Some Viruses, Back-ups and Installations Later...

I'm finally back. Equipped with wireless broadband right in my own apartment, a cleaned out laptop and too many photos. I am ready to blog.

Let's see, back to training... SEP (Safety & Emergency Training) lasted two weeks. I would say they were the most emjoyable two weeks in training mostly cos I enjoyed the subject the most. Not to mention we had the best SEP trainers too.

Following SEP was a full day training on Security. Interesting insights to hi-jacking, bombing and procedures to tackling security issues onboard. We spent a good 2-hour restraining and throwing each other down on the floor too. So be good the next time you travel for if your behaviour becomes unacceptable we have the right to tie you up!

The week that follows entails Group Medical Training, of which we were qualified First Responders by the end. We were introduced to Medlink and SOS, and had to remember the use of medicines, tools and their locations in the aircraft. I can now perform CPR, bandage a broken limb, treat burns, detect seizures, differenciate heart attack from Angina, help pax with asthma, etc. I could inject Epipen in severe allergic cases. I hope I will never have to deal with any case of death or childbirth onboard... it would be horrifying preparing the body bag or cord clamping (former for the dead, of course).

Last but not least there's the Service Training. I have been looking forward to this. It is the final two weeks at the training college where we learn all about the diverse cultures and background of our colleagues and passengers (hey we even had to learn some basic Arabic), drinks and mixing how-to, serving, 5-step/6-step/9-step services onboard, professional image, the company's frequent flyer programme and other owned properties and businesses, etc. Then there are the memorising tasks: abbreviations of special meals and all the destination codes, items stored in the respective containers in different aircraft galleys. By the end of the 2 weeks we were drained. We were speaking in broken Arabic and abbreviations. We were constantly monitored on our grooming from the hair to the lipstick to the bags and the shoes. And as expected, we had exams.



At the end of the two weeks we had talks and revisions of the whole training modules. We're all excited about going online and somewhat sad as we will be going more or less, separate ways. There are nearly 9,000 crew to-date, what are the chances of us flying with each other?