May 17th was the National Holiday in Oslo, Norway and I had the honor of taking part in it! When I stayed with Reid's old roommate the week before in Oslo, Ida, she invited me back to march with the MedicineParadeOrchestra, the marching band for medical students basically. Since I had already carried the banner before when I was there, I was so good at it she said I had to carry it on the 17th of May. Later would I find out that it was quite the special treat!  I was the FIRST person of the ENTIRE parade that the audience saw! ME!

The day started with the whole MPO meeting in "The Grave," the room where they keep their instruments and party a lot, and we ate breakfast here with everyone else. Then we took the tram to the medical school and played for the other medical students who were eating breakfast before the big day. After this, we headed down to the actual parade street. The parade is led by policeman on their horses followed by RUSS students, seniors who wear a red jumpsuit and run down the streets, celebrating their graduation, then followed by younger students in schools wearing their uniforms and carrying their school banner. There are over 10,000 people participating in the parade, and over 200,000 people at the parade watching! The MPO Band has never been allowed into the parade, so they've always cut in on a side street and performed for the audience before the actual parade starts. If the police ask us to move, then we respect that and get off the street.

I carried the banner for the MPO and led them down the streets! We went up and down a section and played for the mayor of Oslo (similar, at least). On our way back down the street, continuing on with our parade, we marched super slow to rous the crowd and get them excited. Again, note that I was the FIRST person everyone saw before the actual parade started! ME! Oh, and as a side note, one of the band members said that if I see a cop coming at us, just keep walking and ignore him. Which is exactly what I did. We were on our way down the street, with the real parade getting closer to us, and the policeman started walking towards me. When he came closer he started speaking to me in Norwegian, and me, being a foreigner who understands no Norwegian, said "I don't speak Norwegian," and kept on walking! I guess the banner I was carrying in the air like brushed over his face and the band was kind of scared that I made him mad... I had no idea what I had done though. But he just looked ashamed after the flag was over his face, then talked to the head person of the MPO and we respectedly left the street.

We continued to perform on the sidewalk, right next to the street, and secretly snuck up to a corner and back on to the main street.  We continued our parade and waiting again for the real parade marchers to catch up to us. Then we gladly led the policemen on horses down the street, and being the first members of the parade the audience saw, me being the very first I may emphasize!

When the parade was finished we continued to have a great time by playing some more and singing songs. Our day concluded with a free lunch at the Dr.'s House, a building where all the doctor's and familys were invited. We entertained them with our funny costumes and ate good Norwegian food! (Hotdogs, lefse, beer, and dessert!)

That night, Ida and I went out to her friend's house for dinner and then went bar hopping afterwards, it was such a fun National Holiday and I was so glad I got to be in Oslo for it!  We went to bed at 4 am and the sun was already rising! What a fun weekend and I doubt any other May 17th can beat the one in Oslo!