I peaked.

You guys. I peaked. For real. I am currently atop of this mountain called life, and the only way to go is down. It will never, ever, EVER get better than this night.


I just met the Harlem Gospel Choir.



It doesn't end there. They sang a Michael Jackson tribute.



And they hugged us.



And it only cost $12 USD.




Now do you understand? Peaked. The HGC, earlier this year, was performing in Harlem, and Barack Obama was in the audience. After the show, they hugged him. And then they hugged me tonight. ONE DEGREE OF SEPARATION. I've hugged Barack Obama by proxy.


And we spoke English with people other than exchange students!! So rare for that to happen. Well, at least fluent, entirely coherent English.

So here's how it went down: we saw the banners for the show hanging around Vina for a few weeks now, and decided it was a must-see event. Harlem Gospel Choir singing Michael Jackson in Chile? It sounded like too perfect a trifecta to be true. But it was.
Bought some tickets. Got to the shower 45 minutes early, a la Americana. Sat down. Got ready. Got excited. And then they came out, and the guy was speaking ENGLISH. For some reason, that was SO cool to hear, at least for me. I'm not used to going to events in English anymore. And then he told us all to stand up! So we did! But the lady behind me (clearly not an English speaker) didn't understand what was going on (uhh, nor did the rest of the audience), and she poked our backs until we sat. So sat we did.

But I danced in my seat.


However, when the busted out with the Michael Jackson, I couldn't sit anymore. We stood up and danced for real (as did most of the theatre, including the Grumpy Guses behind us). Our mission had been decided: get REAL hugs from the people singing on stage. We were willing to stake out their hotel, their bus. I seriouslsy miss hugs more than you could imagine. It would have been worth it.

But when the concert ended, and we went downstairs, THERE THEY WERE! We got hugs, and photos, and they even took photos of us with them on their own cameras! So much excitement. Can't even explain it! We were kind of hovering around one of the guys, waiting, talking, and suddenly he looks at us and goes "You guys are from the States, aren't you?"

"Yes, we are...." we responded.

"I could hear it! I could hear it in your voices! Come here!"


He did not have to tell us twice.


So that was my night! Quite possibly the best night I've had in Chile. In my life. Thus, I've peaked. And I'm okay with it.