Start to a Journey that turned so beautiful

“We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have travelled from the point where they started.”

― Henry Ward Beecher

This is how my journey in the travelling world started:

2002 – I would usually take my annual leave from work in the start of the year which would enable me to plan out the year and my goals (which I sometimes don’t even stick to).

My leave application got approved and I handed over my duties and left for 2 exciting weeks to be spent with my family and do things differently such as wake up late. I got home and this was the conversation between my mum and I which turned around my whole ‘travel path’ :

Mum : Vidya, there is an advert on East FM (local radio station) and the application deadline is for Monday. Why don’t you apply?

Me: No! Cabin crew?!? Look at my skin colour, and the girls are so pretty. I have no chance.

Mum : There’s no harm in trying beta (my child).

Me : Mum I have not done cabin crew but a silly diploma in IATA.

Mum : The ad says only IATA qualification is required.

Me : Cabin crew needs makeup, wearing heels and wearing short skirts.

Mum : It’s okay, look at it as an opportunity to learn new things.

Me: I will be rejected 🙁

Mum : Try and see, what’s the harm? Rejections are part of life.

Me : Okay. I will have to speak to dad and see what he says.

Mum : I have already asked and got his approval.

Me: Really???? He does not even like me cutting my hair, will he agree to applying lipsticks?

Mum: Re-confirm with him beta if you want.

Feeling over the moon I agreed to send my application and asked her if she would accompany me to the cyber café near Hilton on Sunday to update my CV. She agreed and over joyed with the conversation we began cooking.

Sunday arrived to soon and I submitted my application. But after that the waiting period felt like a life time. Finally it was over and I got a call from the reception of East African Safari Air (S9) for an interview and was also informed on the date, place and time of it. Coming from a middle class family my routine was home-work-home and i never visited some of the places in the city. I wondered whether I would manage to get to the interview place, but somehow I found my way. Being 6 feet tall, for the first time dressed in a skirt suit, I was there seeing all the women dressed in nice short skirt suits with professional make up and pencil heels. It intimidated me initially, but then I realised my stress buster would be my chatterbox nature. I took a few calm breaths and began making new friends while awaiting my turn.

The room I entered nestled gorgeous ladies; the HR Manager, Cabin Crew Manager and Commercial Manager. Nervousness was visible right on my face. I gulped down the saliva and cleared my throat as the interview began. What lasted for 15 minutes felt like an hour! I came out of the room heading to the gate with my face down and thoughts running wild thinking if I’d be chosen in comparison to those pretty ladies I left behind. I don’t even recall how I reached the gate of Wilson Airport, took a matatu (local means of commuting) and got to the shop where I worked. Days passed and I forgot about the interview and continued with my work…

I recall vividly the day I was with the driver sorting the schedule of an order of goods ready for dispatch when i screamed with excitement. The customers in the shop looked at me like someone gave a little girl a lollipop that she was yearning for a long time. You may ask or already have figured the reason for the excitement in my voice and twinkle in my eyes. It was after 10 days that I received a call from East African Safari Air asking me to start training with them. The training was to be held at Kenya School of Insurance near Bellevue and Red Cross.

I couldn’t wait for evening to come so that I could share the news with my family. They were more happier than me and wished me the best. Settling down from the good news I realised I did not have a car nor leave days to go for training for 2 weeks. It felt like a week full of surprises as little did I know that my dad was planning to get a car. He would not pick and drop me daily for the training as it was far, but he did the days he could.

Once again I got disheartened with the thought that I may not be able to attend the training. But from a very tender age I have been a strong girl and I did not let the thought bring down the excitement. I organised for a driver to drop me while I returned by a matatu.

This was a perfect explanation to ‘no pain, no gain.’ The struggle for excelling had just began for me.

to be continued……………………………………………….