This is one of an occasional series on Delta people who participate in global talent exchanges across the airline's network of international alliance partners.

From the moment Delta announced its deeper partnership with Aeromexico, Amelia Deluca knew the alliance was something she wanted to be a part of. She's worked at Delta for nearly 11 years, starting in Minneapolis and later moving to Amsterdam, New York and Atlanta, so when the opportunity arose to explore a new part of the business, she raised her hand right away.

 

"I immediately went to my boss to ask about the position and talked through it with my husband that night. By the following day, I had put in my application," Deluca said. "I was delighted when I found out I had the job and made the move to Mexico City a couple of months later."

Deluca, now Delta's Director – Commercial Alliance Implementation, has been living in Mexico City for eight months on a two to three-year assignment for Delta with Aeromexico. She and her family have embraced Mexico, learning Spanish, enjoying local food and exploring popular destinations on weekends.

Deluca talked with Delta News Hub about her transition to a new country, being part of a Delta alliance partner and the rewarding experiences that have come along the way.

DNH: What were your expectations going into the new country?

 

Deluca: Life in Mexico City has really exceeded our expectations. It's a large city with lots of culture, food and parks, and there is a real dynamism to the city, with some great neighborhoods with strong focus on children and the importance of family.

Not only does the city have wonderful weather and lots of green space, the country itself is amazing. We just got back from a long weekend in San Miguel de Allende and we've also spent time at the beaches in Puerto Vallarta, explored old mining towns north of the city and day tripped to see the annual monarch butterfly migration.  

DNH: What were your first few days in Mexico City like?

Deluca:  My first few days were really focused on getting my family settled, finalizing our visa paperwork, finding childcare for our young daughter and locating all the key services we would need.

My new Delta and Aeromexico colleagues really made me feel welcome. One even took me to Costco to get diapers and other essentials! They also showed us different neighborhoods and apartments to look out.

DNH: What has been the most rewarding part of the exchange?

Deluca: I think it has been watching my family thrive in their new life here. My husband loves his new job and my 2-year-old daughter is learning to speak Spanish. She surprised me the other day by knowing the Spanish word for squirrel! I had to look it up. There is also a strong expat community here which provides a great deal of support.

DNH: How is your new role in Mexico different than your previous role?

Deluca: Working in another country is different; you become a tenacious ambassador for Delta every day. I'm learning a lot about different areas that are not necessarily in my job description; this is why many expat jobs require candidates to be "curious".

It is a challenge working abroad but an amazing one. You grow from it, learn from other cultures and become more knowledgeable about the world.

 

In terms of the similarities between Delta and Aeromexico — there are many.  Both airlines have a strong focus on the customer experience with long histories and pride in the airline.  Both are innovative and have amazing and dynamic leadership teams. The employees are also core to everything, and it is great to see that we actually communicate with our employees in a similar way and all of us are focused on being better today than we were yesterday.