Hi, do you sell red plastic cups?

Its funny to hear what people think of the states. Everyone drives a huge SUV and lives on fast food and, well... actually, thats pretty accurate. I drive a 95 civic thank you very much. I find it difficult to share american culture with all of my new international friends. They've all got something interesting to share about their homelands. But they also know pretty much everything about the US. Every band, every movie, every tv show...Desperate Housewives and Prison Break are pretty popular...perhaps I'll try watching Prison Break so I can be cool too. And they also seem to know a great deal about rap. And you thought I was the blackest person you knew...

But this quest to share something about American culture hasn't been a total failure. My parents will be happy to hear that I am the only one here that seems to know any good drinking games. So, I made it my mission to teach these people beer pong. Now, preparing for this was more difficult than you might imagine. For one thing, ping pong balls do not reside in the liquor aisle where they belong. I had to go to a sporting good store! Crazy Swedes. I was unable to acquire the proper color of cup as well, but clear worked well enough. So Friday night, the people of 8th floor St Goransgatan 147 held a pre-party for the welcome party at the student union that night. So I set up the table in my room. Probably a bad idea as my floor was covered in beer the next morning. For being an expert at drinking games, I really suck at beer pong. But I was good at explaining the rules at least. I think everyone had fun.

So the next thing I taught my friends was the game of ultimate frisbee. They think I'm great, and maybe compared to them, I am. Good thing they don't know any other Americans...We played at Djurgarden (pretty island with lots of museums) after class, and we also played some football (translation: soccer) Oh, another thing they think I'm good at is shuffling...We play poker a lot, and when they first saw me shuffle and deal the cards, they were amazed. They asked if I had ever worked at a casino. But, yeah, they're probably right. I'm way good at shuffling.

American food has been a difficult thing to share, as it can only be properly made at McDonalds it seems. I thought maybe hotdogs, but gosh, you wouldn't believe the amount of hotdog vendors in Stockholm. Swedes really like hotdogs I guess. So that didn't work. Then I thought, perhaps chili cheese dogs...but I don't even like those. I settled on making rice krispie treats. Marshmallows are also difficult to acquire, but I found some in the special American shelf in the super market, along with the Mountain Dew and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups (no Reeses Puffs though, sad) I think my biggest culinary feat will come around the fourth Thursday in November...by the way, does anyone know how to cook a turkey? Better yet, does anyone know where I can even find a turkey in Stockholm?

Is there anything more American than beer pong, ultimate frisbee, and rice krispie treats? I think not. So don't worry, I'm representing America well. I think I have the most fun explaining to them how the electoral college works. Oh one quick thing I found funny this week... I told this Irish guy I was from Chicago, and he asks- Do you know Kenan and Kel? - That's the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Chicago too. But I don't like orange soda, sorry. But yeah, I don't think you want to hear what I did the rest of the week (besides my quest to spread democracy)...you might think me an alcoholic. But don't worry, I have many trips planned for the month of September, so be on the look out for more interesting posts.