I first learned from my boyfriend (also a Southwest Employee) that my Fellow Coworkers were teaming up to race around the world against ten other couples, and we wondered: How would two Southwest Flight Attendants stack up against the competition?
Our own Southwest “Amazing Racers” started off strong, and their travel savvy and friendly personalities came in handy during the first leg. By striking up a conversation with a local Swiss woman on the train, Jodi and Christie (J&C) shot straight to the top and came in as Team #1 after the first day. The second day would prove to be more difficult for the pair when a taxi scarcity slowed them down in the morning, and a train scheduling slip-up almost sent them home. In the end, J&C narrowly escaped elimination in a final foot race with dating couple, Jennifer and Preston.
It was nerve-racking for me to watch our Flight Attendants search for a cab, and it was hard not to blame their lagging on the couple who told them they would join them on the train, all while planning to take a later train that arrived earlier (tricky, tricky). However, the beautiful display of Warrior Spirit, Servant’s Heart, and Fun-LUVing Attitude touched my heart. Highlights from the first episode included: talking with local residents (gave them a leg up in the beginning); Christie shedding a few tears for her Friend as Jodi prepared to plunge 70-odd stories on a bungee cord; Jodi cheering Christie on and reminding her not to “give up” when she lost her cheese (who knew cheese transport was so treacherous); and the genuine concern they showed for the opponents they bested at the end of the first leg.
There’s one thing I’ve learned from watching The Amazing Race: One false move or a single instance of bad luck can mean everything. If J&C can keep playing smart and trusting their instincts, I have a feeling that they’ll make it far. Who knows, they could be this season’s come-back kids, just like my favorites from last season—the everentertaining, but often bumbling, Andrew and Dan (affectionately called “Dandrew").
