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Chongqing, 8 Mar (Xinhua) -- A straight white shirt and a suit with four bars at the cuffs, sarah with a bright smile on her face is dressed in the captain's uniform.
In 2012, the American girl Sarah came to China from the United States and became the first female foreign captain introduced by China Airlines. Today, sarah, 45, has been living in Chongqing for six years.
In the cockpit of the airliner on Feb. 25, Sarah prepares for takeoff. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Liu
Nowadays, in China, female pilots soaring into the blue sky is nothing new. According to the "Annual Report on the Development of Civil Aviation Pilots in China (2019 Edition)" released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the number of female pilots in Civil Aviation in China reached 834 in 2019.
"When I was 18 years old, I experienced flying for the first time in a small plane from my farm." Sarah, who was born in North Carolina, said, "That's when I fell in love with the feeling of flying. ”
Like most young people, Sarah went to college and then graduated for work. "My first job was arranging flowers in a florist." Before becoming a pilot, Sarah said, she worked as a florist clerk, a bank clerk and a trading company.
"Only flying can make me feel the purest joy, and at that time, I was 27 years old." Despite the difficulties, Sarah resolutely quit her job and went back to school to learn how to fly a plane. After 2 years of hard study, she finally became a pilot and joined American Air Pilot Airliner to soar in the blue sky.
Later, Sarah came to China. As her time at Huaxia Airlines grew, she became more and more fond of China and eventually settled her home in Chongqing.
On February 25, Sarah stepped out of the airliner she was flying. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Liu
Today, Sarah has lived in Chongqing for 6 years, which she sees as her second home. "I've adapted to living in Chongqing, and everything here changes very quickly." When she first received her salary a few years ago, Ms. Sarah said, she had to take a large pile of cash because she didn't know how to use the Chinese banking system.
And now, Sarah is used to using mobile payments on her phone. "I can't even remember the last time I used cash in China." Sarah said.
Sarah (third from left) poses with chinese colleagues on the tarmac of Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport on Feb. 25. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Liu
Taking off her captain's uniform, Sarah is also a mother of two. She took her daughter and son to her side. "It's not easy to support my family, and although flying is hard, I can still see my children every day, which allows me to juggle work and life." Sarah said.
Sarah's children also enjoyed life in Chongqing and began to learn Chinese slowly. Sarah said, "No matter what the future holds, the experience at China Airlines and life in Chongqing, China will be a very valuable experience in my life." This is already my second hometown, I love this city and the rapid changes in this city, China is developing very fast, and I have learned a lot. ”