A Reggie Travels The World
Darin Carr is the very picture of affability, with a ready smile and warm eyes, he is just the type of calming person you would want to deal with at a very hectic Logan Airport.
Darin, a 2012 GLTS graduate, grew up in Oakland Avenue in Methuen with his parents and two younger siblings, a brother and a sister. He remembers clearly his first time on an airplane, a 2001 family trip to Disney World. The flight attendant stepped into the aisle to deliver his instructions and Darrin was hooked. “I saw that flight attendant and I just knew I wanted to be him – I wanted to have his job.”
When his mother suggested Greater Lawrence Technical School as an alternative to Methuen High and a traditional academic calendar, Darin agreed. He liked the idea of alternating academic and shop time and already knew what he wanted to major in. Darin knew that he wanted to work in hospitality, more specifically the front of the house in Culinary.
A few of his friends from junior high also enrolled at GLTS, reducing his new school jitters. He soon realized the transition was nothing he needed to worry about. He knew right away it was the right fit. “It was great, it turned out to be just a great decision.”
It took Darin a few minutes to answer who his favorite teacher was. “Oh, my gosh, I had so many. I loved all my teachers. But if I had to choose one, I’d have to say Miss Pelletier, my freshman teacher. I could go to her for anything. She would give you the shirt off her back.”
Darin worked at Fuddruckers in Methuen through high school and upon graduation enrolled at UMass Boston. Since he had been bitten by the wanderlust bug at a very early age his plan was to spend a semester of each year studying abroad. Freshman year he found himself in Kassel, Germany enrolled in Intercultural Communication Studies with thirty students from sixteen different countries. He studied cultural customs and mediation and attempted to learn German – without much luck, he adds.
He spent a semester studying in Puerto Rico and is happy to report that while the devastation there is heartbreaking, the many friends he made there are all safe. Darin travelled extensively for a semester through the Caribbean as well.
Darin is currently employed at Logan Airport as a Gate/Ticket agent for a major airline and he credits his studies abroad with helping him deal with the travelers from across the globe that pass through his gate. When asked if he finds dealing with harried passengers stressful he smiles. “It can be, but you make it what it is. I do my best to keep people informed and updated. I’m honest about what’s going on and people respect that.”
Most importantly, the job lets Darin indulge his need to travel. He plans three to four “big” trips a year – this January he plans on a two week vacation in Argentina, Paraguay and Chile. He’s also able to enjoy other travel perks as well. “Sometimes I might just hop on a plane and fly to Chicago for the day, have lunch and fly home.”
His favorite travel destinations so far have been Amsterdam and Cartagena, Columbia – both very different, beautiful, striking cities. Darin enjoys studying the different cultures and architecture wherever he travels. “I observe people a lot. I just sit somewhere and people-watch.”
Of course, the food is a big draw as well. His favorite cuisine is German – he raves about the bread and cheese and charcuterie. When asked if it is better than what he experienced in Paris he laughs. “When I went to Paris it was at the end of one of my semesters abroad and I had already spent all of my money so I only ate the really cheap food.”
Darin will be finishing up his Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology this spring and hopes that his Flight Attendant application will be accepted soon afterwards so he can be in the air full time.
“I wouldn’t be where I am right now without Greater Lawrence Technical School,” he says with a smile. He has been hoping to attend homecoming but unfortunately it coincided with his quick jaunt to London and Dublin. No matter where he is in the world, Darin is always a Reggie at heart.