Michelle and I are basically BFFs!

Blogs by MostlySane

I have had tea with Michelle Obama. That’s right.

Let that sink in.

Oh no. Not for you.

Let that sink in for me.

This is my pep talk to me. To try and deal with this new addition to my ‘Have dones’ list.

Let’s make that my ‘Have done but cannot get myself to process’ list. Or my ‘OMG WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED WHAT IS EVEN MY LIFE PINCH ME NOW’ list.

Whatever list it goes on, or not, either ways, let that sink in.

 

My way of dealing with things, that I know will make me nervous, is by not dealing with them at all. Hence, when I woke up the day we were going to shoot with her, my first thought wasn’t to look for my notes or write down questions I had. It wasn’t even about how big a deal this was. It was about what I thought mattered most.

“What am I going to wear?”

I zeroed down on a green sweater and went for a shower. Sang as loudly as I could to consciously push all the nerves away. Got ready almost an hour before time. (You know the nerves are real when that happens with me. Or I am always late. Not proud, but happens. I mean we live in Mumbai and the traffic is horrible and…)

ANYWAY.

Before I could grab breakfast or a hold of my nerves, we were at the venue.

Turns out, this is where the Obama family loved coming for hummus and tea.

I love hummus and tea!

I liked how things were working out for me in my head.

I am not going to lie to you. There was something about being there that hit me like a truck.

Looking at the setup, rehearsing our bits, writing down questions. An hour passed by.

And then we were told that she’s on her way to set. ‘

I had never felt my heart beat this fast. I had never been so numb in a loud room full of people. My mind hadn’t been more blank. My mouth hadn’t been more dry. I wonder where that hummus and tea were when I needed them the most.

 

And before I knew it, she walked in. And I froze. If you see the episode, you’ll see my brain internally yelling at my limbs to do their job and move. They did, eventually.

You know when you’re meeting someone you’ve admired, loved and looked up to for years and you get into that awkward should-I-shake-their-hand-or-hug-or-namaste?

Yeah. That did not happen this time because she is a HUGGER!

The warmest, tightest, mushiest hugger in all of the land!

She hugs you like she knows you. She hugs you like she means it. She hugs you and she is a hugger and in that moment all the nerves vanished. Poof. Just like that.

All us ladies, we sat down. Liza, Thembe, her, me.

“Let’s have tea.”

“Thank you for flying all the way down!”

“How has the experience been?”

“Prajakta?”

Of course I was dumbstruck. IT WAS MICHELLE OBAMA! AND SHE WAS TALKING TO ME. SHE KNEW MY NAME!

 

But I think I came a little into my element when this happened-

So she started talking to us about what thought went into the entire Girls Education initiative. How the Obama Foundation was working in the field. And she goes, “My husband Barack…”

And before I could think, I went, “Who?”

She goes, “My husband, Barack…”

Liza jumped in here with a classic, “Hmm.. the name rings a bell…!”

And there was laughter. Roaring laughter across the table. I remember thinking, “Wow. It’s just a bunch of girls chatting over tea about things they all feel passionately for. Education.”

The next hour was spent discussing every lesson we learnt, every new experience we had, every new inspiring girl we met while filming. Now if you ask me for exact conversational details, I am going to go a little blank. (Thank God the cameras were rolling.) But I knew every minute I spent on that table was priceless. It was what was going to go down as one of the most iconic hours of my lifetime. And yet there was no pressure there. We spoke like old girlfriends.

That’s how she makes you feel. That’s how she is.

Normal. Regular. Relatable.

 

I wake up almost everyday thinking about that day. How everything just came together beautifully. How girls sat down and spoke about girls’ education. How all of us had a voice and we weren’t scared to make it heard. How we were in a point in time where girls from different parts of the world were picking themselves up and building a life they wanted. How we as a gender were owning up to our realities and using them as our strongest forces. How I got to wake up to a life that lets me have tea with Michelle Obama.

 

I have had tea with Michelle Obama. That’s right.

Let that sink in.

88 Comments

    1. Purva Pradhan
      Reply

      I love how you started from “Let that sink in.” And ended at the same. I am @mostlysane_is_my_inspiration

      1. Garima

        OMgG Prajakta ma’am, you literally lived my dream. Michelle Obama is my idol too. And I feel so proud of you too. Hope we meet some day😊

    1. chhavi yadav
      Reply

      Write more often na!
      It’s relaxing and fun at the same time to read your blogs ❤️
      Maybe someday publish a book 😉
      We’ll love to read your life events.

  4. Tanvi Panchal
    Reply

    I wish I could also have such memorable and iconic meeting with you. We would have lots of talk. And sorry talking out of content, Michelle is awesome, her personality is like….cant express. Every girl, women should have fulfill their dreams and the way they want to be, not for others…just for themselves.

    Love love prajuuu…😘❤

    1. Hetal vania
      Reply

      Just loved it!!! Just by reading these lines i could imagine what a deal it would have been! Love you content anywayss❤❤❤❤ Best wishes to you! 🤗 Hope one day comes when you be the Michelle Obama and have a cup of tea with other people and other people go crazy ” I had tea with Prajakta Koli” !!!

  10. Vaidehi Kakodkar
    Reply

    So so real.. While reading I felt as if I am living this moment right now.. Moreover, I’m sure you are living it daily since then..

  12. Fareesa
    Reply

    It was just
    Wowwww
    Wait…wowwww
    And again a big wowwww
    The way you described it…it felt like I was there in that room with you.💕

  14. Vaibhavi
    Reply

    तुझा खुप अभिमान वाटतो ताई… so so proud of you ..hope you will keep doing good jobs and inspiring people..Wish you only happiness..lots of love to you KYOODIE
    LoveLove♡♡

  17. Prachi
    Reply

    It always feels good to read your honest thoughts… Loved the post… Congratulations for your achievements… Hoping for many more to come… Love love

  25. Unnati
    Reply

    Loved your blogs..
    They are so inspiring… And reading them was so much fun and in between you give little message .. That’s what inspire us the most…
    Love u a lot praju tai..
    Love love.. ❤❤

  27. Sweta
    Reply

    You have no idea! how u r changing other’s lyf! u r such a blessing for us. may god keep u d best always!!!! please write more blogs….

  31. apoorv
    Reply

    Damn, I felt all the palpitations that you must have felt there, while reading this. All I can do is wonder how dumbstruck that moment must have been when you saw her for the first time <3

  34. Debasree Mukherjee
    Reply

    It was great going thorught this blog…u really had had a wonderful experience…u make us feel proud😍with ur activities

  36. SHIVANI MISHRA
    Reply

    Prajakta you are an inspiration for me, i love you literally. reading your blog posts is only a recent hobby of mine and i’m loving it. yes i quoted “mcDonald’s” but seriously, reach out and respond. i would love to hear back from you.

  37. piyush mhatre
    Reply

    OMG! I feel I am the only boy reading this blog. But, seriously Praju Tai, we will meet someday and I am sure that day you will laugh to your loudest. Love Love. Jiv ahes ga tu.

  42. Tarushi Parashar
    Reply

    Michelle Obama?! Well, congrats on meeting her! I’m just jealous now😂
    I was wondering if you could visit my website and view some of my blogs and poems…it would really mean a lot!
    Thanks😊

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