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!!!