Juanita Lagaillarde : born to fly with Emirates

Working as a cabin crew is a once in a lifetime experience. So many young men and women grow up 
dreaming about working for an international airline and traveling the world. Getting hired, however, is not so easy but not impossible either. Juanita Lagaillarde, a young Mauritian, a cabin crew of Emirates, shares her experiences. In just four years, she has travelled to around 38 countries. 

Aged 31, Juanita Lagaillarde, a resident of Bell Village, Port Louis, has been working with Emirates since four years. Juanita Lagaillarde reveals that working as a cabin crew was a childhood dream. “When I was around four to five years, I had this in mind. I wanted to be an air cabin crew. I wanted to travel and discover the world as well as different cultures.” Her first choice was Emirates. 

Today, she can proudly say that she is living her dreams. In the beginning, it has been a bit difficult to leave behind family members but as time passed, she quickly made friends and adapted herself to her new environment in Dubai. In these four years, she has travelled to 38 countries and discovered various cultures. The longest trip she has done is Dubai to Auckland which is 16 hours 30 minutes. “I can say that in each country that I have visited so far, I have seen part of Mauritius, whether it is in Australia or Bali. Once or twice in a month, I fly to Mauritius and hence seize this opportunity to visit my family.” 
In just a few months, she adapted to her new life in Dubai and she has seen herself growing with Emirates. “As a woman, I have seen myself growing. My personality has witnessed tremendous growth. I’m less timid and more daring. I can easily understand human behavior and interact with people.” 

Her first trip as cabin crew 

Two cases that she cannot forget in her life is first, the day she wore her uniform and red cap. It is one of the most cherished moments of her life. “It was the day I have been waiting for all my life. When it happened, I was overwhelmed,” she says joyfully. The second moment was her first flight as cabin crew. “It was a flight from Dubai to Morocco. I was stressed on how it would be. When I entered the plane, I realized that my dream has come true and told myself to let go of all stress and live that moment. The first trip went well and I was really delighted.” That day when she reached her hotel, she was again mesmerized by the panoramic view from the hotel. “That moment, I paused and could not believe it was a reality. It just like a blessing.”   

Other stories that are still fresh in her mind is the excitement of children when they see cabin crews with red hats. “The children make us feel like stars when they see us with our red hats. It is a real pleasure to look at their smiles and sparkling eyes.” 

When asked about any nervousness while flying, she replies, “I was born to be a cabin crew. I am not at all worried. I trust the training I received. I am prepared to face anything.” Till now, she confides that she has not faced any issue with passengers. 

Recruitment : A real challenge

Being recruited by Emirates is a real challenge for so many. Juanita Lagaillarde reveals that she applied via an online application one day and she received a call for an interview. She was nervous for the interview but deep inside, she was confident to go through it. Her determination and confidence made her succeed in all the interviews. 

The first step is personality testing. “At this stage, candidates undergo language skills test. There is an intensive screening that is done before the next step. After the test, candidates are selected and they need to undergo intensive training on safety, security and First Aid. During the training, we learn a lot about services on board, dealing with turbulences and emergencies.”       

Opportunities in Emirates

Working for Emirates, it is all that a person can dream of, says the young lady. She reveals that there are lots of advantages and privileges that one can enjoy with Emirates. She encourages young Mauritians to seize this opportunity and apply for the different jobs. “If you dream of working with Emirates, then follow your dreams. You can achieve it. You just have to prepare for it. The working conditions are very much appropriate. Being bilingual, Mauritians have an advantage. There is no need to be afraid of the adaptation.”    

Hobbies 

During her days off, the young lady spends her time in the gym or shopping. She is a shopaholic. “Being fit is a major requirement for my job. In order to be able to work and feel relaxed, fitness matters a lot for me. Apart from going to the gym, I just love shopping. Shopping is part of me. I am fond of shoes and bags. Only in Mauritius, I have 37 pairs of shoes and in Dubai, around thirty pairs.”