Alright, here goes my extremely detailed thread on how and when I met
Ray Chen

Sooooo. It was on April 18th/ 2019 and April 20th/ 2019
He had 2 concerts here (I'm from Colombia, South America) and surprisingly, I went to both concerts.
Honestly the tickets were unfairly cheap so my parents could afford both tickets lol

My birthday is on March 21st, and a couple of weeks before my bday, the amazing and lovely @mauritious8 (I'll never thank you enough) send me a tweet Ray had liked. The tweet said like "omg Ray Chen is coming to Colombia" and of course, I almost had a heart attack

After hours of searching for tickets, cause it wasn't "a ReLeVaNt eVeNt", I finally found them and told my parents I wanted that as a bday gift.
Ofc my dad was like "who's that" even tho I had been talking about Ray for YEARS and my mom was like "nah, you'll meet him later"

Anyway, they agreed on giving me the tickets as a surprise with my friends.
The "important" concert was on april 18th, cause it was the first one and everything, so the tickets were for that one.
I remember how anxious I was for like a month, I barely slept and yeah

So the day arrived. Finally
The thing is that the girl that was my bff at that time, was having her bday party the same day and almost at the same hour as the concert. I don't even know how I even hesitated about where to go

I had bought Ray some traditional candies and had written him a letter (and I'm stupid enough to forget about the letter and I never gave it to him, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?)
I went to the first half of my friend's party and ran to my house to get ready for the concert

I left my house and I had the brilliant idea of taking my violin with me cause I wanted him to sign it.
I went with my dad and I was so excited I started crying.
We arrived (I had a cocktail?lol)and my dad had a sudden interest in Ray so I talked about him for like half an hour

Finally we could enter and I had amazing seats, like in the 4th row so the sound was incredible and the view was amazing
The concert was with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and the conductor was Robert Treviño (DEAR GOD WHAT AN AMAZING CONDUCTOR)

I don't remember the piece the orchestra played lol but I remember it was Schumann. Before the soloist there was a short break and I went out to check is there was like a signing place or something and I bumped into my violin teacher jhdskjd he saw me carrying+

my violin and was like ???? and asked me if I was playing with the orchestra and I was like ????? yeah, that was awkward
So after the 15 minute break I went back and tried to contain myself and not scream and sob cause I wAS SO NERVOUS

The orchestra entered again. The conductor entered again. And after a few seconds Ray entered and I swear that's what heaven feels like.
My first thought was something like "omg he's so tiny"
And so the melody started. He was playing the Brahms' violin concerto

Wait, I have to leave kjsdkas, I'll continue my story later

Ok, I'm back jsdhsj sorry
So....he entered, Brahms started playing and yeah
That opening chords are what you first listen when you enter heaven and that's on PERIOD.
Yeah, I'll keep comparing that experience to going to heaven caUSE IT WAS ANGELIC

Every single note was perfectly (of course) played, the exact pressure, intention, vibrato, EVERYTHING
In the middle of the second movement I had to look away and take a breath so I understood I was actually there, Ray *was there*, we were sharing the SAME space

It was mindblowing. That powerful third movement, god, I bet everyone was holding their breath. Every musician was so focused, everyone was so passionate. ABSOLUTE SHOUTOUT TO THE CONDUCTOR, THAT MAN WAS MAJESTIC, DEAR LORD I NEED BIGGER CAPITAL LETTERS TO TRY AND TALK ABOUT HIM

So the concerto ended and they made like the whole ritual of going in-out-in-out for the encore.
Before the encore started, Ray thanked everyone for attending the concert and talked a bit in spanish and I melted, he was so hgyugfkbesdh cute baby

The encore was Waltzing Matilda and I can assure that the recording sounds awful compared to hear it live THOSE HARMONICS AAAAA
Then he went out of stage and I cried again cause it had been amazing just- WOW
The orchestra then played some Schubert and Hungarian Dance no.5

The concert finished so it was meet and greet time!
Earlier I didn't find any signing places or anything, cause well.... I'm afraid to say that classical music has 0 recognition here and literally no one knew who Ray Chen was

Honestly everything that evening was perfect but agh, idk how to say it
I know a lot of people (like me) went to that concert because of pure love and passion for music. But most people went there just for impressions, like "oh I'm so cultured cause I went to a classical +

music concert. Oh of course I won't tell anyone I fell asleep cause it was so slow and boring"
Concerts like that one have that reputation here. Just high-class society should go, so it becomes a social meeting and loses the whole point of enjoying the art that's being displayed

Ok, I know that historically classical music concerts were meant to be attended by royalty and not by common people but still. I did'n think it would be so notorious in this days.
Anyway, meet and greet

The concert finished like at 10pm and I waited almost until midnight to meet Ray
Of course all my hopes had already gone to hell so I just like "whatever, don't look at me security people, I'm just waiting for a miracle"
And so the miracle happened

I saw a group of people at the other side of the room I was in. I saw my violin teacher (remember him, yeah, awkward asf) and some other musicians. My dad went to look and signaled for me to come and join.
RAY WAS THERE AND HE WAS CHATTING WITH MY TEACHER AND THE MUSICIANS

I had no idea of what should I say or how should I act.
But (un)fortunately my dad is Mr. I-don't-know-what-personal-space-is-and-uh-embarrassment?-no-thanks
so he was basically pulling Ray out of the group
At this point I still think I owe Ray an apology because of that

It went like this
Ray: *confused* Hi!
Dad: Good evening Mr. Chen, that was such an amazing concert, thank you so much
Ray: Oh thanks *looks at me* Hey!
Dad: Oh my daughter is such a fan of yours, she was dying to meet you
Me: $"#%JWRBFNOIERN#%$#$ *brain: error 606*

So my dad fully went and TOTALLY embarrassed me in front of RAY CHEN (and my VIOLIN TEACHER). Cool, that was the most dad thing I had ever seen.
Anyway.
Me: *voice shaking as a fucking earthquake* HeEey, meet nice to you (or whatever my stupid brain produced there)

BUT RAY IS AN ANGEL, A MIRACLE TO HUMANKIND AND HE WAS SO NICE AND CHARMING AND CALMED
He smiled at me and I was literally not functioning so HE TOOK MY HAND AND SHOOK IT AND DEAR GOD ABOVE THAT WAS IEFBVIURWVBERUO
His hand totally wrapped mine (cause yeah, micro hand gang)

Also his fingers are, no question, longer than they seem and his hand was so smooth and moved with so much grace I-
I remember I stepped back so he kind of went back to the conversation while I took out the candies I had bought him and a small card I had

By far, the most embarrasing experience I've had: Me being as red as a fucking tomato, stuttering cause I forgot 11 years of studying english, shaking while trying to tell Ray I loved him and that he was my role model WITH MY VIOLIN TEACHER LAUGHING AT ME.

So yeah, I took the candies and it was like
Ray: *smiling cause he's the cutest person to ever exist*
Me: *handing him candies* This- uh...candies- like, eat, traditional
My stupid violin teacher: *laughing as if his life depended on it*

Ray: Omg! You're so sweet (my biggest accomplishment in life is Ray calling me sweet) thank you so much!
Me: *smiling and nodding* *internally* NIEBIEFVIBNEFVNUEFVNOEVSNOIVSENOIVS
Ray, trying to talk to me CAUSE HE'S AN ANGEL: So what are this?

Honestly if I were him I would have been like "this bitch is fucking stupid *slaps me*"
Me: Uh- c-candies, they uh- they are very p-p-popular here
Ray: Oh, so like traditional stuff from here
Me: *gives up on verbal communication and just nods*

I bet Ray was lowkey trying to not laugh at me cause I was absolutely PATHETIC
Oh, I'm going to clarify. I think of myself as a solid 7, let's say I have some self steam. But in this photos, I'm a -4 and I have no idea why I look so fucking hideous.

Keep in mind this was just the first concert lol. April 18th
Anyway. Ray hugged me AND I-
1. His hugh was super tight and warm and comfortable
2. HE SMELLS LIKE....HEAVEN
3. ....It felt like home. Bye, I had to say it

Then my C1 english level came back to me (I'm actually C1, don't bully me jsdncj) and I managed to ask him to sign my phone.
I had my violin HANGING ON MY BACK, WAITING FOR RAY'S SIGN and oopsie I FORGOT

Anyway, I handed him my phone
Ray: Ok, hold steady
He actually told me to HOLD MY FUCKING PHONE STEADILY??? LIKE??? RAY COME ON??? I was witnessing AN ANGEL signing my phone, how COULD I BE STEADY?

So here's his sign on my phone, don't worry, I covered it so it won't smudge (of course)
It says good luck and his tiny handwriting I-

I have to go again so I'll finish tomorrow jhdsj
Is actually someone reading this?

Ok, time for the next episode of "How I met Ray Chen"

Previously...he had signed my phone
And I asked him for a photo cause of course
My dad was in front of us and we both had our phones out
But my broke ass has a potato as a phone and the lens of the camera is broken

The thing is that of course, Ray had signed my phone so he assumed we were taking a pic with it, so he took my phone and was going to hand it to my dad
And I had to tell this man "Oh, no, my camera is broken, so let's take a selfie"
(This will be a VERY important thing later)

Remember I told you I thought of myself as a solid 7? Well, here's the proof that I'm probably not. Or maybe it's just a bad photo.
The most important picture of my entire life and I look disgusting (btw, he took the one on the left and then said "let's take another one" ew me)

So with this, I finish the night of the first concert. Oh, before leaving my dad took a picture of us bUT HE WAS SHAKING so whatever
As you can see, there's my violin, the security people are laughing in the back and I look TERRIBLE

The concert was part of a festival of classical music we have every 2 years so here are some photos the orchestra posted on ig stories

So with that, the night ended, I couldn't sleep at all, I cried all night because it had been perfect, amazing, wonderful.
Now, concert #2 on april 20th.

I'm bACH. Again.
Uh- yeah
When I arrived to my home that night, my mom was like super excited? So she was like "omg you'll tell me EVERYTHING tomorrow morning"
And so I did
I "woke up" and she was already up so I told her every second since I had left home.

For reasons I don't understand she was super happy for me and told me to inform them the next time he had a concert here
And I was like "uh-well....actually, now that you mention it....he has his next (last) concert tomorrow"
And I had never seen her acting so....quickly

My dad had gone out to buy something, idk, so my mom called her and was like "Go RIGHT NOW and buy the ticket for tomorrow's concert"
And of course he did. I still don't understand why they acted like that, cause they are like "I don't care if you like it, it doesn't matter"

ANYWAY. I was like ok, now I have the opportunity of going to an AMAZING concert and the last hope of meeting my role model without acting like a drunk walrus.
I prepared myself all day so I could behave like a normal human being. I made a little speech and everything.

I was -finally- going to ask Ray to sign my violin *sighs* I was going to go, all prepared, confident and go like "Hey! I don't know if you remember me, I came to you first concert, haha yeah, it was amazing. Well, I was wondering if you could, you know, sign my violin"

And in front of the mirror I looked SO normal and calmed that I thought I had it easy peasy lemon squeezy. Little did I know.
I went there, arrived early, took deep breaths and once again, entered to the concert hall. My seats weren't as good as the first time+

but still the sound was great.
That day, he would be playing the Brahms Double Concerto for Violin and Cello with Jan Vogler (dear GOD WHAT A CELLIST)
A few pictures of the orchestra's ig, again lol

It was my first time listening to that piece (I wanted to make it special lol) aaaaand I went alone, so when I started crying (why am I like this) everyone around me was super concerned and a guy from security asked me if I needed anything dhjaskdhk embarrasing asf

For some reason this concert felt a little bit rushed, and not because they were playing faster than they should (cause they weren't) but idk, it felt kinda weird.
Maybe because it was Sunday. Noon. I mean, I get it, everyone was hungry, cool

Soooooo I have the focusing ability of a goldfish (nothing new) and I don't remember the rest of the pieces. Maybe Schumann?
Anyway, the concert ended and I was like "breath in breath out, it's fine, you rehearsed in front of the mirror, go girl"
My parents were outside, normal

But I'm fucking stupid and all my practicing went to hell as soon as I went out and saw Ray talking to a security lady.
The lady left, or disappeared, who knows. So basically Ray stood there like...existing and of course, that was my moment to shine.

I started walking towards him and he looked up at me and oopsie the connection brain-legs-feet just...went to hell so OF COURSE I had to stumble. Lightly. Probably he didnt notice. BUT HE WAS STARING RIGHT AT ME SO maybe he did. But it wasn't like I fell down, maybe he didn't see

And of course I was so focused on trying to be normal, that I didn't see THE CONDUCTOR walking behind me.
Somehow I approached Ray. Remember the conversation I rehearsed in front of the mirror? Well, it went like
Me: Oh hi! I- *brain forgets what english is*

Me: I- uh- iforgottoaskyouthefirsttimeisawyoubutiwantedtoknowifyoucouldmaybepleasesignmyviolin
I tend to speak fast but this was another level
Ray: Hey *confused as hell cause probably he didn't understand any word that came out of my mouth* sure, sure

So I started trying to take out my violin, but I was shaking so almost DROPPED IT, I almost drop MY BABY, MY LIFE, ugh.
Have I said that Ray is an angel? Well, he is. He saw that I was panicking and helped me, and yeah, maybe he was as scared as me cause I almost drop a VIOLIN

Until that moment, he though I wanted him to sign my case, but it is made of cloth? So the ink wouldn't...you know, work
So when I started opening my case he was like ????
Ray: Do you want me to sign...your violin?
Me: Yes, please :3
Ray: Are you COMPLETELY sure?

Me: Yeah, why not? hahahahahaha *super nervous laughter*
Ray:...cause....it's your V I O L I N
Me: omgbutRayyou'remyrolemodelandIloveyousomuchitwouldbeanhonoryou'reamazingandhaveinspiredmesomuch

And well...thinking about it, Mr. Chen, my violin isn't an invaluable Stradivarius and the only good thing that could happen to it is being signed by you, soooooo

Anyway, when I told him he was like my biggest inspiration I SWEAR HE GAVE ME THE CUTEST SMILE I HAVE EVER SEEN I WAS BLINDED BY THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS SMILE IT WAS SO SWEET I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT EXPRESSION GOD. So it continued

Ray: Alright, so...is it good here? So you can see it while practicing?
Me: Omg yes, it's perfect
And so he signed it
Remember that I hadn't noticed the conductor was behind me? Well, my father captured the moment
(Ignore my back) The man with the gray jacket is the cONDUCTOR

Yeah, right, I haven't finished this jhdsj sorry

So Ray signed my violin () and I walked a few steps back cause I REAAAALLY didn't want to go. Also I wanted my revenge and take a decent photo with him and the conductor

So I just stood there and a girl approached Ray and asked him to sign something, but she didn't have a pen or anything so Ray turned and LOOKED AT ME (leave me, I feel super important) and asked me if he could borrow my Sharpie

I was like "ofcourseily" and yeah, I have like an altar with that marker, duh
Some more people approached Ray and I finally saw the conductor and asked him for his autograph lol
Here it is (look at that amazing posters behind me wow, what a nice sense of decoration)

The conductor is the nicest, most educated and sweet person I've met, my gOD. He saw I was like "omg should I approach him" and WALKED TO ME AND SAID HI I-
Well, so, the part that made me combust RIGHT THERE,

Ray was leaving with the conductor and I walked (more like ran but ok) to them and it went like
Me: Oh, I'm sorry, can I take a photo with both of you?
Ray: Sure, of course
Alright, I was unlocking my phone and
Remember I had told Ray that my camera lens was broken?

Ray, to the conductor: She's the girl I told you about, yeah, the one with the broken camera
And yeah, he called me poor in 84957398465439756 languages bUT HE REMEMBERED ME!#$!#"!!!!
Conductor: Oh yes! (SO ALRIGHT, HE KNOWS ABOUT ME BECAUSE OF MY DAMN PHONE!!!!)

And I opened the camera and Ray took my phone to take the picture and the conductor laughed and told me "yeah, he's a selfie master" and the smile I have in this picture is literally me laughing at that comment

I haven't been happier since then, tbh, it was a totally fulfilled dream, both of them were super sweet, obviously respectful and the most perfect human beings
And because of Ray's sign, my violin has received a couple of compliments and gasps, so yeah

End of thread (finally)