Walpurgis Night

On the evening of April 30, bonfires are lit all over Sweden to mark the end of winter and the beginning of spring. People gather by the light and heat of the fire to listen to choirs performing a number of traditional spring songs, and of course on this day we drink A LOT!

This evening we are welcoming spring! I remember when I was 12, 13 years old, my friends and I would go to the local grocery store and steal beer/cider and then go to downtown drinking, we thought we were soo cool. Old times, old times. This is the day when there are lots of polices out there to take care of young girls and boys who are too drunk.

What am I doing on April 30? I'm going to Uppsala, Sweden's biggest student town where there are parties going on twentyfour seven. Students from all over Sweden go to Uppsala just to celebrate that spring/summer is here. I persuaded my chinese hall friend to come with us, and she finally said yes. I told her to go to Systembolaget and get some stuff, and she didn't know what it was (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) She has stayed in Sweden for 6 months and doesn't know what Systembolaget is!!!!!!!!! In Sweden, we have monopoly on alcohol, so Systembolaget it's the only place to go in order for you to buy it. She laughed and said that she was going to bring food instead. She's such a nice, cute and traditional Chinese girl. Let's see if I can corrupt her...

I just hope that she doesn't get scared when she sees thousands of scandinavians getting really really drunk.