Red Danger

The most amazing thing happened today!!!

I called this bike shop near my place today (called "Cykel Nestor's") to find a new bike. He said he had one, but it wasn't very nice. Only 500 kroner (which is like $70). I didn't want to look around more and I needed to get to class so I just decided to go for it.

I got there a little after they opened and Nestor showed me the bike. It definitely was a crappy bike, no gears (there is a nasty hill I bike up to get to class every morning), rusty, no lights, no basket, kind of looked like it was going to collapse once I got o it, etc. But I just wanted to get a cheap bike to last me the rest of the year. So we started talking as he was attaching lights and a lock (an extra 100 kroner for the lights and 150 kroner for the lock). I told him I was from California and then he told me he was from...NICARAGUA!!!

I was sooooo super excited. The one other time I've ever been out of the country was when I went to Nicaragua (I haven't even been to Canada or Mexico...) and I lived in Chinandega for six weeks. He's from another part, but it was so crazy! Then I found out he moved from Nicaragua in the 80's. He had fought as a Sandanista against the Contra. SO AWESOME! My whole town I lived in Nicaragua was Sandanista so I have like Sandanista bracelets and a scarf thing. I never got to why he is in Sweden of all places, but he's been here for 7 years...I think.

We talked more about Nicaragua and then about how much I hate Kantorsgatan (where I live). I told him my classes were at the BMC building which is far away from Kantorsgatan. Then he said I needed a bike with gears. So he showed me this bike which was REALLY nice. I knew I couldn't afford it when he showed me. But he told me that because of the Nicaragua thing, he would give me a deal. So the suuuuper nice bike (with gears) came with a basket, lights, and a lock (nicer than my last bike), and all for 900 kroner! That really crappy one would have almost been 800 kroner. Ahhhh I'm sooo happy and excited about it.

So I absolutely love my new bike. It sucks that I had to get a new bike in the first place, but it's awesome. And from Nestor from Nicaragua. It's bright red and one of my Swedish friends thinks I should call it, "Red Danger." I still can't believe I met a Nicaraguan in Sweden. That is just so crazy. What are the odds. He has a big family here I guess and he said I should come over for gallopinto (rice and beans) soon. This is also ironic because mother dearest just asked me if I would rather eat what I eat now in Sweden (a lot of frozen meatballs and pasta) or all the rice and beans I had in Nicaragua. I picked rice and beans.

I've been full of energy since this happened today. It's just so crazy. And I love Red Danger. Unfortunately I have absolutely no idea whats going on in my class. So now I get to study. Hoorah. I'll post a picture of Red Danger soon!