Vara’s long journey to the Sky

This is the story as told by Vara Taoi on her Facebook page and it has been put here to be digitally enshrined and not lost in all the mish mash that is social media as time goes by.

Story time:
I have always wanted to travel the world. I remember when I was in class 8 at Rampur College when Mrs Amalaini asked us what do we want to become when we grow up? I said that I wanted to become a Pilot or flight attendant cause I wanna explore the world. But my parents couldn’t afford to send me to pilot school. Instead they enrolled me to do Accounting. I studied accounting but I wasn’t passionate about it.
Every recruitment Fiji Airways advertised, I’ve always applied for it. Got through in 2016 but didn’t make it to the final. I never lost hope. I tried again and again and again and again (lost count).
Last year they cancelled their open day at Vodafone Arena, I cried and cried. I messaged my Tauvu Purser Jiaoji and told him my frustration that they had cancelled the open day cause I was so ready for it. He told me to pray about it and to apply for Qatar instead because they were recruiting as well. So I applied for it.
I was at home with my 7 month old son and my husband messaged me that there was going to be an open day for Fiji Airways. I cried cause I was thinking of my son, so I prayed about it that morning and I told God “Turaga, I love my son so much and I don’t deserve anything that my hearts desire but kevaka na job qo nomu I tuvatuva vei au, varaitaka vei au e dua na Bebe dromodromo before noon today. Ya nomuni sign that now is my time” Emeni.
We continued with our day and I totally forgot about what I prayed for. However, just before 12pm that day my son kept on crawling towards the balcony outside, so I just followed him around kidacala noqu keveti koya cake mai qai vuka tu mataqu dua na Bebe dromodromo rairai totoka. Same time I called my husband “Bub, I’m going for this open day. This is my time” So I called around to make arrangements for someone to look after Vitu, grateful for my village especially my husband Jesoni Taoi, Yaca Tuqiri Losalini Unaisi Lotawa Vatuloka Talevu, Nalevu, Tutua Moa, Nei Litty Suvei, Na Alesi Ranadi and my amazing in-laws for always being there for me.
I went for the open day, I saw the amount of people who had come…vaka au lose hope but then all of a sudden I remembered that God gave me a sign…that was my motivation for the day…passed stage 1, stage 2, and then the final interview…everything was meant for me. Au tagi tu ga. From the thousands that turned up, only 40 of us got through. I was one of the 40.
Passed my trainings and just a day before signing my contract with Fiji Airways, Qatar emailed me that I got through to the interview, no second thought about representing my country, I emailed back that I won’t be able to make it.
Wearing this uniform and traveling to a foreign country is a whole different feeling. Feeling proud to represent my Vanua (Fiji), my family, my koro, Mataqali to other parts of the world.
I have travelled to many destinations because of my job. I love and am passionate about it. I have met so many people, experienced different cultures, I learn new things everyday and because of the training we do, I am confident in myself to save a life onboard or wherever I go cause we were taught that safety is always paramount.
If you’re on a verge of giving up, tired of trying….don’t ever lose hope. Your time will come when it is right.
~I owe my life and everything I have to God~