Yes, spring is finally here in full force - sunshine and mid-twenties all week. Perfect! The weekend was very busy and that resulted in the past 2 days being a bit of a write-off, rich was very tired... can't party like the students any more!
My cousin Andy came up to Stockholm for the weekend (not from Aus obviously, he'd been studying in Lund for a semester and is now on his way around Europe for a couple of months). So on Friday we went out for a few beers and had a bit of a look around, ended up being quite late and then I had already promised I'd get up early to help coach... and also organise to "kidnap" Paul for his "svensexa" (buck's day/night). In Sweden it is tradition that the boys organise a day for the groom but don't tell him when it is going to be, the tricky bit is then kidnapping him sometime when it suits... Paul's habit of arriving at least one hour late made this a bit of a challenge. However the offer of all-you-can-eat brunch was too hard to refuse and 1hour 15 minutes after suggested time he finally arrived (I'd factored in the first hour, so really he was only 15 min late - perfectly within the realms of downunder "-ish" time!). When all the other guys turned up all he could say was "Oh no, oh no!" With perfect weather we set off for a park for a bongo drum lesson - we sat in a group of about 12 and made enough noise to be heard over half the town, thankfully no one complained. Then off to Sergels Torg (the most central square in town) and gave him his first challenge - draw a picture of Sara (fiancé) with chalk on the pavement... and what a crowd... up to 100 people at some stages (took him a couple of hours). His dad and brother arrived in the middle of the from England (another surprise). After that it was paint ball, dinner and out to a club - where I met another friend, Jakob, who had had his "svensexa" on the same day (Jakob is also getting married on the same day as Paul, unfortunately I can't teleport between them).
Sunday was spent wandering around Stockholm with Andy until he had to leave for the airport. Then it was time for me to get ready for the Beverly Hill High Graduation Prom - all the little darlings, and some of the teachers, get dressed to the nines and air kiss all night. This year it was located at a beautiful old château. Starting with mingle and drinks on the entrance balcony in the setting sun with views over a lake, then dinner upstairs in amazingly decorated rooms (think France (18th century?)), followed by dance and bar downstairs. There were speeches, some good and some not quite as good, as always - I hope my improv speech fell into the former category! Many of the kids piked early as they have been on the party wagon since the start of May, happy to say that Hanne, Jens and I kept up the faculty side until dawn was threatening. We were all, however, a bit tired the day after...
Today is Sweden's National Day, which means no work... well, for me it means no lessons but I do have 60 essay tests I need to read... gulp... better get on with it.
sunny,
rich.
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