Ostgota Nation: Fikavard, Dammidagen, Marsgasque, Staff Party

If you've noticed, dear readers, that it's been a while since I've written, it's because I have been working at one of my nations, Ostgota (OG) nation. I became a fikavard which is a fika host. Basically, I'm a staff personnel, so I have more work than the arbetersmen (like work at least once a week for 8 hours, go to fika meetings, help plan events and a staff party, bake once a month, and come to cleaning Sundays once a week), but I get a great staff discount and free club entrance for myself and a friend without having to wait in a queue.

Ostgota is a great nation, and I've gotten to meet a lot of people working there. It's a lot more work than I thought it would be, but it's a lot of fun too. I've gotten to learn how to fry chicken, cook quinoa, and bake chocolate balls. The nation serves mostly salads and ciabattas, the waffle buffet, and coffee/tea. I like making food pretty for people:) After working at Blue Ridge (even though I loved all the people), I told myself I would never work in food service again, but plans change. Working fika is from 10:30 to 6 (preparation hours are 10:30 to 12, lunch hours are 12-4, and clean up is 4-6). It's a long shift, but usually between 2-4, all the workers get a fika/lunch break and sit down and hang out together. I like doing it a lot and have met a lot of nice people there.

Some of the other fikavards and I went to the Marsgasque together, which is the nation's most famous gasque every year and is themed. This year's theme was Swedish Classic. I didn't go with the theme, but the alternative is black dress or suit for guys, so I just wore my black dress. There was a wide range of costumes: midsummer, St. Lucia girls, cats, spotify, Swedish caviar, farmers, and so on and so on.

These photos were taken curtsy of the nation and credit belongs to Ostgota nation:

 










It was a lot of fun, and afterward my dinner partner and co-fikavard, Meiju, and I listened to the live band and danced until 3 in the morning together.

The nation also has a a dammidagen (a lady's dinner) where all of the women of the nation get dressed up in ball gowns and eat a five course meal. Little did I know, it's also where all the women get crazy drunk. I sat in between the second curator and next to another fika host, Tess. Across from her was our mutual friend, Matilda, and from me was a nice girl named Linnea. I also met the secretary of the nation, Elin, who sat across from the second curator.

Honestly, even though I really enjoyed the food and the company, by the end of the night I was tired of being around drunk people. There were a couple of shocking moments: the second curator with enormous boobs put a shotglass of tequila between them and salt on her boob and had one of her girlfriends lick the salt and then drink the tequila. It was impressive. Elin, stood on a chair and lit a cigar with a candle and then flashed us and danced around with her cigar.

My "oh my gosh" was replied with, by Matilda, "welcome to Sweden." They were all drunk, so I do quite forgive them. I was relieved to know that Ostgota is the drunk, but still classy nation. This happened before the Marsgasque, and my dinner partners tried to relieve me by saying that it is a much calmer affair (which it was). I am helping plan the hermidaggen which is the gentlemen's dinner.

I know the information in the post is kinda written out of order. Sorry. Anyway, the last event I went to was a staff party. As a fikavard, I get to attend one for fun, and then I have to work the next one. The food and drinks were delicious and amazing, company was meh and kinda lousy. We were randomly assigned dinner partners, so I ended up sitting at the end of a table next to a club worker who insulted me throughout the meal, by commenting on how much water I was drinking and how much food I was eating, and that I was so afraid of getting drunk, but one day I was want to. He actually argued about that with me, when it's my choice on how much I drink, and  I am never going to get drunk. I don't like not being in control of myself.

The meal was a sexta, quite informal, with quiche for an appetizer, salad, chicken, and potatoes for dinner, and berries for desert. There was also a pre-drink which was strawberry champagne which was delicious. During the meal, they served us cider, snaps (which I said no to, because it's too strong of a hard liquor), and two glasses of wine. After, we all went up to the bar and had more drinks. I had one of the evening drink which was a vodka/soda mix and another cider. As I said, good food and drink, but not so much else.

So I know my grammar was probably not the best during this post (sorry Yiya), but I have a lot to catch up on and let you all know about my amazing adventures in Sweden. Just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep writing...