Okay Aké, Where in the World Are You?

¡¡¡Hola hola hola!!! ¿¿¿Que tal???

Yes ladies and gentlemen back home, I am officially fluent. No, I’m actually really not (is this explanation sentence really necessary?) But, I have picked up a few phrases, more than just my go-to “No se.” or “No hablo.” or “No comprendo.” 

This first week in Spain has been----a shock. The people (Madrileños) stare (potential HuffPo article to come about it soon? ;) ), they’re nicer, kinder, compassionate, and more caring than I’ve seen from a homogenous population (I probably should provide more context to this but once again, tbd ;) ), and they’re just EFFORTLESSLY PRETTY AND REALLY TOO COOL FOR ME. 

But yes, it’s been a culture shock. I thought my pseudo-European West African family ate late (9pm), but these guys go out and start dinner at 11pm!!!!!!! Not everyone, but there are some, don’t you worry, I’ve seen ‘em. And with this shift in dinner time (yes, I’d staunch on the topic of dinner because food is important to me #foodstudiesminor) my body is just like, “Hey Camille: collapse.”

Ooooooooooooh yeah. I’ve thrown up already. Oh? Were you thinking I was referring to a nice lil’ siesta? HA. No, this is me we’re talking about. Camille Stories guys, Camille stories. Yea uh, it’s hot here. So hot, my normal ‘I-Hate-Water’ philosophy didn’t get me very far on day 3 of Madrid-life. During one of our walking tours with the sun blaring and my pants being pants and not shorts (a decision I blame and regret)...I just kinda....on the streets of Old Madrid..in front of my new classmates and professors.

BUT IT’S OKAY BECAUSE I’M FINE AND I BOUGHT A WATER BOTTLE TODAY.

So in conclusion.....hahahhhahahahahaha how am I allowed to live here for 4 months I feel like the government definitely hates me.

Anywho, it’s September 2nd 1st in Madrid, so the city has officially woken up, and so have I.

Bye y’all, till the next one.

I’ve been once before back in May 2015, but it’s one of my Mom’s favorite shows, and who doesn’t love Jimmy??? So I surprised her and my siblings with tickets for a Friday taping (meaning, yes: Thank-You Notes). The guest were Blake Lively, Rachael Maddow, and Good Charlotte. It was just as fun as you would expect......BUT

While the crew was setting up for the musical performance, Jimmy came into the audience and did a Q&A. WITHOUT EVEN BLINKING, I raise my hand (and God bLESS:) he calls on me.

Freaking out internally, I ask him what guest he’d like to have on the show. He was so humble about it because he’s had a lot of amazing people and is very happy in where he’s been. He joked around and said, oh, maybe the Pope. 

Then, as if life couldn’t get any better in that moment* (*= Jimmy Fallon is my favorite comedian, and one of my favorite ‘celebrities’ EVER), at the end of the show Jimmy storms up the stairs of student 6B and highfives all the people in the aisle seats. Luckily, my family was in the 2nd to last row so when Jimmy was running the back, my whole family got to high five him!! But, when Jimmy came down the aisle again, he grabbed my hands and said, “THANK YOU FOR COMING!!!!”

So....yeah. LIFE’S GREAT.

~~~~

After that we went to my sister’s place to visit my cat (Hey Muffin), and then under my sister’s car there were STRAY KITTENS. THEY WERE SO SMALL AND FLUFFY AND SMALL AND THERE WERE 3 OF THEM AND DID I MENTION THEY WERE SMALL AND FLUFFY. It felt like a direwolf situation, my brother said, because each of us three siblings could’ve had a cat (and tried to take the iron throne).

Post that- the four of us drove back to PA to enjoy more time together.

The end. Thanks Jimmy for such a great day, we (I) love you!!!!!!!