Flight Attendant dream status: On hold.

You got that right, I'm officially putting my FA dream on hold due to some issues I have to deal with.

Yes my dear readers -- if I have any. haha -- I went to the dentist a while ago to have my braces attached. Braces as we all know is a major NO-NO in the FA industry -- well, for most airlines -- due to some safety issues not only during training but also in the actual aircraft itself.

So yeah, you guys might think i'm bonkers to have them on especially right now wherein there are OD's for some multi-national airlines but i'm actually seeing this as an investment; in due time, my slightly crooked teeth will be aligned and the problem with my jaw -- which I only found out today -- will be resolved.

Honestly, I've always believed I had a great smile -- all modesty aside -- and that my teeth were OK. Since I started browsing through different FA forums and blogs, i've noticed that most aspirants tend to put their dreams on hold as well for the sake of having their teeth fixed. Also, i've read that most of them experienced rejection from different airlines due to how their teeth look like. In my case, I only started to notice the misalignment of my teeth after reading those stories.

Fellow FA wannabes, i'm not insisting that your teeth has to be perfect in order for you to actually make it in the airline company of your choice but it sure is a factor. Take note of EK, they value the smiles of their employees and i'm pretty certain that it's part of their criteria -- along with your personality and how you present yourself of course -- in selecting their cabin crew. If you personally feel like you need to have your teeth fixed, by all means, go ahead and do it; we have all the time in the world and this is definitely going to be a lifelong investment.

It's best to keep in mind though that our smile can only lead us to some extent, the verdict will still depend on how you exude yourself to the recruiters and how you manage to make them suckers for your charm.

I swear, I look like a geek! haha all that's missing is a pair of nerdy glasses and i'm good to go. These canker sores are such a drag as well! I just had my braces attached today, 24 hours hasn't even gone by yet and my gums are already begging for me to save them. Oh well, like I said earlier.. it's an investment and no matter how overused this next line is, it really DOES make sense: No pain, No gain.

So.. what's in store for me now, you ask? I still have noooo idea whatsoever. Let's see where my path leads me and then i'll just play it by ear.

Don't worry though, I won't be on a hiatus and I promise to still keep on updating this blog of mine.

See you guys at the skies in 2011!

With metal in my mouth,
DJ