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Being a fresh graduate, all the conversations that I usually encounter [with family, friends, neighbors, dogs] has something to do with work or career.

But my relatives have a plan for someone who just graduated with a degree in Communication. They want me to try applying for..

Turkish Language Analyst. Hmmm. Okay, not that one. But they want me to try my luck on being a Flight Attendant/Steward.

'Ahhh..hindi po ako Tourism eh, not even close to HRM po.' Translation: 'Woosh! What? Why? Where did that come from?'

My invisible other college choices were Advertising and Psychology. It's all non-directing to Tourism. So guess the shock in my face the first time this topic was brought up. My HUH?-Face was pixelated.

This planned future was laid out when I was an incoming junior and my mother's cousin's girlfriend/second-degree uncle's girlfriend, who finished the same course in the same university, got a job as a flight attendant and was receiving fat paychecks and wide array of work benefits.

'Think about it.'

'Heh Okay po..'

End.

But not for long. This career talk popped out again when my aunt came back from Cebu(?) and told me that the flight attendant in the plane was a dead ringer for me.

'Kamukha mo yung steward dun sa plane na sinakyan ko..magtry ka kaya mag-flight attendant after college?'

'Ahh, hehe'

I took half of it as a compliment since flight attendants are usually neat and have some sort of standards (i.e. tall, good posture, well-groomed, etc) and half of it instantly came out of my left ear.

Then weeks before graduation, I had an appointment with my dentist and we were talking about my schedule.

Patient: ..practice na lang po for graduation.
Dentist: After that work ka na?
Patient: Hopefully po.
Dentist: Saan ka maga-aapply? Bagay sa'yo maging flight attendant. Matangkad ka naman..kelangan lang natin alisin braces mo kasi bawal naka-braces dun..
PatientX: Huh? Uhmm..with this height po, I think I'd just better be a model. Right? Right. And you know po, I also have height..down there. If you know what I'm saying *winks
[No, I didn't. Unless I want those silver wires drilled on my teeth forever]
Patient: Ahhhh, hehe

See the enthusiasm in all my replies? I wasn't putting much thought with all 3 conversations until I arrived home from that dentist appointment and decided to talk to my Mom about it - the whole misguided career.

Son: Sabi ni doktora, magflight attendant daw ako. Diba yun din yung sabi nina Tita (N) tsaka ni Tito (B) at Ate (P)?
Mother: Ah, oo, okay si Ate (P) dun ngayon. Malaki sweldo tapos maraming benefits.
Son: Ahhh..
Mother: May libreng plane rides pa ata para sa mommy niya..
Son: Eh?
Mother: Tsaka kelangan dun hindi suplado, friendly ka dapat..matangkad ka naman tsaka marunong magswimming kasi pag nag-crash yung plane sa dagat..
SonX: *jumps off the couch* GREAT! Okay, done and done! I'll apply for one! I am so thrilled that I can finally use the skills that I learn in my PE1! And I will have a heroic and action-packed career saving lives and fighting Piranhas! I am so happy, Ma!!! I finally have a clear future out there..I mean, UP THERE!!!