A social week

My social calendar has been quite full this week.  When I first returned from the States it seemed I was playing catch up and could be found in the library or my living room chair reading health economics. But this week, I found myself occupied with extra-curricular activities every night.

• Monday night I met a friend I hadn't seen in a while for fika and we chatted away until the cafe closed.

• Then on Tuesday night I joined my neighbors in Tuesday Night Jazz at the bar down the street from my apartment. 

• My Finnish friend invited a group to the sauna then made dinner on Wednesday night.

• My French/German friend invited me to a hockey game Thursday night.

• And I hosted a dinner party Friday night. 

I've had a busy night life this week leaving me a bit tired today, but it's been so nice to find myself surrounded by good friend. I find such contentment in sitting around a table, eating and talking. 

While I live in a fairly diverse town, we are lacking with those from Latin and South America. To me, the biggest travesty is the complete lack of Mexican food.  So, when my mom sent me a package with corn tortillas, I knew a gathering of people was required.  My friends have never had "real" Mexican food. The spice combinations and some of the ingredients were brand new to them. I knew this could be a meal that would stretch them. I made beef barbacoa and chicken mole, "Mexican" rice, guacamole and used a heavy hand with cilantro, onions and lime. Everyone claimed to like everything I prepared but I did notice they didn't have as many continuous helpings as I have witnessed in other meals I've prepared. And they all preferred the flour tortillas from the grocery store around the corner than to my prized corn tortillas sent with great love from the USA.

It was a successful dinner party. We had great conversations including a detailed plan on how we should hijack a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, fill it up with Syrian refugees, float them up to Sweden where they are "welcomed" by the only country in Europe guaranteeing asylum to any Syrian to make it that far north, and be hailed as social terrorists. I love the creativity my friends display in their pursuit to do good. 

It was too late to spend energy cleaning up after my guests left so I saved it for morning. Waking up to the smell of left over mole, chopped onions and remaining drops of beer in their glasses is not the most pleasant. 

What was a pleasant surprise, was the knock that came to my door and the friend who stopped by to help me clean up. Not only was it a kind gesture to help clean up, this friend was fastidious about cleaning and my apartment has never looked better. He got into ever crevice, moved my furniture and bed to get to every corner and even removed the cushions from my chairs to vacuum the creases. It was a little embarrassing to see how much I had missed in past cleanings. But I now have a sparkling clean apartment leaving me no excuses but to buckle down and get some studying done. I had my weekend all week with my social activities and now I must get to work.