Birthday Weeks continues!

Birthdays are a big deal. They only happen once a year. But 21st birthdays are even more special. So that was my goal with birthday week celebrations. Celebrate big because I only turn 21 once.

MONDAY, APRIL 22ND
My actual birthday! I was Skyping my parents at midnight so they sang to me and wished me Happy Birthday first. So sweet. Then I allowed myself to open my birthday cards. I got so many cards - a great big thank you to everyone that sent me cards! I am so lucky to know such wonderful people. It was such a great surprise!

I got a good night of sleep to rest up. I had an extremely domestic day filled with cooking pancakes, crocheting, cleaning my room, preparing a pie, and washing dishes. I also got a run in because it was so warm outside. Minnesota got snow on my birthday. I was running outside in shorts and a long sleeve shirt. I picked the right place to study.

For dinner, I met with some friends at Kalmar nation for dinner and drinks. On Mondays Kalmar has cocktail night so there was a special cocktail menu. Yummy mojitos! My friends surprised me with champagne and ice cream with a candle! So I got to blow out the candle and make a wish!

Birthday Celebrations at Kalmar!

Tuesday, April 23rd
Birthday continued the next day with Snerikes club night! We made sangria and had pie (French Silk Pie, my favorite!). I was a little worried about how the pie would turn out because I didn't really follow the recipe at all and was just winging it with whatever I could find at the grocery store. But it turned out to be delicious. The crushed cookie crust was phenomenal. I'll definitely do that again.

Unplanned colored pants club! Me, Silke, Signe, and Annalise

My birthday party! Ben, Signe, Didg, Annalise, Darailia, Lana, and Silke

We then proceeded to club night at our nation. So fun! Memories with new friends!

Friday, April 26th

Birthday week wrapped up, literally, on Friday with an ABC party at Varmlands, a nation. An ABC party is an anything but clothes party so we could wear anything that wasn't clothing to the party and then we could get in free. It saved us 80SEK which is something like $12. Always looking for deals. Our Dutch friend Esther also arrived on Friday for Valborg so she got to join us with our crazy outfits. Most of us used garbage bags. Signe got really creative and used an IKEA bag. It turned out better than expected and was actually really fun!

Me, Lana, Esther, Silke, and Signe

We looked a little ridiculous catching the bus and a couple of us had problems sitting down because the garbage bags don't really stretch nicely but we made it into town and to the party! One guy at the bus got a real kick out of our outfits so we had him take our picture.

Silke, Esther, Signe, me, and Lana as we casually wait for the bus

After the ABC party we got Max burgers. Best ending to birthday week ever. It hit the spot.

And so that wraps up birthday week. The days that I did not mention were mostly uneventful. I had class, wrote a paper, ran outside in the gorgeous weather, and ate food. Typical days.

I am now able to drink alcohol in the United States. Too bad it doesn't mean much here. But it's okay, my birthday was still better than I'd hoped! I am so fortunate to have great friends from home that didn't forget about me while I'm gone and new friends here that were able to celebrate with me! Thank you again to everyone that sent me cards and warm birthday wishes. It honestly means so much to me. 

Skål! 

Check back this week for Valborg and Stockholm!