When I was growing up, my mom spent a lot of time flying, and was away from home for a couple of days to a week at a time. Although it appeared to be a luxury to travel and wander around new cities, she constantly reminded me it is her job.

My mom is a flight attendant who travels to a variety of places on a schedule that is not very consistent. Recently, I got to accompany her on a layover in Seattle, Wash. When I met her in Washington, she showed me Pike’s Market, the Space Needle, the wharf, and the shopping district in the city. As the day ended, we went back to the hotel for the night, but my mom did not get to relax. Instead was preparing for a trip to Fairbanks, Ala. and would return to Seattle in the same night.

Through what my mom showed me in Seattle, I captured part of the flight attendant experience. As flight attendants travel they evolve into unique transient locals to the cities they visit, with knowledge of the hidden treasures and treats. However, sometimes after a long flight it’s appealing to spend the day relaxing in a hotel room and catching up on missed sleep. The flight attendant lifestyle is about the all too short layovers that introduce a city, but never give enough time to get completely comfortable in one place before departing for the next.