Busy Wednesday

My meeting with Ausben Jordan was exciting but far too short. I was able to chat with him for about twenty minutes between his West Side Story rehearsals and his lunch break. He told me he had no idea about Melodifestivalen or Eurovision before he was asked to dance for Loreen in last year's program. That shouldn't come as a surprise because the two shows are not well known in the US. He also mentioned a major differences between the two shows. He said there is more diversity in music during Eurovision than in Mello since this qualifier focuses more on music from one country instead of many different countries. He thought about entering his own song in Melodifestivalen this year, but he wanted to make changes to his entry and didn't have time to do so before the deadline. He said he's still interested in sending something in and performing it, so we might see him in next year's show.

Ausben striking a pose. He's part Native American, as you can see by his t-shirt.

A walk around Stockholm reveals a few places covered in old snow. It's quickly melting away.

A library satellite in the city's culture house. You can even use your own USB to download ebooks and music from a public kiosk to take home.

A part of the government buildings in the Old Town.

Pink and blue sunset near Slussen.

A popular street food trailer in town where you can get herring and potatoes with Wasa bread.

I also met Alexander, my CouchSurfing host, at a place called Slussen this evening. The name roughly means "sieve" and it is a place where trains, buses, and pedestrians pass through. It's a bit of a junction point. Everything and everyone is funneled into the same place, hence the name. Alexander had booked a table at a local vegetarian restaurant named Hermann's, a popular place for students because of its friendly student discounts and incredible view of central Stockholm. The restaurant even let me get a discount because I'm studying in Texas. We ate so much, I'm not sure I'll be hungry tomorrow morning. 

Alexander, my host for the next few days and me.

 Vegetarian delight. The evening's theme was Middle Eastern vegetarian.

After dinner, we headed back out to Alexander's home in the suburbs. He lives in a house with a Swedish family and a few other university students. We chatted about Stockholm, our lives, the Swedish language, studying, and interesting sights in the town. He also taught me to fly and land an F-14 on a carrier, with an iPhone app. You have to use your bus/train travel time wisely. When Alexander found out I work in a library, he suggested a few must-see libraries in the area. And, for me, a vacation is not complete without a visit to a library. I've already managed to see two in Stockholm already, however, I'm always up for seeing more libraries.

There's no sign of Melodifestivalen here in town, which is a bit disappointing. I expected to see at least a billboard or two. So far, there's been nothing. Karlstad is definitely winning that contest. They made a party out of it, which is what the contest is supposed to be. Alexander did tell me about the Student Unions, who have scheduled Melodifestivalen viewing parties on Saturday. That's the only indication so far that the contest is happening. I've spoken with a great deal of people so far about the contest and have only had about 4-5 people admit they watch it. I think something's odd. 3.5 million people tune in each week, yet I have only run into a handful of people who say they see it? Pia, the representative from Melodifestivalsklubben, told me there used to be a stigma attached to the contest but it is not really as obvious today. It seems there's still a bit of it left, otherwise I think more people would admit to watching it. By my count, I've asked 50 people about the contest. Statistically speaking, about 15-20 people should have seen it, yet only 4-5 have told me they watched it. I'm hoping to find someone who can explain this discrepancy to me.

Meetings in Stockholm

A meeting with fellow Texan Ausben Jordan is on the agenda today. He worked with Loreen last year during both Melodifestivalen and Eurovision. They took home the top spot at both competitions and that's why Sweden is hosting Eurovision in May. 

Take a look at their winning performance:

Ausben is an accomplished dancer, actor, and musician currently preparing for his role as Loco in West Side Story at Stockholms Stadsteater. They are rehearsing today since the show opens on Friday, but he's graciously invited me to speak with him about his work during his lunch break. I'll find out what the contest looks like from a dancer's perspective and how Sweden's Melodifestival compares to Eurovision, the biggest live non-sporting event in the world.

After that, it's time for another CouchSurfing experience. Alexander is a student from the Netherlands who is staying with a Swedish family. I'll meet him tonight at a popular vegetarian place in town and learn about his experiences studying abroad. He'll be my host for the next several days and has promised a guided tour of his favorite places in the city.

Commence the Countdown!

I love traveling - both the process and the destination. You learn from everything and everyone you meet along the way. This time, you and I will be meeting many, many people at several stops. Here's a short rundown, which is always subject to change when traveling!

• Malmö - Our first stop in Sweden. This southern city is hosting the fourth and last semifinal on February 23rd. We will be there early to catch the first practice run on Friday night and then we'll attend the big show on Saturday evening. I'll be cheering on the artists, especially Terese.


• Göteborg - The second largest city in the country and a historical place for many Swedes who left for America in the big immigration. For many, the skyline of Gothenburg was the last glimpse they would ever have of their native land. We will visit a few of the important areas around town. We'll also meet up with some locals to talk music and Melodifestivalen on Tuesday night the 26th.


• Karlstad - The second chance round happens here on March 2. Eight artists will compete for the last two golden tickets to the final. We will meet with members of the Melodifestival club in Sweden, a country-wide contingent of fans who follow the contest year-round. Swedish America also has a presence in this sunny city. Twenty percent of Swedes who immigrated to the States came from this region. The Swedish American Center highlights this fact. We will take a tour of the center.


• Växjö - I've never been to Växjö and Småland, so I look forward to visiting a new area of the country. If you have any must visit/must eat places, let me know! I do know the city has a huge research center for Swedish American genealogy and information. That will be a definite stop in our itinerary!


• Stockholm -The crowning of the 2013 winner happens on March 9. The final week promises to be full of energy and interviews. We will chat with Semmelmannen, a connoisseur and expert on semlor. His well-known and well-visited Tumblr blog documents and grades semla offerings across the country every year. We will also stop and see what Ausben Jordan is up to after his work and winning dance with Loreen in last year's Mello and Eurovision contests. 

• Other plans? - Who knows what might happen on the road? Never plan too much because you could end up in some crazy places with a host of fascinating people. Like a Boy Scout, you should always be ready for anything.

Our winding path all around the southern half of Sweden.

I don't dare go further north during winter. My Texas hands and toes couldn't take it.

It's going to be a busy trip, so gather up your stuff and get packing. We have less than a week.