An American in Oslo

The fourth of July has never been a very big celebration for me. Aside from last summer when I was in Minnesota and celebrated Independence Day by watching a baseball game played by 1870's rules and baking an apple pie, barbecuing has generally been the extent of my celebrating. Thus, I was a little at loss for what to do to celebrate the fourth in a foreign country. However, luckily I didn't have to decide, because on Sunday, July 1st, many of the American ex-patriots and Norwegians who lived in America put on a little fourth of July fair.

They had all the basics: barbecued food, an American classic rock band, games, even pony rides. A good crowd showed up, although rain suppressed the attendance (I was told that some years 20,000 people go). I'd say about half the attendees were Americans, with the other half bemused Norwegians. 

Had to have a hamburger.

It was a fun time, and I don't think I could have come up with a better way to celebrate the fourth. The only disappointment? Sweet pickles. I really like pickles, but all of the ones I've encountered here in Norway have been sweet, and so I was hoping that at a Fourth of July gathering, I'd get dill pickles on my hamburger. But alas, I took one bite and tasted sugary pickles. However, the festivities did provide an answer to one of our (not-so) pressing needs, that being snack food. We played a spin to win game, and in true American fashion, the prize was more junk food than one should be allowed to own at any one time.

My friend Amanda, from Georgia, was the lucky winner

On the actual Fourth of July, I had a paper to write and a three hour practice examination to take, so I wasn't able to do very much celebrating. However, my next door neighbor, a Luther College student named Aaron, is also an American, a New Yorker in fact, and so we decided that we had to do a little something to commemorate Independence day. So, at 11:00 PM we got on the T-Bane and headed down one stop. Our destination? McDonald's, of course. Big Macs and Coca Colas secured, we toasted to freedom. Happy Fourth of July everyone.

Funny little side story to the McDonald's expedition: My friend ordered a Big Mac, a Coke and fries, to go, in English. I ordered a Big Mac, a Coke and fries, to go, in Norwegian. My friend received a Big Mac, a coke with no ice, and fries, to eat in, which cost 5 kroner extra. I received a Big Mac, a coke with ice, fries, and a free commemorative Olympic glass, to go. Moral of the story: It helps to speak the language.