On June 18th of last year, I walked into a “business update” meeting that resulted in my redundancy at Emirates. When I first heard this news I was devastated. I felt as though I had given so much of myself to the airline, and that my entire world was crashing down. I didn’t get my last flight… I wasn’t leaving on my own terms…I didn’t have a backup plan…! Yet still, I tried to hold onto hope that in a year’s time things would get better.
Looking back now, I can confidently say my situation has drastically improved. Despite still missing the skies, I’m much closer to accomplishing my goals and aspirations. For that, I am incredibly thankful.
I’ve shared parts of my journey sporadically on my Instagram page and blog about my Emirates departure, but I never actually sat down and shared my “full plan”. The truth is, aside from a few ideas, I didn’t actually have one! I was going through every single emotion you could imagine while trying to piece together a roadmap, not knowing what things were going to be like when I returned to Canada.
When I began to look at opportunities back home, I came across the chance to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant. I had thought about participating previously, but couldn’t commit to the responsibility due to my line of work. Considering I was no longer employed, I was finally able to bring my platform of love and inclusivity to the national stage, finishing in the top 10.
During Miss Universe Canada I was entertaining my application to join the Canadian Armed Forces. I wanted to write the entrance exam with the goal of meeting the requirements for the positions of Intelligence Officer or Public Affairs Officer. Unfortunately for me, the resources I required to position myself for success in these roles weren’t available due to the pandemic. Once the competition concluded and this reality hit, I didn’t know what to do yet again! I felt as though I was back to square one.
Fortunately for me, after weeks of rigorously applying for jobs via LinkedIn on my parent’s couch, I was presented with an opportunity in communications back in Dubai. Since my relocation to the Middle East, I’ve connected with Intelak and act as a Mentor for aviation, travel, and tourism start-ups. I’ve also been working with the Maria Cristina Foundation on an exciting project (that I hope to announce soon) and have begun planning to complete an MBA in Aviation Business Management at Emirates Aviation University within the next two years.
Perhaps the most exciting news out of all of this is that I will represent Canada at Miss Charm 2021 in Vietnam come October, bringing my platform now to the international stage!
As I look back and reflect on all of this, I realize that my redundancy was the push I needed to get going. It was the challenges I faced up to this point that inspired me to grow, and the support and encouragement from my friends, family, and the #avgeek community that helped me to persevere despite the hardships.
Thank you all for your thoughts and well wishes throughout this journey!
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Disclaimer: My posts are my personal views and do not represent the views of my company.
