As The Bubble Bursts....

Nov 14 8:38pm Paris

Finally I can jab at my Blackberry and make this post happen. Not sure why I'm sitting up straight with this aching lower back pain I have... After ironing a few uniforms as I start my first day of work tomorrow...sigh.
Before the ironing my Jollof Rice craving was settled... More or less running from church and almost wishing the train could move any faster I arrive 5 floors up my apartment building and change to my raggedy clothes and in a frenzy my stew and what would be eventually jollof rice was well on its way. I had perviously raosted some "awo" aka Guinea fowl so protein solved too!

After much ado... Late Lunch/Dinner was served.

Anyway.... My bubble and euphoria of my Graduation on Friday has reduced dramatically size wise and should burst finally when my alarm goes off at 7:14am tomorrow morning! Yes the excitement of dressing up, looking like a million euros, collecting your certificate being cheered yes all that jazz would turn into "real life" tomorrow

Graduation
The Morning of graduation started off with me thanking God and sending messages to my family thanking them for their support and also, calling my mum who was already losing it that I hadn't called her.... So I speak to her and my Dad... Prayers were said and all the mushy stuff included...
Then had to deal with some BBM messages... Then it was dress up time and my 1:30pm I was out of the door

Walking through Madeleine Metro station making my way through Rue Royale past all the Prada, Hermes, TODs, Gucci and all the designer royalty on Rue Fabroug Saint Honore my friend Michael and I confidently strode past whlist locating the building where my ceremony was going to take place...
Yes in my C/A, Celio and David Wej ensemble... I walked like I could buy the street if they vexed me... Yes I did... Some day I would..True Story but for now... I"ll just walk on by


Arriving the the grandeur trapped in concrete..aka the venue... All the asians where already there in their usual group...my friend and I enter I and figure out how to make sure my friends who were coming could get in without
Me coming to get then since they were going to be late...
As my friend and I and in the foyer chilling and taking preliminary pictures, who does he spot... James Cameron! I didn't even know what he looked like but... All I needed to hear was that he directed Avatar and Titanic... *kaching!*
So trust me.. I knew his wife was my friends mum and I went the mum route and got to him... To cut a long story short.. During the ceremony he calls out to me and congratulates me and I ask for a picture and he says "why not! Sure!" Voila!!!! Picture below *SmileyFace* *yyyaayyy*

The ceremony was mercifully not dragged... To the point though with some "speeches" but still good... All my friends looked good..but if I must say.. Male wise... Yours Truly killed it!! Yes I gave them GQ baby! LOL!
On my way to pick my award.. I didn't know when I did a small victory dance... Yes ... It was my graduation I could dance if I wanted to!
Only for my friend to be squeezing face that why was "I showing myself" I replied "ah! You where shy of me??" "Eh.. Some people didn't like also, they were looking at you funny" he replied... Then I looked at him squarely and asked him in pidgin "Na them pay my skuu fees??, Dem gimme money chop? Dem pay ma haus rent?? Abegi! Make dem cack!!!!!" He smiled, shook his head and I made it clear that my Joy knows no bounds today hence this raining on my parade buisness wasn't just going to work!

At this point I think I can I truly say that really success has many friends and failure has none! My phone just kept on going off with alerts everywhere... Facebook, Twitter, BBM... Everything!!! I was so humbled! People I hadn't heard from in forever hollered at me and have already booked me for weddings.... But trust people Nigerians espcially... All ready asking for discount! *hiss*
And everyone was so proud of me saying that I took an unconventional step and I made it!
Sigh... I thanked as many I as I could and made a general shoutout to everyone.... Thanking them and reauesting that all this "support" be bankable in near future....

My Japanese friend Hitomi made 2nd Best student and Won Hoo made Best student and no one could contest!!! He's the baba of Food! Ahan! Kilode!!!

After much talk and picture taking, the ceremony is over and its time for champagne and hor d'ourves aka small chops... After 3 glasses of bubbly and my almost savage grabbing of the seared Tuna steaks and Pain des Epice I switch to juice... And start chatting with the endless graduates and people at the gallery...

After the cocktail... I meet up with my friend Chantily ..I'm the only one that ever talked and bonded with her in class so.. We love each other a bit ... My friend Chigba was with me and we all had some drink and by 7pm I was off to Hotel De Ville to meet up with Zoe for her Dinner paid for by her parents... *freefoodrocks!* *LoL!*

Dinner was at a Restaurant called Robert et Lousie in the Marias... Its an open fire grill restaurant. The restaurant was a like a live spectacle for good interpretation of the medieval times... Been open for almost 50yrs I think... Brick walls, benches and wooden chairs... A non fancy grill with staright up firewood and Huge Steaks grilled with Lard... No hanky panky stuff... Just real-in-your-face food

Dinner was great... Antonio and his mum present, with Zoe's younger brother, her godfather (I think) Leonardo and Antonio's friend from Portugal as well... Between all of us... We probably ate 20kilos of Beef!!!!!

Good times....

I couldn't make it to party extra as I was like an crocodile who had used up all his lactic energy and was now big and near lifeless after such a long day.... I think the Adrenalin had finished in my body!

On my way home as I took my whole day in... The emotions finally came through... I really considered the sacrifices made by my family, the opportunity I had to do this, the inspiration everyone told me I had been.... I had to hold back the tears... And everything I said about not being selfish.. I started reconsidering... I wish my at least one person was here.... I won't lie was jealous of Antonio ...LOL he had his mum...

Getting home... My plan was to type a few words but watching a show was an easier chore...but 5mins into the show... It all became blurry and it wasn't the computer shutting down....

As I finish this post I'm on the semi-bumpy ride to Work.... At 9am this bubble would finally burst....

Hello Reality?

Merci Segnieur Vous etês Tres Encroyablè!!!

A Bientot!

Graduation.... Call me Chef Fregz

Its 5:40am in the morning and I'm sleepless in Paris… sigh

Today is graduation… the climax and bestowment of a piece of paper that seals the deal to the sweat and hard work I have put in, in the last 9 months… wow how time flies…

After updating my BBM status to the above title…I intentionally fell asleep after that because I knew such an update would get me many open chats….and was to tired to answer.. I mean it was 12 midnight.

Waking up this morning to the responses was bliss…the word “congratulations” really does feel rewarding and fulfilling…

Yesterday the 11^th, making sure I rose as my alarm went of said my prayers and started getting ready for my appointment at the restaurant I would be working in for 11pm I needed to get my contract signed but guess who was running late? Sigh… I get there just on time and prayed in tongues for the best of my French to come out of my mouth so I don’t look to stupid in front of the chef….anyways I as I arrive through the doors from rainy exterior, I mention I have a meeting with the chef and I was led downstairs where the kitchen was and to my semi-discouragement all the workers there where all illegal immigrants from Martique, Madagascar, and some real “dudus” from some French speaking African nation, they made up a good 95% of the cooking staff whilst the only French workers were the head chef and like 2 others…. And in my mind I'm like “sigh….so I'm the Nigerian who will look like me too I don’t have papers in their eyes abi? LOL!!!” but it just had a weird feeling to me… but what had a stranger feeling and shock to me was the head Chef…. The average Chef in the world has some serious meat on his bones or at least a pot belly to show for all his endless sampling of food and so on, but in France generally I have come to deal with the fact that men come in tooth pick sizes! And you wonder where all the croissants and butter filled food they eat goes to! But the head Chef gave a new meaning to “skinny” gosh!!! He even looked anorexic!!!! All his facial bones where sticking out, his waist was visible through his apron! It was not a very good sight….had to keep a straight face and pay attention to all he was trying to say to me…

we get the Contract signed, he gave me a tour of the restaurant, and he even spoke some level of English! But I'm only counting on that for emergencies because I really want to improve my French!! And I wanna keep hearing it till it just makes sense! So I start work 9am and finish and 5pm on Monday…. I'm just keeping an open mind…

After Market, I head to Chatelet to “fix-up-look-sharp” for graduation hadn’t been to that area in a while and I needed something “inexpensive” but sharp for today… so after much roaming I pick up a few things including a white and purple shirt and some socks and ties. C&A never fails me! LOL! Thanks to RIM and their BBM witchcraft, I called on my best friend Tayo Ola to help decide what to buy, so I made my combos and sent the pictures via BBM and he sent me a suggestion that was an excat consideration of mine! So….we agreed on the look and the deal was sealed…. Pictures soon so you would see the final product!

At this point…I couldn’t tell what was going to burst first, my bladder or my stomach. I had made the effort/mistake of having a sandwhich and one litre of water in this cold weather so…a few hours later my body reacted and it wasn’t good… I did all the dances possible to stop me from being a one year old who couldn't control his bladder actions… coupled with the hunger… I was on the verge of fainting!

Sadly MacDonald’s was my only hope… more sadly in the light of feeling healthy, I had a Coke zero and a lame salad that looked good on display but crap in reality… but I ate and relished it as the hunger was almost eating my insides! Afterward si even got some small size chunky fries…. Yes I was that hungry! And proceeded to cut my hair…

If you read my last post about cutting my hair, you already know that I always have stories to tell well…

Making my way through the metro and walking briskly enough to ignore all these hair hustlers, I make it to my zones where my Nigerian guys are at and do it with a sense of familiarity now… but my regular guy isn’t around so another guy who is “Bini” (benin) is in charge of my hair today…. Then he starts to talk!!!!!! Chai!!!!!! With his undeniable benin accent (I could even hear it when he spoke French!) he started asking me (with a dead attempt of “phonetics” ) some questions and trying to strike up that barber-barbee convo!

Barber: so are you have been living in france for a loon tym?

Me: no, na school I dey

Barber: so you have your parent living with you here right?

Me: no na, I tok say I dey school!

Barber: ehen so… ah so your parent are the wan sponsoring you here right?

Me: *inmy mind* ah!!! This one thinks he has seen “boti” kid! Hahahaaaa I laugh at you!!! Did they write dollars on my head!!! *hiss*….. “no oh…I was working before I came we shared it…”

Barber: ah… releey.. ah… you know  it’s not easy… to be staying in this Europe

Me: *my mind* yeah tell me something I don’t know!

**pls try and imagine the barbers questions with the most despicable attempt at phonee/yankee accent

Anyways…. He went on and on with all the questions that were aimed at finding out how rich I was..but put him straight and informed him I even grew up in Benin…and all this misbehavior his doing…he should stop it… at the end of the day… he did hook me up with an amazing hair cut… so I gladly handed him my 10 Euros and walked out feeling like I was GQ cover ready!

Sadly again… as I approached the house… there was a rumble in my tummy once more… but after all that food in Normandy I promised myself I was gonna go a strict diet and exercise…. So I picked up some courgette and leeks from the supermarket and recreated my friend Inigo’s Courgette cream soup… but my mine was the skinny version… and roasted some “awo” aka guinea fowl… with pepper and had that for dinner whilst on Skype with Omowale…

So basically yesterday was good even with the cold and the drippy rain, constant hunger and the risk of wetting myself….

Today has to be even more fun… my graduation ceremony, dinner at Zoe’s ….hmmmm….

I'm forever indebted to God…. Jesus my life is yours… continually use me for your glory…. Help me honour You more…

To all my family members… I knew if you could make it you would… I'm not going to be selfish and sulk that no ne came for my grad… if you didn’t make your sacrifices there would be any graduation sef!!!! May God increase everyone of you! Your children will not lack any good thing!

I will make you all proud… by God grace… it’s a promise!! You have sown on good ground… your seeds will bring forth fruit!

I hope today won’t be too emotional too… my small group of friends… we would really miss each other…

I'm gonna try and really take today in… because my bubble would be burst when that alarm goes off 

tomorrow morning meaning I have WORK!

A Bientot!!!

Normandy.....La Fin

Nov 10 2010
Today is the final day we are on the way back to Paris...typing this as I take the scenery in as we ride past, I have Oleku by IcePrince and Byrmo pumping in my ears as I do this...after all the drama that transpired last night, the kissing and making up this morning...the reality is really setting in... We are all saying goodbyes slowly...

At this point I'm not sad or depressed like that but at the same time its kinda hard to see this amazing 5days of feasting and laughter just end like that and its back to the reality of Paris, work, stinky metros, my five floors of stairs I need to climb everyday ....*sigh*

Moreover there's the issue of really running again! I'm strongly convinced beyond reasonable and unreasonable doubt that I have put on maybe 10billion kilograms! I mean I didn't hold back.... Fatty Bacon, Salami, Baugettes, Creamy desserts, Endless sugar filled treats, Apple Crumble, wine... Yes the whole nine yards! Sigh! My stomach I'm sure would remind you of the recently beached whale at the beach in Lagos or a sun bathing Walrus...sigh

But it was all worth it... This trip dug deep into my pocket also..but I live once, so...oh well, I was inspired, my passion for cooking and food was fuelled, got to know people better, grow as a person... So at the end of the day its a small price I have paid... And thankfully God has already provided!

But I would love to re-live this experience again.... Looking at cows grazing on picturesque fields, calm horses chewing every last strand of grass from the earth, drinking fresh milk from cows!, seeing the dramtic backdrop of the autumn spiked vegetation, plucking apples from the trees....hmmm
My friends and I have planned to do this in another 2 years... Re-union things, And I want some of my Nigerian friends to do this as well and even my family...just anyone one would be as exposed as me and open-minded to do this

We almost in Paris now... *sigh* but as I think and allow my mind replay everything, I just stand in awe of my Lord God Almighty.... Sometimes I just feel this is too much... I'm not faithful but he blesses me...Thank You Lord..help me to honour You more

If your are reading this and you wonder why I ALWAYS thank God... Please search for him through Jesus..The Truth The Way and the Life... Who has made all this possible for me...He can do the same for you and more importantly save your soul...

This post is dedicated also to my Aunty Yemi Shonubi... I see I have not done you justice by mentioning you.... You were the one that God used to spark this dream into the reality it is today....God bless you aunty! Thanks for the "Monday deadline" and the encouragement to research schools online.. You are the best aunty! Your children's dreams would see the light of day!

To my family and everyone that is pushing me...I love and thank you!

A Bientot!

P:S The post for the previous days are still in the works... So...pardon my apparent not so smart move! Post soon!

A Fine Saturday in Normandy

Nov 6th. Day 2 11am
Morning

Waking up to tranquil,quiet and cows moo-ing ibreaking up the silence is definitely better than the sirens and the rush hour traffic horns I wake up to from my 5th floor apartment and also the bell of the bus I seem to constantly miss on my way to school... Sigh

Yes waking up this morning had a real holiday feel to it... No 8am class to rush to or even a 3pm class to consider... At 7:04am I was the first to get up... After strolling to the kitchen and having 2 glasses of orange juice I go back to my room to pray and commit myself to God and the remainder of the trip. And I read my Bible... Good stuff!

Eventually everyone gets up... I run to Zoe's in particular to see what she looked like first thing in the morning because she usually is all prim and pretty in her black ensemble and her Sarah-Jessica Parker Shades and coffee in her hand with her cigarette that always makes her look like a movie star! Any ways she refused that I see her especially as she was hungover! But after much pleading I catch a glimspe she still looked beautiful I thought....

After much do we are on our way to the fish market that we suspect we. Are extremely late for! As I type this I'm starting to feel sick. Maybe it was the pasta I ate before we left... Sigh. I'm looking out to the mountains and hills with the dramatic art of autumn. Gosh! its beautiful the country side! For me this was what I read in enid blyton novels or scenery out of a semi-medival movie of pictures from classic english movies that invoved mountains, small farm houses, cows grazing, I even saw some white goats...they looked exremely cute! Check out the black version we have in Nigeria...*sigh*

Evening 4:26pm
I still feel terribly constipated with a couple headache... I feel blue and bloated..I won't lie too much to eat and drink...sigh...
However the market trip was fun! First of all though we missed the fish market! But It was still great to walk down an almost endless aisle of fresh produce and other artisians selling other. Regular items like clothes and DVD for example. Tonight was Brazilian Night so Leonardo was cooking but finding prawns was proving quite difficult but eventually we found the "Possionerie" aka Fish Shop that was next to this old cathedral it looked abandned but good dramtic looks. My friends picked up like 2million Oysters and all d shellfish they needed..Then I picked up some red onions for my jollof rice and Leo got the rest of the stuff he needed then we headed to the supermarket then home to start cooking.
At this point I must say I really loved the way all of us "Chef" are in one house cooking... Even though its Leos Night everyone put in a hand to help with e cooking, Hitomi (the Japanese girl who I'm convinced has in built steroid reserves as she is just way too efficient!) She was. Chopping something, I was drinking something, Zoe was shucking the Oysters, and Inigo was making us a spanish Tortilla (Eggs and Potatoes, Mayonnaise...yes not a waist friendly dish) but sadly it didn't work out but in it mushy state it was delicious! His mayonaise was light and tasty! Hmmm!

Most people starting with me took a nap and everyone except me went to the cheese makers next door and when they returned the couldn't hold the excitemrnt on how amazing the experience was milking cows themsleves and seeing how their cheese was made. Too bad I missed. Anyway after much ado in the kitchen Brazilan food is served! "Camarão na Moranga" "Prwans in Pumpkin.... All I can say... I have to make that dish again!!!!!!! What! That food was DELICIOUS! Ahan!!! Leo made "" a pumkin and seafood cream sauce with vegetables and with basmati rice that had parsley and olives in it! Before bed we played this funny hand game and one by one we signed out to our respective bed rooms. Well that was before we dozed of to "No Reservations- Anthony Bourdain"

So I'm about to pass out now...some gas is getting out of my constipated self... I'm looking forward to cooking my Jollof rice tomorrow... Sucks I can't go to church or even church online... Oh well...

Before I sign out I would like to Thank God for Life to be able to experience this and also for provding for the trip! I don't work but I have more than enough...Jesus you are to much!

Normandy

As I type this I'm on the metro to a friends place from which the group of us from school would go to Normandy...

Wow... So 8months gone like that.... I still feel Numb and no feeling of anything... I think I'm still worried about my mishaps at d last minute in my exam...or that I finished and nothing more....don't even know

Last night I decided to just spoil myself a friend and I went to have Breakfast at 8pm! Saw 2 movies while I was half asleep in them...then at midnight I decided to induldge in MacDonalds! Yes me the weight loss activist... Sigh Actually what I bought was small and it suprisngly tasted good! Anyway is was an indian spiced thing.... I had being craving. Sprite so had a medium one... And a small bag of fries (pls don't judge me! I was celebrating)

Waking up this morning was like conquering mount Everest... I felt like I had to much to drink and was suffering the reverse consequences simply termed "hangover" yes I felt heavy... Drained...
But I had to get up and get ready for my trip...and I had to clean up my kitchen a bit....and my room... But time went so fast! And I had to hop in and out of the shower like a hurdle athlete rushing to the finish line. I make to my friends house just in time for the meet up to go the the house in Normandy

Anyway I as I type I'm in my friends car driving through the beautiful near endless green vastness of vegetation and fields. Seeing helthy cow calmly grazing was actually beautiful...
It was like a real road trip you see in movies...not like sleeping through the bad roads and boring vegetation on Ibadan express or the highways to Osun state or Onishta while the poor driver endures endless hours of driving. Anyways I slept and I don't mind putting up a picture my friend took of me with my phone! Beacuse we had run out of gist and games to play!
After much checking of Google maps and finally figuring the house address... About two and a half hours to be precise...

We arrive at the house... Its an endless vastness of hectares with a pool, the main house a horse stable, a table teniis and garden area, an like 10 apple trees! Apples were all over the floor! There was also a horse chilling in its zones...

Stepping into the house was amazing! The owner Paul and his wife had done nothing short of an amazing job to what used to be an old stable and created a fine balance between old and new. The outer part of the house were old brick walls and the interior was well furnished with updated furniture, flat screen TV, sound system... THE KITCHEN!!!! I can't even start to do justice with a description! Its was spacy with a huge centre wood top that doubled as shelves for plates and all which aslo could double as a dining table, it also had. Chopping board fitted into it...had everything we needed tho the knives were a bit blunt but oh well!
The dining room proper was just superb! We all were starting to feel like we are at some fancy mansion/hotel! The rooms too were just simple but great. I got a room that had this huge fire place but its wasn't too cold to light any fire and I didn't want to stand the risk of committing arson anyway.

Our spanish friend Inigo cooked his grandmothers pasta with creamed courgette soup for us... Delicious! And we are still looking forward to Paella! And all the other themed nights we going to have. And Yes my own theme is Jollof with Stew and dodo. I think if I wanted to do Eba or poundo they would curse me!

By dinner I had had a bit too much to drink and resorted to drowning out the alcohol with water I felt like a walrus! Heavy! Oh well...

Its about 2am by now... I didn't mention I have been banned from using my Blackberry when I'm around everyone... I can only use it now because I said I was going to bed and I just needed to blog about this....I've already been teased about not having my crack and if I'm twitching yet? If I also needed my fix... Well honestly it felt like that.... One hour without my BB I felt like my shares at the stock exchange were crahsing and if I didn't chat or check my twitter I wouldn't be able to save them! *sigh* God bless RIM all the same!

So this is day One.. Four more days to go... Graduation next week and also my IT....

Le Finale......

LE FINALE….

Its 12:07am and i just finished ironing my uniforms that i would wear officially for the least time as I cook my final dish at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute, Paris France.

As I type this…I won’t lie I'm somewhat emotionless…. I don’t know whether I feeling like I'm at my ninth month and I'm about to drop the baby or if I'm contestant on a live reality TV show and I'm waiting for the announcement to be made that would crown me the winner or the taker of some prize or as my friend Bolaltito Ladoja would think “maybe I'm about to told I'm “Top Chef” by Padma Lakshimi and given agreement nods from Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio” *sigh*

All these run through my mind….. but nothing …. still….

However, as I consciously look back… I see I have come a long way! Referring to the Facebook message I got from my sister 20mins ago… she asked if I was up to standard now and if I was better than when I arrived Paris…. My answer “MOST DEFINITELY I have learnt soooo much!!!!!” so yes I'm definitely a better cook and my skills have been pointed in the right direction. And again I look back and see how blessed and fortunate I am to have had this experience… like we would say in Nigeria “ it’s not a beans or a poraro”  aka it not easy to live and study in Paris… it’s the sweet and good Lords doing and I'm so grateful

And if your thinking and wondering “ermmm so you are a chef proper right?” errr NO!!!

Cordon Bleu isn’t your paid stamp to being a Chef…. But I'm in transition… all I have learnt from Cordon Bleu usually take other years to learn… but what I have learnt in *months I still have to practice it daily and improve and with time (5 years plus I guess…) metamorphosis would take place and voila….. “CHEF!!!”  but I know many people aren’t going to give it a rest…. And so would I ???!!!

 I am “Chef Fregz!!!!”  LOL! Yes so know who I am!!

I'm looking forward to my Trip to Normandy…. (Its another region, north of France) 5 days in the country side in the middle of the “woods” with friends….. it should be fun I hope… because it was quite the pocket driller….

As I stop to type and end this post I would like to apprieciate my Father in Heaven and Jesus the lover of my soul… I'm not worthy at all of what I have… but all the same… daily I'm loaded with His benefits… then my grandfather… Prof A.B  Kasunmu…. I don’t know how to thank you! Uncle Segun who sparked this Paris thing… my awesome Aunty Toyin … you really fought for me…  Aunty Tosin…. Hmmmm God bless you… happy I could always talk to you… Aunty Bola…. I saw another side of you I never knew….youre so loving and awesome… also Aunty Bola Odukale…. Infact… your own is just too much!!! God will bless you!! 

Ok….im having brain freeze now… erm Uncle Tunde Kasunmu and Odukale….silent but very supportive!! Thank you… ohhh!lest i forget! My darling grandma!!! If anything… you always pray for me! And thanks for the support too! love you much!

To my Mother… I can’t but thank God daily for you… (though we almost want to annoy each other to oblivion) you’re special to me….  I will make you and everyone so proud!

Daddy thanks for doing what you could…. I appreciate it so much!!! I know would do much more if you could! Thanks!

Toju… I love how we loved each other more when I moved far…. So proud of you

Ok now… if you’ve ever supported me in anyway prayers, calls, BBMs, what have you…. Thank you…

Funny thing is as I end this journey another begins…. So this is to better and brighter days ahead…

I shall work with the best and be the best…. My life from here just has to be more awesome…

so im gonna cook my life out tomorrow!! i hope to make time and just be on point! i go in with my Father's blessing and help....

A Finale…. Je Prend La Victorie!

A Bientot!

Could This Be Real?

My Main Dish

Verrines of Oyster Tempura

COULD THIS BE REAL?!

yes ... even i am in a bit of shock i am actually posting this...im just as bewildered as you...ha!


As I type this post.. I'm not sure the degree of shame/embarrassment I feel…four whole months…sigh

I will confess the honest truth and not use school or any of my activities to be the blame carrier for my gross complacency. So truth be told, I have allowed a chronic case of laziness and procrastination take a strong grip and hold of my life…in the last four months….but I won’t stay defeated forever…

I move past all the guilty feelings, the “distrust” you may have in me… and break the cycle and post this…

Part of my struggles with ding this post was that…all my stories would have lost all its “flavour” and the novelty would be gone…but I would tap deep into my mind and make sure I do good “blasts from the past” and make sure I keep writing from time to time. And my life hopefully would be to boring in the near future! I strongly doubt that!
This morning as I woke up too my annoying alarm, after scrolling through twitter I just looked at my computer and opened my Microsoft word (which I had almost forgotten where it was…) and said to myself….i shall post!!!

Finals

So, so far so good…..like a dream I finish my Le Cordon Bleu journey on Thursday! Yes this Thursday! My final exam happens at 10:50am! Wow! I remember when I was running around for visa, not too sure where the funds were coming from, my first few cold nights in Paris, my first day at school, being catered too and left to gorge on excess croissants and orange juice…. Now I'm Superior, having my final exam on Thursday and kissing my Cordon Bleu whites for the last time….wow….God is faithful…all I can say!

It’s been an amazing journey but I'm not Joel Robuchon yet!… and like I told my Unlce Tunde when he asked me “so are you a good chef now?” I couldn’t say yes because I definitely didn’t not have the 20 years experience some of my chefs had, so my 8months of learning at their feet even with all my expensive school fees doesn’t give me the right to say yes! So I answered “no Unlce, but it’s been a whole learning experience! Learning from other students who had from 2 to 10 years experience…I can’t be messing with them”… Yes you read right 2 to 10 year’s experience!!! So who was a Nigerian-Self-Taught-TVShow-Junkie supposed to be next to them?! Don’t get me wrong… I rock in the kitchen…I know I'm good but I have a lot to still learn… however, one of my chefs continually tells me how he’s so proud of my improvement since Basic….. Yes I got that comment like 3 times now and that all the encouragement I need.
However, my million dollar tuition fee hasn’t been in vain either… learning all I have learnt is priceless it takes some other people years to learn what I know in just 8months so it’s worth it anyhow.
The food in Superior was really good…a few things I still couldn’t relate with or plain hated… but in general great stuff and we were allowed to be more creative with our food and do “almost” what we wanted.
As I type this I am anticipating typing my menu for my exam as well. I have chosen to make the below
Amusbush
(the appetizer to the meal)
A Verrine Of A Tomato Essence With Bloody Mary Ice Jelly With A Basil Granita And Oyster Tempura

Main Dish

San Choi Bow
(A Lettuce Wrap With A Mélange Of Chestnuts, Walnuts, Scallops, Golden Chanterelle Mushrooms, Parsley, Soy Sauce) Served In A Scallop Shell With

Cumin Spiced Monkfish on A Pumpkin Puree With Crispy Bacon And Chives Topped With Salsify Chips

With a Caramalised Onion and Cognac Sauce

So yeah that’s my dish….and pictures below….from my practice

I know you may go “wow…that’s awesome” but I'm nervous as ever!!! Cos I have to meet the time and my speed has to be mega on point!!! And that’s still a not so strong point for now but I'm just leaving everything to God’s hands….I have no other choice but to be fine!

MY LIFE….

Apart from all my school drama, etc… I think I'm doing well …Hillsong has been of great help helping me stay focused with my dear Jesus. I'm not going to be all self righteous and say I haven’t done some shameful things….but I have learnt all the way and that’s what counts…
don’t worry for those of you who know me…I have done nothing too extreme…. I haven’t been drunk yet for example…(though I was at the toll gate! LoL!) Yes nothing to serious… hahaaa
But did I mention I am ready to stay in Paris for another year? Well I'm saying now… I'm trusting God for a job so I can move back for a year there about and gain more experience… and keep living the dream….
Many may ask… “When are you going to set up your own thing” well right now I can’t answer definitely… but all I can say is “soon” … annoying answer right? But I'm sorry that’s the best I’ve got! For now at least…. And when I happen you would know!
Before I sign off I would like to say I'm shocked how terribly addicted I have become to my blackberry…and it didn’t help when my best friend got one…and with Twitter as well….*sigh* I need rehab! But it helps me keep in touch with home and a world I know very well!
I have also via my Blackberry met and made people I consider are very good friends now….cant wait to meet people like Jibola Lawal, Ugochi, in person and also people like Aizehi I haven’t seen in forever!!and Seun Williams whom became such a good friend via BB… though we went to the same school for 4 years together we never said more than “hello, hi , wassup” to each other.. now we are planning things to do when I get back! And also some of the “old friends” that have decided to turn their back on me nko? Sigh….such is life….

I leave for Normandy on Friday…another Region of France with a couple of classmates… we are calling it the last Hurrah! I pad for that trip to give one last chance to bond with people I hope I can call true friends and an excuse to do something different I hope would be serious fun and an experience I would never forget!

Lest I forget I start my IT on the 15th on November and I'm expecting the worst! “Gbubemi! Why so negative??” you may ponder or even ask out loud…. Ermmm this is my argument… I'm going to be free labour….and I want experience…. So who’s gonna do all the dirty work? Yes you guessed right… but it’s overcoming the worst that makes one stronger? Right?
I'm going to be working at a restaurant called “Market” quite an upscale restaurant that does fusion food which is my area of passion and core interest… I'm truly hoping it would be a great experience in the long run.


And I am happy to announce I have actually lost some weight!!! *someone shout halleluyah* but I need to keep up with my running which I have abandoned in the last month (shameful face) don’t want to get comfortable and pile up all the excess luggage again!!!!
So yes expect some blasts from the past….I will break free from this laziness and procrastination streak!!! Yes I can!!!

I can’t finish this post without thanking God for my family who made this possible…. I promise to make you all proud!

A Bientot!

A HAIR CUT…A FEEL OF HOME….

June 26 2010..P.M

As I type this I'm still relishing the miracle of water…it cures in many ways than one…yes I just drank a cold glass of water that did more than quench my thirst (that was bordering on dehydration from a jog through the Namibian Desert )it almost healed my soul! And it helped wash off the sweat that had formed a slimy layer dirt on my skin that seemed to be almost clawing at my insides sef! The sun was not smiling!not forgetting the speckles of spiky hair that didn’t make it off my skin from the barbers and all the oil and random hair products that had formed a semi BP oil spill on my forehead. Yes in summary I had a cold shower…the summer is here and Paris is pretty hot!!!!!

I'm sure you’re wondering why a hair cut would help me feel home…I mean it’s a blade scraping the excess hair that has grown thru my scalp and just my desire to look extra hot…”so why the feel of home”? Here it goes


Yesterday I had decided to cut my hair but I randomly decided to go swimming instead and cut my hair after my practical class today. So after my class today I get on the bus and go on a seemingly everlasting ride to the ghetto zones…if you are a regular reader you would know about my Chateau Rouge stories….well this time I decided to go to another part of the ghetto—Chateau D’Eau similar name but slightly different place…this area is like hair making Headquarters…every black weave, hair product you shall find here. In fact there are Hair Hustlers…Hair Hustlers are guys whose primary jobs are to strategically place themselves at the exits/entrances of the metro to harass women if they want to do their hair or If they want to buy weaves, make up, dresses and so on…but basically hair and with each customer they get a certain cut aka/commission. Pause. “kai! Black people we are the same all over the world sha! The same thing that happens in Yaba/Tejuosho, the Projects in Brooklyn, Brixton---Peckham in London now Paris Strasbourg…it’s so funny…the hustle is the same everywhere…on one hand it breaks my heart but on another hand I can’t blame them….the hustle is better here than the level of lives they live back…where ever home is…and I mean hair has to be made… I mean I can’t walk into Provost or any other normal salon to get my hair cut…it would be a waste of 26 Euros!


Anyways before I over digress…I stop and randomly start walking to find where I could get a haircut as it was mostly salons for just women so as I walk past one bar I decide to follow the turn it led to and voila! I see salons that did both male and female hair. Before I go further…let try and build the ghetto scene my eyes beheld I navigated through the calm mayhem. At the corner was a woman with her horrendous weave, scarlet red lips sticks on lips that were larger than life, with her carefully bleached skin hustling some less-than-palatable costume jewelry,. Then to her left she had her nemesis…her extreme-complete opposite… some robust woman with her weave that looked like Beyonce's mane.. she too was hustling some sun shades and some “I-must-wear-bling-bling” jewelry moving on there was just an endless array of boys and young me who were either hustling hair deals with females passing by or just hanging with cigarettes or weed and like the girls everybody is ghetto fabulous dressed out…the ones that were sporting the hip hop look dem dey..their hats, baggy shorts that sat on their thighs, then the ones sporting the new age European fashion…tight jeans, tank top…ice on their ears, extra colourful sneakers and shoes….then the girls…shorts with piercings on every angle of their face and their gum pooping like bomb blasts, unnecessary colour combination of weave colours…oh well I'm sure you get the point….
but I felt at home…I was somewhere I was instantly identified with..even if we were not all Nigerians…I felt at home…


So as I pass some salons that said they would collect 14 Euros, I hiss in my mind and look for a 10 euro deal…and since these hair hustlers are pros and highly experienced in this game…one just picks the “google.com” looks in had on my face ”now searching for a 10-euro-deal” and I was going to speak French to him first but I asked him in pidgin “how mush to cut hair?” “10 euro” he replies but I could tell that he was French or some other origin but oh well we were agreeing on something…10 Euros to cut my hair!…so I follow him into the salon….
The salon was just like what you see in your hood…(and not like Victoria Island Nail Studio etc…or Bobbys…no….just like Mama Justina, elegant Twins... Rose Hair Salon…we wash and set and specialize in all types of design…”) bursting at the seams with endless women under dryers, the smell of shampoo and relaxer, hair all over the floor, the workers dressed as they liked, endless chatter from women, then boys to men all waiting patiently for their turn, then the barbers talking random talk...yes beautiful mayhem…everyone looked like I could holler in Yoruba or pidgin but…Africa is not Nigeria….wow see irony…so alike yet so different!


As I walked in, luckily there was a free space…then the barber spoke to me in English but he was semi speaking phonee …in my mind I was wondering why?” Was my face so extra butter!” I didn’t want to get my hopes up he was Naija…but eventually he asked where I was from with a look and an attitude that said “why are you asking an obvious question” I replied…”Naija now” “ah we are all Nigeria” (please note I wrote Nigeria and not Nigerian…that’s how he said it) then the awkward barber and customer conversation started… what I was doing in Paris etc…out of fear that he may just rob me of my identity all I told him where lies…I had to protect myself small ke… before I would miss in this Paris… but still we chatted and talked about where we lived in Nigeria, how me miss home and the hustle in a foreign land...let me point out he was Ibo and his name was Jude. From what we discussed he has been round Europe a lot…he just got into Paris recently…and haircutting for now is the hustle…


While I was getting my hair manicured (yes because he was cutting it with so much care as he felt like he was hooking his brother up…I was not complaining) I could not help but marvel at the happenings at the salons…kai!! One old woman came and was selling plantain chips, those women from earlier with their excuses for costumes jewelry came and hustled their stuff too…the salon was alive with all the women getting their weave sewn, hair relaxed, excessive chatting, loud hollering across the room, then a few young boys where getting their hair dyed…that reminded me of NEXT in Yaba...and in the same vein you would see how these boys where desperate to look so ghetto fabulous..i mean the dye looked like coal tar in its freshest from in their surgically shaped scalps!

Please lest I forget….there was even Rhapsody of Realties in the store and I could help but shout! “AHAN!!! PASTOR CHRIS DON RISH HERE TOO?!!!” “Yes o!!! all the church whey dey Nigeria dey here to o!” he replied my shock with a look of normality and that said “so you don’t know??” at first I was excited in my mind to go and try out one of the churches but…I considered my darling Hillsong…I calmed down….so yes Naija we no dey carry last!!! Trust our Churches!! And without doubt Redeemed is here!!!


Anyways after much plastering of oils, shaping, trimming different hairsprays, my haircut is over. I didn’t feel so bad to part with my 10 Euros…I looked good…
As I walked towards the bus stop it started to hit me..even me in the ghetto made me feel at home…there was someone I could relate to…people that understood me without needing to adjust anything….even in the heat of the salon I felt the touch of NEPA/PHCN, I felt everyone’s desire for a better life…yes it’s ironic…this a zone I probably wouldn’t identify with back home sef...but…my standard has been humbled! I almost asked for where I could get “mama put” rice sef but I thought that would be pushing it and maybe next time…


All in all, I have where for sure I can get a good hair cut and get a touch of home…even if it’s not the coziness of my room, the wheels of my KIA, the taste of my Mum’s Jollof Rice, the trips to the Island (SilverBird ,Ikoyi ,Lekki etc…) it’s a Nigerian dude cutting my hair, we can speak pidgin,I can be entertained by the antics of hood hustling….that is enough for me…for now…at least…


Please note I'm not in a well of despair and terminal depression….i’m only realizing I have a great life back home I miss…but I would get by…others have done it… why can’t I?
So to all my family and friends I love you to bits….you have no idea….I now know your value….but this is the price I have to pay for the greater destiny ahead!....see you guys at the top!


A Bientot!

As the Journey of Intermediate Begins…

June 23, 2010

Truly in Life, the Higher you go the hotter it becomes not like physics where it gets colder….*sigh* I haven’t been able to bundle the strength to type a word to post on my blog as I was too afraid that I may slump whilst doing it…because it s always a lot to do and say…and why I'm I so afraid? Because I'm ALWAYS TIRED FROM SCHOOL!!!!!

As the 14th of June dawned, I woke up with a gusto and joy but with a drop of indifference as I was officially stepping into my second level of my diploma…Intermediate
The night before I had spent most of the day with my Friend who came to Paris for a training courtesy his office…he’s hotel was at Val D’ Europe a stop before EuroDisney… way outside the city, mehn dat was some chill part of Paris!! It was beautiful!!! Clean! don’t me started on the shopping outlet…..that is a post for another day.

So after spending the day with him I get home pretty late and I took the flesh route out I lay on my bed and slept off…I was too tired and my mum had called me and told me to iron and prepare well for tomorrow but I gave her the whole “mummy I'm not a baby speech” but painfully mothers always seem to be right (most of the time though…pls mummy don’t be too excited! Lol!) …let’s just say I paid the price dearly in the morning!

In the light of my bad habit of procrastination, when I woke up at 6am…I imagined I would have enough time to iron and get ready and meet 8:30am at school..I decided to do the heinous….I decided to “sleep small” really a little sleep a little slumber….it’s worse than a robbery! To cut a long story short…I was running so late I had to get into a cab and paid 12 Euros for it!!!! What was even more funny when it was time to pay, I realized my wallet was lying calmly on my bed at home KAI!!! I had to borrow money from my school’s till to pay…kai!!! I didn’t have the luxury to be angry I had to briskly rush and get into my class that had already started! But deep down I could not shake the feeling of my self-disappointment...first day of school...late..!!!!?? Not good….

Oh well I rush into class and it just started well I had missed distribution of folders but under 10mins our orientation had finished…briskly….and straight into class!!!! Ahan!! In my mind
“ahan!! Which kain first day of school bi dis na??!!!”
“...no snacks…no juice and Crossiants? Ahan!!! Chei!!! dem don see us finish!!
“We don turn old cargo!”....all this followed with bouts of smiles and muffled laughter at myself and the whole thing...

A few months ago my orientation was all “lets cater to you” “have more snacks” “need any help?” “can I almost carry you?” now it was “oya! oya!! oya!!!..no time to dull… this is your folder!, take it!…listen in class, bye!” on this orientation issue however it was funny to see the new basic students flow into school…we now looked like haggard old students while the basic student were all full of smiles and gleeful expectations of Cordon Bleu…then at that thought the nostalgia hit me….as they filed to pick their uniforms and storm the changing rooms with their try out regimes…I felt so old in the system and it felt like secondary school all over again…even when you just move to JS2…you’re sha a senior to the “new-mumu JS1 students”….lol!!! It was funny to see them admire their knife kits and just looking so generally lost! Ha! Then the usual routine of trying to hook up and make friends, looking for your country people and once again the Brazilians don’t waste time…even Leonado had hooked up with a few of them….(pls this is the beef in me talking…like I said before Brazilians are like Nigerians we hook up shap shap with ourselves…but since it’s not me doing the hooking up…I'm burnt! Lol!) and If you cast your mind back to one of my first entries…you would remember when I mentioned how I looked at the old students (whilst doing my own orientation with all glee and gladness) with contempt and fear of turning to be like him...looking old haggard and nearly tired of the system…sadly I was that old student today and someone or a few others had looked at me with that same contempt and fear…wow…life…constantly ironic!!! But please to that those eyes of fear and contempt…enjoy it while you can…you are next in line…you too would be like me...just a matter of 9 weeks that would slowly but surely come to pass…

On the note of class/Intermediate proper...let me bring you all to speed….Basic cuisine was all about classic-boring-French-food with a lot of techniques that chefs need to know basically (ok…what pun was intended) things like trussing, filleting glazing, cooking a-blanc ,organization when cooking and so on…now Intermediate Cuisine is learning about regional French food, cooking dishes that are a bit more advanced and generally taste better! And with a little more techniques and heavy utilization from what we learnt from basic…are you up to speed now?
The food from intermediate has been great so far...my favorite being the Salmon and Cabbage Roulade with Red Wine Sauce…yes I know it sounds bizarre…but it was amazing….then there was Poulet Basques…Chicken from the Basques region of France…that was great as well…. Its chicken braised with onions and bell peppers and tomato puree and served with saffron pilaf rice and a sauce from the slowly cooking onions and bell peppers as well….that felt like Spanish food to me sef…then another favorite so far was the Red Mullet with Tapenade stuffing with a Royal Savoury
Custard and grilled fennel…hmm that was delicious!!! Something I can create again for my restaurant sef! We had to split the fish open but leave it intact at the tail and make the tapenade…(which a paste made from black olives, parmesan cheese,, garlic, pine nuts and anchovies) to lay in between the fish and oven cook it and serve with a savoury custard! Trust me that was delicious!

Generally, this first week at school has revealed that unconsciously we have become better cooks even if there is a lot more to learn but we are sure evidence that constant practice makes perfect because some things that looked like giant feats are now a walk in the park for us. And we are only going to get better with the Chef who is in charge of us...Chef Patrick Caals…(the skinny fine boy Tom Crusie wanna-look-alike Chef) is a serious perfectionist and has a terrible case of OCD (Obsessive Complusive Disorder) when it comes to organization.

MY LIFE….
Crossing over these last 3 months has not been easy, having to deal with a lot emotionally…especially not just having my people around me…but I have come to recognize it is a period of separation to learn a lot about life, learn to appreciate the friends (true friends that is) I have, the family I have, the Life God has allowed me to live…I have also come to adjust well, I have a few good friends, at least I get to see my cousin Alero but since she works not so often but she has spent a few weekends with me though….that helped and still helps a bit…
My 10 day holiday was mixed feelings though...I was semi-depressed I couldn’t go to London. I didn’t process my visa in good time. Kai! I wasn’t semi depressed who was I kidding!!! I was highly sad! I had dreamed of seeing people like my Mum, Aunty Tosin, My cousin Iyinoluwa, my Trip to Manchester that would enabled me to see all my friends from School (Secondary and Tetiary) *SIGH* I had looked forward to a fun time seeing familiar people, seeing Carol Ofem, Yemi Spaine, Amuche Agu…the list is endless!!!! But oh well I was stuck in Paris!
I decided to stop whining and do something productive..so I decided to take French Lessons…”free” French lessons….so I tried hooking up with Adam from church but he was booked during the week so was Adrian my French dreams were shattered! Then I decided to go the Musee Du Lourve…(a popular museum in Paris) hooked up with a friend from school…and it was the only amazing time I had! I know museums are not everyone’s cup of coffee or sip of Zobo, I know I may be partial if I say this since I like art and sundry but Musee Du Lourve is must see! Ahan!! Oyibo sha!!! It was just aesthetic bliss to see paintings that were as old as 250 – 300 years old! To see artifacts that existed before Christ…but amongst all the ancient wonders my eyes witnessed my “all hail” moment was seeing Napoleon’s Apartment’s wow!!! His bed! His wife’s dressing table! The furniture!!!! I could only think…if they had such taste like this how many hundreds of years ago, what the hell happened to us!!!! Which also made me wonder, to what extent did Napoleon’s power and authority reach?! I mean they had no CAT, no Julius Berger, No Extreme Makeover Home Edition Team, No Big Shot Engineering company how the heck did they build such a monumental structure! And FYI the Musuem was originally built by Napoleon as a castle just for his wife! It cost France half a year in taxes! I mean there was gold everywhere! Mehn in this day and time if u buy a girl aunty Funmi hair, BB and car ur a Don…omo see uncle Nappy Showing boys the way na! Marble I haven’t seen in my life it looked like water! I mean if u see his wife’s dressing table made from crystal and gold!!! Omo even if u no fine If you look the mirror you gast fine!
So the above was the fun part! The rest of my holiday was spent mostly un-bathed, stuck on the right side of my bed with bouts of food ranging from Jollof rice, beans and dodo, water with my laptop entertaining me with all my shows...with major thanks to fastpasstv.com and all the other sites that managed to provide some warmth through the dulling periods of rain that left me stranded at home.
On a day when I couldn’t take it...I decided to go shopping…after calling my aunty to get approval…I go shopping as I didn’t have clothes! So good excuse to spend money and I did get a great deal for all the stuff I got…I won’t be shy to say I respected myself and solely shopped at C&A I mean they had the nice clothes for the RIGHT price…so why not! And again all the other stores are size-ists! So what could your boy do? And most of the clothes I had where cold weather stuff...needed some summer wear.
During this my period of gloom and evading boredom I kept active running almost every day…almost I said because when I wasn’t running I was swimming at least 6 laps…I won’t lie when I attempted my 6 laps….I almost died! On that day I remember I said to myself… I before I commit suicide in the name of losing weight I didn’t even wait to rest and try again…I fled the pool like it was a war zone! I shall live and not die…Lepa won’t kill me! *sigh*
During this period, I also took stock of my life (gosh I sound like a secondary school teacher! yuck) especially on the subject of friendships..who were really my friends and who was not…and I realized I was giving more than I was receiving and it hurt a lot….20 friends truly don’t play for 20 years… personally feel friends should always have you in mind…even if you guys don’t talk everyday but an effort to reach out to say “hey how are you?” “Just checking on you” “please forgive me, its work but you are my homie you know...much love mehn”… but nothing….
Maybe I love too much and it irritates people but I thought too much of love could not possibly be a bad thing!? I think I am just finding hard to accept that life changes people and people change and have new friends….I think…that’s the issue….but please I won’t lie I'm still semi grieving that some friends have just gone like that and we are all at different points of our lives…truly 20 friends cannot play together for 20 years but however the few that have remained all these years…I'm grateful! And I have realized that this has also opened the door to new friends…my destiny is bigger than my friends from 20 years ago really so why not the people I know…?
Enough of me ranting about my issues…back to school notes…I won’t lie I am seriously gunning for best student…yes I have never really achieved some academic top honours…it hurt then somewhat…so now I'm in my element what’s going to be my excuse?! Even if there are people like Won-Hoo who has 10 years Pro experience, Leonardo with 2 years that are in my class that just oppresses one with their speed and sheer show of skill that says “yes we dey learn together bet we no dey the same level” but I have decided to just do ma thing and chase perfection! Top 5 is on my mind….
HILLSONG
I’m sure as you have reached this point of my post you have probably uttered or at least thought out loud or said the following in your mind
“this boy and this eim church sha?!”
“this boy wont let us rest with this his church o!”
“this boy and his Hillsong sha..!”
Yes…at least something amongst those lines… but I can’t help it…week after week..God is just showing up in bigger ways…we have moved to a new venue which a theater and its pretty amazing and the Word is on check…and let me not even start with the worship… well on a church note..my my friends Adam and Aaron just moved to a new apartment and we had the party on Saturday…omo their flat was overballin!! Some Superstar tins!! The view from the flat was breathtaking! Eiffel Tower, Montaparnasse Tower, Monmarte Sarce-Coceur and just the extensive blow out of buildings and grassland that makes it look like something that was painted and placed out of their window. The flat was a very modern one…it was like something out of an Ikea catalogue…and yes when I pondered upon my flat..sorry box I could not help but weep on the inside..they were paying only a 100 Euros more and they had 40m2 and I have 17m2 and just a plain ugly old style house compared to theirs…but oh well…by the time I had consumed excessive amounts of Adams American-chewy-style cookies and the endless spread of snacks that they had laid out, coupled with chatting with everyone else...my sorrows about my apartment left me…up until I arrived home and the reality hit me…again..but I could only take of my clothes and curl up on my bed and sleep…my complaining is not going to get me a new place….i can only be thankful I have a roof over my head…even if it Is an overpriced one….

Chaetau Rouge….
On my way from my famous ghetto district Chateau Rouge…I had gone to buy some credit for my LeBara phone…desending the stairs of the metro I heard “u no wan go again! Mo we dey rish Gare Du Nord na!” like my spines nervous reaction I turn to identify most definitely with my country people…but hence…after looking at the speaker of the pidgin..i turned back..faster than even my involuntary nervosu system and hurried dwon towards the stairs…call me judgemental or whatever….that is not the level of person I must be found with..before I know it I would be sending school fees money to his brothers at home or worse he would robbed me of my passport sef! because I doubt he had any papers….

In Closing…..
My exercise is paying off!!! I have lost some weight…*somebody shout halleluyahhhhh!* it not so much that I have defied gravity or something but little enough to respect my hours of running and swimming and sheer denial of food most of the time!

I'm looking forward to my trip to Madrid, Spain and possibly Switzerland….this my Shengen visa must work for me…or I must use it wella! I should be going sometime in July….i’m soo excited! 
So that’s the story of my life so far…I have recently become a twitter addict and I won’t lie I'm loving it! I have also moved much closer to God and I feel so good about that!

okay lemme confess.....I miss home terribly…I would give anything now to be in Lagos…even though I hear its raining like as if Noah needs to build a new ark…I miss home…I miss my room, my car, Iya Ruka’s rice and stew, my mum’s Jollof Rice, my mummy…(yes mummy’s boy :p) my church!!! My Best Friend!!! Ah!!! But it is well….the plan of God for my life is taking place…it has to cost me something…I know I would smile in the end and be happy and joyful!

To my family and everyone that made sure they were a part of my awesome destiny….God will surely reward you and honour you! The works of your hands shall always be blessed! And if you ever prayed for me or even just wished me the best…same goes for you…as far as you support me…God bless you

Too much Amour!

A Bientot!!!!

What June Has Brought So Far....

June 8, 2010

Wow, in another 3 days I would be 3 months old in Paris…jeez how time flies?! I still remember when we were saying happy New Year and I was hustling visa and so on….kai!

I would start by saying I'm very grateful to God for the weather…though it rained a bit and dulled the atmosphere for the budding summer season...however the Sun has resumed its rightful place in the sky and I hope it stays that way because I'm loving it!
In the last week a few good things have happened…I would like to point out that I have been bedridden most of the time though and eating some Nigerian food I made pretty well (mummy would be proud ) watching online TV…Big Bang Theory to be precise and yes….24!!!..Jack Bauer lives on to me! No matter what! Kiefer Sutherland is always going to be Jack to me…and one day he would eat my food la gbara Olorun!!!! Amii!!!

Hillsong United/1st June

As the night of the 31st of May slowly crept forward past 12 midnight, the 1st of June slowly dawned. My only excitement was the Hillsong United concert that was to take place later in the day…I looked forward to it with extreme eagerness because of the sole reason of extreme boredom! (Ok...i’m being extreme I wanted to actually see them)…The worship would be great (I considered) …
However on the note of boredom still, eating and watching online TV is not good for my lower belly and my desire to be slimmer!! However, the concert was at 7pm and I still had the whole day to wait and lounge before 7pm. So yes, the part of my bed I sleep on I'm sure hates my underbody! I stay like an anchored ocean liner (like those abandoned ones in CMS) and watch some show…Big Bang Theory in this case...(God bless fastpasstv.com, MegaVideo, WiseVid, zshare, freeonline-tv.com and all my internet entertainment providers..God bless u!) During my lounging I realize that I had no clue where the concert was taking place…so Google maps to the rescue…so I figure out where the place was…not far from me as such as I had discovered a faster way to move with the RER instead of the normal metro line….at 5:40pm my eyes meet the clock on my laptop and I jump up and jet round my box..sorry flat…bathing, looking for what to wear….eventually I finish and I head out…armed with my jacket as the skies where looking dark and unfriendly.
Getting to the metro stop that was closest to the venue I realized it wasn’t something too obvious to locate…and as I couldn’t ask anyone now...what could I do? Yes! Google Maps on my BlackBerry…so I type in the address on my Google map application and slowly but surely the directions come through and in another 5mins I was at the hall….(kai!! Oyinbo sha!!! Tech-i-nology!!! chei! *snapsfingers!*)
As I approached the venue I noticed most people from church were viciously on the queue…(”na wa o!!!---my mind”) so I meet up with Jon(my Austrialian Pastry Chef Friend) how was just arriving about the same time as me…so we find a spot on the growing queue…in the midst of our chatter the unbelievable but none-surprising thing happens….I feel drops on my head…RAIN!!!!! Thank God for the jacket! It became my umbrella! As if the rain was not enough I started feeling very very hungry! So after much indecision to go and grab a bite I decide to find a supermarket to buy a drink at least and a sandwich…after much budget checking I go for a baguette and sliced chicken and make a sandwich enough for Jon and I….by the time I rush back I realize the queue had moved and Jon was in the front!!!
By the time I even got in…I noticed a sigh that said pay 2 Euros to keep your items…

“hmmm...pay two Euros to keep my food of 5 Euros!!! I go chop for house! Mcheww!”

Omo I gave the food out to two girls from church that could not get in at first but later did…

Anyways….getting in to the venue….I was first happy to get in…then I see this small black space…and before my mind’s displeasure could gush through my mouth my friend Jon spoke in his crisp Aussie accent ‘oh its kinda small ya know? (“ah bros how u take sabi wetin ah bin wan tok!”) “yeah I was thinking the same thing” I answer him the educated version of my minds backward expression! But oh well we chill…and even seat on the floor and wait for the concert to start….it was a standing somtin! At this point I was still thinking the following to myself….
1. Ok the only gospel concert I have been to is Experience and it was definitely MAHD! BIGGER AND JUST CRAZY! So Jesus...how dis wan go kom bi na? only wan tason (one thousand) people!!! Hmmm…
2. I still dey ves for the chop whey I no fit chop! Ah!!! My 5 Euros gone! But at least na woman chop am….e no bad *sigh*
3. Oya make dis Hillsong United people komot sing jare….how dem go be?
While all this was going on in my head….I decided to let it go and allow whatever was going to happen take its course…so I handed the concert over to God and a blank mind slate….
3 1/2hours later…..on my way to metro with a guy from church all I could say was “WOW THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!” AND TO RECAP….IT WAS AAAAWWEWEEEESSOOMMMEEE!

When they came up…United that is… “so na dem bi dat abi?” ok na…ki lo ma korin?”
Then they started with a small speech and did a song I didn’t know…and I was first shy to rock out…but after another song…I dey jump pass Kobe Bryant! Of course when they switched into Worship songs I almost died! When they did Songs like Hossana and All I Need is You I almost wanted to faint! Wow! The worship was powerful…and what I loved about the night was…all their songs where so pure, genuine and really searched for the heart of God…they all had this desperation for the heart of God and the recognition of the sacrifice of the Cross…I felt new after..I felt forgiven, free like never before! Really you can’t place God in a box! It mustn’t be all Komole-ing and giving jesus a wiper! And you can’t dictate too Him where he goes to! He can arrive at a small 1000 standing black space and still show His Glory! Please I won’t forget to mention the lights and all the efizi the band pulled! Eewwwoo!! U go fear! When the crowd got to sing nko….wow!! So yeah it was a great night out….and I know my God is Mighty to Save!!!


Basic Graduation
The 3rd of June was the graduation ceremony for Basic Cuisine.....and sadly I arrived like an hour late!!! Ok my reasons are as follows
1. I had been nonchalant about going because since I was doing the whole diploma it wasn’t a big deal….
2. I couldn’t remember the time…

Oh well I get to school an hour late and meet the winter garden filled with everyone and their lovely clothes….and each student receiving their certificate…my name had been called but it was called again and I felt celebrity like as my ovation was warm and resounding and when I received my certificate I actually felt proud and quickly took pictures and straight to Facebook and Twitter….

After the ceremony we move upstairs to have champagne and hor’ d’ourves aka finger food, everyone was looking great in their respective outfits and in smiles as most people where only doing this stage so it was filled with smiles and hugs of goodbyes. For me it was really emotional when I had to say goodbye to Juan Jose….he had been a real inspiration in the sense that he was real gentleman, he was successful and he had focus and he always wore a smile….he had this admirable character that I dream of having when I'm his age...he’s not married and I pray he gets married to his present girlfriend…she won’t regret it! And there was Kristen…I met her Husband...he’s quite a huge man and she looked even more tiny next to him...it was sad saying bye to Kristen as well. We hugged really tight as we said our final goodbyes but promised to stay in touch via email…(I really hope we hold up) she was really great to me especially when she took me out….and I was really happy she gained confidence with her cooking skills…Basic was really hell for her at first but she conquered at the end of the day!

I also had to say bye to some of the Japanese crew...Kanayo and Naomi I miss them actually because at the end we were starting to at least understanding each other….
Oh before I forget….in my school top 5 students are announced….Leonardo came 3rd…on one hand I was happy for him on the other..i was fired up to be in that group…if I never made Top Student in normal education…this is my field I gast to shine!! so intermediate be ready for me!!

Aunty Mowunmi’s Visit

Now this had to be the most thrilling thing that happened to me all week!!!! One of my Aunty Toyin’s closet friend Mowuni Majekudomi came to Paris...my aunt had sent me her schedule ,she arrived at 10am and left at 9pm in the night…I had already figured out she was coming to shop and not see Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower! I was excited to see someone from home! I needed it! Plus my uncle had said he would send “something” *bank-smiley-face*

However when the morning of the 2nd came…on my way to get her…which I was running a little late I must confess… I get to the station and the train ride that should have taken me 5mins took me 20mins!! Because the train was delayed and I did not have any number to reach her on! Of course I had missed her at Gare Du Nord…so even after I waited for the second train to arrive and dint see her…I knew I had missed her..so in painfully I go back home…but like a miracle my aunty send me her Nigerian number that she was roaming…and not caring what it was going to cost me on my landline and cellphone I call her and hook up with her…when we hooked up we hugged and she expressed her shock that she didn’t know I was in Paris…which was a bigger shock to me because I was so sure my aunty had given her my information etc…oh well we had finally seen…and the shopping began… at this point I would like to point out to all men that shopping with a woman is one of the difficult things you can ever do!! That is the one sport women can beat any man hands down!!! Mehn aunty Mowunmi dey waka! But it was fun..we gisted as we shopped exchanged ideas on tastes and choices of clothes..I felt like Jay Manuel or one of those guys from E…but I just picked what thought when her husband carries her out he can beat his chest and say “na my wife bi dat!”
After much walking and purchasing we head to galleries Lafayette and it was my first time in 3 months going to the popular mall and why is that? You may ask?….let me put it like this…when all that is sold their ranges from 300 Euros up per item…really what I'm I finding there? What’s wrong with H&M and Delaveine?!!! But oh well…it was great seeing my aunty purchase Million-Euro Christian Lacroix shirts for her husband and generally soaking in the beauty and the grandeur of the compacture of designer labels together…it was inspiring to see the structure and design of labels and how everything looked so luxurious and neat…I mean why else would you pay 200 Euros for one shirt! Even now that my pepper has not arrived…I didn’t hold back from looking at clothes that were one month’s rent for my flat and behaving as if I was actually going to buy them….*I will arrive*
My aunty picks up a pair of shoes after much searching (it was surprising how they didn’t have any wow shoes…I agreed with my aunt,.. most of the shoes where plain ugly and if you were going to pay so much for a pair of shoes it has to be WOW! But eventually she found a pair of black heels that were stunning. At this point we were both tired and hungry and it was getting closer to the time for her departure…as we got to the train station we ate at a restaurant called “Buffalo Bull” across from the Station and the food was only tasty out of sheer hunger…mehn was it horrible!…and I recommended thinking it was good…never again!
But even after the labour of shopping a worker has his reward…let’s just say Aunty Mowunmi was very generous! And she expressed how deeply proud she was of me! *touching stuffs* as we exchange hugs and she queues for her train I slowly make it to my own metro and head home…my swag was different I was a few Euros richer….yes ke!


HILLSONG

I can’t stop going on about my church…please forgive me but…God is really doing something in that church! This Sunday that just passed I almost lost my mind in service…a number of things had challenged my faith and so on…I was in a semi state of depression and felt like…”hmm whatever” but by the time Pastor Brendan was done on and more importantly the Praise team…ahan!! See Joyful boys now! U go fear joy! I learnt that no matter the circumstance I should really just praise and worship God! I'm getting more involved with serving as well in church...I really want to be part of the happenings and not just a spectator in church!

My Weight Loss Journey
On my diet and weight loss issue…I have started swimming and I have a routine of running and swimming which is very good. My runs are getting better with each day! It s amazing! My speed is higher now and I can go round the garden without stopping…hmmm who would have thought?! Swimming funny enough is what is tougher for me…but I can do five laps with rests in between for now…and the first day I went swimming I was amazed to see small small pikin dem whey dey swim for ddep end..”ah! Oyibo sha! Na from pikin deir sheedren dey enta wota lyk diz!” chei! For Nigeria which mama go make eim pikin dey swim for deep end! Choi!” then me whey tink say I sabi swim come see as some small boys dey run for wota like say dem be shark!” but I dey do my own jejely


So yes..Story of my life….Generally I'm good…miss home like crazy but I'm good…. Big Bang Theory has really Kept me company so did 24..(i miss Jack Bauer!!!)

I'm seriously expecting more people and friends that can actually chill with me…looking forward to Dozie, Pastor Taiwo, Ada, Tair and Uka…

To my family and everyone fully Behind me….Love you all to bits!

A Bientot!!!

The May Finale

May 29, 2010

NOW THAT I HAVE A SMALL HOLIDAY…..

As I type this…I literally just coming from buying a blender that I have been doing serious ijebu to buy….so after even calling my mum to consult whether I should buy it or not at 9am in the morning(she had to ask if there was a problem) she just verified that If I could afford it…well its 30 Euros it’s not overtly pricey but not cheap at the same time…then I lamented over the billions I had spent in the last week over my exams..I had to get some new utensils, pay for a concert ticket, bought new earphones (that were freaking 20 Euros!!!!) and so much I can’t even remember now and I have my utility bills to pay!!!! CHEI!!! CHINEKE BIKO!!! ABASI MBOK!!! *DEEP HEAVY SIGHS*

Anyway I have bought the blender…stew making and sundry would not be an uphill task anymore…with me cutting all my veg with a steak knife!!!!! (Student life na suffa!!)
My week has been great!! Like absolutely!! I'm seeing the promises of God coming to pass daily even though sometimes it’s hard to believe I still tell Him I trust Him and He should guide me…but the highlights of this week has to be the build up to my exam and the exam itself and my trip to Chateau Rouge..(its always a story right?!)

Exam build up/Exam
I had my exams on the 26th of may before the day before that is was our last demonstration and during the class I just kept on staring at the clock for the class to be over…because I needed to get out to do my laundry (I had to be squeaky clean for my exam) get some utensils for my exams like my sponges and spatulas and so on, so I'm more organized during my cooking and not running around like a frazzled waiter!…on my way out of the demo its starts raining seriously and it’s a nightmare as I got into a bigger mess by trying to locate a food store I had never been to in Chatelet then travelling to Place D’Italie to get the stuff I needed and I got them for cheap…but however…I missed connect group meeting from church because of the shopping I had to do…*sighs* I was soo burnt! But oh well…arriving home I rush to the Laundromat and gracefully they were still opened so I set my uniforms to wash…when it was time to dry I could not as the time for the last drying time was over! Shooott!! And my exam was at 8:30am the next day!!!yeh! But someone at the laundry tells me to try another one close to the metro…like Usain Bolt…I jet to the place and thankfully I could dry my clothes! While I was ironing my clothes against the next day…all that ran thru my mind was

“omo make I iron shap shap…I wan sleep!” I even felt bad…should I not have been praying silently in tongues or something…I'm here thinking of how to sleep…well I had to be up at 6am to get to school early enough to sharpen my knives before the exam…
Before my alarm went off at 6:01am precisely I had beaten it by at least 5mins…I was already up…I swear in my sleep I heard my name…and my eyes popped open! Off course I snoozed for like 10mins but the thought of arriving late wasn’t settling enough for my snooze to be relished so I get up and look at the Word as I open my Open heaven devotional to the scripture of the day its Psalm 3:3..”for thou o Lord Art a Shield for me” I won’t lie I was in tears…how could God be so mindful of me perfect word for the day! When that was over I briskly shower and so on…and by 7:10 I was en route to school…as I arrived school I felt like an efiko…I was the first person to arrive! I felt forward!!! But what could I care…I hadn’t sharpened my knives!!! So dressed in my complete uniform, sharpened knives,, new kitchen accessories I go through my recipes one last time…silently praying I get a fish dish…no time to truss and roast any chicken abeg!

So when 8:25 beckoned, up to the class my class mates and I went and we were called in one after the other and we randomly picked from the bag and Voila I got the fish dish!!! So excitedly I get in to work trying not to be intimidated by anyone…Naomi a Japanese lady next to me was doing Fish as well so was Leonardo and Juan…hmmm good cooks mehn…I had to calm down and not be oppressed because Naomi was cooking at the speed of Light! And Leo was doing his thing as usual but…my confidence stood…as I remembered what I read in the my Bible….
My cooking went well…but I forgot to season!!!! But thankfully it was fish so…the butter and the wine had given it enough flavour so I wasn’t too bothered….I almost forgot to serve my potatoes but did so at the end and I finished in good time and voila it was over!

After our exam a bunch of us excluding Ana!!! the forward woman!!! I(n fact her story I won’t even waste my time to write it…she’s CRAZY finish!!!! )We sit to have some drinks.. I had some hot chocolate as it was raining…then the others had beer and the Japanese girls in my class sat and also planned a party that we are having on the 31st or 1st of June…I offered to bring Jollof and Dodo…yes! Dey gast taste some pepper!!!!
As we leave the rain is still pouring but I remember I had promised some new friends of mine Lara and Noor that I would call them back and hook up. Lara and Noor by the way are two lovely beautiful Arab girls. And if you have been following and following religiously like my Aunty Rosalind (whom I love soo much by the way for doing so) you would recall I met Lara during the promotional video. They are in intermediate and in a few days now superior since we are all changing levels! So I ditch my friend Inigo for the babes…kai see me bad friend! Butit was the best decision made ever!!!

Meeting up at Noor’s place was great!!! They really entertained me!! Noor danced; which was hilarious!!! When we realized we were all starving Marvin (even after my 6 chicken wing meal I gorged down my belly while on my way and when I was there ) We went out and they got stuff for Risotto and they got butter to practice their Béarnaise sauce for their exam the following day. After our market trip in the rain and resorting to buy lamb from a supermarket instead of a butcher we head back to Noor’s place and start cooking, Lara was in charge of the Risotto and mehn can she cook!!! It was a mushroom risotto she made with red bell peppers….trust me it was delicious!!! During the cooking she talked with me and was really cool, we chatted about our passion for food, our lives before now, people at school, and generally stuff all over some good chardonnay…*sigh…the life* so yeah it was a great afternoon but I had to head home….
I won’t lie I have been in lazy mode again….I always seem to settle for the easier way out by sitting in front of my laptop!!! I should have blogged since but oh well….I was so lazy I cleaned my apartment and eventually cooked at midnight!!!! I made Egusi which failed woefully…I have no clue why but tit did…not sure what I didn’t do right! As my pot heated and realised the near wildfire fumes from my bleaching oil palm at midnight in the bid to cook Egusi… I could only help but wonder what my neighbours would have thought of me?

1. This boy tu es malade?
2. Is he committing suicide?
3. Or is he trying to kill us all?

As I pondered on those thoughts I could help but laugh to myself and still venture to cook this food….
At 3 in the morning when the residue of the smoke that was now burning my chest was leaving the room I finally lay down to rest….as I woke up….I start to cook again! Grs ofosh! So a semibukka style stew was made after a few hours of blending, frying, stirring and normal kitchen action….the stew was on check!
On the internet though one interesting thing I have been doing is reading Joke Ladoja’s column on NEXT24 website…she writes in their fashion column élan and I think she is FABULOUS!!! Pls check it out or buy NEXT ON SUNDAY to read élan…check out Rukky’s Frocks then my recent addiction has been Twitter and Big Bang Theory(….that has contributed greatly to my laziness) and honestly I still don’t understand Twitter…I mean any small thing you have said something..sorry “TWEETED” gosh!! I still prefer my Facebook but I'm getting a hang of it….

As I finish this I hope I post on time…my laziness is always getting the best of me.. i ahve to stop this......but when I do it I do it….

I love my family member to bits…and everyone who is solidly behind me…

God bless you all!

A Bientot!

WEEKEND SORIEE!!!

MAY 22ND 2010


As I type this…I am in between deciding to do the following
1. Watch The Big Bang Theory (AWESOME SHOW!!)
2. Keep doodling over my pictures I took at the barbeque
3. Go for a Run(…which I have been somewhat enjoying)
4. Sit the hell down and type!!!

Hmmmm tough choice but I think I would go for the latter and sprinkle a bit of everything….a win-win for me…right????
Before the marriage of my fingers and my laptop’s keyboard relays a semi-detailed account of today…let it first proclaim that…IT WAS A BBBLLLLASSSSTTTT!!!!

I had looked forward to this weekend for two major reasons…
1. I had nothing to do
2. I had nothing to absolutely do and I did not want to be bored out of my mind!!!!!!
3. Oh…..yeah…..third one…erm….yeah I had nothing to do!!
Then on a more trivial scale I had a fair week with my written exam (which was a blast!) saw Brooklyn’s Finest (which was sad movie by the way!!! As in heart breaking sad not “bad” sad…get it???) Done my two runs for the week ( which was fantablous!!! It keeps getting better!!! Would be marathon ready soon *amen face*) but the weekend was as an empty dry land with nothing to look forward to….and staying at home would only make me do one thing….EAT!!! and I'm sorta on a goal chase here to 80 kilos!!! But then again I remember that I had been invited to a barbecue via Facebook (yes I know I am on Facebook fast but it was important!!! I checked!) From church and there was a meet up at a Pub in the 2nd District as well from church….so last night rocked!!! Which was Friday…I mean we just chilled and hung out and had Chinese and I had this amazing Mocha drink!!....good fn without the booze! Anyways something amazing happened in the PUB….I had an Epiphany!!! Before going to the pub I was a bit downcast…about my stand with God…I had wronged Him once again and was feeling so bad…but I really just wanted to forgive myself and trust Him that He had forgiven me…but I start talking with this girl Diana...and the usual question pops up


Gbubemi: so what are you doing in Paris?

Diana: I teach English once a week and well…i don’t like saying this but I was called to Paris

Gbubemi: don’t be shy I'm feeling this go on!


40 mins later I was elated from the beginning to the opening of my door and even to the shutting of my eyes to sleep…why? all because I saw someone who had a pure passion and such a big heart for God…no trying to be “spiricoco” but still was…she talked about the Holy Spirit like He was her roommate she saw everyday and the fact that she knows her Destiny is in Paris and so on….her fall back plan was to be a chef but…She listened to Him….after hearing all this I felt light…I felt the load just melt away…all the guilt all the shame and pain….all gone! Just like that! I told her…Diana your talking tonight has blessed and freed me and she smiled and said we are a family right? As I slept I could only praise in an imaginary voice because my physical voice could not match the supernatural touch that it had received! All I could wonder and ponder upon was the inexhaustible-vastness of the grace and mercy of God…GOSH!! IS HE MINDFUL OF HIS OWN!!!

So with so much Joy in my heart I sleep in anticipation of what the BBQ would be like….

1. Would there be actual BBQ food?(..you know…some Sheeken sturvs…pls don’t balme I'm in Paris…)
2. Would it be okay to cook Jollof rice? (…”eerrr nah!! Oyibo no go chop am finish”)
3. Wetin I go make/take whey no go too cost…ah!! Emi ni student o!
But as it was past midnight when my mind had all these thoughts racing…. my only decision was to close my eyes and fall asleep….”tomorrow would sort itself out”

As the morning dawned… ii turn to my devotional…Open Heavens…and wow was todays’ read mind blowing….the freedom was just further established!! Then I decided to follow what I learnt and felt I should call my Pastors…Oyinda and Pastor Taiwo….but I no pickups..i thought it was pretty early… since it was the summer weather now… I decide to try and adventurous move one more time…. Cut my hair myself! Today I did sorta get it right….i guess practice makes perfect?!
So my shower lasts like 5 mins…and I'm out to get stuff for the parry/BBQ but I wasn’t sure what to actually do!! Ok lemme put it like this…I knew what I wanted…when I think Barbeque…I think Juicy steaks, Finger Licking Wings, Endless Chicken, Fajitas, Burgers and for the Nigerian Touch Rice…most likely Jollof so was lost shopping today and more so I was thinking about not spending too much because if it is food…I usually don’t put a price on it! So after much touring between two supermarkets I settle for sandwiches and drinks…and still a substantial 17 Euros went into it…*sigh* and I picked up a pair of wanna be Ray-Bans(Lord who shall I harass to buy me the originals???????) and in my Nigerian shirt and my NYSC shorts….i’m looking all swagged out …..my sandwhiches and nachos and my array of drinks…(omo my bag full sote I kom dey tink na organize BBQ….)

So as usual I'm running late….and the race to GARE DU NORD begins…arriving the station I miss the people I was supposed to hook u p with so I had to wait for another train and when I finally got on one…Jon…my friend calls and says he is 15mins out and I was cool….so I wait for him and we almost miss the second one but we make it in good time…while waiting….before I go on…let me first give you an idea of GARD DU NORD…GARE DU NORD is a big popular train station where the Eurostar runs through for example and all the other big trains aside from the metro…and it’s on LINE 4 the ghetto line…where Chateau Rouge is….and since most of the black people that either live outside paris or are sha on that line for zones….connect through its always a mass of ghetto kids mehn…omo I dey clutch my phone and wallet like say na stapler!

Anyways Jon and I eventually meet up and get to the zones and wow was I amazed!!!!!!!!!
I have seen beautiful places like the Pantheon and the Lourve Musee…but seeing the surburbs of Paris was a real treat…for Lagosians…please imagine a VGC that is neater…with some “woods” naturally manicured grassland, a lake/small river, meandering rodas…nice country hosues…….well it was beautiful and it was so nostalgic for me and I didn’t know why….cos Ilupeju for example is industries and the police station around me, traffic in and out of the surburbs and city…so…bt maybe it was just the VGC effect *miss the Shonubis right now*
As I entered the zones….the house by the way was one f the praise leaders place…19 year old dude who rocks out for the Lord like no mans business! His name is Clémence…his parents had been kind enough to let us take over the house for the day….so yes as I land I try to set up my food and try others….and already people where already shocked that a guy had gone through the trouble of bringing nice “sandwiches” (omo see me thinking say I no do anytin)…them no chop my bbq wings or my J-Rice dem dey tok……dey neva jam!”) oh well the party was just fun!! See grown children acting like 5 year olds!! There was a water fight and mercifully I had my camera on me and they were careful not to hurt the “new guys’” feelings so I was spared in the water drenching! The grill produced some shop bought produce really well….so now I know there’s a grill I'm in charge next time!!!! And my Lord would dey lick their elbows!!!


During the party I noticed I was hearing a Nigerian voice singing...and as I moved closer I realized it was Nneka and there was a song that had Lagos and Abuja and Delta mentioned in it…omo I didn’t know when I entered cultural dance mode and started showing an Algerian girl who loves all things African how to step it Naija style! Then before I knew it I became party entertainment! Everyone was staring but I did not feel shy I was in the moment with my roots…so e jo FIMILE! Then I checked the laptop playing the music only to find out that it was grooveshark…omo see me first dulling by looking for Wande coal…when I navigated to Gidilounge nko…..omo see me showing awon French boys some Yahooze and some Komole-ing…but trust me it was ridiculous!!! They just couldn’t get it!!! I almost recored them and keep for laffs but I freed it….then I was on my TY BELLO P again…see me taking picture like say na me bi HELLO! Magazine reporter….


The party was also good cos I met two Ghanaian babes , Sharleen and Lucy who have grown up in London and Germany respectively, they are cool….then just seeing everybody in high spirits without the wrecking influence of alcohol was just great….
So on my way home I was even relishing the heat more! I loved the fact I was sweaty… I mean it’s about time!! Been cold too long!
I'm sooo looking forward to church tomorrow…serving…or should I say hope to start serving…I have been at Hillsong for a month plus now and its time to serve in the house…it’s an awesome place to serve!

I'm also looking forward to some more visits!!! Pastor Taiwo in July who by the way had been to Paris twice last week!!!Yes I know this because he returned my call!!! I spoke to my Pastor!!! Yyyaaayyy!!!! Arrghh!!!! Aunt Toyin, Ada, Tari and Uka, Bidemi Omonaiye, and a host of others that I hope come….

And how can I forget….my final exams….personally I feel I like I have already conquered…I don’t mean to boast but….as in I feel A* already! Whatever dish I get I just pray for favour to do it well!

My mum and I talked this evening and it was sweet…she is soo nervous for me…especially how everyone is soo expectant and proud of me…thank you all! Who are!!! Muchos Gratias!
This is the point I settle for sleeping…whilst watching my new found show…Big Bang Theory…


Grandpa…..I love you deep!!! And my family as a whole!!!!


A Bientot!