Get on board with girlfriend’s flight fascination

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/09/2022 (1449 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: My girlfriend was born and raised in rural Manitoba. Now that she’s finally living in Winnipeg, she says she wants to “experience the top of the world.“ She wants to get a place in the highest building we can afford (about six stories high, I’m afraid!).

She says she wants to look out and see airplanes slowly coming in for a landing, and wave at the pilots in the cockpits. I love her crazy brain! She has been developing a real fascination with aviation. Want can I do for my girl? We both have jobs, but we’re not making the big bucks yet.

— Loving My Fly Girl, Osborne Village

Dear Loving: What your girlfriend might my want to do ultimately is take flying lessons and learn to be a pilot herself.

Before that day, there are many ways to get involved in the world of flight, aside from a high-rise apartment near regular flight paths. Not everybody wants so see planes flying past their windows, so you might actually get your choice of a small place on an upper floor.

Does she actually want to learn how to fly? As an introduction, there’s a hang glider/ultra-light company called Adventure at Altitude (altitude.ca), located on the outskirts of Beausejour. It’s open for flights most days and evenings until sunset. The pilot takes people up for rides behind him in his open-air glider, with a camera recording the flight and sounds. Generally it’s laughter and excited shrieking for the passenger’s later viewing.

If helicopters rides would thrill your lady even more, there are several different companies outside Winnipeg happy to help with that. Hot tip: It helps to get a little group of three or four passengers together to chip in for the price of that adventure.

Meanwhile, a great romantic date for you two would be a trip to the huge, new Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada near the airport. Your lady would have a fantastic time exploring the museum and its aircraft exhibits.

Good on you for wanting to help your love partner to pursue her passion!

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’ve been away for the summer working at camp, and now I’m back here for Grade 12. I don’t feel like a high school guy anymore. When I was away this summer, I had adult responsibilities, got paid and found an older girlfriend who was also working there. I was so lucky.

There’s one problem. I’m “experienced” in every way now. I’m not looking forward to going back to high school, and those young, ridiculous girls. My camp girlfriend has gone off to university in Ontario. Now I’m back at home without her in Winnipeg feeling like a duck out of water.

I don’t expect we’ll ever be in the same place again, and she’ll stay away studying for her career. I asked her if she wanted to continue our relationship somehow, and she said in her blunt and honest way: “No, we have to get on with our lives now, and we live a couple thousand kilometres apart, but I will miss you.”

Then, she gave me a kiss I’ll never forget. What now? How do I make my life work? I have one long year of high school to go. It’s so depressing.

— Feeling ‘Graduated’ Already, south Winnipeg

Dear Feeling Graduated: Look at your summer romance as a gift. Your older girlfriend set you down gently at the end of camp, as a young man. Unlike many Grade 12 students, you’re already seeing education and career choices in a more serious way — because you know your camp sweetheart is off to live that kind of purposeful life.

So, here’s a plan for you: Dig in and go for the best marks you can get in Grade 12. Start checking out the scholarships on offer, right now in September. Study hard to qualify for more than one scholarship — there are lots out there. Most students aren’t aware of the incredible amount of money and support you can get — until it’s too late.

Also, start researching different colleges and universities where you could go to study for the careers that really attract you — not just what your parents fancy. If you don’t have any idea, start doing aptitude tests through your high school this fall and look at many different schools. Once you have a clear goal in mind of what you want, everything else becomes easier.

Who knows? You may run into your camp sweetheart again one day! You’ll be able to tell her what interesting things you’re doing with your life, and thank her for the golden summer that gave you so much confidence.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Maureen Scurfield
Advice columnist

Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column.

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Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

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