Midterms and Motivation

Midterms week is upon me at last. I have no idea how it snuck up so fast, but nevertheless, I am in backtrack mode, trying desperately to keep up with the massive amount of work I somehow just realized I have. The work seems amplified especially a lot since "senioritis" has massively set in. I feel very unmotivated to do just about anything these days. Quite unfortunate. The good news is that our travel break is coming in two and a half short weeks. I need a break. And, in a very exciting development, my cousin Sara who lives in New Mexico will be coming to visit me. It will be great to show her some of my favorite European cities and to discover some new ones. Highlights from the trip will include a trip to Bulgaria with my DIS core class, "Cross Cultural Encounters in a European Context", then with my cousin to Athens, the island of Corfu in Northern Greece, Rome, Venice, Lucerne, Geneva, Paris, and then finally back to Copenhagen for a few days. It will be a whirlwind, but it will be a great time, too. Also in the forefront of my mind is the fact that I'm graduating in a few months. It is quite odd to be job-searching and having phone interviews from another continent. Many of the people I have sent resumes out to are quite shocked when they find out that a) it is possible to talk to me on the phone while I'm here, and b) that they are actually talking to someone on another continent. It has fortunately worked out for the best, and I feel like I have a lot of good leads on jobs.

Back to Copenhagen... I have gotten involved in a small group at my church here. Going to church isn't something that most Danes are accustomed to doing, so it has been great to meet people who are interested in church and religion, etc. My small group had a social outing last week where we went Ice Skating. It was a fantastic time - I think that we were about eight people at the skating rink, some better than others, but overall there weren't too many big falls! Afterwards, my host family was absolutely wonderful and let us come back to the house for cake and tea. We had some great chats, and everyone got to know each other better. I think that my host family was surprised to see that the people in my small group were from all over - Cameroon, Nigeria, the US, Denmark and so on. That is one of the things I love the most about my church here - it is international in the strictest sense of the word. Every sunday there are people from all corners of the globe meeting up for worship time and fellowship. I have met people from every continent (except Antarctica, of course) there. Fantastic.

In any case, I have essays piling up, and Danish vocabulary to study, so I had better get back to it.
Until Next time -

Random Danish Fact of the Day: Denmark has the longest walking street in Europe. (My side note.. and the shops/bars/restaurants on the walking streets are the most expensive in Copenhagen, so if you're visiting, go off the beaten path a little and save a ton of money!)

Rediscovering Copenhagen

The past few days in Copenhagen have been quite unusual.  Maybe its the mysterious blanket of snow that seems to be thickening every day, the non-stop flakes falling from the sky, or the mysterious fogginess present every morning. In any case, I have been enjoying the snow, although it is quite the nuisance to be out and around in.  Fortunately, I bought a pair of not-so-attractive, but altogether functional Croc boots before I left the US, which have been saving my life.  

In any case, one of my friends moms was in town this week, and I had the pleasure of showing her around for a couple of days.  It has been absolutely freezing outside, but we trekked to some of my favorite places including Kongens Nytorv (which in my opinion looks its best with some light snowfall around), Nyhavn (the multi-colored houses on EVERY postcard of Copenhagen), Christiansborg (Parliament) and onward.  I got to experience things through her eyes, which was mostly colored with immense excitement and energy.  

One of the reasons that I was so happy to show her around was because I have gotten the distinctive feeling lately that I am extremely comfortable with my life here in Copenhagen.  I have failed to be awed by my surroundings, I don't notice the little things that I used to love, and I have taken for granted the amazing friends I have made here. That is unfortunate.  The charm of being in a new city has long since worn off, and I have, more or less, slipped into a predictable pattern.  I know what I will do every day, I know how I will get there, and if, god forbid, I got into trouble, I feel confident that I could handle the situation.  This sounds ironic, but this is exactly what I was trying to escape by coming to Europe in the first place.  I think that having the opportunity to show my friend's mom around gave me license to be a "tourist" again, taking pictures of the little things, and really appreciating them for what they are, instead of something that I just pass by every day.  

Today, I was at the Copenhagen playhouse, which looks over the canals of Copenhagen over towards the Royal Opera.  There was no wind, and fat snowflakes were falling in slow-motion.  It was at that moment that I looked out and realized just how lucky I am to be here.  The things that I have neglected to notice came to life, like a neglected toy on a child's top shelf that is suddenly rediscovered.  I saw, for the first time in a month, the rippling water of the canal, the incredible architecture all around me, and, looking in the windows of the modern, first story cafe inside the playhouse, my friends who have meant so much to me these past few months. 

The beautiful blanket of snow (or hindrance to train, bus and bike travel, as some might say) will soon go away, but it has made me fall in love with Copenhagen all over again.  

Dinner Parties and Disasters

This week, my host family was in Austria skiing. Without me.  Which is a-ok with me, because knowing my luck, I'd probably break something valuable like my leg, or something really irreplaceable like my iPod.  (Don't laugh, losing my iPod in Denmark would be a veritable disaster since it would be so expensive to replace!) Anyway, In their absence, they sent over my host dad's older brother, Neils.  He and I actually got along fantastically, having lots of great conversations and great food.  

The first night he was here, Sunday night, he invited over his son and his son's girlfriend.  I was enjoying the evening well enough, having a hyggelig time and great food.  Now, first let me say, that it is highly emphasized to newly-arrived Americans that Danes are not interested in superficial conversations, but would rather talk about interesting, deep topics.  Armed with this knowledge, I decide to show my mastery of the Danish culture by asking the table a question about immigration (which highly pertains to my core course at DIS about migration and identity) The son, who is of a political persuasion that is rather unfriendly to immigrants decided to make a long speech about why Danes shouldn't have to pay for immigrants social services if they don't want to. Eventually, an argument ensued between he and his father, and I all I could think was "Oh my gosh, I started this mess!" In time things settled down, but I felt really bad and awkward about the whole thing.  

Later on in the week, Neils invited his his daughter over for dinner.  Luckily, this night was far less controversial! We were sitting around the dinner table, feasting on a traditional Danish food that I can't pronounce or spell that includes veal and some other sort of meat fried in a pan with tons of butter and breadcrumbs and potatoes (which was awesome, by the way, heart attack optional)! We had a great time. All of the sudden, deciding to avoid political, religious or moral questions after my last bad experience, I ask the daughter what she does for a living.  She replies that she is a nanny.  Great! I think.  We have something in common.  I share some of the crazy stories and anecdotes from my nannying experiences in Dallas.  The conversation progresses, and I eventually ask her what the names of the kids are that she nannies for.  She replies that their names are Christian and Isabella.  At this point, any Dane would tell you that something was up (and indeed, Neils had a suspicious glint in his eye), but I failed to notice it. Then, I go on to ask what their parents do. 

Get ready for this.  She replies oh-so non-chalantly that, oh, they're the crown prince and princess.  I immediately (like an idiot) ask "Of What?" And she replies, "Denmark".  Ha.  Fortunately, she was gracious enough not to embarrass me too much about it, and a very interesting conversation ensued about her life as a nanny and some of the ins and outs of working with royalty.  She couldn't say a lot because of her contract, but I gathered that in any case, it was an interesting job.  Crazy! I'm sure that most weeks won't be able to top the excitement of this one!

Rejse til Jutland

Aka, trip to Jutland. This title is supposed to be ironic. And, if you weren't a native speaker of Danish, it probably wouldn't mean anything to you. By saying it this way, Danes are implying that Jutland is a far, far away place, an "outside" place. And for those of you who are thinking, "What is Jutland"? I will elucidate. Quick geography lesson: Denmark is composed of a peninsula (sticking out of the top of Germany), called Jutland, and over 400 islands (including the one Copenhagen is on, called Zealand). So, for a Copenhagener, going to Jutland is pretty much the equivalent of a New Yorker going to Nebraska. They are on complete opposite sides of both the country, and are viewed differently. Many Copenhageners view Jutland as being provincial, backwards, and behind the times. When I told my Danish friends I went to Jutland this last weekend, their reply was, "Why?".

The answer to the question is that DIS feels that it is a good idea to get students out of Copenhagen, to see more of Denmark. And, I think its a great idea. Not only do you get to know a big chunk of people much better, but you get to see things from a different perspective. As part of my program, we got to meet people from different immigrant backgrounds, and hear their stories. This was probably the most influential part of the trip for me. It really breathed life into what we read in class, by hearing the personal stories of immigrants who came to Denmark. One of the issues that we have been focusing on is the treatment of immigrants, and the policies put forward by the state regarding asylum seekers, immigrants, etc. It was so great to get perspective from the people who were actually affected by those policies.

We had a lot of great social and cultural visits too, including (what I consider the highlight) a Carpark North concert. It was a great time, in an awesome venue, called Ridehuset. There were these huge white, cylindrical crepe structures hanging from the ceiling, as well as a ginormous disco ball. It was a great time, full of cultural opportunities (observing a bunch of Danes drinking massive amounts of beer and jumping around, singing, and dancing to the music).

The second most awesome thing we did was go to an art museum. There was an entire floor of interactive digital art which blew me away. There were various exhibits where you had to do things from running on a treadmill, to using a typewriter to getting your pulse measured by a machine and having it reflected in 300 blinking lights in the ceiling. I really enjoyed it, especially having been there once before, because I didn't feel the need to rush through all of the exhibits. I could just spend time enjoying the ones that appealed to me. At the end of the trip, we took a quiz on all things Danish, which I knew surprisingly little of. It did, however, provide me with ample facts for the random Danish fact of the day... So, without further adieu,

Random Danish Fact of the Day: Did you know that most of Copenhagen burned down in 1728 and was subsequently rebuilt? The building that DIS is housed in was among the casualties. That fire is why most of the buildings on Copenhagen don't date back any further than the 1700's.

A Momentary Panic

Today, I missed my bus. Really, the bus missed me, but nevertheless, I was not on the bus when it left Radhuspladsen at 5:20. And, consequently, I had to take the train instead out to my host family's house. Now, this shouldn't be a chore for me, as I so bluntly stated in my last blog, about being a so-called expert on navigating the ways of Danishness, right? Well, first, I narrowly missed getting on the wrong train. Literally, I jumped off about .5 seconds before the doors shut and the train departed. Then, once I got on the correct train, I had to figure out where I was going and how I was going to make the approximately 25 minute trip from the train station to my house. Would I walk? Or, take a bus (the much, much faster option)? Would there even be a bus?

See, this situation is the kind of thing I like to plan ahead for. I have gotten used to not having to plan out these things as I lived last semester in an extremely accessible area at all hours of the day. But, now, in my new housing situation, the options are not as plentiful. Additionally, the train station is in a somewhat "sketchy" area, and the walk home is one I'm not entirely comfortable with. Had there not been a bus (which, thankfully there was) I probably would have waited for one, no matter how long it was until it came. It isn't that I'm necessarily afraid of the walk home, rather I'm more worried about getting lost or turned around in a legitimately bad area.

As I was standing there, reflecting on all of this, I started thinking about the issue of safety. I could not imagine myself being comfortable in the States, waiting for a bus stop in the pitch black dark in an area that I perceived as being "sketchy". It just wouldn't happen. I'd be, well, panicking. But, in this situation, as uncomfortable as I was with not knowing exactly how I was getting home, I never felt unsafe. At any time. Right as this thought crossed my mind, two girls wearing headscarves approached the bus stop. It was like the entire atmosphere of the people waiting for the bus changed. There was a negative, palpable energy flowing all around. The best way I can describe it is if you were, say, in a dark alley and knew someone was following you. And I had no idea why. Then, I began to glance around. Each Dane waiting for the bus discreetly (or not so discreetly) casted sideways, suspicious glances in the direction of the two girls. Two harmless, probably fourteen-ish year old girls. Now, why did it feel like there was a threat in the environment?

And then it occurred to me. I feel safe in Denmark because I am not the type of person who would be targeted for an act of violence, or at least not a typical one directed against foreigners. I am not the kind of person who gets eyed suspiciously, or looked down upon. I, a little blond haired, blue-eyed, fair-skinned American look Danish enough to pass muster without a second glance. And, therefore, that gives me a boost in Danish society. Since I look like them, they assume I am one of them, and I feel enveloped in and protected by the Danish 'tribe' as easily as if I had been born here. Nevermind that when I open my mouth, my glaring American-accented Danish instantly gives me away. So long as I keep my mouth shut, most Danes would consider me more Danish than the Muslim immigrant girls speaking perfect Danish standing beside me.

Random Danish Fact of the Day: Copenhagen is the largest city in Denmark, with about a third of the population of the country living in the metropolitan area. That would be like having one big city of 100 million people in the US, (if you compare ratios).

Back in Denmark

Hej! I'm Whitney, a full-year student at a Danish study abroad program, currently in the middle of my second semester here.  

Being back in Denmark brings with it many exciting new challenges and hurdles that I hadn't anticipated, but also a big element of familiarity and ease of getting around and seeing the places and things that have become familiar to me over the past four months.  One of the biggest surprises that I frankly didn't anticipate about being back is how different it has been being here without the American friends I made last semester.  Almost all of my American friends were semester students only, and thus are home this semester in the States.  Additionally, I switched my housing option between semesters, moving from a dorm like arrangement (in Danish called a kollegium) to staying with a host family north of the city.  Not only is the commute longer, but I am not in close proximity to the Danish friends I made last semester.  This choice was my own, mostly because I wanted to experience a different facet of Danish life that I hadn't really gotten to fully see before.  My host family is wonderful.  I have a host mom and dad who are both teachers, a fifteen year old host sister, and a twenty year old sister (who isn't living at home any more).  I have had a great time getting to know them so far, and I feel certain that I will have many stories to tell from our interactions as the semester goes on. 

It is great in a way to be able to see the "new kids" trying to navigate through their first days in Copenhagen.  Their conversations, not at all unlike my own of months past, revolve around where the good places to go out are, where the cheap cafes are (hint: nothing is cheap in Denmark!), and how to figure out the night bus.  It is endearing in a way that they seem to look up to full-year students, peppering us with questions about these issues and more.  A sampling of a few I've had... Where can I find a toothbrush? Where can I buy a converter? What's the deal with those crazy guys in green shirts biking like maniacs through the streets trying to kill me? How does this whole "night bus" business work? And on, and on.  It actually gives me a lot of satisfaction being able to help them, although, I am trying to not offer too much help unless they ask me.  Part of the fun is trying to figure things out on your own, and I know that they are all bonding over these common dilemmas.  As the weeks go on, I feel certain that I will feel less of a divide between "us and them" (ie, full year and semester students).  It was great to get to go bowling with the other full-year students last night at a local sports club.  I learned that I am (still) a terrible bowler, but it was a lot of fun.  

Hej Hej for now

Whitney

Danish fact of the day: Did you know that in Jutland (the most western part of Denmark that sticks out of the top of Germany) there are more cows than people? Interesting...