|image1|

What’s the best way to tie a knot so that my hammock doesn’t drop me on my head? Is it true that falling coconuts can kill you? How do I get from my towel to the water without roasting my feet on the sand? Those are pretty much my biggest problems ever since moving down to Costa Rica.

If you are harboring a secret desire to experience a new kind of life where these kinds of complications are the most stressful issues you might face in a normal day, maybe you will be curious to read about how I quit my job as a flight attendant and came down to this land of sunshine, friendly people, and affordable everything.

[custom_script adID=149]

Naturally, you might be a little hesitant about quitting your own job and abandoning your current lifestyle to try something new. You are not alone. Believe me when I tell you that I also had good cause to be reluctant. The job that I had is commonly thought of as a pretty desirable one and if you lose or leave it, there is very little chance of getting it back.

I knew that whenever I got enough courage to take the leap, there would be no second chances. But eventually I did make the jump, and happily, I landed with my toes in the sand.

|image2|

My wife and I are now living in a sweet little beach village called Samara in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. This town had come up in our pre-arrival internet research, but we still needed to see the other options for ourselves.

After having explored all of the beach towns for 300 miles, Samara became the obvious choice. There are few fancy restaurants here, no 5 star hotels, or even much paving, for that matter. But those are not the kinds of things we were looking for anyway.

Costa Rica Map Samara

Costa Rica Map Showing Location of Samara

What we wanted was a place that had the natural ability to slow the heart rate and simplify the way we lived. This town has a long and gorgeous beach, an easy going beach vibe, friendly residents from around the world, and enough modern conveniences to live comfortably.

My previous life in the sky is not much more than a faint memory and my days now consist of visiting the weekly organic market, visually estimating the distance between palm trees so I can get just the right incline on the hammock, and watching the surf school students find out that standing up is a little harder once the board is in the water. On a recent day, I counted 36 hilariously clumsy slips, splashes, and crashes before something that vaguely looked like someone surfing.

[custom_script adID=155]

I wasn’t always this productive however. Until recently, I had a job and quitting to live a life on the beach was not something that I had seriously considered. I was a flight attendant with a major US airline and though I was aware that I had it pretty good, I was often suspicious (to the point of paranoia) that there might be something even better out there.

This had been a very tough job to get and one that offered the kind of perks that most people only dream about, so quitting was a scary thing to consider. Let me share a few of the reasons why this job was so amazing, and thus, so hard to leave. If after reading this, your job still seems worth keeping, you should write your own article.

|image3|

We all know that flight attendants don’t make millions, but they get a lot of cool stuff that is pretty valuable and generally not available to everyone. They have little responsibility, almost no supervision, no paperwork to take home, 15 days off from work each month, and many of the perks of a millionaire’s life.

They travel the world, meet exciting people, avoid the common routine, and have time remaining for themselves.

[custom_script adID=150]

As for all of the best jobs, competition is intense for this one. It is extremely difficult to “land” a spot and interviews look like Hollywood “cattle calls”. Hiring “scouts” visit big cities all over the world, and set up banquet tables in hotel ball rooms reminiscent of “American Idol”. When the “casting call” is announced, organizers just wait for the lines to form outside.

|image4|

It’s guaranteed that hundreds of would-be globe trotters will eagerly come from miles away to try to snag one of the world’s most glamorous careers. If this were a TV show, the “judges” would replace “You’re going to Hollywood” with “Forget Hollywood, You can go ANYWHERE you want!”.

With so many people trying to get a taste of the excitement and freedom promised by this line of work, the criteria is naturally elevated. To get this gig, you might have to speak more than a couple languages, be able to subsist for days on caffeine and pretzels, and easily lift an 80 lb bag over your head while serving hot coffee during turbulence.

[custom_script adID=151]

Tested each working day, will be your capacity to maintain a permanent smile through bitter customer complaints about the lack of leg room, extra bag charges, and the funny smell coming from the lavatory. You have to look sharp, happy, and alert after going without sleep for 48 hours and flying through 3 time zones.

Even if that part doesn’t sound like too much fun, who wouldn’t want to have a pocket full of the famous “buddy passes”?

Everyone has heard about these mysterious and awe-inspiring flight passes that are nothing less than a free pass to the world. Armed with these near-mythical golden tickets, flight attendants can jump on any plane at any time, and go anywhere. To fly from Los Angeles to New York, costs about the same as an hour in the terminal parking lot. No planning needed, just pick a flight and strap in.

|image5|

On top of all of this, you can add great medical plans, early retirement, regular raises, and job security. During 2010, my wife and I would have spent more than $40,000 on the flights that we got for free. Thanks to my employee parking pass, we didn’t even have to pay for parking.

It sounds pretty good, right? In fact, it is so good that people rarely quit.

[custom_script adID=153]

You might have noticed that many flight attendants are of, hmmmm… “advanced” age. What could explain this very common trend? Is it that this job is seen as a “second” career, attracting older folks looking for a fun way to spend their golden years? Or instead, are these wrinkled visages the result of the “feet first” mentality that is an integral part of the flight attendant code?

|image6|

The answer is that the vast majority have been flying the (once) friendly skies since getting pregnant was a cause for termination and the only men on the crew could be found in the cockpit. These graying holdovers from the propeller age are the very same beauties that once brought glamor to the airline industry.

The very same lovelies that gracefully donned knee-high boots and mini skirts while serving martinis in the upper deck piano lounge or selling cigarettes to elegant travelers doing their best to look like Jackie and JFK….

This is the end of part I/II, please make sure you come back next week for part II.

[custom_script adID=97]


Written by Ryan Xavierr. who is a freelance travel writer, also known as “The Homeless Writer”. With no fixed address, he travels the world and writes about his experiences. More exciting travel stories, photos, videos, and tips can be found on his blog: www.Happy2bHomeless.com

Confessions of an Ex-Flight Attendant: Why I Quit the “Perfect Job” and Moved to Samara, Costa Rica Part I/II.

Article/Property ID Number 3556

[custom_script adID=194]

Are you into beautiful Costa Rica?

All interesting things you want to know about Costa Rica are right here in our newsletter! Enter your email and press "subscribe" button.

There is one comment:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *