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Bright Eyed and Chipper
We looked pretty good for only having had 90 minutes of sleep the night before. This look didn't last long. The past few days have been a blur as I have made final preparations for this amazing journey to begin. I had to get my proverbial ducks in a row: paying bills, lining up a cat sitter (thanks, Zantel!), handing end-of-semester paperwork and drama, shopping for some trip essentials, getting shots, and packing for a month in one suitcase weighing, ideally, less than 30 pounds.
Side Note: In what was probably the strangest moment in all of these preparations, I found myself in the CBA building talking "fashion" with Fred Luthans. Yes, UNL people, you read that right, Fred Luthans. It all started innocently enough. I asked Fred whether people typically have a PowerPoint presentation prepared for the Pan Pacific Business Association conference. Next thing I knew, the conversation had spiraled out of control. A simple, "So, what is the dress code for the conference?" turned into me describing in detail my suit (Me: "It's a lighter weight jacket and capri pants;" Fred : "Yes! Perfect!"), followed by a few minutes of Fred offering specific suggestions including, but not limited to, some nice outfits (at least, he didn't say "cute") and a little black dress. Move over Stacy and Clinton!
Bangkok Airport
We left OMA Sunday morning and arrived in BKK 30+ hours later, in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. By 1:30 a.m. on Saturday night/Sunday morning, I was sitting in my spare bedroom looking at my packed suitcase. I didn't finish that task a moment too soon, as we had to set the alarm for 2:45 a.m. (yes, a meager 75 minutes later) so we could get up and get ready to catch our flight from Omaha to Phoenix to LAX to Taipei to Bangkok. (Special thanks go out to Sara "Bless Her Soul" Baker, who volunteered to drive us to the airport in the wee hours of Sunday morning.)
The thing that has impressed me the most about the flights (besides the exit row seats Nick and I scored!) were the flight attendants. They are so unlike the flight attendants I am used to on domestic flights—you know the kind I'm talking about… bad permed hair, blue cardigan sweaters, ill-fitting blue polyester pants. Instead, the international flight attendants are in a league all of their own. When we were checking in at LAX, large groups of them would walk in together and people would stop and stare. Their uniforms are impeccable and exotic (Emirates Airline's attendants, for example, had veils on their hats). On China Airlines,
Hotel, Sweet Hotel
Our UNL students showing off their flowers. Yes, we all made it safe and sound... and tired. the airline we are flying, everyone is dressed in beautiful mauve and lavender dresses with high collars, everyone's hair is swept into a polished looking up-do of some sort, and they all are so completely gracious.
After making all kinds of assumptions and stewing up a bunch of questions, I decided to find my flight attendant and ask her about her work. It was completely fascinating. We must have talked for 45 minutes. She explained that, at a minimum, flight attendants are required to have a college degree. It is a prestigious job in China, one that is coveted because of the "opportunity" it provides. And that is not advancement in the climbing-the-ladder sense of the word, but in the sense flight attendants will be able to be connected to wealthy business travelers and will have the opportunity to marry a rich man.
My flight attendant, Ranei, explained that about half of the flight attendants love their job. But the other half, like her, think it is only okay. She told me that one of the requirements of being a flight attendant for China Airlines is to "be beautiful" and, as a result, many people judge her as
Welcome Package
Of course we had to sample some of the Thai treats before we went to sleep for the night. being
only beautiful. She has a law degree and would like to do something professionally for which her intelligence is acknowledged.
We talked about the culture of the airline (they call themselves a "family" and female flight attendants call each other "sister" and male flight attendants "big brother"), the changes in power relationships between flight attendants and passengers over the years, and exploitation of Asian airline workers because of their resistance to organizing. Seriously, I think she could have taught a course on power and control in organizations!
Near the end of the conversation, I told her that I was from Nebraska and she lit up. Several years ago, her mother studied abroad in Nebraska. What a small, interconnected world we live in.
Flash forward to our final destination….
I busted out my meager Thai skills at Customs (saying thank you in Thai). I got a big smile, a thumbs up, and a "very good" compliment. Then we grabbed our bags, filed onto a bus, and were driven to our hotel. Even though it was 3 a.m., we were greeted warmly by several staff members who gave each of us a beautiful and intensely fragrant flower "bracelet," a tray of traditional Thai desserts (a little more like candy), and most importantly a bed. In only 36 hours--21 hours of flying, about 10 hours of airport layovers, and some driving between airports and beds--we arrived on the other side of the planet.
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Heather
non-member comment
I really enjoyed your post about Thailand, and the flight attendants! Thailand is such an amazing place, and you reminded me of my own time there! My blog is looking for travel photos, reviews, etc, to share (like what sort of tasty Thai candy was in your welcome basket ;) If you have the time, check it out at dirty-hippies.blogspot.com, or email me at dirtyhippiesblog@gmail.com. Continued fun on your travels! Heather :)