Friday 7 June 2013

Official 3 years in Dubai : 8 June 2010-2013

Official 3 years in DUBAI


8 June 2010 -  FIRST STEP TO DUBAI, sandpit land.
I was excited to come to dubai,  I was excited to start my new life,  I was excited to work with a company that I have been wanted,  I was excited that soon I would be traveling around the world,  I was excited that I would be working on A380 aircraft, I was excited to go back to be a pretentious cabin crew again(he he) 
 BUT
I was sad to leave Spain,  I was sad that I wouldn't be able to back to Spain for the next 6months.  I was sad that I would not get any Jamon serrano nor un bocadillo de lomo con gueso, I would miss the beach summer in Tarragona-Gin and tonic, paella, cava.....
But I had belief and fatih that 'It's gonna be fun, full of positive energy and looking forward to it. 

 "8 June 2010"    My life in Dubai just had started................



"8 June 2013"  -  I am:

-Name:   I am still Byrant - Settawat Jhermpun
-Age:      I am now 32.
-Status:   Last year 2012 September,  My heart was broken after 5 years relationship.  Now I remain 'unknown'  (ไม่รู้ว่าจะยังไงดี).
-I WAS A VEGETARIAN! 
........Ever since my heart was broken,  I decided to be a non-strict Vegetarian till Thai's New year celebration (13April), according to my religious belief(aim: not to support people killing animals), hoped that Life crisis would go away and my life would get better.  And believe it or not, It really worked!!    Today, I come back to eat meat.  So I have been a VEG for half a year.  I liked it.
-Smoker:   Yes but soon no(hopefully)
........I am still smoking, but trying to quit (as always).  I have set a goal that I will totally quit smoking by this year.
-Health:    Pretty well
.........I started to go to gym after my heart broken, and I got a good result, my boobs became a bigger.  Will keep doing it.  Last month just found that Bikram Yoga is good too, which I will try to do it.
-Employment:   Of course!
.........I am still with Emirates!  I now become "a Senior Flight Attendant" at my work, just since May2013- I enjoyed it.  Even though I was scared and not want to be. I won't leave any time soon, as the economy crisis still not so well.   FYI, 2012-2013 No bonus :(   Thank god I got 2011!!
-Overall:     Ok Ok...
.........Today, I felt more responsible, and feel that I have to stop spending lifestyle as Dubai's cabin crew.  And start to compare with normal people who works Mon-Fri, WHO..... has to pay for own rent accommodation, electricity-water expenses..... has to response for own clothes to go for work.....has to think of the the expense of transportation to go for work......(some)has to take care of their families....... has to cook themselves home for saving money........has to calculate money to make the month ends and hope that will have some bucks to shopping by the end of the month....... .....REALLY   I have to start, NOT to care whatever my colleagues will judge me, I really have to start and try to do as a normal people's life style.

DUBAI is fun, DUBAI is the most amazing place, DUBAI offered lots of things, DUBAI is really muti-nationalities, DUBAI is cosmopolitan.


DUBAI has offered me too many things that I never been, seen.  DUBAI spoils me.  DUBAI changes me.  DUBAI changes my life.

I NEED TO STOP!!  I have to stop DUBAI controlling my life,  I have to do things as the way I want to be.  I want to have a good future, I don't want to be stuck in DUBAI forever.......



 
(PS. Don't get me wrong that Dubai is not a good place,  It is just too good - I guess)

Monday 17 September 2012

2 years 3 months……..

2 years 3 months……..

Hey you!   How's going? Me?  Well, Not so bad, not so good either.  I know It has been long time that I have not updated my blog at all.  No excuses, I always come up with something not to write my blog.  Recently things happened a lot.  Happy-Fun-Bad-Sad…. not sure myself.  So i decided try to come back and writing my blog again, to occupy my time with something good.  Basically, I don't know what do I really wanna do in my life.   Sounds sad aye?  But I guess that beside working, with boring life in Dubai, I need something to do which is beneficial for myself.  WHICH i don't know what yet.  But I need to start somewhere.

  

Am I saying Life in Dubai boring?…..  Well after 2 years I'd say "yes".   May be other thousands crew (who share common life style) would say differently.  So don't let me judge it.  People has different their stories behind. People has different purposes.  People has different they way of living.  It all depends where and how to put yourself in the position to live in Dubai.  Believe me, some people has been living in Dubai more than 5 years, they are still searching what do they want to do.  Or they thought that they have settled, but then their friends were leaving one by one.  Of course, You gonna find new friends, all over again.  Well, Let's not talking about other people. 


For me: My life in Dubai had been fun during almost 2 years.  What had I done?  Honestly?…..  Every time I was in Dubai, I just went out, drinking, party, getting to know people in party,  getting drunk-getting drama with friends or to the one you love, then went to sleep, woke up with hang over and sometimes regret what I did a night before.  Calculated how much i spent and felt bad about it.  Then try to get recover from hang over, and promised myself that I won't go out, get drunk, spent too much money and suffering in the next day.   THEN NOW……..Sun is setting……..Sky is getting dark…… Checking Facebook see people posted that they will going out again- Got messages from friends to drink.  Got invited for pre-out party…. Then thing start all over again. . . . . Pre drinks where?  What to dress tonight?  Where to go tonight?  Whom will we do party with?  Do we have enough alcohol? then Where is after party?….


I looked back and said to myself,  I spent too much money and time on this.    Friends whom i spent time with almost 2 years,  I barely can talk about my personal life, or personal problems with.  All is about "Parties".   That made me sad.   I hardly have a proper dinner, having wine-talking or discuss on something else, But parties.  I never gone out during a day with them, movie? beach? day time activities? going some where for lunch?….. forget it. 


Now I kind of rejected myself from this circle of life.  I feel that I can do better.  But still recently I don't find what.  I had been trying to find something interesting to do from magazine, internet, etc…  But I still don't find anything yet.  Plus something personal happened to me (which I will mention on the next chapter).  Made me feeling down.  Guess what?  I don't know whom can i talk to, old party lads wouldn't get it into their attentions.  Recently, I have been trying to making new friends, but it's not easy.  And even though I can make some new friends, it's not that you just go to them and throw what you have personal issue in mind.   And also, the life style… Im here, he/ she 's flying.  He/she is here, Im away.   Life is not easy here in Dubai, as we don't have normal routine. My boyfriend??…….  I'd rather not to say at this stage….. Nothing bad happened, we are still good to each other.  He is always there for me when i need him.  We are still working on this relationship.    But…..  ……… ……. ANYWAY...



So My life recently has been boring.  I stay home, sleep a lot, watch Movies, go shopping glossary for my meals, planing what to cook and eat.  Making laundry, cleaning apartment, checking Facebook, watching something stupid on youtube and getting enough sleep for work.  I spend time mostly with myself… myself… and myself……  From a social party boy-becoming a quiet person in Dubai…. I guess something must be wrong with me. :(        However, sometimes If i get a chance on lay over, I will go out. its more exciting for me.  Like i went out in Munich, twice in Paris.  They were not so bad. At least I saw something different, and spending only my layover allowance, not to effect to my salary, and get back to a good hotel bed.   However, I couldn't have much fun, I had to control because had to work in the next day.   And I hate to be dead tired when I'm working.  It's frustrating.  
Well, In the conclusion… I have been alone, down, confused, up-down, bored, don't know what I wanna do in life, still finding-searching the way.   And now at least I push myself to writing a blog.  It is kind of a letter to myself, talking to myself, reminding myself what I want, explaining myself to myself to see a picture of myself.  BUT I believe that at least I let something inside of myself out.   Im thinking to get some lesson of learning Saxophone…. or Dancing Salsa… and also trying to push myself to study Japanese&Spanish, not to forget.   I guess, I gonna start with something easy first.   See, when I am busy with schedule-myself.  What can i do next?  May be I get better?  May be I know what I want in life?  Well, we'll see.

My life's time also has gone by dealing with "JETLAG".   Beside, my boring life style that i mentioned above.   3-4times already after flights, I came back/ I slept…. Got up in the late afternoon - cooked/eat lunch (no breakfast) - unpack my suitcase, make my laundry, checked emails, Facebook.  Then it turns to be in the evening…   now I went to buy something to cook for dinner then eat, watch movie… And THEN have to go back to sleep again!!!!   LIKE: woke up -> eat -> -2-3hrs later ->buy to cook/and eat again -> then back to sleep.  I try to retain my body clock for the next flight duty, even though I don't have a flight in the next day. Sounds confused?…..Ok,  For example, Sunday 1-2am back from flight….=>sleep till evening as my body needs the rest =>get up, spend the evening then try to sleep again at night, to keep my body to be able to sleep during a night.  Monday wake up in the morning, then Monday night sleep (now I can sleep better because I pushed my body to sleep at night, one day before). And Tuesday's flight in the morning.   



Last night I just went to sleep since 1am and now I am wild awake at 9am!! I woke up since 8am, slept 6hrs.  And I will gonna go to work for London flight at 1pm.  Still have time, but I cannot go to sleep anymore :(   I will be definitely dead tired after the flight.  But good thing is; so i can get some sleep straight away after the flight.  I will wake up early in London for my Breakfast-then go to gym-swiming a bit. For the past 3 months I have my back pain, now I got my shoulder pain (getting old).  And then after, perhaps checking-doing something stupid online, watching Glee, download some more movies--take it easy…..  Then get some lunch then sleep for wake up call in the evening to work back to Dubai for a night flight.  Right after I have about 3 days off.   Was planing to go to visit my boyfriend in Madrid.  But….. …… ……  no, I will stay in Dubai.  And be with myself, and taking things easy for myself.   So I perhaps will come back to update my blog again during those days off.    Thanks for reading my shit till now :)   Thank you.     If you have any comments please leave it below, please feel free….    If you wanna add me on Facebook, please give me a message that you are following my blog.   Otherwise I wouldn't know how do you get to my Facebook .    Once again, thank you for reading it.  Now you kind of allow me to cut my chest out.  Thank you.



Sunday 12 February 2012

Sick out station for the first time.

Hello everyone…

It has been ages since my last update. I really wanted to update my blog many times but because I have been away for so long, so i don't know what, how to start.
Well….. how about let's start what is going on now, today?
Well…. I am sick actually. I have been sick from yesterday. Currently I am in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is my first time that I'm sick at the layover. I am having the stomach infection with Virus. Don't know how it happened. Last night I just had a normal dinner- Beef stake medium. This morning I perhaps ate something funny like; fresh 3oysters+ Sashimi. But it was in the same morning when I got sick. It couldn't happen that quickly. What happen was; I had a breakfast -I felt fine. I went to get ready to work, check out, left the hotel--I felt fine. BUT when I got into the bus to airport, I started to feel sick. My stomach became quite funny, I felt like I really wanna vomit. All the smells were really bad, even my own perfume that I just spray in the morning for work. I had to hold my seat tight, and I couldn't barely sit properly. Once we got in the airport, I ran straight away to toilet and let it go. As the result, after I puke it came out with the blood, the fresh blood. I got so scared, so I informed my Senior which she also recommended me to stay and see a doctor. Then the airport ground staff organize and arrange the transportation and hotel for me to stay another day. My stomach got really burning feeling after, I didn't feel very well.

Short version to what happen: I got into hotel, called SOS international(Emirate's health insurance), doctor came, and he said I need rest another 2 more days.

Longer version: I got into hotel I screamed to tear, It was a totally bad bad feeling to be sick away from home, and being alone somewhere you don't know anyone. I tried to get altogether and started to follow the procedure when crew got sick out station. Call SOS international, then they called me back, interviewed by nurse on duty. They contacted local doctor for me, he called as for symptoms, then an hour later he came.

Yesterday I was totally tired for no reason. I was dead on my bed since 9pm after i had soup. I did not do anything at all yesterday to be this tired. And even this morning I still feel weak.
When you are sick out station you will not earn any allowance however you can order meal, breakfast-lunch-dinner by room service and Emirates will take care of it. Hence I ordered for room service and ask for special meal for sick person like me, something bland, soup, rice. What they gave to me was "think mushroom soup came along with rice". Well it was not a good option, so I put more hot water in it to make it more bland. This morning I even went to ask them a bit more specifically. And what I got was mushroom soup-even thicker than last night!! I really wanna go home to take care of myself, to have appropriate meal to my stomach. However, I feel delicate and weak. I'm going to explain situation to SOS and let them decide for me.

And this morning I woke up with the shocking news. "Whitney Houston" died! She is my legend. I really love her. I have been to her concert once in Bangkok. Thought I would have a chance again, but seems that is not going to happen. Rest In Peace..... Feb 12, 2012

Monday 25 April 2011

SUPY SUPY !!

Hey hey

I come back again after my last post is in November 2010! And now is April 2011. It can tell you that my life has been so busyyyy…. It has loads of thing happening in between, emphasis on "LOADS". But I am going to say it in briefly. Firstly about something relates to "work", the first flight, my first month roster

After my last day of training was around the end of the month, it was 27July2010, so after that day I have days off till 31 July 2010, and my roster starts from 1st Aug to LONDON! But some of my colleagues in my class got rostered a few days before, so that depends on the availability of that period as well. One girl who finished her training one week before, she got rostered to fly straight away after finished her last day of training. It sounds so exciting but of course you will miss the celebration with your batch mates. Anyway here is my roster:



My roster you may like to know… I explain briefly;
6003 = DXB-LHR(london)-DXB trip. …
XXR =off for reserve, after or before of particular roster trip….
xx = officially off
SBU1 = Normally you will get it before long flight trip, Stand By for Ultra long trip
6412 = Long trip DXB-SYD-AKL-SYD-DXB
6372 = Emirates Direct Bangkok from Dubai, But now A380 operates 6384(dxb-bkk-hkg-bkk-dxb)

First one is 6003 (6 stands for type of aircraft which is Airbus, but because I am Airbus 380 so all of the code starts by 6, there is another number is 7-Boeing. However, You don't know by looking the roster that what type of Airbus or Boeing(for main fleet group you have A330/A340 or B777 in different type), unless you have to click on it to see more detail. 003 is Flight numberEK003 DXB-LHR). Everyone who just finishes training, will have a note book, it's called "Journal" (I put a photo of my journal at the end of this topic). There are topics on each page for you to focus and keep write it down in different aspects what is about what have you learned from training colleague; Security on board, Medical, disruptive pax, grooming, service, etc. You will be given time about 4months to complete it, before your graduation. It is the BEST idea if you read through it, and plan about what will you wanna write in each flight; like my second roster is SYD-AKL. so I will try to complete about service pattern on these flights, and will remember to add more about security if there was any chance. For me I had completed everything according what actually happened with me during that time, not copying from anyone else. It is benefit for yourself as well.
Also another thing is "Appraisal", it is like REPORT about you from SFS(Senior Flight Steward/stewardess), you must try to have at least 4 of them before you graduate. I got 13 of them. You can easily ask the SFS to write a report about you. Nothing to be scared of, Emirates love people to learn from your own feedback to improve yourself. :)



Alright My first flight!!! sorry……. Nothing much, I just was nervous, and because of that I was late into briefing room. When i got there, everyone was already in the briefing, and once i open the door, everyone crapped their hands, and said "Welcome SUPY!!" I felt so embarrassed!! And when I got my seat, the Purser, she said because you are late, you need to stand up and sing your national anthem. I was about to stand up, everyone laughed and said no no no!… Man, I was really nervous if anyone asked me to just go back to check in counter and check myself in again, i would do it! It was my first time in the briefing room. And guess what it was about 25of us!!! How couldn't i be embarrassed because of i was late! But anyway, It was a Thai SFS (Senior Flight Steward/ess), so she came to speak to me, made me feel comfortable during we on the bus to go to aircraft.

Because you are SUPY so for take off and landing you will be seating in the cockpit. However, beside that you are in the cabin. SUPY flight is the flight that you OBSERVE the work environment, you can shadow someone and observe how the crew do the work. So you'd better bare in mind that you don't need to work. Because I felt guilty to be useless. Of course I couldn't do much thing because I never work in real situation before, but distracted them by trying to help. However, Good that I had flown before, so I can guess what were they doing, how to adapt from my training course into the real situation. Moreover, Airbus was my office for 2years with Jetstar, so it looks so similar, any how I feel comfortable. On this flight, I took 3 meal carts on my own, I was not shadowing anyone, because the flight was full and was so busy. In fact, that was not a good idea, because the SUPY flight, you should learn how do they do the work properly by follow them. Hence, on the way back from LHR-DXB I just shadow other crew and see how do the do the work.

When we got in to London, I went to have dinner with Caption-FO-Purser-Some SFS and some other crewthey were talking about their Supy flight experiences. It was fun and I had a great time.


For someone who is reading my Blog at the moment…. I would like to give you some tips, I really need you to remember!! --->; Flight out of DUBAI, once you get into aircraft, GO with CAPT! because you need to walk around the aircraft, he's gonna show you around. So out of dubai is the most suitable and more time!! Second; there will be a form for Captain and another form for Purser to fill out, there will be a box says 'comment'. ASK them to write something on your SUPY flight!! that will be good for your record. Mine was empty because I didn't know. :( Another thing is, once you plan what are you going to focus on each flight, I put "post-it" note in the front page, to remind you what you need to do. Or what you still missing to fill up. (below is my journal)
I would like to go back a bit about my life during training…… Of course there were "Party" almost every weekend of the course!! But u know what?! I was soooo unlucky, because my training was during Jun-Jul which was "Ramadan"!! No Alcohol serve anywhere!!!! Most of bars or clubs are closed this timeNot even Restaurant open during the day…. You cannot eat food nor drink nor smoke publicly! And it was bloody HOT!! For us, we earned still little money from salary, so we organized party "in house party" instead, however, We never disturb to anyone nor never make any problems, always respect the rules. Moreover, luckily, All of my batch mates(male) from same week, we stayed in the same building, and week after people, afterso the whole our building, we are all "Abinitio". Party every weekend!! run from another party to another! We were Abinitio so, we didn't have a pink care-"FACE CARD" which would allow us to do party. You will get all big discount from this card after you finish your training. I think because of this reason, so the company won't let you have the face card till you finish your training!! I think so!! :) However, what could we do?! We are the same type of people, Socialise people .....Party everyday.. pa pa pa party everyday! oops.. i mean.. Social Social every weekend.. not everyday! Of course Training is our priority!! :-P