office jobs will require you to dress in the similar way (that includes Cabin Crew job) and for girls, please take into consideration skirt rather then pants (its easy to cover more, but tattoos on legs mean no skirt and that is a closed door).

Luckily enough I subconsciously followed all these rules from the very beginning, but now that I have observed over the years some mistakes from friends and colleagues, it is like set in stone for me. I might get curious to see what ridiculous tattoos can people invent by watching an episode of "How far is tattoo far", but that is pretty much against all my rules about tattoos. What on earth do that people think about?! Is it for a moment of glory on TV? I will never understand. Anyways... Even though BLINDSPOT is one of my favorite shows and I do think that Jaimie Alexander aka Jane Doe is extremely sexy with all those tattoos, well...that's fiction. And a very fantastic one!

I have asked myself often how will it all look when I get old (insha'Allah)?! And then I remembered...at least 50% of my generation have tattoos as well, so when WE get old, it will be normal for grannies to have tattoos. Simple as that! 😅

Do you like tattoos? Tell me about the meaning behind yours!

VOLARE ✈️

 Oggi quando sentiamo il verbo "volare", si pensa subito agli aerei, ai viaggi di piacere. 

Alle vacanze ad agosto in una spiaggia desolata con i piedi adaggiati su quella sabbia morbidissima che scotta un pò, ma va bene così. Tanto basta una corsetta fino all'acqua e un bel tuffo nel mare cristallino e poi nuove avventure: ma quanti pesci!!! E il colore dei coralli che si muovono con le correnti? Qualcuno mi porti un bel cocktail e sto da Dio.

Oppure sei un tipo invernale, preferisci il freddo e allora montagne, alte altissime con le vette innevate, anche d'estate! C'è tanto da camminare, ma lo scenario che si presenta sotto gli occhi increduli ne vale la pena mille volte. Lo sa bene l'alpinista sudtirolese Reinhold Messner che la montagna ce l'aveva nel cuore, sopratutto la Nanga Parbat.

Oppure sei un businessman che prende l'aereo tanto spesso quanto le assistenti di volo stesse? Allora forse VOLARE non ti fa sognare tanto. Sei più con i piedi per terra, in fondo concentrato sul tuo lavoro. Almeno viaggi in business, dai. Avrai tutta l'attenzione delle hostess e il cibo un pochino meglio di quelli dell'economica. Ma il punto più importante è la sedia che si abbassa a 180° fino a diventare un  vero e proprio letto. E ci dormi come un bambino!

Ma gli aerei? Ci piacciono poi? Si, ti fanno arrivare ovunque in un battibaleno, ma ci piace viaggiare in aereo? Personalmente non ne sono una fan e viaggiare in confortevole business è l'unica ragione che giustifica il mezzo, oltre al panorama diurno che mi piace osservare dall'oblò. 

L'azzuro dei mari che dai 40.000 piedi sembrano sembre piatti e tranquilli. Le isolette di più svariate forme che io so puntualmente identificare (infatti mi piace il cloud watching perchè identifico sempre un qualcosa in quelle strane forme, io vedo!). Un pò di agitazione quando si vola tra le montagne altissime, come se ci fosse il rischio di grattarle. Ma pur sempre affascinanti quelle forme storiche millenarie. Oppure le città: quanto è bello capire la pianta di un paesino guardandolo dall'alto? E riconoscerne le bellezze architettoniche o magari anche la nostra casa!

Ma il momento è importante, certo. L'alba o il tramonto. I momenti cruciali quando le stelle si salutano e si danno cambio. Quell'arcobaleno di sfumature meravigliose che si riflettono nei nostri occhi e baciano il nostro viso. Quello lì è l'amore puro. Ho sentito una frase in un  telefilm molto popolare che mi è piaciuta tanto: l'amore è quello che ti fa vedere il mondo con colori diversi. Embè ecco che la natura, due volte al giorno, ci regala quella bellezza di colori diversi. Se impariamo a vederla, ad apprezzarla, a dedicargli tempo ogni volta che è possibile, ecco che quel tempo prezioso della nostra vita acquisirà senso e guardando indietro avremo negli occhi quelle immagini di profonda pace e gioia. I nostri occhi saranno come quell'emoticon di occhi stellati 🤩

Vi ho fatto volare un pò? Esatto, stavolta non intendo con l'aereo, ma con la fantasia! Perchè il volo ce lo devi avere dentro. Il vero viaggio è nella mente. Uno spirito libero. Con la fantasia (e la parola in bocca) arrivi in capo al mondo. A volte ti puoi sentire solo in mezzo a migliaia di persone a Shanghai, annoiato nel biancore delle Maldive oppure triste al Disneyland di Parigi. Perchè è tutto nella tua testa. Il tuo mindset come si suol dire in inglese. Allora impara a volare! E' un lavoro arduo, specialmente per chi non ha avuto nell'infanzia degli esempi e stimoli in direzione giusta. Ma niente è scolpito nella pietra. Sei il padrone di te stesso e del tuo presente. Impara a volare. VOLA!

ATH for Athens

In my airline Athens flight was a turnaround: that means that you go and come back to base the same day. Time on ground is about 1-2h, just enough for the cleaners to reset the aircraft, for catering to load the food and for dispatchers and ground staff to give us info about the return flight. But in some periods of the year this destination becomes less frequent, therefor it becomes a layover. YAAAAAAYYYY!

I was lucky enough to get it in August, when as a tourist it would cost more, take more time to organize and crowding around. As Crew everything is organized by the company: hotel stay, transportation from the airport to the hotel and often enough a shuttle from the hotel to the city. So I just need to decide to go out and explore and that's what I have done!

I took a hop on - hop off tour around the city in order to see all the main attractions and understand the the geometry of it.

View of Acropolis on the top of the mountain

I already got excited! Loved the architecture, the colors, the atmosphere and the stories behind every single building! If I could time travel a little but further like...thousands of years, oh this would definitely be a place to visit! After all, this is where Europe was born!

As a first timer I couldn't miss to see the Acropolis from close by, so that was my main stop. It included a lot of walking and climbing, but it was all definitely worth it!

Climbing to the Acropolis

I love history, there is no better fairy tale, best seller than what actually happened on this little earth of ours. After all invented stories WERE often inspired by the reality, especially in times when it wasn't politically possible to tell the truth. Places like this HAVE seen many happenings and do INSPIRE more to tell!

Panorama from the Acropolis

Just imagine this white city and all the intriguing affairs. The first theater you will encounter is Theater of Dionysus. Today only the pavement and the grandstands are visible. Still it will give you the idea of the greatness. 

Theater of Dionysus

Panorama over the seaside from above Odeon 

But the next one is still used today for the events: Odeon of Herodes Atticus. It is quite steep, with marvelous arcades and a splendid view on the city.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

On the very top of the hill there is a selection of Temples: Old Temple of Athena is my favorite, but what distinguishes the city is Parthenon. It is indeed very suggestive and visible from any corner of the city. It is beautifully highlighted at night.

Old Temple of Athena

After my exploring walk, just by going down the hill, I found myself in Plaka, the very center of the city, full of cute restaurants and picturesque corners. It is always alive, very colorful and sweet intoxicating: by the music and the extended selection of restaurants.

I remember having an amazing team on board which made it pretty much one of the most memorable flights. Because the atmosphere on board is 50% set by the Crew. When you have a good team that backs you up and listens, you are more likely to perform better as well. It was our leader's birthday on the way back, so we went in the Cockpit and following the Captain's PA sang a disharmonic but fun happy birthday over the interphone, followed by the sonorous clapping and cheering by the passengers. Later on we also had a surprise cake and little made on board gifts to celebrate while above the clouds. Each and every Crew on this flight was a hard-working, enthusiast, heart warming and cheerful person that I will keep in my dear memories. 

THE Team

Ready to migrate?

Deciding to change the country of residence is a tough decision that should be measured from every angle. There are many things to take into consideration and the starting point is not where you are going, but where you are right now. Are you sure that what you already have is not good enough? The "Promiseland" should have all that and more. Much more! Because at the end we all know it: there is no place like home!

So think about the reasons you want to leave. Is it work, environment, social condition, health care, everything together? Think about your specific case, because being wide (like: politics are corrupted, people are racist etc) won't help  your case. When you are in peace with what you are leaving, then you can look forward. 

What should you focus on when looking forward? Well some basics are your accommodation, transportation, social life, safety of the place and yeah, your FREE TIME. 

Let's elaborate this last one first. International Labour Organization published data revealing what we all knew: Asia dominates the list of world's average working week (all +45h per week). You might earn a higher salary by devoting your lifetime to work, but if you are a hedonist or just like to enjoy and live the life, maybe in Asia you won't have the time to do so. And TIME happens to be the most precious thing that you have in your life, it is your life. For me this is top priority.

Going backwards, safety of the place is important for your peace of mind and for your family in the future. There are some places safer than others and the other way round. 

Social life is quite logical, since we are, as Aristotle said, social animals. You might like to stay at home, by yourself (I like it too!), but sooner or later you're gonna look for interaction. And more options to it, the better. Cultural events and active social life make a place feel like home after all. Your affection to a place is connected to your memories and you make memories by going out and doing things with people. A place with no social life is like a ghost town, it has no spirit.

You might want to consider time you're spending to reach your working place, as well as your entertainment places. For me the choice from living next to the airport versus living in downtown was always the latter. Even though it meant spending more time to go to work, but I preferred to stay close to my life rather than close to work. Still it is good if you can find a compromise and stay close to both, because time spent in the traffic is wasted time of your life. If the Promiseland has a good transportation network, your whole life is going to be more smooth.

If you have a family and they will be depending on you, important factor to consider is schooling and insurance. In the Middle East this is taken care of by the company you work for and it is a huge relief. Family happiness is important as much as yours individually.

About where you live, choosing neighborhood is important for you and for your family. If you have children you want to make sure who they are hanging out with and you also need all the services nearby. Economic side of it is also important: how high is the rent you are paying? In the Middle Eastern Airlines accommodation is mostly company provided, so that is a huge benefit. But if you get used to that, learn to let it go as well: don't expect to find it elsewhere! After all to live in the humid desert under 50" degrees Celsius, far from home (and home means friends, family, 4 seasons, good food and weather, different rules) you need to get a big EXTRA benefit, otherwise it's not worth it. That benefit is free accommodation and transportation. I will not say a higher salary, since in the Middle East you are not paying taxes, therefor no pension is granted. Moreover life in the Middle East is crazily expensive, so if you do have that social life, you will also spend a lot. And that makes it even with  lower salaries in Europe where you do have a pension program and general expenses (housing, transportation, dining out, tickets for events) have reasonable price. Not everything that shines is gold.

Of course the above applies especially to a Cabin Crew job. In other  working positions (ex. pilots) or other industries (ex. teaching) the benefits might be significantly better, therefor makes it worth relocating. 

Maybe not in the Covid-19 era, but let's hope for a better future!

I am a world citizen and I like it.

Before and After

You don't need a university diploma in order to work as a flight attendant. But you do need a handful of skills to face that lifestyle. And there is no in between with flying: either you love it or you hate it! If you love it, you will always want more, you won't be able to stop and when on ground you will always be aware of the aircrafts flying above your head just by the sound. If you hate it, you will suffer and some people still do it. Why on earth?! Obviously, because of the benefits! And the pay. You'll finally be able to live comfortably and also put something aside. That's if you manage your perks wisely, but I have heard of Crew who used all their savings in drinking, partying or fancy branded bags, shoes and clothes. What to do, we are all different. What made me happy was to travel even more during my free time, that's where I invested part of my savings. And what I have out of it is beautiful memories, many of which will find their final destination in this blog!

Interesting enough is a fact that a high percentage of Crew that I flew with actually has a university degree! Some even multiple masters. Probably hoping to put it to use one day AFTER the flying career. I had my university class mate from Italy as a fellow Crew working in the same company overseas years after: what are the odds?! I helped him out for the interview and saw the positive result of my efforts when he got recruited, just a couple of years after me. It was quite comforting to have close someone from home, while so far from home. We are still in touch and always remembering the good old times in Bologna.

But let me go back to the main topic. While flying, I discovered that IT is my ideal job. That I don't want to go back to what I have studied at the university, also because I was already putting it to use on board, even though in a different way than imagined. I've studied International Relations at the Political Sciences Faculty, so foreign languages are my main asset and I do speak lot of them. Well that is exactly what I was doing on board as well! Also being diplomatic, patient, tolerant and moderate was part of the skills I learned and used on board. How to read the situation quickly and always find a solution is another skill I can brag about.
 If you love it, you will never stop. But what if you're forced to stop flying? Let's say because a certain mortal virus shows up in an epic number of the year 2020 and aviation is the worse affected industry because while the whole world is in quarantine, the aircrafts are in hangars. Period.

Then you need to reshape your future. Measure your skills and understand what your strengths are. Focus on those and look for a job that will fit your profile. Apply apply apply.
So which are the possible outcomes for a former Flight Attendant? What comes AFTER?

Here is a short SUPER FUNNY and greatly ACCURATE video about Cabin Crew trying to work from home, it is obviously Covid-age.

TRAVEL AGENT

You surely know a lot about traveling, why not starting your own business in the same industry? You have all the tips needed about places you have seen by person, contacts of trusted people, material to show the visual and even the leftover currencies (this last one is for your own memory). But get the point?

TOUR GUIDE
If you don't like organizing, let someone else do that and you go directly on the field! Get specialized about a certain place where you would like to live and go show it around to the others! If you know how to tell catchy stories and keep people's attention, not only the tourist will have fun, but you will as well.

TRAVEL BLOGGER
Hello from the other side! Here I am. If you have a lot to tell and an interesting way to tell stories along with a lot of media, this is the right job for you. It takes time, dedication and consistency, but if you are talkative as I am, it will only be fun!

PHOTOGRAPHER
If you don't like to write, but you are a good photographer, why not tell your stories through the media?! Get a network and go out there! Catch some memorable moments and places and make everyone dream with the beauty around the world.

CRUISE SHIP
If you still want to get your hands dirty, but on ground or better on water, a job on a cruise might just be right for you. It's a hard job, 24/7 availability, but it is also as fun. Camaraderie is evergreen.

AU PAIR
You are not going to earn even closely as much as Crew, but you can travel and learn new languages if you like baby-sitting. After dealing with countless screaming children on board, we all learned how to be a nanny. But not everyone likes it. If you know how to deal with children effortlessly, why not give it a try?

LANGUAGE TEACHER
Most of the Cabin Crew I have worked with know at least one foreign language, along with their native one. Some speak 3 or 4 and a niche goes beyond with 5+ (yes, I am among those! 🎓). If you like teaching, it should come quite natural to you putting those language skills to use. Surely you will need to be certified, so some studying and exams will be the first step.

UNIVERSITY
Many colleagues of mine interrupted their studying career in order to start flying. Wrong choice! EDUCATIONE COMES FIRST. But it is never late to finish your studies, because there is no age to studying! And if you still have to understand what your dream job is, put your time to use by starting a course (nowadays there are plenty online, especially because of the Covid-19 crisis, but I do prefer to go to the classroom). And if you didn't get the chance to study because you started flying early, well this is your chance to rectify. Hopefully you have some savings from your Crew life that will be helpful in this decision.

HOTEL MANAGEMENT
Some of the Crew come from a hotel management background. Going back to it is like a deja-vu, but that might just be what you like to do. Stay in the customer service industry, but on ground.

BARTENDER
It goes under the customer service, but specified with the drinks. Were you that Crew preparing cocktails and mocktails on all the parties? You had it in you all time long!

RADIO talker or CALL CENTER
Used to talk over the interphone, not only among the Crew, but addressing passengers over the public announcements, just admit it: you always enjoyed hearing your voice loud and knowing that everyone else is hearing it too (besides the distracted ones that aren't listening).
Well use that persuasive voice to talk on the radio and keep your slice of glory! Or chat all day long with random  people over the phone in the call center.

SALES ASSISTANT
Most of the airlines have a duty free on board. Therefor most of the Crew know how to sell. 1+1=2
As far as me is concerned, been there, done that.

EMR (emergency medical responder) or PARAMEDICS
There are some Crew who always play in the front line with confidence. Especially in the emergency situations such as medical ones. If you want to save people life full time, you will need to study some more and get the certification, but you will also stay in the game. A hero!

FIRE FIGHTER
You like action and you are not afraid of fire. You feed on it because you are a burning atom full of energy to give. We need these heroes in the society big time!

AVIATION TRAINER
And if you still want to stay in the aviation industry, but in the backstage, this is an interesting position to consider. But you do need to be able to transmit information in a clear and effective manner. There is much responsibility to it, so don't take it lightly. You can choose between teaching service, safety or first aid. Or simply following the ab-initio during their training weeks in bureaucracy matters.

Do you have any other suggestions on a possible career AFTER flying?
As you can see from the above, flying is not a dead-end career. It is just a beginning of your adventures. Good luck!