the big day

today is the big day guys. i speak at 4:20. when im nervous, and don't tell everybody, my mouth gets very very dry. very dry. (lol) i hope i don't get nervous but i know i am. this is no high school competition. this speech has potential to change my life forever. this speech is in front of a different COUNTRY!!! i am the only African American here! and female at that. so im representing a lot here. women, black woman, chicago, uic, brooks, my family, the youth,.nfte, usa....its just so much on my plate. i might fall or throw up!!!! ahhhhhhhhhh

Why NFTE picked me?

So I asked NFTE, why they picked me and they gave me 8 reasons.

Why you? 

1)    Your personality lights up a room, so you are a great person to have as the “Face” of NFTE

2)    I know you can speak well about how being an entrepreneur can change someone’s life – you know what it means to need cash and get it doing something you love

3)    You can talk about the NFTE program because you did so many different things in it

4)    You are dedicated, you’re working hard at school while you are still running your business

5)    You are a responsible adult and I can count on you not to get into trouble J

6)    You’re a girl (I needed one of each)

7)    You have real goals for your future, and for your business

8)    You deserve a cool trip!

AND I LOVE ALL 8 REASONS!!!! Some of them made me laugh. 

The Beginning

This Lincoln  came to my house to take me to the airport

Good BYE SNOW!!!

Business Class BABY!!!! (lol) Window Seat

The way to the international planes :-)

My airline, they treat you nice

Welcome to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Can you see the dessert?

Their dusty sunset 

lol. he was holding my name on the sign

He was happy to see me come,,,,i know

In my Audi A8 VIP Shuttle. Night life.

More pictures coming tomorrow. This just the beginning 

Grateful

Not a lot of people can say they been a speaker at the Global Competitiveness Forum. This is an opportunity of a lifetime that a 20 year old college student will probably NEVER get. I am truly bless and grateful.

First of all, Thank you to the man upstairs, for allowing me to have such great people in my life who supports my decisions. Thank You to the Sagia Organization for sponsoring me. Thank You to NFTE, Suzanne for choosing me out of sooo many people. Thank you to the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), the College of Business (CBA) for being very supportive in my trip and helping me with whatever I need. Thank you to Jeffron from the UIC news for making a beautifully written article in the paper. Thank You to my family for being so supportive. Thank You to Ms. Kye-Anne for helping me pack and becoming my mentor. Thank You to Mr. Steward for starting me on the right path about 4 years. Thank  You to everyone who wish me luck during my trip and prayed I made it safe. I love you all and without you, this might not have been possible

Day 1 in Saudi!!

Well actually its day two because my plane arrived the first conference, but I learned a lot of interesting things. The keynotes speakers and panels were all interesting talking about entrepreneurship and the future. These people are all big shots. The conference is separated by ladies and gentlemen, it kind of remind you of colors and whites. But it's not to that extent. Some women still sat in the "men" section or in other words main section. I even sat over there during the panels, but for lunch, I sat with the ladies.

When I started meeting new people, they all asked the same thing, "How did they (the conference) find you?" and "Wow! Is this really your first time out the U.S?"

I'm a little nervous about tomorrow because I do not know what the people want to hear. They say just tell them who I am, my background, my business, and the future. But what if they don't want to hear it? What if they walk out the room? What if I say the wrong thing, then they walk out the room? 

Just made it to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia!

The lines were as long as the rides at Six Flags. But my escort took me all the way to the front. All the people were staring at me, and I couldn't help but to smile because I was in a different country for the first time in my life and it felt weird, but a good weird. 

The people are nice. They laugh at my jokes, although they most likely don't know what I'm talking about. The streets are little trees, mostly sand. And majority of the buildings are yellow stone with neon lights. Just picture a gentlemen's club. A 2012 Sudi A8 picked me up and took me to the hotel. There I was greeted with two bags including a Blackberry Playbook. My picture is on my i.d and in the program book for the event! I'm still nervous for the activities tomorrow, but I do look forward to making an impression. They say my panel is the most diverse.

Flying Business Class

This trip to Saudi Arabia is my first trip out the country. This trip to Saudi Arabia is my first plane ride flying business class. This trip to Saudi Arabia is the first time I'm flying completely by myself with no known faces.

So you can see why I say I'm blessed. How many people do you know that went to Saudi Arabia just to speak for a conference?? If your answer is none, well now you know one because you know me!

So anyway, I'm 20 years old with access to exclusive lounge because I'm flying business class. So with my first experience: As soon as the doors opened for me when I walked in the business class, the lady as me, "Are you lost?" I didn't take it the wrong way because I really didn't know if this was the place I was suppose to go. But after she seen my ticket, she was like, "Oh, Ok, go right on in." (lol)

As soon as I walked in, eyes were on me. All of the fancy coach luggage and business suits were looking at poor little old me, and I was not the janitor. I just smiled walked in and thought I was somebody they should know. So when I sat down, I wanted to walk around so more, just so they can see me one more time. (lol) It was funny, and then my plane was boarding.

On business class, I had a three course meal compared to the soda and peanuts I usually get on coach. For starters, a salad, then I had a choice between ribs and chicken. And because I won't be eating pork for the next week (because of Arabia rules), I choose the ribs. For dessert, a bowl of ice cream. My chair laid into a full bed, and I had my own TV with NEW movies that just was in the box offices and the remote turned into a game remote. I knew I should have been reading for class, but instead I was playing Casino Blackjack, and Sudoku.