THE FIRST FOUR DAYS

BONJOUR

The above title is me reminding myself that I'm not so lost in Paris! i speak the Lingo...yea right! Yes i thank God that i am finally here and please whether it is illiterate of me to say this but... i can’t believe i am here! Gosh a dream come true but a reality I'm still coming to terms with.
From the take of when my parents and sister said goodbye at the airport i tried to even warm up those mushy feelings and question my system on how it felt to be leaving my family and my life as i know it in Lagos....my family, Ilupeju, My unannounced sleep-overs at The Kasunmus and the Odukales, my constant Lagos trotting, Church!!!!!!!, My business, Friends, Silverbird (yes sliverbird!) my KIA RIO! but still nothing..... just the feeling of..."you'd better not miss your flight o!"
Well...My flight was smooth and mercifully I had an awesome window seat and the man next to me was an evil...a typical French man that refused to socialize but it was a blessing in disguise as i did not have any random conversations or any awkwardness throughout the 6 hours we flew. In fact we both slept for most of the journey after I realized that even Karen Kingsbury's heart rendering stuff couldn’t be caffeine enough for me to keep my eyes open.
At 5:46 or so we landed safely and I still didn’t feel anything... i had to tell myself..."Gbubs...for real… you are in Paris..." nothing still. Then did I mention i felt what could be possibly so difficult in travelling with two suitcases....ALONE! IT IS A NIGHTMARE!!!!! NEVER TRY IT! So evidently it was a horror maneuvering with my gift and curse but miraculously there always seemed to be someone to help me. A man allowed me to use his phone so did a taxi driver (i did not even patronize as i had to call someone in Paris.) Anyway after being directed via phone through another Angel of God with the name of Marcus Bibang sitting in McDonalds I learn how to use the train in a matter of 2mins! I was like mehn Okada would be nice now ke! (pls forgive the razzness in me) As he literally ran with my luggage to the train and he had to run to catch his 10 O’clock train at 9:30!
After that episode i rise out of the metro like a freed bird to a world i could only describe as amazing!

Paris is just plain beautiful. Period! After getting my keys from the agent I ride home to what I find it’s a cubicle instead of a studio! Poor me! After the landlady finishes with me and all the formalities with me, I pray and take charge of the year ahead.

I eventually venture going out well I just walked up and down my neighbourhood so, getting home I meet Faruk waiting for me and immediately he starts putting through and especially how I need to move out of this box disguised as a studio and the ridiculous rent I am paying and stuff like my administrative issues and bank accounts etc

He takes me to pub where he and his friends usually hang out…met a seriously Igbotic man! Gosh…after all these years in Abroad no tooshness! Kmt! And he went on and on and on about Nigeria’s issues! At first it was engaging then it became a bitter Ibo man sulking uncontrollably! And when Faruk now asks what I would drink I said I would have water…he then asked “ahan not even a beer?” and I'm like “I don’t drink” then he almost passed out! “You don’t drink alcohol?” he said in with his voice disappearing and a look on his faced that also asked the question “So you don’t you breathe air too?!” when It dawned on me I had not eaten anything I ask for food and order a plate of chips and wings which almost made my already big belly double in size…never again!

I get a phone from the Virgin Store and after a small tour of the Champs-Eylsees, I go home, call Faruk to let him know I got home safely and start to write this and take all this in.

In between all this I struggle with this cold matter! My heater is like a boiling kettle! Highly ineffective! Mhceww!

But I thank God for this rare opportunity…I’m still unsure its real but it till it proves otherwise

Bienvenue a la Paris

(I hope that is correct sef…**sigh*)

WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING!

Troisieme jour a Paris…..Third Day in Paris

“What The Hell Was I Thinking!?” that is the question I seem to have asked myself throughout today.

Because its 1am in the morning and I am still very tired and most confused about the events of today al because I was nto thinking straight!

My day started off great… for one it was not so cold as I could venture to boldly step out my front door into the invisible torture called wind in two sweaters and my muffler! And the Sun was somewhat out; wow the joy that filled my soul! As the last two days my body had been undergoing some serious climate shock. Today my plan was to fashion up! Cold style! I had seen a beautiful classic yet funky jacket on Rue De la Rouqette in Bastille and also Chatelet to check C&A out and I thought why not do dome grocery shopping at Leader Price on Rouqette.

So feeling highly joyful I step out hope on the train and straight to Chatelet. Then on my arrival the validation amplified…PARIS IS BEAUTIFUL! GOSH! Even with all my exposure I dey look like Mumu…Oyibo pass us sha! We would get to that some other time…

So like I was saying I get to Chatelet and notice there was H&M sef so I go in with all gusto and that was the first time I asked myself ‘What the hell were you thinking Gbubemi!, Putting all that weight in Lagos so when you get to Paris you would lose it?!”

What the Hell was I thinking when I said I was treating myself! All the nice things were for slim people! I think I should even file a suit against H&M that they are discriminatory to well…Plus sized.. Individuals like me…OK FAT people like me! All the time I scanned through the lovely skinny jeans, t shirts and the spring collection I could not help but be filled with regret about all the weight I consciously put on! Kai! It was evil! The only thing I could buy were accessories and socks! All the stuff stopped at 36! Even at that..you need to be a 34 and below to look good in them!

*sigh*

Mercifully C&A came to my rescue… they even had 3XL.. almost two sizes bigger than me. I felt slim sef!…I’m guessing that’s because they are Originally an American store but I would deceive myself for my personal solace that that’s not true. (pls allow me to lie to myself..Thanks) and I got some real ok things some pulls, sweaters and a short jacket. So I changed hurriedly to my new clothes as my old ones now looked so frumpy and well old… so feeling highly “Paris-lised” I pick up a pair of shoes that could keep my feet warm because my moccasins where now just as good as rubber slippers in this weather! So I tour the stretch of Chatelet for a bit pick up a muffler and simultaneously admiring the grandeur of the city, then I look at the time about 5:25, so I decide enough and decide to go to Bastille to get my jacket and do my shopping at Leader Price. Who knew that leader Price on the same day as my shopping day would be one of the most nearly regrettable decisions of my entire life!

Getting to La Roqette, I walk for miles and realize that my shoes are seriously hurting me! I think the socks I was wearing was contributing like mad to it! Then all of a sudden I can’t seem to find the shop I I had seen the jacket and it was getting dark so I decide to go to Leader Price. Then I think to myself…since I leave far away why not shop for a long period of time say a month plus so I don’t have to come back often so I grab a trolley and start packing! But wait…”what the hell was I really thinking!” the depth and magnitude of my ineptitude and utter stupidity fully dawned on me when it was time to pack the bags and I realized.

1. You had to pay for the shopping bags

2. People in Paris have their strollers they put stuff in

3. Had I forgotten I was using the train and had to change to get to my line!?

4. Did I think I was in Lagos at Shoprite where my dear Rio would open its boot for me to dump my things in it and drive safely to Ilupeju

5. WHAT THE HELL WAS I REALLY THINKING!?

Of course I had to more or less beg the manager of the shop to carry the trolley but I realized “what the hell am I really thinking”

I don’t know what hurt the most…

1. The pain of my blistered feet in my new shoes…hell Fashion hurts!

2. The physical pain on pulling this trolley that now felt like yoke of all my sins past present and future!

3. Or the sheer regret and utter disappointment in my seeming proven ineptitude

Did I mention one pasta sauce broke so as my prized lemon sirop! *sobs*

I decide to sacrifice what would have been a nice pair of jeans or extra money with me to buy a trolly thing that couldn’t still contain everything from some Arab shop… after a much challenging struggle of carrying my yoke of shopping through the numerous flights of stairs at each intersection, breaking the legs of my trolley, missing a stop to connect to my line, I finally get home.

You know the phrase “HOME SWEET HOME” never meant so much to me. I thanked God sooo genuinely and asked Him to forgive me because only angering God could have caused all my drama today.

I’m sitting here soooo tired I cant even sleep..and there’s the cold creeping through cervices that don’t even exist! Anyway I’m armed with my cup-a-soup (potatoes and leek baby!) and extra ammunition of my three sweaters and my full jug of coffee heating away silently.

Today has taught me a good lesson “thinking before you act… and really think it through!”

Also I have learnt it is a dumb idea to eat copious amounts of food before to sojourn to a new land!

I have also learnt to FULLY appreciate things like Jollof rice, Suya, my Mother’s mama put stew or yes Iya Ruka! Because crepes, Paninis,, even Chinese is not just cutting it! And damn its expensive! I bi student o!*sigh*

Shey na me wan be abroadian…. Anyways I m grateful I’m alive to experience this…good or bad I’m living my dream..I’m in the Gods favour is here with me I have been experiencing it and I have been feeling it sooo strong!

I have to be up early for first service via internet…yay! At least I would still somewhat have Fountain of Life close to me…although I wish Church 3:16 also had webcast *sigh*

And please can everybody stop going all Julie and Julia on me…its becoming to cliché!

Bonne Nuit

DIMANCHE PREMIER A LA PARIS

Day Four

Today…definitely a better day from the semi hell I experienced yesterday, for one I went to church..but from the comfort of my bed…yes…I bless God for webcast! I could see Pator Taiwo minister in my room live! I was blessed…then rushed off to see Yetunde Osodi-Fradeau who Aunty Moni Fagbemi (God bless her soul!) hooked up with and her Chef Husband! It was just sheer amazement and joy! What more could I ask for… cold meat, bread, cheese, wine, fish baked in salt, a dreamy butterscotch and pineapple dessert and a house full of cook books!

Yetunde filled me in with all the Paris details gave me a map booklet and basically chilled with her( just jabbing at my keyboard searching all the Paris rental sites as I must move out of my box asap!) while she was working seriously at her figures that seemed not be adding up! Omo even if it was one cent it had to found1 wow I need her prudency! LOL!

I found out in her area that they are some nice flea markets and there are African markets! I saw Egusi sef today but omo my cubicle would not permit me to venture to start bleaching palm oil…they would arrest me for attempted arson! But I got some pepper want to start cooking…my holiday is sooooo over!

On my way back home I fought the temptation to roam Chatelet…I won! So I arrive safely home but still noticed that my feet still ached badly.

The week ahead looks so good… I get to go to school to sort out some stuff and do my Profecture business…Immigration tins…then I get to go to Eric’s school to get some free crockery and free lessons! Eric by the way is Yetunde’s husband.

Then I roam Chatelet and tour Paris small… via walking…Taiye and Alro would pay for all that when they come…*smiles*( well at least hopefully they would)

I plan on treating myself to nice restaurants once every month. I have my eye on the Brazilian one!

I gotta big day tomorrow so… I hope I can will myself to leave YouTube alone and my show…24 is still the best jo! Jack Bauer’s middle I’m convinced is “KOKUMO” I swear it!

I’m grateful to God for His mercies..they are truly new every morning! To all my family…Grandpa especially…I love You and I’m sooooo thankful

Four days down…7 months 26 days to go…I think..*sighs*

Bonne Nuit