Note how I now date things European style and not American style. I guess when they said I was adapt to European culture, I would adapt to their dating style.
Any way, Sunday was a busy day, which is unusual for me because Sunday's are usually my days to relax in my room in my pjs and watch movies/TV and just lay around before the busy week ahead.
There was no relaxation on this Sunday, but for a good reason.
I was invited to a staff party at Norrlands nation, as a way to celebrate the month and a half that I have worked. The theme was Disney which seems simple since my entire American life has been surrounded by Disney.
It was actually very difficult.
Looking through my closet, I realized that I had nothing.
Ok, that might be an exaggeration, but here's the honest truth. Living in the semi-cold Sweden winter, I layer up as much as a can and wear any cute outfits that can keep me warm, but from layering and looking good, I realize that I repeat outfits and clothes and I didn't want to risk repeating an outfit, so I went shopping with costume ideas in mind.
1. Sleeping Beauty- pink dress
2. Tinker bell- green dress
3. Belle- yellow dress.
Apparently, in Sweden during the wintertime, it's really really hard to find bright colored dresses at a cheap price, or even in general during the wintertime.
European fun fact:
When it comes to shopping and sales, the clothes go by seasons. For instance, fall showcase fall clothes like sweaters, boots and cute cords, Winter showcases big heavy jackets, snow boots and thermals, Spring showcases dresses and sweaters and pale colors and Summer showcases t-shirts, shorts, flip-flops and sundresses.
It's not like back home in California where in 40 degree weather and a super foggy day in San Francisco I can find at least 4 bright colored yellow dresses.
I came to this realization at 2:30PM and the party was at 5:30PM, and I still had to eat, take a shower and get ready, so in girl-gets-ready-time- I had an hour to find something.
Until at 3:00PM I walked into a store for the third time and saw a dress for about $20 on sale. I grabbed it tried it on, it looked good (thank god), bought it and then hopped on the bus and rushed home.
At 5:20PM, I met up with my friends Kacey and Cassie at the bus stop where we then met our other friends on the bus and headed to Norrlands for the staff party.
We were welcomed by glasses of champagne and then headed inside in the main room to sit and eat.
Pictured: yours truly, Madeleine, Kacey
Disney costumes: (Malificent, Sleeping Beauty and Jane)
Pictured left from right: Keegan, Kacey and Austin
Disney: ???, Jane, and E(mo)youre--cuz you know Eeyore is always sad?
::enter joke drum roll here::
The main room- Norrlands
Our table of 8
Now Sweden/Uppsala lesson
When participating in a gasque (fancy dinner) or staff party or any other party where people dress up and have dinner, there are two things
1. lots of singing in Swedish/English
2. there is a lot of alcohol
Each glass represented a drink that I would have that night.
Shot glass:Schnapps*
Regular glass: water
Wine Glass- white wine
and there was also beer/cider that came with it in a bottle.
*Now let me give you a little note about what I drank. The water was fine, obviously, white wine is my best friend and beer/cider are also my friends but when it comes to Schnapps, there is where my enemy lies.
If you've ever had Schnapps then you might understand this post, if you have not, read these upcoming words and listen to me.
Do not drink Schnapps.
I don't care where you are, who you are with and what people say, just don't do it.
Being in Sweden, schnapps is their drink and of course being in a foreign country I was all for trying new things and experiencing their drinks/food.
The way Swedes drink Schnapps is a little different than what I'm used to. Served in a shot glass, I'm used to drinking the whole thing at once and getting it over with and then chugging a soda after words to get the taste out. But not this time.
As pictured below, and as stated previously, the Swedes like to sing and will sing at any occasion during the meal. Once a song has been sung you take the shot of schnapps and only take a 1/3 of it. Not the whole thing, so you are making the shot last throughout the whole night and have to bear the taste of it. The first time wasn't too bad, and thought I could handle it, but two ciders in and a couple of glasses of white wine later, and then a couple songs later, I still had some Schnapps left that I had to finish. It was at that point in the night, that I had to give myself a pep talk before taking it. I pushed through and then grabbed water and chugged it. It was rough and the taste stays in your throat for a while. I'm not sure how I didn't get sick, but I didn't and I'm quite proud of myself.
Lesson learned while I remain in Sweden for a couple of months, pep talk myself before taking Schnapps and if you are out there reading this, avoid the Schnapps as best as you can.
As said before about the Swedes and their singing, this is a song book that is placed on every table and any person that feels like singing can pick any song from the book, grab everyone's attention and start singing.
Some (and I mean one) song was sung in English while the rest were in Swedish.
How did I manage that you ask?
I pulled the old Catholic school trick and mouthed the word "watermelon" over and over again to make it look like I was singing. Don't get me wrong, I really really tried to sing in Swedish but it's pretty difficult when everyone is going fast and I'm still struggling on the pronunciation of the first word.
I really did the best I could, guys, I really did.
This was our first course along with the drinks previously stated.
Oh, also did I mention that all of this was free?
After the main course, these bottles of wine were placed on our table expecting to be finished.
I swear sometimes I wonder how these Swedes survive all this.
The last picture of my drinks, now full with different types.
Note on the bottom of the Somersby cider is a slip of paper.
What I forget to mention was that at each table at every other seat was a slip of paper describing an action that one had to do during the course of the meal.
Such as:
When one takes a sip of beer/cider, they have to shout something in Swedish.
When people start singing, one has to shout something different in Swedish during the song.
or mine
Discuss the Backstreet Boys and their talent. How I got this one, I have no idea, but I was glad that it had nothing to do with screaming or singing in Swedish or I would have needed more of these drinks to get me there.
After the dinner was done, dessert was served and everyone left their own tables and mingled and then later went home.
An unusual and fun Sunday night if I must say it was one to remember and as rumored will be plenty more in the future. So hopefully my schnapps tolerance and expertise in Swedish singing might improve.
Until then, goodnight and have a pleasant tomorrow.
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