BELLSPIRATION CLUB - IVANA ŠĆEPANOVIĆ: Stewardess life - We will save the lives of all the passengers on the plane first, and only then will we think about ourselves! (Part 2/4)

 

1)Life of an air hostess- always smiling, always here to help, spending hours between clouds on the sky, life in luggage, early and late flights… Ivana, can you describe to us and bring that magic lifestyle of yours closer?

As fabulous and as cinematic as this job may sound, this job requires a lot of sacrifices. That's how I'll start. I love my job and from the first day I was in love with this job but like everything and this job has its bad and good sides. The fact that you have to leave your family and I think that was the hardest thing for me at the beginning, but as I always say, my parents gave me wings to take off and roots so I can always come back. When you go somewhere, to the other end then the fight begins and you have two options to fight with yourself and everything that goes on in your head or to give up. As you fight harder, each step becomes easier. So it was with me. Every month we get a schedule and every day you have a different flight, sometimes you can have as many as 4 flights a day. Every day I get up 3 hours before the pickup to go to the airport. At that time, makeup, dressing and mental preparation for the flight in the case of layover, packaging takes a little longer. After arriving at the airport, when we arrive on the plane we always first check the equipment we will use in case of any emergency. After that, we wait for the passengers. And that's where the stories begin. Every passenger is different and each of them has their own story. I would be surprised if I told you how many of the most beautiful and saddest love stories I have seen, the saddest farewells, and the best welcomes on the plane. I told you a long time ago that serving coffee and smiling is the smallest part of my job. We are many things. What many people do not understand in the event of any emergency evacuation or any medical emergency, we stand firm. We will save the lives of all passengers sooner and only then will we think about ourselves. Yes, our job requires you to always be focused because you never know what can go wrong. You are mostly sleepless and you always feel sleepy. Some of the good things I am grateful for are the people and colleagues I met and the places I saw that I thought I would never see. As this Corona and all the craziness with it started and as the borders remained closed, we all realized that it is hard to be tied to one place, so the eagerness for a normal life again is present.

2) You have traveled a lot and visited some of the most beautiful destinations in the world, Seychelles, the Black Sea… Tell us where you have all been! Which places impressed you the most and why?

The three most beautiful places for me are my mother’s lap, my hometown, and Seychelles. I’m a million times thankful to God for giving me the opportunity for my eyes to see everything I have had the opportunity to see and photograph with my heart. I fell in love with Seychelles at first sight. Quiet and empty beaches, strong waves, crystal blue sea, a book in hand and just listening to the waves crashing against the rock. Every time I imagine paradise I see Seychelles. I love that peace and quietness they bring. On my free days, I mostly go there. And when I have bad thoughts in my head I imagine I’m there and everything passes me by. Every trip brings something and I have a photo album in my heart from all the trips. Apart from historical works, my favorite is when you get to know different cultures and hear the legends that one nation carries. When you meet people and their wrinkles tell stories. Hands with calluses talk about strength and bare feet talk about the wine they make. Traveling has taught me to look at life in a different way … To be grateful and happy with sundries. To look at the world as a child who has just got chocolate. I learned how to recognize the beauty of different tribes and to walk over glowing stones. I have danced in Zanzibar and sang Hakuna Matata. When you travel you often realize how much we put some limits and borders in our head to ourselves, and we didn’t need to do so. Because there are no limits and no borders. Every limit and border is only the fear in our head and outside, there is a world that we need to see. Travels have taught me about transience as well. One day when I leave this world I want to know that every day brought me one adventure and one story that I will tell to my grandkids, I want to know that I have written everyday pages of love and that I haven’t missed this world while being scared, but collecting stars from the sky, while others were giggling and wondering. Every time when I go to some island I collect shells. That is something that I always need to carry with myself and I always admire what kind of different shapes and colors the sea hides. I’m grateful to God for every journey.

3) From the perspective of an air hostess, could you please share some advice and recommendations for all of those who have fear of flying and how they can overcome it?

Honestly, I completely understand why some people are being afraid because for example, in cases of turbulency, it’s very uncomfortable, even for some air hostesses as well. In the majority of cases conversation with passengers is helpful, prayer, meditation, and some passengers just decide to take sleeping pills. The biggest problem is actually the panic that is showing up from that fear. But conversation and explanation that everything is reliable and safe are what gives a feeling of safeness to most of the passengers. Most of the people are afraid of what they don't know but when you get closer to them a bit, they feel much more comfortable. So to gather strength and fly… <3