Faaaameee..... I'm gonna live foreverrrr

Quick story that I know you'll be interested in...

So there's this coffee shop/restaurant I go to alllll the time because they have good wireless and hot chocolate. To offer an example of how often I'm there, I've become very good friends with most of the staff, and they usually anticipate my whim once I arrive (“Kay-deeeeee, Fanta orange?). Well, about a month or so ago, I went and one of the guys that works there, Starford (great name, eh??), asked for a “favor” of me. Apparently, one of his friends was filming a commercial for “Rwanda Coffee” brand coffee, and wanted to know if I would like to be in it. He said he wanted a “mzungu” or white person in it, to show that Rwandans and mzungus can love the coffee, alike. Never one to pass up an opportunity for fame, I clearly accepted. So for about 2 hours, I was filmed pretending to like coffee and chat it up with some Rwandan friends. My co-stars were actually really cool, and invited me to go to karaoke with them this weekend. It was hilarious, but I was kind of doubtful anything would come of it...

UNTIL

Right before I left for Christmas holiday in Tanzania, one of my “co-stars” (I LOVE saying that), told me the commercial was to be played on Rwandan national television. We don't own a TV, so I had no idea if that would be true or not. Until that night, I started receiving text messages that went soemthing like “I think I just saw you on TV....” or “I just saw your coffee commercial!” A couple days later, we were driving into the downtown area, and there is a large TV screen overlooking an intersection and I looked up to see my own face staring back down at me. Yup, there I was -peering down the roads of Kigali, sipping my Rwanda Coffee. Needless to say, I got a little excited. Apparently, the commercial has been playing a bit over the past week or so, and since I stand out a fair amount here, I'm getting recognized pretty easily. Last night, I was with some friends, and a guy came over who was friends with one of my friends. He sat down and then started talking to my friend in Kinyarwanda, which I couldn't understand. My friend then started laughing and told me that his friend had seen me in the commercial and wanted to know if I was that same girl. So, if that's not a sign of celeb-ri-tay, I don't know what is :)

I knew my life of stardom would start someday, I just didn't know it would be so soon... :)