A week before I left for home I started meeting with a Japanese international student (Tamami) trying to get into UCLA so that she could practice speaking English and I could practice speaking Japanese.

Something I learned from the first-time meeting: There are age limits for female stewardesses on Asian airline companies.

Tamami used to be an airline stewardess for JAL. I asked her if she thought about going back to Japan and being a stewardess again. "I'm too old. I can't be a stewardess anymore." She didn't look all that old. Actually, she looked younger than me. Later in the conversation I find out that she's 25. She's 25 and she's too old. Apparently, you have to be under 25 to work as a stewardess for JAL, ANA, Asiana, and other Asian airline companies. It's ridiculous for me to hear that 25 is considered over the hill for anything.