Introduction Essay

Who Am I?

My name is xxxxx xxxxx. I am XX years old, married, and have three sons. I was born in Greensboro, NC and lived there until I was 19. I attended XXXX with the intention of getting an Associate's Degree in Commercial Art and Advertising Design. I was gifted in and loved drawing and painting. It never occurred to me that I would have a career in anything else.

The summer after my first semester at XXXX, my parents saw an advertisement in the newspaper for those interested in a career as a flight attendant. My parents pressured me to go to the airline's open house. I flat out refused. After all, I was 19 and madly in love with my unemployed 30 year old boyfriend who still lived with his parents.

I went to the airline's open house and there were hundreds of women there. Some of us, including myself, were chosen to speak in front of the mass audience of candidates. The next day, an airline representative called me and asked me to fly to Chicago the following day for a formal interview.

I did not want to go at all! I was petrified of getting on an airplane. My boyfriend didn't want me to go. Most of all, I was going to be a graphic artist and had never even considered this job in my life.

Through many interviews, six weeks of training away from home, several bouts of tearfully begging my mom to let me come home, I became one of the first 19 year olds to become a flight attendant.

I absolutely loved my job and the freedom it gave me. I was able to travel to places I never had dreamed of going. I did my job well and was enamored and confident with the different people I met. I planned to retire as a flight attendant.

But things change when husbands and babies come along. When I had my first baby and had to leave him for the first time, I cried uncontrollably the entire trip. My feelings of missing him only grew. Several times, I broke down in the middle of a service when I saw a child. When my second baby came along, I decided that I could no longer have both this career and a family.

I have now been a stay-at-home mom for four years now. I miss flying sometimes, especially the layovers where I could sleep in, take a long bath and read books all night long. My children are all about to start school, so I've decided to start school with them. I am so eager to put my brain back into use. I am ready to be mentally challenged.