Hi,
I'm an ex-primary school teacher. I left teaching 4 years ago and have not looked back. After spending all my evenings and some weekends up to my eyes with paperwork, it was fantastic to have a job where you have no work to take home with you.
The main advantages of being cabin crew I first noticed when joining included;
At least 11 hours between duties with no homework where no-one is even allowed to call you.
Earning the same money, if not more than teaching, all for a 4-6 week training course.
Working with different people everyday, most of whom are positive and happy. No more depressed negativity in the staff room.
Getting trips abroad and having staff travel to see the world.
No more being sworn at and abused by parents and children. It is an offence to use threantening and abbusive language to the crew inflight. The airline and police back you up, not the passengers. Sadly unlike what happens in school, when everyone backs the abusive child.
Fantastic oppurtunities for promotion. I have worked as a junior, purser, recruiter and I now work as a trainer. So kind of back where I started, but this time with more money, less hours, and lots of travel!
The only disadvantages I found was sometimes dealing with delayed and angry passengers could be tiring, when you had no real solutions to offer them and were taking the blame for something that was not your fault.
Occasionally you can feel like you have switched your brain off, because once you have got into the routine of flying, you do not need to think too much about what you are doing. However I have always managed to balance this by going to work and having a laugh, getting to know my crew, chatting to the passengers and leaving work with a smile on my face.
Don't get me wrong, being crew can be hard work, but compared to teaching, it really is a breath of fresh air.
I have not looked back in the last 4 years, so my advice is just "GO FOR IT!"