Christmas Vacation N°2
God Jul och Gott Nytt År
So Christmas has come and gone and everything is fine. Christmas, as most people can imagine in Europe happens on December 24th evening, and not on the 25th as it does in North America. I actually prefer the 24th for some reason, but maybe it’s just because I’m imherantly European or something!
So I got the crazy news about what was going on for Christmas. Robb, of whom I was staying with and is a great friend of mine told me that we would be going over to his parents flats across the street at about 16.00, so that I had to get ready or something. So I went and wrapped the presents for Nelly (his niece), and his parents. Robb’s presents had already been wrapped and such, so I just had to make sure he didn’t peek, which wasn’t too hard becasue we were just busy watching films all the time! I decided that I would glue myself to Nelly and entertain her, assuming she liked me. All would be seen in time I suppose. So we left for the flat, and arrived and I met his mother and grandmother which were both really nice, and I didn’t realize it until later but I was by far the tallest person there. The whole family is fairly short, which is weird for me being the tallest, but it was just kinda funny. Robb’s dad was just a little bit taller than him, so still much shorter than me, just an odd dynamic.
So grandmother kept asking me if I spoke Swedish, and of course I answered yes politely, but she’s Finnish so she mostly just spoke funny things. She turned out to be hillarious during dinner, which was the best meal I’ve ever had 
. I played with Nelly, which is Robb’s sister’s daughter. As you can see she really liked me and we played clapping games. She couldn’t stop holding on to me, which is weird because usually children hate me. She’s really adorable and I loved playing with her. The best part by far is when she grabbed the newspaper and pointed to a picture of Carola, and kept saying ‘mamma.’ I hated to break her the bad news that it was Carola, but she wouldn’t have any of it. Who would want that evil witch to be their mother anyways? *shudders*
So I taught her how to count to five, she couldn’t get past four, but I figured that I was at least usefull. She loved the little doggie toy that I got her too, so I was glad. Robb’s mom nearly had a stroke when she saw the glass figurine I got her; she loved it and added it to her collection right away and then continued to praise me forever and ever. It was very awkward being with a family I didn’t really know, and the worst part was when dad sat down and started to ask me like everything. Where do you go to school, where you are from, how are things, how is your family. All the creepy questions that I didn’t know how to answer, and with my silly Swedish accent I answered them and he laughed and I figure that it was all good because it turns out they thought I was very nice and polite! Go team me.
We went home and then watched some films on television. I was pooped after being awkward for hours, with the hillarious grandmother, and talking to mother whom was very curious and even wanted to practice her English. I accepted, and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be, but it was easier to communicate in Swedish, honestly! Anyways, after the films we went started to get ready for bed and finally went to sleep, but not before we opened each other’s presents and ate some desert chocholates. He loved the huge bear I got as well as the salt / pepper shakers, both of which he didn’t have so it was a perfect gift! Again, go team me! Then we watched some TV and went to bed after by far the best Christmas I had ever had. I will never forget it, and the many awesome memories and moments. I never thought that Christmas with a friend could be so awesome, but I was proved wrong right away!
Christmas day for North America came and we slept in because we were up quite late, and then we got invited back to parents house for leftover meals, which were just as good as the meal itself. I felt guilty for not bringing anything so I got recepies from my mom to do apple crisp and we went shopping and got all the stuff to make it. I burnt it sorta, but it still tasted good and the family was just shocked about it; I never sease to amaze them. In any case, I will never forget my favourite drink there, Julmust, which is only made at Christmas and Easter, it’s so wonderful and is addictive! *drools* 
After dinner I thought it would be nice to call family all around and wish them good things. So I did so, and then the next day I called the family gathering and it was quite lovely! Everyone was very happy to hear from me, and were shocked really. I think I surprised most of them really, but surprises are nice, and thank god for Skype. Anyone who doesn’t know what it is, or doesn’t use it, you’re fools and should figure it out now! Click here to find out more (I’m great advertisements for companies). 
Robb likes shopping, it’s just something odd about him. I don’t mind shopping as long as it’s not for shoes, but I’m so indecisive that it turns into a fiasco anyways. We had promised that we would go to H&M to go on a shopping spree before I came, so it was necessary to plan it. We decided to take the bus to Luleå to shop there. We arrived 2 hours early because we were too lazy to realize that stores don’t open until mid-day. So we were cool and hung out in the bus terminal for a few hours reading news and talking about Melodifestivalen this year and the show that would be on that night. Isn’t the bus terminal so sexy, for a northern city? I think so, but I’m weird so who knows!
So we walked around in the meantime and looked at the city which is quite small obviously, but it’s quite nice to see snow on the ground and feel a little Christmas feeling. The church was very cute and traditional, and it’s right next to (even along) the main road, so everything is within 5 minutes walking distance. It’s deserted in the photo above, but that’s because the mad rush wasn’t there yet. When we came back to the mall it was crazy, people lined up and women pushing each other to get in. We went into the back way and waited for them to open the windows and people ran in, literally, and we began searching for things we liked. I grabbed anything I thought was good looking, cause I needed sweaters, and then we went to try them on. I spent about 600:- (60€) or so, which is a lot for me, on 4 sweaters and a scarf. He spent far more, and then further more later, but he had the access to his bank card and such, not I. I didn’t want to spend that much anyways, I hate spendi
ng money (totally my dad’s fault).
So we were lined up to pay and this drunk guy kept asking everyone if what he was holding came in green, it was creepy. We went down the whole street shopping and the guy turned out everywhere we went, mégaübercreepy, but it’s funny because now whenever I see a drunk around I think of him and my time in Luleå. Doesn’t sound like a good connection, but it’s a funny memory! In the picture on the right, you can find the SVT building in Luleå. I like TV buildings, it’s not a fetish, just something that interests me. Don’t judge me (not that I really care at all) but I just wanted to make a note about how cool this one is. On the left you can find the coast on Luleå with everything frozen (whoohoo winter) and the ‘city’ which is really small. This is when Robb and I were talking about going to another town but I was tired of walking and shopping (I really do hate it sometimes), so we went home and fell asleep on the bus. It was Kodak moment, but I dare not take photos!
For the next couple days we slept, and just did random stuff around the house and relaxed. Robb got mad at me because I cleaned his apartment and then kept doing the dishes. I guess I am just a compulsive cleaner! He was determined to make sure I did nothing because I was on ‘vacation’ but I can’t live without doing stuff. Yes this is a good quality (about cleaning) and yes it will take awhile for people to appreciate it. 😉
IKEA & Gender-Ambiguity
IKEA this morning was great, in and out in about one hour, and this time I got photos. I got some rugs, and some pots and pans that were pretty cheap, and some other spatulas and such that I would need on a regular basis, and all under 20€ so I was happy. Regardless of all this, we were in line to buy our stuff at IKEA, and Ginette and I noticed this ‘person’ go infront of us. We were a bit shocked, and the first impression I had was that she was gonna get all complainy, but instead I was like; it’s not worth your time, let them pass us, maybe they didn’t see us despite the fact we are right there.
So we stand there and looking at the person who cut infront of us, and we start to wonder if it’s a guy or a girl. Now at first it was more of a joke, but it turned out that it was a more serious thing becasue we really couldn’t tell. It was either a guy with really big hips and was really short with small feet, or a woman with a really bad hair cut. It’s features were really vague too so it was really hard to tell, and we felt kind of weird wondering but never-the-less we walked back to the tram stop after the shuttle bus, and we were still wondering. It was a weird day, because while on the tram we saw three or four others that were questionable in terms of gender. It could be the fact that French people are very meterosexual, and guys are very feminine (especially with their man purses), but it was very confusing regardless. At Homme de Fer, we even saw a guy, wearing a womans purse that was pink, and had pink loafers on, which really threw us for a whirl!!
France is the single weirdest place in the world, however I went to H&M and I found a pea-coat, but I don’t think I like it very much since it’s only in large, so I will start to look around for something else just in case! Despite that, I’m deciding if I’m going to disco night or not; I just don’t want to get any more sick than I am already, so it’s all pretty questionable right now. I might just stay in and watch some TV episodes that I download, or ask Mattieu to hang out, since I feel like being mellow and not doing something really high energy.
By the way, I’m still not impressed about that ‘person’ budding me in the line. It’s really rude and I’m not used to such open-rudeness with people. Canadians are so much more polite and not so horrible. Also I am posting a picture onto one of my older enteries about when I went to the European Parliament, but I will also put it here. I sat in the chair of the Swedish representitive!! Heja Sverige för alltid!
Circus & Nic
After classes on Tuesday, which lasts forever we met this guy Nic from California who seemed interested to hang out with us, and after Ginette rode his bike home, and we were talking about how we were going to a theater presentation thing, he joined us. I think he might have even been fishing for an invitation, and then took the invitation as an invitation to a date, because when he showed up he was dressed to the nines and looked to kill. No matter, we all had fun, and the next day I had off so I went to the mall and did some other stuff. This Nic character seems to be popping up all the time, because we were walking back from the bookstore and he called my mobile asking if I wanted to go to the mall, which was eerie becasue I was going there anyways. So Beckie and I met up with him and we went over to the mall, and once again he was dressed like he had something to prove for some reason.
No matter, Beckie was being indecicive and annoying so I ditched her after she felt guilty, and I went to H&M with Nic to buy socks, only socks, and he insists they are from H&M. I didn’t ask, and then he went to buy his Speedo for swimming reasons (or something along those lines), and again I didn’t ask. He’s a bit odd, but he’s super nice and cool to have around. Then on top of that, he asks if I wanna go dancing to the Salamander that night, and I said sure cause I was bored senseless and I didn’t have any homework at all. So I called Ginette and she reluctantly agreeded, but I told her that I wasn’t going if she wasn’t because I didn’t want to get ditched, which I knew I would be.
So we were supposed to meet Nic outside our residence at 22.00 but Ginette was making plans to go to Greece, and I was being a loser and showering getting ready for going out, and as soon as I walk out of the shower Nic sends me an SMS telling me he’s downstairs waiting for me. I literally yell out ‘MERDE’ and run into my room to get dressed and ready. So I prepared myself, but I realized my jeans were having a ‘wardrobe malfunction’ and for some reason I really wanted to look half decent, so I somehow managed to get it into control and then I ran downstairs to meet him. Ginette calls me and tells me she will be 45 mins, so I tell that to Nic and he rides around on Buddy Eli’s longboard for the next while and I tell him that I’ll ‘brb’ and run back upstairs to reapply all clothing and get it sorted. All in all, jeans are too big and too long and I need to shrink them. Apparently size 28 isn’t small enough, which in my opinion is sick, but oh welll. In any case, pins, belt, and a little bit of tape kept the outfit together for the evening and frankly I looked hot. Nice jeans, a nice new black shirt I bought, and I was totally hot. Anyways, I run back downstairs and feel sooo guilty for keeping him, but he seemed amused with his stuff, and then Ginette comes out and we get lost going to the disco.