Gooooin' to winnipeg!

The day had arrived. Training was over, and I was off to spread my wings and do what I came here to do... fly!!! My first flight was more for observation purposes, but I willingly helped out the working crew. No better way to learn!

My thoughts during the day went as followed, although the exact times may be slightly inaccurate:

3:00 am: You've got to be kidding me. You want me to get out of bed to fly to Winnipeg and back? My bed is warm. Sleep is good. I refuse.

3:05 am: Okay, fine. I'm getting up. It's going to take a lot of time and makeup to cover up the dark circles under these eyes.

3:50 am: Seriously?! My car is absolutely coated in a layer of frost. I love Ryan for giving me a spare key (to my own car) so that I can warm it up, thus saving myself from scraping the windows and keeping me cozy.

4:00 am: I'm going, I'm going. Do I have time for coffee?! Should I?? Okay, maybe not... I want to make a good first impression when I meet my onboard trainer.

4:30 am: I'm starting to feel much happier. Free parking at the airport is magical!! I feel important!

4:40 am: Good lord, it's a long, long walk to the crew room! I'm nervous. Why am I nervous?! What if my trainer is mean??

4:45 am: I'm here, right on time. Is that him?? I tried to Facebook stalk him but his profile was limited. Oh, he's waving. It's him.

4:50 am: My trainer is awesome. He wants to go get coffee.

5:00 am: My very own boarding pass! Security! It's just dawned on me that I've really missed airports.

5:30 am: I'm on a plane!! It's my first commercial flight since I flew home from Dubai on June 20th! Yay!

5:35 am: My trainer must think I'm weak and pathetic... for the life of me I can not close these doors. I miss my A380 with its "CLOSE" button. Seriously, it had a button! I'm going to be the worst flight attendant ever. It's not working!

5:40 am: Success! I can close the door. It sure isn't easy, but with all of the strength that I possess, I can do it. Go me!

5:50 am: The crew are here... will they be nice to me? Oh please, let them be nice to me.

5:55 am: They are lovely. I feel particularly attached to one girl who is working her 3rd flight. She knows what its like to be in my shoes, as it was her only weeks prior.

6:00 am: Passengers!! Time to put on my flight attendant smile. Hello, good morning. Oh goodness, why are there so many babies onboard? I have to brief ALL of them?!

6:05 am: Crap. My emergency exit row briefings. I think I know them... what if I mess up? Oh goodness, I'm going to embarrass myself. I can do this.

6:07 am: Like a pro. I rocked those briefings.

6:25 am: Alright, let's go!!! I miss the rush that I get during take off. I love watching the ground get further and further away. I'm sitting patiently waiting... it's time to go!

6:30 am: I'm flying, I'm flying!!

7:00 am: Doing my thing, being a flight attendant, and helping the other crew members. It's all so different but so familiar at the same time. I love my job!

8:45 am: Hello, Winnipeg. Your airport is kind of ugly, but it reminds me of the terminal in Paris. Ahh, CDG. I hear you are getting a brand new terminal though... good for you!

9:00 am: I'm so hungry I'm going to actually fall down, right here, right now. Okay, maybe not, but I'm losing patience fast in the Tim Horton's line.

9:30 am: Food, at last!! Just in time to board again. One flight down, one to go!

10:00 am: The plane is full of football players. We'll have to bypass long legs sticking out into the aisles, which is always an adventure!

10:10 am: Here we go... the moment I've waited years for. I'm doing a safety demo in front of the entire cabin. My former airline had videos, and we never got to point to our exits and fasten seat belts in the air. The lead flight attendant has just announced that it's my first flight, so for once, the passengers are paying full attention to the demo. I'm terrified and likely bright red.

10:12 am: Well, that wasn't so bad!! Not even the French part.

10:15 am: The cabin is secure, thanks in part to me. It makes such a difference when everyone speaks the same language as you instead of staring blankly when you ask them to put their bag under the seat. They cooperate. I love them. I want to have such great passengers on every flight.

10:20 am: Take-off, yet again!

11:30 am: I've completed a full service, fed and watered our lovely guests.

12:00 pm: Oh Calgary, I've missed you!! I've survived my very first flight and before I know it, I'll be curled up in my bed. What a day!

I proceeded to drive home, dreaming of a long, satisfying afternoon nap. My plans were changed when I was informed that the house that I'm living it (which happens to be for sale) had a showing and I'd have to leave. I sleepily wandered Ikea, before grabbing a coffee and spontaneously making the decision to drive to Red Deer for a Friday night date with my fiancé. Downing lattes and Red Bull, I managed to stay awake until the movie was over at midnight! 23 hours later, I was finally curled up in bed. Day 1, over!