On Saturday night we rented the common room to celebrate my 21st Birthday party. Megan and Rebecca kindly decorated it whilst I was still sleeping, putting up balloons, photos etc. However, this was not the only surprise. On Monday morning I received a phone call from my aunt who informed me that I needed to go downstairs to collect my birthday present which was supposedly being delivered via an internet courier. I stumbled out of bed and ran half awake down the stairs only to find my mum and my aunt screaming at me with the video camera. She said ‘you are not going to escape the video camera that easily, especially on your 21st Birthday.’ I was totally shocked and it felt so surreal that they were actually in Sweden at my apartment. So I just starred at them sleepily like an idiot until I could process the fact that they were really there and that they were actually here for my birthday. They definitely surprised me but I was so excited that they were here in Trollhatan.
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| Me and my Mum having a nice meal. |
After the initial shock had disappeared we decided to go and visit the town. This was followed by dinner at O Leary’s restaurant. Myself and Megan had wanted to eat in O’leary’s so many times but like any student on a budget we simply could not afford to. So we were wined and dined experiencing our first Swedish meal which was a big upgrade from our preplanned Lidli pizza. It was great to catch up with them both and when we went back to the hotel room I discovered that they had brought a birthday cake all the way from my favourite cake shop in Derry. They had some problems at security but still managed to arrive here with the cake which had a childhood photograph on it of myself and my best friend cherish who could not be there in person.
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| Birthday Cake from Derry! |
On Tuesday, after a presentation on Voices of Africa with Rebecca and Megan for our Intercultural we met up with them and I received many presents from all my family and friends from back home, including some lovely letters from my younger brother and sister as well as my granny. It will be interesting to compare my brother and sisters writing and literary skills with that of Swedish children of a similar age during teaching practice. I felt like I was at ‘home’ on this day even though I was still here In Sweden. I was overwhelmed that my mum and aunt had managed to fit so many things into their hand luggage as well as decorations and a twenty one canvas signed by all my family and friends which later that night was signed by all my new Erasmus friends.
We decided to host a party in our flat on Tuesday and it was definitely a night to remember. The Erasmus group were taking full advantage of my mum and aunts homemade cooking, Irish cake and free drink. On Wednesday we went along the canal to show them the frozen lakes and the waterfall and then had our last dinner as they were leaving again in the early hours of Thursday morning. I could not have asked for a better birthday and I really enjoyed this time catching up with them.
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| My aunt, me and my Mum. |
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| Front row at Snow Patrol at Münchenbryggeriet. |
On Thursday morning Megan and I set of to Stockholm by train. We were excited to visit Sweden’s Capital City which we had heard many good reviews about from the Erasmus students. When we arrived at Goteburgs train station Megan presented me with the train tickets and as I was flicking through them I realised that she had hidden Snow Patrol tickets in between the train tickets. I really couldn’t believe that we would be going to see my favourite band when we arrived in Stockholm at the concert venue Münchenbryggeriet. Again, I was completely shocked but extremely excited; this excitement increased after a five hour train journey of listening to Snow Patrol songs as well as admiring some lovely views and towns.
My first impressions of Stockholm were that the city was simply beautiful. We stayed at The City Backpackers hostel which was very central. When we arrived we got ready for the Concert. The concert venue had a lovely view over the water and the city; it was much smaller than Belfast Odyssey. I noticed that the Swedish are much more reserved during concerts compared to any other concert that I have ever been to however; I don’t think Megan and I were. After, we visited some local Swedish bars and meet some lovely Swedish and Norwegians. This has been the best week of my life and I am looking forward to seeing more of Stockholm this weekend.
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