Paninis. Gelato. Cannolis. Pizza. Leather. That is Italy

Literally everything about my trip to Italy was based around food. We woke up in the morning and went to the best panini place in the world, where you build it yourself and is double the size of your face. Gives Maize&Blue Deli a run for their money. The peccarino cheese spread was the move, all I'm saying. Then we all wandered around Florence just looking at the sites and spending a lot of time in the leather markets. Literally I wanted everything, if I studied in Florence I would be two things - poor and fat. Rough times. However, then after searching around and haggling some Annalisa and I got this cute leather purses for 15 euro and Emily got a hot pink belt for her dad (lawlz). Annalisa and I went to get gelato and see the Ponte Vecchio during the day before she went to class. Gelato de niri round 1 - amazing. Round 2 - just wait.

Then while my Minnesota friends were at class, Amanda, Heimberg, and I hung out. All I have to say is Italy needs to pick up their efficiency - we waited in line for them to get train tickets for probably 3 hours (okay only like 45 minutes but still). We just walked around and stopped at the markets again so I could grab some souvenirs. Our mission was to find a cannoli, so we literally went to 10 different places and none of them had cannolis. Finally we found one and damn it was good. Def not something I would want another one of for like 6 months though - so much cream. 

Then I met back up with Ani, Jay, and Emily so we went to dinner with Adam and Jack at this cute little pizza place where it was a pizza and drink for 5 euros. Literally Emily knows the best deals. The restaurant was doing some construction and redecorating, like literally as we were eating they were painting the wall next to us it was so funny. Also we all got what we thought was "sausage" pizza but ended up being cut up hotdog on pizza - it was  just goofy. I was so full from all the food I had ate the whole trip though I could barely eat half of the pizza.

We went back to Jay's apartment to chill and drink before we went out. Unfortunately Emily spilled red wine on her white shirt, but if you ever need a good way to get red wine out - SALT. It will soak up all the wine. Brett came over which was nice to catch up with her. After awhile no one could decide where to go, besides Adam was determined to go back to Di Niri for more gelato so they ran there. It closed at 12 but we rolled up at 12:05 and still got some. Everyone was telling me to get the nutella flavor gelato so I got that and raspberry mixed. But all I am saying it is wasn't nutella gelato - it was homemade nutella. So I literally ate a cone of nutella - not complaining.

We then headed to the bar where it was 4 shots for 10 euro -so 4 tequila shots for me and 4 for Ani. After trying to get Tommy some ladies we headed to secret bakery obvi and totally convinced some girl who was talking to Tommy to come with us. Like she was a freshman studying abroad (totally DTF). I think we spent a good 45 minutes at secret bakery. We walked home and the only thing that I was upset about all night was I was totally trying to watch Project X when we got back but Annalisa's roommate was sleeping (thanks Maria - plz try throwing something at Ani again - I dare you).

In the morning I woke up at 630 to pack and head to the train station. I was literally in a Nutella coma. I don't think I can eat nutella for a good couple months. And all I have to say about my travels home is that the Italian train system is stupid and doesn't make any sense. I bought a ticket, but validated it incorrectly I guess so they tried to make me pay some fine. The guy didn't speak any English though and I don't speak Italian so after showing him that I had no money in my wallet he wrote down something on my ticket and just let me be. But it was like a 10 minute ordeal of him waving my ticket in the air and showing me some italian brochure and I was just sitting there like "yeah no".

But after a long day of travels and actually being full still from all of the food I ate in Italy, I got home and made some wonderful swedish meatballs for dinner, before I started studying for my exam that I thought was today and showed up to the exam but it was all in Swedish and realized it was tomorrow. Whoopsies. I have a ball tomorrow night though so updates should be coming soon.

Until next time....... 

x0x0x0

oh ps - thanks to CAROLINE CHEVAT - i am now addicted to this horrible trend of harlem shake videos... this is one might be my fave - hotties underwater what is better?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkNrSpqUr-E 

#wheninflo

Obviously I went to Florence's version of Tio's (shoutout to the server from my birthday - we still love you erika?). But Annalisa and I met up with Amanda, Jen, and Jen's friends from home to have margz and such. Obvi Ani only order chips with cheese and nothing else. After a little bit Raleigh was like "6 tequila shots for the table plz". I was so down and let me tell you these were massive tequila shots. The table behind us gets up and leaves and I notice that they left like over half a pitcher of mojitos, and who wastes that shit? Not me, so I sniped that up and we drank their pitcher. Then 10 minutes later they casually stroll in from a smoke break. Whoops sorry about it! Thanks for the drinks boys. So we took that as our cue to peace and left for the Lion's Fountain Bar.

We got there before it was super busy so not only was it 2 dollar shots (like they accepted dollars) but the bartenders gave us some tequila shots - so why not keep the tequila on a roll. This is the bar where we wrong our names on the Michigan shirt on the ceiling and defaced the OSU and MSU shirts. Sorry about it. But as Amanda would say "Have you ever heard of Michigan??".  I was def trying to get more free shots from the bartender, especially cause he was hot and rumor has it the bartenders take off their shirts at the end of the night so I was trying to convince him to take off his shirt early. Sadly it didn't work, but I got a free beer so whatevs #wheninflo

After awhile we left and were under this weird notion that we were going to get into this club Yab for free. I really didn't understand any of the situation. Jen was schmoozing some bouncer (classic) who knew her brother and Lane was talking to some kid, idk - I was just chilling like 6 tequila shots deep. So after failing to get into Yab, because whose paying 15 euro to get into a club? Not us. We dipped and went to the secret bakery.

The secret bakery is heaven on earth. It is this little bakery that sells warm croissants at 2am for 1 euro and you have to be really quiet and knock on a door in an alley. I got nutella croissants - literally amazing. As we were walking home Ani and I ran into Jay and Adam who were headed to secret bakery so we went back with them. I think Ani had like 4 croissants. As we walked home Annalisa tried to convince us she could do a backhand spring round off. FALSE.

to be continued..... 

x0x0x0 

Pisa. Pizza. Priza.

Number one travel tip - when meeting up with friends, make sure you have an actual meeting spot in case your phone doesn't work or better yet - they give you the wrong phone number. After trying to get like 6 different people to let me borrow their phone and getting denied each time (cause Italians are definitely just so friendly) I just wandered around the airport trying to find Ani. After waiting because her train was delayed Ani and I got on the bus to go take a pitstop at the Leaning Tower of Pisa before heading back to Florence. So for any of you who think that picture is photoshopped (JIBBY) - it's real life. It was actually really funny watching everyone taking touristy pictures and some people do super goofy things (http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/leaning%20tower%20of%20pisa). 

Then we just hopped on the bus back to Florence and first thing we did as we were walking back to Ani and Emily's apartment was get gelato obvi. I had gelato everyday I was there. Italy would be very dangerous for my waistline if I lived there. We were supposed to go to soccer game but by the time we got in the ticket places were closed. So Ani gave me a self-guided tour of Florence and we went to Gusto Pizza. It was AMAZING. For those Minnesotans reading, it was like Punch Pizza but like authentic and better. These random boys in line behind us started talking to us and ended up sitting with us because it was so packed. When we were about the leave one of the boys turned to Ani and said "so are you umm going to finish that". Like sure help yourself rando. After walking around some more we went back and made homemade nutella brownies thanks to Pinterest (I was def taking the "allowed to break lent in italy" thing super serious).

In the morning Emily and Ani had class so I went for a nice run around Florence. I was finally able to run in shorts compared to thermals, wool socks, hats, and mittens like in Sweden. I also had to run off the gelato that was consumed and too be consumed. When Ani got back from class we walked around and got some lunch, followed by gelato obvi and then met up with Emily, Jay, and Adam and headed up to Fiesole which is about 20 minutes outside of the city and has the most beautiful view of all of Florence.

We went specifically at 3 because it said online the museum closes at 5, but we get there and it closed at 1. Cool. Thanks. And there isn't really much else to do up their, and I wanted to get a picture overlooking the otherside, so I causally hopped the turn-style and then some lady came out yelling "SENORINA SENORINA" at me - so I just pulled the "I didn't know and I don't speak Italian" card and hopped back over. We decided to walk up the hill. Then we ran into a crazy lady - I think she is known as the "crazy fiesole lady" because she was trying to hack into someone's mailbox and a car told us to get her to stop but like we didn't understand what was going on. Then Emily said "oh what a cute puppy" and the bitch started yelling "ugly girls ugly girls" in Italian and just being like a witch.  After exploring for a little we sat a pub and chilled for a bit, but don't tell Annalisa's group project group that because she lied and said she missed her bus and was stranded in Fiesole and had to walk home.. alone... Okay, that's exaggerated but still. 

Emily, Jay, Adam, Tommy, and I went to this little restaurant for apertivos (while Annalisa laid at home in a Ritz Cracker Coma). Apertivos is like appetizers, so we all got a drink and a full buffet for 9 euros. It was great except Emily and Jay asked for Miami Vices and they didn't really know what it was so they had to explain it and their drinks were double the size of ours - hmmmph. My margarita was literally straight tequila and Tommy's long island had no ice tea in it - but whatevs the bolognese pasta was amazing so no biggie. 

And the saga will continue......

Ciao x0x0x

Wut u doin? Nuthin chillin @ the Hostel Inn

Since being back from Budapest, life has been just chilling. Especially when I went to the ice sculpture garden the other day - that was especially chilly. There is an ice sculpture garden in Uppsala and sculptures all around the city. They are brought in from Lapland, Sweden which is about 5 hours north of me and very cold. I think that eskimos actually live up there and their made mode of transportation is dog sledding - which is cool unless you were forced to read the book Stone Fox in grade school, then dog sledding doesn't seem so cool. Spoiler alert: the sled dog dies. Not the best read for a second grader (or third, and fourth - thank you Mrs. Hoffman for that torture). Sorry for the tangent.

Currently I am sitting in a hostel in Stockholm alone trying to amuse myself after a wonderful afternoon with myself. I had to stay in Stockholm for the night so I can be closer to the airport because I have an early flight to Florence in the morning!!! HIIII ANNALISA!!! HIIII EMILY!!!! So excited to see you guys. So today I took the train to Stockholm and then walked around a little bit. Then I went to a coffee shop (wish it was the other kind of coffee shop but whatevs) and did some studying for my test thats next week - which I need a 50% to pass. It should be a real toughie. So obviously Ani and I will just be in the library the whole time I'm in Florence, jokes. I will study when my flight is most likely delayed as usual - thank you RyanAir.

On Ash Wednesday though I went to mass because I am like the most devout Catholic ever duh. (Momma aren't you proud??) Although the reading is always the same I left more confused than usual, probably because the whole mass was in Swedish and the only words I understood were Corinthians, Joel, and Amen. But the best part of the church was that they actually had nuns wearing habits and everything #oldschoolnunswag. So much more stylish than Sister Jean and Sister Katherine. But anywho hopefully my Lenten resolutions won't be too hard this year. I decided to give up sweets and run at least 50 miles. The running will be a breeze but the sweets might pose a little bit of a problem due to the care package (the most epic care package ever actually - LOVE YOU MOMMA) Leslie sent me with homemade oreos which is like my version of kryptonite. I stored them in the freezer though so ROOMMATES DON'T EAT THEM!

I had my last class for my Swedish Politics class on Thursday so now I have an exam and then I will be starting my next class which is going to be international sustainability and research development which seems cool so I am excited. And I switched out of Religious Life in Sweden to Comparative Welfare States for my third course because even though Sweden is like 87% Lutheran I think 100% of them are atheists. And I would totally rather learn about how it is a social norm to have kids at 20 because of such a stronger welfare state compared to some outdated religious stuff that I probably learned and forgot in my 13 years of Catholic schooling. But back to the babies - it is like super normal for people who look younger than me to be toting around babies like they are a fashion bag. But I mean they are cute babies so I am thinking about getting one too.

Also last night we went to a nation - which is referred to as the "meat market" by locals which is funny because let's say if that was a deli back home, I didn't want any of the meats they were selling. It was fun though, but the main reason we went was to escape the infamous corridor party. So I like in a building that is in a neighborhood of 10 identical buildings, all with 7 floors and 2 corridors of 12 people on each floor. A lot of times the corridors will throw parties and when I say parties I mean ragers. I think they are really fun but usually super crowded. However, the party last night was on my floor!! My side of the floor was very anti-party because no one wants to clean up that shit. So we locked our conjoining doors and pushed the couches in front of the doors and our plan was successful! Yahoo!!!!

Sorry this post was so scattered and random, but it is hard to organize your thoughts when the computer keeps telling you it is going to timeout on you because I can't find any punctuation on this stupid Swedish keyboard that is missing the O key. Underratedly the hardest part of traveling is when you get to a different country with different letters in the alphabet so their keyboards aren't the same as American ones. No thanks to you Mavis Fucking Beacon, I am not an internationally savvy typer.

Until next time... Ciao Bitchez
x0x0x0

BudaBEST is more like it

Since it was my last day I wanted to make the most of it. I woke up early and Caroline was already headed back to the airport and Amanda just wanted to chill so I went on the free walking tour. It was so snowy and beautiful I was really happy that I went. 

I learned so many fun facts.

1. Budapest is separated into two different parts - Buda and Pest are different sides of the river. 

I stayed in the Pest side and it is where the downtown, the old jewish ghetto, and the touristy part is. Buda is where it is super hilly and super old and mega beautiful. 

2. It is pronounced Budapesht.

3. The way Yoda speaks is in the Hungarian tense. They took his lines, translated them into Hungarian, then back into English.

4. The Hungarian language is so difficult because the Mongolians were the ones who were first in control of Hungary.

5. I would be super fat if I lived there because each meal is like 2000 calories.

6. They invented the rubiks cube,

7. They like their booze, especially their wine

8. You say cheers in Hungarian like this - egészségére #lawlz

There were so many other cool things I learned and I saw all the classic buildings which was super fun. Then after the tour I went back to hostel and packed up my bag and said my goodbyes. The weirdest thing about making friends in the Hostel is like these people you hang out with for a couple of days and then you say bye and may never ever see them in your life again weird. I really didn't want to leave, I had so much and was really starting to love Budapest, but maybe it will just be a "see you later".

So then once at the airport I spent my last hungarian money on a massive chocolate bar and I mean massive and of course it's gone already because I had to get ready for Lent and my flight was delayed 2 hours again so I was munching.

It was nice to get back to Sweden and be able to breath clean air, not worrying about a car hitting you, a classic 3 feet of snow, and obviously over-paying for everything. So yesterday I just cleaned up the apartment and wrote my comparative swedish politics paper that I have been putting off forever. Today Caroline and I celebrated Fat Tuesday by getting real Swedish Semlas, which are like pastries that are usually like cinnamon-ish bread with almond cream in the middle but mine was more flaky and had chocolate on top. It was good - not my fave but def something you need to try when you're in Sweden. So that was my farewell to sweets for Lent. The only exception will be when I go to Florence on Sunday - who can go to Italy and not eat gelato? That is a sin, even Jesus would be chowing. 

That is all for now - until next time...

x0x0x0x

Boozapest

It was a beautiful sunny day when we woke up so we decided it was a prime day to walk around Budapest and go see the Danube River. So we just walked and walked for hours around town. We went shopping in the city center because the way Hungarian currency converts to American Dollars it works in our advantage. Every 215 forint is  $1 so I got a nice shirt for 800 forint so basically $4 - what a deal. Then we stopped at a little restaurant on the way home and Caroline and Amanda got a traditional Hungarian meal while I was a little less adventureous and got a pizza - but damn was it good.

Then after coming back and taking a little cat nap - we hung out with the hostel peeps and the hostel owner made us a hungarian dinner for $2. The people in this Hostel were absolutely amazing, not even just the employees the travelers were so fun and there were a lot of people who were very very long term and basically just lived in the hostel. It was a great atmosphere. So after dinner we got ready and started pregaming for the booze cruise on the Danube River.

When we got there, there were about 5 other hostels with double to triple the amount of people we came it. Once on the boat we all got a bottle of champagne. Granted that it was a little cold (but once your drunk you don't care) - the Danube River at night was so beautiful with Parliament and the Castles all lit up. The funniest thing about the booze cruise is they say there is this old Hungarian Myth that everytime you go under the bridge you have to kiss someone or else you will have 7 years bad sex. But who believes in old Hungarian myths anyways ;)

Then in the morning - let's just say it was rough morning. That top bunk will do it to you (throwback to sophomore year Quaderdays - holla Robin - sorry about your textbooks Alexa). So after looking so prime that morning we just hung around the Hostel for awhile watching tv and movies with everyone. That was actually really fun because I really got to know a lot of the travelers and their stories. It was cool though because hopefully I get to travel with them or to see them in the future like we talked about (Trent and Lein that means you - see you Brussels 2 weeks). Then we went with some people to get Langosh - which is described as a communist pizza - and it was just deep fried dough with whatever you wanted on it. I just got garlic sauce and cheese but the traditional one is with garlic sauce, cheese, onions, and sausage. It was delicious, cheap, and artery clogging all in one.

Then we went ice-skating and all I have to say, is granted I never became a Tara Lipinski, thank you momma for putting me in ice-skating lessons as a kid and for raising me in the Artic. Compared to the Australians and Amanda I looked like Michelle Fucking Kwan. We were ice-skating on the largest outdoor ice skating rink in Europe. It was amazing. Then on the way back Trent and I realized our shoes at no traction so we were slipping and sliding all over the places have competitions on who could go the furtherest. Despite what Trent says, I totally won - but I guess we will re-match if we ever get to Brussels. Also since it was snowing - it was the perfect packing snow so we had a snowball fight on the walk back and I only hit like two random strangers which it could've been worse and who doesn't love a good snowball fight? I will tell you who - people who don't have souls.

So then the rest of the night I just chilled out and watched some movies with some hostel peeps while everyone else went on a bar crawl and by judging everyone when they got back - I was pretty content with my decision to not crawl again.

One more to come.....

x0x0x0x

Bare Booties in Budapest

Top bunk living again and I love it. The bunk beds in hostel each have their own curtain so in an 8 bunker you have some privacy which was nice. It was so hot in our room which is such a change from Sweden - but it was kind of a waste brining pajamas because I just slept in my underwear and bra. Which I guess it's nice that we have curtains on the bunks so I can sleep nakey and it don't matter. 

But after waking up we had breakfast and went to go try the thermal baths. We walked all through town and it was very pretty buildings despite how grey the weather was. Everything is so old and its very obvious that everything is post soviet. The Hungarian people just look sad and worn and everyone smokes. Like i actually think I might get lung cancer just from being here for the weekend. Pretty sure it is a right of passage when you start kindergarten to light up your first smoke. It's like hey boy you made it, smoke up. They learn to tie their shoes and light a lighter and roll a cigarette and say the ABCs all on the first day.

Many Hungarians don't speak any English though so this is the first place I've been where it is very very hard to communicate with people. However once we bought our tickets for the thermal baths it took us like 20 minutes to figure out how to open the lockers and find the baths. We also forgot to think ahead and didn't bring towels. So after relaxing in the baths and saunas and trying to not look around because its all old people in speedos - hot stuff - we had to dry off but we had no towels. Such a problem. So I decided I'd dry off using a hair dryer. It was so resourceful and worked out very well but then Caroline and I had to creep through the upstairs to our locker room naked. Who can say they have went streaking in a Hungarian bath? Obvi me. 

We then found a cute little cafe on the way home. Everything in Hungary is so cheap!!! My full hot meal plus desert was 8 dollars and in Sweden it would've been like 40. It was cool though I tried Hungarian food - idk what it was but it was good. They are really into meat and more meat so it isn't like you can go wrong - unless you are veghead (sorry Michelley).  But then we stopped at a grocery store on the way home and I got a bottle of win for 2 dollars. Win!!! A full basket of groceries and a bottle of wine for 14 dollars - I could get used to that. They didn't ID me either because the drinking age in Hungary is birth. 

We came back to the Hostel (Hi 5 Hostel - literally best Hostel ever). We then played their version of Kings Cup, which is a little different than how we play it at home - a little more intensive on the drinking but hey aren't we always trying to ramp it up. Then we went on a bar crawl - but Caroline and I weren't much up for crawling, so after getting a shot of the nicest vodka in the bar for $2.50 (literally a joke) - we got some pizza (.75cents a slice - jokes again) and headed back to the hostel.

To Be Continued....

x0x0x0

Flying in a Snow Globe

Wednesday morning I went to class and left straight to the train station with a cheese and salami sandwich on hard bread in hand. After a quick train ride to Stockholm I hopped on a bus to the skvasta airport which is not the usual airport you flight into to Sweden but its the airport that the wonderful Ryan air flies out of. So then after going through security which is 10000x chiller than the US. 

So after getting some gummies for the plane I was so ready for Budapest. Random side note - swedes love their gummy candy but they are usually pretty hard and that's how they like it. And gummies also come in the bulk candy containers which is great!! #rip the bulk candy containers in the dorms. As we walked to the plane I could barely see because I was literally in a snow globe. 

After siting on the plane for a half an hour they began de-icing the plane which I think it would've been more convenient to have done that before hand. So then I took a quick nap and when I woke up I was expecting the plane to be ready to go.... But nope. Obviously it's RyanAir. So then it was time to de-board the plane because the airport closed their runways due to the fact we live at the North Pole. 

So my plane was supposed to leave at 4 and by 530 we were all back inside the airport and were told they would reassess the snow situation at 730. I was just laying around being pissed off listening to my boy timeflies when an announcement was made that if you were on the delayed flights you get 5 euros free at the bar/cafe but 5 euro is like 42 kronor and the only thing you could buy was a croissant or a cookie. Gee whiz thanks I'll pass. So then I heard the word Budapest over the intercom and I literally was up and at the gate within 3 seconds. So finally by 8 we were up in the air. Thanks to all the elves who were plowing the snow in the North Pole. 

Then once in Budapest we hopped on a bus which was literally aluminum box on wheels to the metro which was also an aluminum box on a track. Then walked to the hostel and by that time it was midnight so I googled where the closest McDonalds was and got myself one classy American meal, took a shower, and then passed out. Oh and the chocolate shakes and fries are just as good as they are in America.

To be continued......

Xoxoxo

p.s i have this new profound love for America - not saying I don't love Europe because it is absolutely amazing - but like so is America... as those weirdos say "I AM A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD"

Brb Sweden

The weather has significantly improved in the past week - it is now roughly 25 everyday with a high of like 32 degrees. Its almost time to start wearing shorts basically. I was able to pull out the new purple vest I bought at H&M for 30 dollars. The thing with the H&Ms (plural because every store looks like H&M on the inside - its kinda freaky, like a store warp) however, the stores here have very little organization. The H&M is three floors in city center and all three floors have a womens section - its very confusing, like why can't one floor be women, one men, one children and randoms. Whatevs, classic swedes.

Speaking of Swede things, Meatballs are a god-send. Meatballs are among my favorite swedish food by far. You just buy them in bulk at ICA (Club ICA as Caroline and I prefer) and they take like 7 minutes to cook and delicious. I have yet to try a semla which is basically just a big cream puff, but I don't like cream very much. However I love chockladbullar which are little chocolate balls that are uncooked and it is like chocolate with butter and oats and then rolled in coconut. They are like truffley things and delicious. I like to have those at Fika. Fika as I have probably said before is like coffee/tea and snack time. So most of the nations offer fikas on different days because drinking coffee is a much more social thing in Sweden, they don't do the whole grab and go before work or class like Americans. But Swedes drink so much coffee is absurd, we have coffee break in all of my classes. My professor said you can tell who is an international student versus a Swede depending on who leaves the classroom to get coffee during the break. I still don't plan on ever liking coffee so whatevs. The other swedish foods that top my favorite list is their bread. They eat hard bread, so it is basically like a cracker but I love them! Wasa are for sure my favorite (wasa.com). Also I really like pitty-padma (sp??) which is traditionally whatever you have left over chopped up and cooked together but the kind I like and the kind they sell at ICA is potatoes, ham, and onions so it is a nice little side dish with eggs because it is basically like american hash. Other than those foods the food is pretty similar and nothing too crazy, except I still haven't experienced a traditional smorgasboard :(

I have just been going to class, exploring the city (running helps because I run through fields or different parts of town and get more acquainted with my area), and trying to be a swede. Caroline and I have deemed every saturday - tourist saturday and we will just do super touristy things so that we can explore Uppsala and we are planning a trip to Stockholm soon. Like last weekend we went to see the Cathedral which is the tallest building in Uppsala and it is so beautiful. I really wish that America had old buildings like that and it is nice that the tallest building is a beautiful landmark and not some stupid high-rise (aka Landmark in AA or industrial buildings). It is called Uppsala Domkyrka, which is the swedish word for Cathedral and it is definitely in my favorite top 3 spots of Uppsala. But as we are attempting to be more swedish, the other day we went to a birthday party for one of my friends friend the other day and we were the only americans which was super fun because they were all swedish and we usually only meet internationals. They were the nicest people I had ever met - like when I thought I lost my phone for a hot second #classic, they helped me looked for it and checked in the next day to make sure I found it. Also the girls were the most beautiful girls I had ever seen. They were the Swedish stereotype of tall, blonde hair, and BEAUTIFUL. I am still not feeling the Swedish boys but whatevs.

 Swedes are very very honest people and it shocks me how some of their systems work compared to in America. For example, like in America when you go to  the DMV and get a number and wait til your number is called that is how every place in Sweden is whether it is the bus station, the migration board, or even some stores. I kind of like it though because it avoids waiting in lines and the whole issue of budging (throwback to the 1st grade). But also the other day I had to print something out and you just go to the student union and print and then after you receive your pages you pay for however many pages you print, but it is all on the honor system. Like that would never work at school - I'd be like hell yeah printing is free bitchez. But I guess that adds to why they are such nice people compared to us ignorant americans.

However, what I was printing is the exciting thing. It was my boarding pass to go to BUDAPEST. Caroline, Amanda, and I are off to Budapest for 5 days tomorrow morning!!! I am beyond excited - so today before I go work at the pub I have just been packing, doing laundry, making dehydrated apples for airplane snacks (they are so good but take soooo long - 15 hours!!!), and procrastinating writing my paper for my class. What I am really hoping to do is to just go and be super touristy in Budapest and try hungarian food and the thermal baths (told you I needed to bring my swimsuit Kiley!!!) So I will be MIA for a few days and then I'll be back with Budapest updates and all!!!

Until next time....

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Mhmmitsmeatballs

Today I went to Ikea and had Swedish Meatballs with pepper cream sauce, mashed potatoes, and lingonberries. It was delicious. That is all.

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