In Case Anyone Still Checks This Thing...

I'm Back!!

Best Roommate Everrrrr

Me and Kira :)

Today's Question for the Reader:

Since I've been gone for so long, I think I'll have a few questions today. Feel free to answer just one or all of them if you like!

1) What is the weirdest/most random/most disgusting/most embarrassing job you have ever had? Details! Details!

2) Tell me one place in Europe I must see (or one thing I must do) before I return to the United States. Please justify your answer.

3) If you were reincarnated as an animal besides the homo sapien, which animal would you like to be and why? I'm just curious...

Hello Everyone!!!

I'm back!!! And I'm very, very sorry for the extreme delay in blog postings. Let me explain:

First of all, in case you haven't heard, I have a roommate! My American teammate from Purdue University, Kira Bilecky, has been here for almost the last 2 months. (Wow! I can't believe it's been two months since she arrived and since I've blog posted. Sorry!) As a result of living with this funny, dry-humored and spontaneous individual, I have had a hard time sitting at my computer long enough to write an entire entry. You see, Kira and I are living in pretty tight quarters over here. Our beds are about a meter apart (that's right, I use meters now). We share the same bathroom and the exact same schedule. We even share the same desk. Her computer sits one foot from mine (okay, but I guess I still use ft). And if you think I can sit here and type out an entire entry when Kira constantly interjects with random and funny stories or comments, then you are mistaken. Plus, having her here has given me someone with whom to do things on Åland--whether it's trips to the museums, the beach, the coffee shop, other historical sites, or whatever. The point is, Kira's a lot of fun. Therefore, I cannot sit at a computer.

In addition, I have found a good group of friends to keep me distracted in the evenings after practice. We have spent a lot of time together watching the Euro Cup or just sitting around laughing and sharing stories. Plus, the island has warmed up significantly and it's just too beautiful to be inside.

So I'm sorry! But you couldn't sit here either!

But I'm back, and we have a lot of catching up to do.

Hmmmm...but where to begin...

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

So, as I have told a few of you back home, Kira and I had a paper route these past two weeks as a second job. And for some reason, many of you found this to be incredibly humorous. What, do you normally picture 13-year-boys when it comes to paper routes? Not women in their 20's? You think this occupation is only reserved for little Jimmy who has just hit puberty and whose voice cracks in excitement as he explains that he's about to start his first job?

Well, you were wrong.

Exhibit A:

This is me, at 3:45 in the morning, about to begin the route.

Don't act like you aren't jealous of my ridiculously large bicycle.

Exhibit B:

And this is Kira.

No, that's not a lightsaber on her shirt...just the reflection from her mailbag.

"I see that your Schwartz is as big as mine. Now, let's see how well you can handl' it." ...20 euros to the person who can name that movie without googling it!

Ok, but I think my friend Doug put it best in an email to me:

"Delivering papers! That's hilarious. You realize you are now living every 12 year old boy's dream, right? Paper route. Soccer team. No parents. I am jealous. So are my nephews."

Haha. Thanks Doug.

But seriously, delivering papers turned out to be a great gig for us (we are done for now because we were just filling in for someone for 2 weeks. But we are on the list of people to call any time they need someone to fill in). It was perfect because it didn't require us to speak Swedish and it paid fairly well. Kira and I just rolled out of bed every morning at 3:00 (well, Kira got out of bed at 3:00. I probably didn't move until 3:20. I'm not really the "hop out of bed in the morning" type. Maybe that's why I had detention after detention in high school for my constant tardiness to first period...), we threw on a few layers (it's cold in Finland at 3 am), jumped on our bicycles and rode the 6ish minute ride into town and to the post office.

Oh, but I should mention that this early-morning bike ride was different from any other time we might ride into town...

As it turns out, slugs (yes, slugs) also wake up at 3 am in Finland and have places to go and people (slugs?) to see. And they like to travel via sidewalk. But who says it's just for the human promenade?

So, every morning, Kira and I were faced with the task of doing some serious slug-dodging ("If you can dodge a wrench, then you can dodge a [slug]."). Sounds easy, right?

Wrong.

These aren't just little baby slugs I'm talking about. I'm talking about big, fat, sausage-like slugs that are 6 inches long and boast giant antennaes and polka-dots and leave a trail of thick slime as they go.

They are so, SO, gross.

And it's not just see one or two slugs. They are everywhere! I don't know how these things reproduce, but it is working! And Kira thinks I'm crazy, but I swear I can smell the slime. Yuuuuummy. Nothing like the fresh sent of slug ooze to wake you up in the morning.

Since there are so many of them, perhaps you think it wouldn't a big deal to run over a slug here and there. But I try to avoid it at all costs. Here's why:

First of all, I am a pretty big fan or letting harmless, living things continue to live. I don't kill slugs or spiders or any other peaceful kind of bug. The first time I saw a slug in Åland, Kira and I were on a walk and we came upon a 5-incher making his way across the sidewalk. I had no idea that he would be the first of thousands that I would see on my stay here. So, afraid that he would be made into slug-mush by a passing bicycle, I made Kira wait while I found a stick, put it in front of the slimy little monster, allowed him sloooooowly slide on, then put the stick, with him aboard, in the grass. Why shouldn't he have the chance to live out his entire little slug life?

But besides this simple fact that I don't like killing things, there is another reason that I do my best to avoid hitting a slug on my bicycle. And believe me, you would too, because it is not pleasant. Hit one of these suckers on your bike and suddenly you've got green slug guts and slime spinning off your front tire and at your face. Now that's slug-dodging. It's like being caught in open fire. It's disgusting. And if you thought they looked gross alive, a smushed slug on the sidewalk is even worse. Ugh. They have the right to live, but I shudder at the thought of them...

Ok, but where was I? Yes, so Kira and I arrived each morning at the post office at about 3:30, parked our regular bicycles and loaded up the post bicycles with all our newspapers. I usually put the new Coldplay album on the iPod and we were off.

And it came as a surprise to me but I actually really liked being awake at that time. It was incredibly peaceful riding through town with no one else around. And the sky was always brilliant. On our second-to-last day on the job, I swear, I've never seen the sky so pink. Actually, "pink" doesn't really do it justice. It was fuschia and rose and lilac and magenta and lavender with a touch of fiery orange. Absolutely breathtaking.

And then, depending on if Becca or Reba showed up to do the job, we were usually done in a little over an hour and back in bed by 6am.

But who is Reba, you ask?

Meet Reba

Reba is about 5'4", has an athletic build, has long, blondish-light-brownish hair, blue eyes and some freckles on her cheeks. She plays fotboll for Åland United and wears #9.

Wait, does this all sound familiar? This sounds like me...Becca...

...right?

So who is Reba then? My long-lost twin seperated at birth? A random, Finnish look-alike?

No.

She is none of those things. Unfortunately, I must claim Reba. I am Reba.

She is my alter ego.

Reba was the name given to me by my lovely roommate Kira whenever I do something...well, stupid. Reba leaves home without taking her bike key. Reba can never remember where she put her cell phone. Reba often speaks without thinking first. Reba can never remember which way to go on the paper route. Reba actually took too tight of a turn on her enormous newspaper delivery bicycle and ended up falling to the ground in a sort of slow-motion fashion, splaying newspapers everywhere. Oh, and Reba thinks she is really good at singing. And dancing. And goal-keeping. And walking on her hands. And she laughs pretty hard at her own jokes.

Usually, when any of the above occurs, Kira shakes her head and says, "Reba, go home. Send Becca back please."

But Reba always finds a way to be there. Remember the story I told you about being caught naked in sea while there were apparently people watching and I had to go to the hospital with a rock in my foot?

Yep. Blame Reba.

And remember the time I accidentally ordered a hot-dog mashed-potato shrimp-salad burrito?

And ate it?

Yep. Blame Reba.

And just a month ago, I decided that I would use the flat iron I brought from America to straighten my hair before going out. I don't know what you know about electricity and outlets or why one is not supposed to use an American appliance in Europe, but I don't know any of the scientific reasoning behind it. But, bottom line, you should not attempt to use an American appliance in Europe. I knew that.

But then Reba stepped in.

And you would think that the smell of smoke when I plugged in the American flat iron (with a European adaptor) should have been enough warning.

Reba, unplug the flat iron. I know you really want to do your hair but something isn't right...

But, of course, Reba never listens and the lingering aroma of a possible electrical fire wasn't enough to stop me. I decided to straighten my hair with it anyways. And, I must say, my hair looked pretty good when I went out that night.

But the next day...

I awoke to find that I had absolutely fried the top layer of my hair. I found it dry and thin and kinked and when I put it in a ponytail it stuck straight out. It could easily hold a pick, if that tells you anything. In essence, I accidentally made half of my hair into a pathetic version of an afro. It's been almost a month and it has not yet recovered. Thanks a lot, Reba.

Of course, I've given Kira a name too. She is known as Kiiiiiiiiiiiira when she has her special moments. And our friends Micke, Ante, Martin, and Emelie are called Micky, Ant-ay, Poom-ay, and Ken Lee when they have their special moments. But for some reason, it seems that Reba is called out more than any of the others. In fact, Reba is sort of just my name now. My teammates just often say, "Hey Reba!" Or they ask, "Is it Becca or Reba today?" I usually swear that it's Becca, but Reba inevitably pops out somewhere in the course of the day. And if there's any wine involved...well then Reba really likes to take over. But I'm not even going there... :)

OMG! American Girls Are Sooooo Last Season...

Okay, so I don't know if you've been keeping up with any of the latest fashion trends but here is what's in and what's out for this summer:

In-

-bright colors

-cut-out swimsuits

-short shorts

-flirty frocks

Out-

-dull colors

-capris

-long shorts

-American girls

Yes. You heard me. American girls are OUT.

Well, at least they are according to an article Kira and I came across in a newspaper here on Åland called the XIT.

I have mentioned many times in my blog that I have met a lot of incredible people on this island--people that have gone above and beyond to make sure that Kira and I are happy and comfortable. Our team mom Monika takes care of everything we need--from hairdryers to cell phones. And she always does it with a smile. Our coach Ubbe and main translator helped us find the cheapest plane tickets for our trip to Paris. My teammate Åsa has made countless trips to our apartment to pick us up and drive us wherever we need to go. Another teammate Julia has written out many lists of Swedish words for me and translated them into English so that I can practice. My teammates Sarah and Carro took me with them to Stockholm for a shopping trip. Our friend Micke lets us borrow his car any time we ask (Kira has an international driver's license).

And I could really go on and on about how great the people have been here and how much I really appreciate them. You all have been awesome!

So, because of the way Kira and I have been received on this island so far, this article took us a little off-guard. You see, what had happened was that Kira and I were sitting in our apartment, minding our own business and going about our daily lives, when I came across a picture of Kira's face. I had been flipping through the XIT newspaper. Of course, I can't understand the majority of it because it is in Swedish, but it seems like a paper directed toward a younger demographic and I like all the pictures so I was giving it a quick skim.

"Kira, you're in paper," I told her. Kira and I have been in the papers here before but usuaully it is with a picture of us playing fotball. And this was just a headshot.

"Oh. What for?" Kira asked, hardly turning from her computer. Kira's not really the type that gets exctied about seeing herself in the newspaper. Don't get me wrong, she doesn't dislike it, but she's just laid-back girl that doesn't thrive off of that sort of attention.

"I don't know," I responded. "It just says, 'Grill-Amerikanskor' in bold letters and is then followed by a short paragraph. It says something about Åland United."

"Hm," said Kira, still fairly uninterested.

And then I realized that Kira's picture was part of a list. In the left column, there was a list of Swedish words accompanied by pictures that all had arrows pointing up. In right column, where Kira's picture was found, there was a list of things with arrows pointing down.

But I still didn't understand it so I finished flipping through the paper and threw it aside.

It wasn't too long after that I received a phone call from a very good friend here, Jolanda. I met Jolanda on all the trips I took to the schools. She is my age and I have spent a lot of time with her in her classroom. She is an excellent teacher. In fact, I don't know that I've ever seen someone handle middle-school aged students as well as she does.

She called and was very upset about the article.

"What does it say?" I asked, surprised.

She explained that it is somewhat difficult to translate into English, but that "Grill-Amerikanskor" is a slang term. It would be applied to American girls who only come to the island for the summer, simply as a sort of vacation to party, grill-out at barbeques, and hook up with all the Finnish boys...

And then the paragraph specifically talked about the Americans playing for Åland United, wondered if people were finally over the "craze" created by them, and then put a picture of Kira's face.

So, according to the What's Hot and What's Not list, Kira and I are OUT, because we only come to the island for a few months in the summer to barbeque and meet boys.

Riiiiiiiight...

By the way, I've been here since the end of March and Kira since the beginning of May. And we will be here until the end of October. I'm pretty that my seven-month stint here is more than a few months vacation during the prime-time summer months.

And trust me, there are plenty of barbeques and boys at home. In fact, it's kind of hard being away from home right now. I miss my family and my friends. A lot of people who are very important to me have gotten or are getting married this summer--namely my cousin. Believe me, I wouldn't miss these weddings for BBQ and boys.

Kira and I are here for one reason: To play fotboll.

And for it to be suggested that this is simply a vacation for us, especially when the author of this article has never even met us, is just a little rude. And to put Kira's face right next to it? Come on...

So, Zandra Lundberg, if for some reason you ever read this, I just wanted to let you know that we were a little offended by your article. I'm sure you are a nice girl and that if you had actually ever met us, you wouldn't have written it. And I don't know if you've ever been to the United States, but in case you ever do go, I hope that you are welcomed with open arms and treated with respect. Because that's what people deserve, right?

Okay, now that I have that off my chest, we can move on.

Eurotrip!

Unfortunately, I must stop writing now. I need to finish packing for the Eurotrip that Kira and I are embarking upon at 4:30 am Sunday morning. We will be joined by Micke and my good friend Charles from the United States for this week-long adventure. We're off to Paris, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Brussels.

I can't wait!

I apologize if this entry is full of typos, misspellings, or jibberish, but I didn't have time to proof-read. For now, just enjoy these next pictures and don't forget to answer the question(s) for the reader!!

Remember Emelie, one of our goalkeepers? She texted Kira and told her that we might want to look outside our balcony in two minutes...

And then she drove up our street in this, gave us a quick wave, turned around, and drove away.

I think I almost peed my pants I laughed so hard.

This is a group of girls that Åsa and I helped coach one Saturday morning. That's us down at the end of the table.

They were a great gruop of girls!

That's me in front warming up the girls while coaching.

I tried speaking Swedish and they thought it was pretty funny :)

Showing the girls how to do a scissor-step.

That's me, sporting #15. We're listeing to Coach Åsa!

Fotball pics:

Åland United, lined up before a match.

That's me, the far person. It looks like I'm waiting for a punt to come down.














Um. excuse me, could you please move? I'm trying to shoot here...

Remember when I said that I was running for Finland's Next Top Model? Well I think this is another picture I'm going to include in my portfolio.

But seriously, I definitely won that header...

Run Kira, Ruuuuunn!!!

Scenery

A view of the beach very close to our apartment.

Not bad, huh?

The view from Micke's cabin. We were there for the Midsommar holiday.

Another picture taken not far from our apartment.

Beautiful!

View from a lookout point.

Lookout point

Me hiking

Teammates and Friends

Teammates celebrating Nicco's graduation

Becci, Nicco, Sarah, Julia, Annica, Hannah

Sarah, our captain, and Kira

Me, Emelie, and Kira

You will often see Kira and I riding around this way.

But Kira rides and I drive. Kira is bad at driving...

Kira and me

Clowning around :)

Kira, Micke, and me

Poomi love!

Micke and Martin (aka Poomi). Don't worry, they are just friends. :)

With our favorite boys on the island!

Martin, Kira, Ante, Me, Micke

Cracking up

The girls!

Lisa, Sarah, Mattan, Becci, Julia

Kira and I attempted to make a beirut table into an American flag...

It's okay to laugh...it looks like it was made by a couple of kindergarteners...

Dancing with my friend Thomas!

Some of our non-fotboll buddies!

Me, Jolanda, and Maria.

With my favorite couple!

Åsa, Jonas, and me