Where's the party tonight?

   Sweden, has been my home for the last 8 months and to say the least for the people of Stockholm...I feel way more at home here than in Singapore. Its not because Singaporeans are not a lively people or Singapore is too sterile or Singapore has too many rules but simply because Swedes are lively, active and lagom....they are basically Indians who have undergone some form of plastic surgery.

                                      In my last post I talked about lagom, that is Swedes being very relaxed and easy. But there is also a wild side to Swedes....Swedes like to party, they have pre-party..party..post-party phases to a night and beer to make the transitions between these phases ASAP (as smooth as possible). Again I would be reiterating my previous post, but it is important to keep in mind...I am not a people person..I am not a party person...hell I don't even like large groups of people (and by large I mean any number greater than 3).

 So then how? (A commonly used phrase in Singapore to mean 'so then what did you do?')

 I did what I was sent here to do.....party!!*

 But what happens when you put an average Indian nerd in a Swedish rock pub filled with a representation of the whole spectrum of Swedish society, what do you do to not act like a schmuck....again remember rule ONE of travelling. Always ask the locals for help..

So here are the pointers I was given to start on (they might not apply to you..but then again they might):

  a) Start with a few beers, don't get too drunk too fast. 

My immediate reply) Hey, but I don't drink.

Awkward silence for 3 minutes

  b) Eat a little before you go out you never know when your next meal will be, something meaty is good.
My immediate reply) I am a vegetarian.

Awkward silence for 2 minutes
  

 c) Don't be shy with the ladies, talk normally...and you should be ok
Awkward staring. The advisors were waiting for my prompt reply to bust a hole in their advice
My not so immediate reply) I am really not so shy with girls.
Hi5s all around to imply there was still hope

 So did the advice work? Well lets put it simply, I looked about myself...made a decision...and its been one hell of a non-stop party since then....

So go ahead and find your inner party-person..As Indians or Asians we might have a sense of propriety that maybe slightly above the world average..but experiencing new things is not a bad move...it helps you grow and learn things about other people and cultures but most of all about yourself....

PEACE OUT!!

*If you represent NUS/NOC/NCST or something similar, please know that all parties were on weekends on my time and that I always reached work on time and when I wrote "I did what I was sent here to do...party"..I meant learn, absorb and grow as an Entrepreneur...the reference to party at this point is only for comic effect and nothing else...so please don't get me into trouble with the powers above..