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...

A weekend in Helsinki, Finland

I went to Helsinki for the weekend of March 5-8, 2018. It was the first time traveling on my own, and while I realized that it's nice to be able to plan everything and get to do what you want and not accommodate other people, by the end of the trip, I was ready to be back in Uppsala with my friends. There are a lot of places in the world that I would not feel comfortable traveling to by myself, but within Scandinavia it is perfectly safe and fine to do so.

My flight was Thursday at 6:40 AM so I woke up early and took the bus to the airport. The flight is only an hour long, but because of the time change it is actually two hours. I couldn't check in to my hostel until 16:00 and I got to the city center at 10 am, so I walked around the city. It was cold, but sunny. I found the Helsinki Cathedral, bathed in sunlight. It was as beautiful as all the pictures of it. I sat on the steps and took in the beauty of it, the sun, and the view. I walked across the street to Cafe Engel where I ate the prettiest breakfast of my life, and sat and read a book for a few hours. 

I also found the Uspenski Cathedral, which is the Russian Orthodox church, as compared to Lutheran. Both churches were beautiful, but I preferred the white one. I also went to St. Henry's church and walked past the Dutch church, but the inside was closed. I walked through a couple of the parks, including the Kaivopuisto park. It was along the water, across from the sea fortress, and it was beautiful. I went there during sunset and watched little kids and people climb on the rocks. I sat on the dock and took it all in. It was when I was there that I was happiest in Helsinki. 

I stayed in a hostel in an Olympic Stadium about a 30 minute walk from central station called the Stadion Hostel. This was my first time staying in a hostel, and I didn't mind it, although it's nicer to have your own room. It's with Hostelling International, which is a pretty reputable hostel chain around Europe. 

On day 2, I woke up early with hopes of going to the sea fortress, but I missed the ferry and then didn't have cash to buy a ticket for the next one. I looked around at the market square which sells food and clothes every day, and there are boats that double as restaurants with lunch specials. I walked to the Kallio district, where I went to the last wood burning sauna in Finland. If you google the place, you get pictures of men in towels sitting outside smoking. That was the very image I arrived too. Sauna is perfectly normal thing for Finns, but I didn't see much point in it. You're sitting naked in a hot room, when you can't bear it you go and rinse off, and repeat. I also went to the Kallio church, which I think was my favorite of them all. It's a solemn gray building, but if you go you can listen to the organ music of the composer Sibelius. 

I ate dinner at Cella's that serves traditional Finnish food. I ordered an appetizer, salmon soup, and strawberry cider. Dinner is the most expensive meal, always in any Scandinavian country, but  I got a lot for my money at this place and would recommend it. It was a nice respite from the rain, since it rained all day. I loved the salmon soup and am going to see if I can find a recipe for it. 

On Day 3, I made it to the sea fortress, Seaumonlinnea. It's a 20 minute ferry ride to the island, but it was my favorite day in Helsinki. I climbed on old rocks and took a billion photos of the sun over the water. I also tripped on a rock and sprained my foot, which was bad. I went to the King's Gate and the cannons and to the naval academy and learned about the history in the museum. I spent the whole day out there. 

I was supposed to leave early in the morning on Sunday. I didn't, because of the Norwegian airline strikes. So I went and saw the Sibelius monument which is made out of steel and has a beautiful design on it, and to the Church of the Rock, which is literally a church made out of rock. In my opinion, it was the least impressive church I saw, despite its architectural beauty. I hung out in a coffee shop and read my book. Then I stayed in a hotel at the airport that the airline paid for. Even though all I wanted was to go home, I made the best of it and ate Finnish chocolate, drank tea, and took a bath.

The next morning I went home to Uppsala. 

The day we spent in Uppsala

I met up with Kenley for coffee at Ostgota at 12. We have class at 13:15 until 15:30, but didn't make it today. Instead, we went to the library, the Carolina Rediviva, and saw the Silver Bible and other bookish artifacts, such as an ancient Hebrew scroll of the book of Esther and a copy of Newton's first book on the philosophy of the natural world. In addition to that, there were also medieval books and maps that had been preserved and were so beautiful.

We also went into the library and looked at the books. Stunning. Amazing. Wow. We found Kessing's collection of contemporary world events. Every week for a year, what went on in the world was recorded. These are massive volumes; I nearly dropped it after I took it out of the book shelf. In 1955, Turkey and Iran made a peace treaty. I remember being told the most boring day in the world where nothing really happened was April 11, 1954. I think it would have nice to be alive during the 50s. We found some interesting books on the history of Uppsala, which is quite fascinating. I don't understand how people study in that library; I would spend all my time looking up at the bookcases.

Afterward, we went to the university's Museum Gustavianum. They used to have anatomy classes there in the Anatomical Theater. It's a beautifully designed, but with an eerie feel. The museum also had an exhibit on the history of Uppsala and some gorgeous art work and pieces. It's across the street from the cathedral, which is the symbol of life here in Sweden. I walk past it every day, and will miss the sight of it when I go back to the States.

Photos from the Anatomical Theater:

Kenley and I 

Working at the Mjolkbaren

Working fika. It sounds like a contradiction; fika is a break from the day with your friends, drinking coffee and eating a pastry, so how can it be work?

As I've mentioned before, all of the nations are very similar but do their own thing too. Uplands has a pub, pea soup and waffles on Thursdays, and a jazz bar on Fridays. Some of the nations have breakfast, others have lunch or study fika. Ostgota Nation runs a mjolkbaren (translation: milk bar, pronounciation: mo-olk bar en). I really liked working Lordasfika on Day 8, so I tried it again today. 

Everyone at Ostgota Nation is incredibly kind and friendly. I got to work with a couple of Swedish guys, a Finnish girl, and a California girl. The last one is actually in my religious life in Sweden class, and her name is Kenley. She's a really interesting person with her views on the world, different issues, history, and her love of traveling. I consider her my California soul sister, and have enjoyed getting to know her. 

At Ostgota you can order a waffle bar (which you make yourself and can top with fruit, jam, whipped cream, and caramel or chocolate syrup) or a sandwich or a salad. We spent from 10:30 to 12:00 preparing food and getting ready. The busiest time is from 12 to 2, and after that it calmed down. I ate lunch with Kenley and the Finnish girl. I ate waffles with whipped cream, blueberries, and baked chicken. Pretty much, you get a free meal while you are there and then you get a food coupon for another free meal that you can use at leisure. 

I don't have class on Mondays and will probably work at the mjolkbaren then. It's a long shift from 10:30 to 5, but I like doing it. I am trying to find things to fill my time; although, Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens is taking up quite a lot of it. 

Recentiors Gasque

I'm an official member of Uplands Nation. In honor of the new members, there was a gasque yesterday. It's a formal dinner party with pre-dinner drinks, a three course meal, and an after party. I wore my black dress with heels partly and boots partly. My friend Amanda helped me with my makeup (mascara, eye shadow, and eye liner oh my!) and curled my hair.

We met at the nation at 15 having missed the dk. DK means you show up between 15 and 1530, but most people show up at the later time. They took up along with the drums and flags to the main university building where we gathered with all the other nations. They had a three hour long ceremony where the president of Uppsala University and other officials gave speeches all in Swedish. The university orchestra played and the Norrlands choir sang. I loved that part of it.

Afterward, we went back to Uplands and had pre-dinner drinks for an hour (maybe?). I changed into heels at that time and managed not to fall over in them at all during the night. I wore my boots for the after party, because no way was I going to dance in heels! It was nice to see some people I met at the sexta. I also met several new people, including a girl named Anna (yes, like in Frozen!).

I choose not to drink alcohol and said so when I registered for the gasque. At the dinner, I was given a nice alcohol free apple cider. The appetizer was a fried potato with avocado, tomato, and onion. The main course was a rice circle with green beans, carrots, and mushrooms in a sauce. Desert was jam with vanilla pudding.

The thing about a gasque is that it's not really about the food. It's a very social event and you sing a lot. I was given a red and gold songbook that I will always have. I couldn't understand most of the songs, but I'm at a place where I've learned the alphabet and most of the vowels to be able to pick up on the pronunciation. I also found a song about the lovely cafe I go frequent Ofvandals. Songs are lead by the song master and the song apprentice.

After every song, you toast or skål (pronounced skool). First, the person on your left, then the person diagnoal, then the person across from you. You drink and then reverse it. It took me a while to catch on to it, but I got it by the end of the night. It got harder when the made us tie our hands together (which actually wasn't a problem for me, since I am left handed and was sitting on the end).

Some of the songs were hilarious. At one point they we did a charade song where we had to be a ballerina, a car, and a horny cheetah. We did a congo line and went out to the garden before desert where we sacrificed a member of V-Dala in a Viking-esq ritual asking for the sun to come back. Uplands dispises V-Dala because they built a really ugly white building right next to Uplands and it blocks the sunset. The nation's choir and jazz band also played during the night.

Afterward, I danced with my new found friends and fellow members. It was so much fun. It was the first time I felt really really really happy since being in Uppsala.

You can read more about how a gasque works here: http://www.uppsalastudentkar.se/international-students/life-uppsala/useful-links/going-gasque

A Walk in the Neighborhood and Meeting a Black Cat

20 Friday 2015.

Sweden is very different than the U.S. and so if my college life here. In many ways, it is the opposite: unstructured, carefree, relaxed. The only stress I have is that which I put on myself, like which nation to join and where do  I want to travel in Europe and when. 

Whereas back in Miami I worked 20 hours a week and was in class three hours a day and spent five hours a week in CRU, a Christian organization, here I have two classes for one term (10 weeks) and then classes for the second term (10 weeks) and Swedish which runs from mid-February to the beginning of May. Swedish meets twice a week for two hours, but my other classes only meet once a week for 3 hours. 

I do have school work, for any one who would ask me if I study. Mind you. Since Swedish started, I've been practicing a lot. I also have to read an 800 page book called Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens for class. 

Fika goes not exist in the U.S. It's a break in the day where you go and hang out and drink coffee or tea and eat a pastry. I skyped my roommate back in the States, and she asked me how long fika lasts. I told her it can last from an hour to three. She was like "woah." In Sweden, we have time here. Time to enjoy other people's company without having to rush off somewhere. 

I don't always know what to do with my time since I seem to have so much of it. Sometimes I think I take it for granted that I am in Sweden. I miss the first few days I was here when everything seemed new and exciting. Today, I went out to find that again. 

I went on a walk through the neighborhood I live in, which is mostly residential. I made a friend out of friendly black cat and discovered a forest. It's called Stabby Backe Forest. I didn't walk on any of the trails, because they were icy. I stuck on the exercise/jogging path. There was a field called Tavlan Plats covered in snow and trees surrounding it. I saw a lot of people walking their dogs and pushing strollers. 

It will be a very pretty place to go in summer when the snow and ice melt! The path was supposed to loop around somewhere, but I didn't find it, so I just took Tuindsgatan and walked until I got to Ringgatan which has very pretty green, pink, and yellow buildings. From there I took Sysslomansgatan (the street where the grocery store is on) back to my housing. I always wanted to know what else was in my neighborhood and now I do. 

I also met a black cat with yellow eyes. He was very friendly and fat. I watched him eat grass, cough up a hairball, and claw up a tree. We sat and listened to the birds chirping together on a empty play ground for kids. He was a funny cat. 

Most importantly, I discovered my sense of adventure again.

Later in the evening, I met up with Cassandra at Palmero, a pizza place across the street from Uplands nation. She was in a four week condensed course and took her exam this morning, so we got dinner to celebrate. We had a nice time catching up. I got a marinara pizza with mozzarella cheese and a berry cider. I finished my Friday night reading Our Mutual Friend. It was the perfect end to the day. 

That One Time I Worked in a Jazz bar

I worked in a jazz bar. Once and only once. Last Friday.

At Uplands, in order to be able to work behind the bar, you have to do three floor shifts. I thought it would be fun to work at the jazz bar; it wasn't.

It was a nine hour shift from 5 pm to 2 am. The only redemption of the night is that I got to eat french fries, got two food coupons, and found 100 krona on the floor and kept it and used it to buy myself chocolate the next morning.

My work consisted of taking orders to the kitchen, taking them upstairs to people, clearing dishes and bottles, and at some point sitting at the door checking IDs and nation cards. For a nine hour shift, it was exhausting. I didn't even get to enjoy the band!

At one point, I met some people who were hanging out and drinking, a girl named Louise and a guy named Ulfrik and their drunk buddies. Louise was a doll and Ulfrick convinced me that I should quit my job, sit down, put my feet up, and have a beer with them.

I wanted to quit. I didn't, because we were already short staffed and there was only one more hour left to go. Sometimes we try things and then don't like them. It happens.

I don't think I will ever work at the jazz bar again. Ever. However,  I will work fika at OG and maybe work in the pub at Uplands two more times so that I can bartend. If I do it, I will pick a Monday or Wednesday night when it is less busy.

My mom told me I experienced the hard work of being a waitress. I would much rather spend my Friday nights at the pub eating nachos and drinking cider.