North-Easterners are not inferior to anyone: Limala

Limala likes to meet people. She is also interested in making trips to all the beautiful cities and tourist spots around the world.That is why in her early days, she thought of pursuing a career in journalism.

She dreamt of unearthing the sufferings of millions of Indians through her well researched articles in various newspapers of the country. It was also in her dream to find herself on board of an international flight to cover an important international event like the general session of the UN Assembly.

Quite interestingly, all her dreams about meeting people, visiting famous places have come to true. But to achieve that she had to alter her preferences slightly. Instead of becoming a journalist, she is now an air hostess with Royal Jordanian Airlines. And in the process, she perhaps earned the distinction of becoming the first Naga lass to be appointed as an air hostess in a foreign airline.

So dear readers, here are the excerpts of the interview with Limala

North East News Agency: How did you become an air hostess?

Limala: After completing my graduation from Pune, I came to Delhi for a masters degree. At that time, one day in the newspapers I saw the advertisement of the Royal Jordanian Airlines wanting to recruit few Indians as air hostess. I applied in response to that advertisement. The Interview was held in Delhi itself. Altogether the airline took 17 girls from India and I was one of them.

NENA: Was their any other North-Easterner in that list of 17?

Limala: No, I was the only one from that region. Another girl was from Darjeeling. The rest were from mainland India.

NENA: Did you ever think of becoming an air hostess? Limala: (Smiles) Actually in my childhood I wanted to become a journalist. As I love meeting people and visiting places, I thought journalism as a career would be best suited for me. But somehow during the end of my student life, I lost interest in that profession.

NENA: Any specific reason for that?

Limala: Not exactly. When I was about to complete my graduation. I started feeling that journalism was not my cup of tea I had to make a career in a different field.Some of my friends suggested that I should opt for a career in hotel management. According to their advices, I started enquiring about hotel management where to study, what are the scopes, etc. But finally I found hotel management was not that encouraging as some of my friends thought it to be. So I gave up the idea of joining a hotel management course.At that time, when I was perplexed about choosing a career, one of my teachers came to my rescue. She told me all about the job of an air hostess. She also told me that the job would mean lot of travelling and meeting people. So I started looking for the advertisements of the airlines.

By the time, I completed my graduation, I was not prepared for any other career. So, I decided to get a post-graduate degree while looking for a job of an air hostess. But before I could seek admission to any of the universities, I saw the advertisement of the Royal Jordanian Airlines. That changed my fortune. Now instead of moving to one class room to another in a university as a post-graduate student. I am moving from one city to another, from one part of the globe to another as an air hostess.

NENA: How are you coping up with the too busy flying schedule of an air hostess?

Limala: This is not correct. The life of an air hostess is not that hectic. I do not know about the domestic airliners, but the international airliners ensure sufficient time for the pilot and the crew members to relax. We get enough time in between the flights to rest.

NENA: What about your experiences on board?

Limala: Oh, its nice.Every time I am on board, I learn something. I get to know different people. All these enrich my experience. It’s so interesting that I don’t want to miss it ever for a moment.

NENA: Any bad memories?

Limala: Fortunately till now there is none.

NENA: As you work in a foreign airline, you largely stay abroad. Don’t you miss your family, especially your parents?

Limala: Oh yes. I miss them a lot. Fortunately the telecommunication system has improved a lot in the few years. So whenever I feel homesick I use to contact them over phone.This time also I came to Delhi to meet my parents, who are now here for some other works.

NENA: What is your advice to the North-Easterners who are aspiring to become an air hostess?

Limala: From my personal experience, I can say that there are some misconceptions prevailing in our country about the job of an air hostess like ---one has to be very very beautiful if one intends to become an air hostess.This is completely wrong. Beauty is not the main criterion for an air hostess. All that is needed is a presentable look. Smartness is another important factor. If one is a graduate, having a presentable look and required smartness, she is eligible to become an air hostess. Due to this misconception, I found many North-Easterners do not even apply to be an air hostess irrespective of the fact of having the requisite qualities.

NENA: The North-Easterners, it is widely believed are reluctant to come out of the region.

Limala: It is true. We want to stay back home. But now I think that this is changing. More and more North-Easterners are coming out of the region. It’s a good thing. The North-Easterners are not inferior to anyone. All they need is exposure to blossom. I am really happy about this present trend.

NENA: You are also from the region. How did you come out of the region?

Limala: In my case, there was no problem. I was sent out of the region by my parents at an early age. I forgot to tell you one thing. I did my schooling in Pune.

NENA: As you stayed in Pune from an early age, did the thought of joining the films come to your mind?

Limala: No, nerver. I am not interested in films.

NENA: Any specific reason for this disliking?

Limala: Firstly, I don’t think that my looks will be liked by the Indian cine-goers. I do not have that typical Indian looks that the Indian viewers like.Secondly, running and singing around the trees following the hero, I don’t think is my cup of tea.

NENA: What do you think as your best achievement so far?

Limala: It gives me great pleasure when people ask me about India, about Nagaland. It happens almost regularly on board that the passengers ask me which part of the globe I belong to. Because they can neither identify me with India nor with the south-east Asian countries. So they happen to be little curious about me. Then, I get the chance to tell them about India, about my own Nagaland. Frankly speaking it gives me immense pleasure.