Essay: May Campus

[Dagobahn Eagle]

(fictional)

 

Decided to write a short-story on this particular element of foreign campus (school area) life. Here goes:

 

Today is Friday, 17 of May.

Periods 1-4.

Blue Day

 

The irony of the TV screen bulletin board was so ridicolous that I could not help to keep looking at the screen and just smile to myself. First time in my life, I thought. It's the 17th of May and I'm sitting here taking a speech test. 3:58. I quickly added seven hours to find the Norwegian time. 10:58. The citizens of one of the last monarchies had gone to bed, seven hours ahead of the United States. They would always be seven hours ahead of the United States of America. The Americans lived in a world where a dozen time zones, houndreds of countries, would always be hours ahead of them. And they didn't care, like the Norwegians didn't care for a second that many countries were ahead of them.

 

17th of May. Norwegian Independence day.

 

I then came up with another date, just another random date. 3rd of February. Something special with the 3rd of February? Not to me, it isn't, I thought. Maybe the 3rd of February meant something to someone, somewhere out there. But to me 2/3 just another blue or silver day. First to fourth or fifth to eight period. I would walk around on campus and not care. Same as the Texans walking around asking why the heck I look so damn happy today. They had also commented the small flag on my right shoulder, 95% of the time something like "nice flag", or "what flag is that"? Man, I must have looked odd in some peoples' eyes today, with that flag. Well, it was only once a year.

 

I kept on answering more questions. All while thinking.

I looked at my watch again. 4:11PM. Equals to 12:11AM back home. 18th of May. Another independence day (or as the Norwegians called it, National Day) well done. Sleep well, Norwegians.

 

I had called a friend over there earlier on the day, jokingly requested him to save some rice cream for me. Figure it wouldn't be eatable by the time I'd arrive on the scene, I thought, smiling again.

 

About everyone on campus had been told by me, most of them had questioned the flag. Same colors as the American one; Red, white, and blue. A blue cross on a white and red background. Unlike the American flag, it had no name. It was simply reffered to as the Norwegian flag.

 

Discussions about the country. Discussions about other countries. Man, I had even discussed the beasts representing the countries. America, Eagle. China, Dragon. Norway, Lion. And the UK, we concluded, the queen (sorry, Brits ).

 

All in all, a nice day. Gave the girl I liked a hug as we parted by my house and I went home to celebrate.

 

Today is Friday, 17 of May.

Periods 1-4.

Blue Day

 

What did the Americans know about the world around them? Did they hear about the truck that exploded in a swiss tunnel? Did they hear about the Scandinavian plane that collided with a German plane on the runway, causing it to crash into the airport building? Did they hear about the Russian sub that exploded and went down? Did they hear about the UK Concorde that exploded on take-off? Did the know that "kindergarden" is a German word?

 

Did they know what happened on the 8th and 17th of May a long time ago in a country far, far away? Yes, now some of them do, I thought silently and smiled again.

[Guest WC_heavyarms]

wow, that is my birthday!

[Dagobahn Eagle]

wow, that is my birthday!

LOL! At least you celebrate the day .

 

BTW, regarding birthdays, my second youngest brother's birthday is on April the 9th, which is the day the Axis captured Norway in 1940. Actually, we got some people who don't know us angry for that. Also, in Norway people are only allowed to fly the flag on special events, that means something special to them. Some day to fly the flag . 4/9 and we fly the flag (like Americans seen celebrating on 9/11 ).

 

Keep the dates coming! Birthdays, I-Days, religios holydays, share them here.