I've Been in Denmark for a Month Already?

Last Wednesday I went on a trip to Christiania, a village just east of the center of Copenhagen.  Christiania was founded in 1971 by a group of squatters who took over the area’s abandoned military barracks.  Despite initial opposition, the Danish government eventually allowed the hippie village to remain as a social experiment, and today Christiania is home to approximately 800 residents who seek an alternative lifestyle.  The village is an exclusive community; the residents welcome visitors, but the residents must vote at a community meeting before anyone is invited to move into Christiania.  Residents do not pay for or own their homes and do not pay taxes the way normal Danish citizens do, though they do still benefit from the welfare state. 

Christiania is the second most popular tourist attraction in Copenhagen (Tivoli is the most popular), and the village’s claim to fame is the marijuana trade along the town’s main street, which is fittingly dubbed ‘Pusher Street’.  I arrived at Christiania around 10am and some villagers were already drinking beer and smoking weed along Pusher Street.  Dealers set up carts along the side of the road, and marijuana grows in pots along the sidewalk.  No one is permitted to take photos on Pusher Street, and if residents see you with a camera they will certainly yell at you and may even take your camera.  I was able to get some photos of other parts of Christiania, though.  Some of the houses were out of the ordinary and interesting, but overall the town is made up of dirt roads and old, poorly maintained buildings.  It was a very unique place to visit, but I have no desire to ever go back.



Christiania

house in Christiania



On Friday night I went to a bar with a few of my friends and on our way home we discussed how difficult it is to meet Danes.  I have been in Denmark for one month, and, with the exception of my host family and my professors, have not gotten to get to know many Danes.  I had heard that Danes are reserved and shy, but the extent of this shyness is almost baffling.  In the US, most people have a small group of close friends, a larger group of friends, and lots of acquaintances; in Denmark, people have a small group of close friends.  In Doylestown or Gettysburg, when I pass someone on the street I smile at them regardless of whether or not I know them; in Køge people rarely even look at me as I pass them.  I understand that this is just part of Danish culture, but to me this behavior seems cold and it can be frustrating at times.

Ironically, on Saturday afternoon my host dad asked how my night out had been and if I’d had any luck meeting Danes.  I explained to him honestly but politely that I’m finding it difficult to meet many Danes.  He sort of smiled and didn’t seem surprised.  He confirmed what I’d been told, that Danes are reserved and shy and don’t feel comfortable talking to people that they don’t know.  Many Danes remain friends with the people that they grew up with and, because they already have all the close friends they need, are not inclined to meet new people.  He said that this is not a part of Danish culture that Danes are proud of and not to take it personally – Danes are just as shy around other Danes as they are around foreigners.  His recommendation: I have to initiate the contact myself, and I get extra points if I try to speak Danish or if I show interest in Danish culture.  Also, both my host dad and my Danish Language & Culture professor have said that the best way to meet Danes is in a situation involving alcohol between the hours of 1am and 3am, because this is when Danes “come out of their shells”.  Umm, ok?

Here are 4 more interesting cultural tidbits:

                                                                                                                 

1. Danes are a very homogenous society.  Yes it is true that many of them have fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes.  (I am fortunate enough to nearly fit this mold, though I am about 6 inches too short, and I get very excited when tourists ask me if I speak English and if I can tell them how to get to Stroget.)  Danish girls all seem to wear the same thing (more on this later).  Everyone rides a bike.  And because Danes are such a homogenous society, and because they are opposed to immigration, as it strains their welfare state, there is discrimination against darker-skinned foreign immigrants.  As my Danish Language & Culture professor described it, people who come from the West and speak English but are of darker skin color are considered exotic and Danes are intrigued by them, but people who come from areas such as Turkey, Pakistan, and Northern Africa are discriminated against.

2. Political correctness is a social phenomenon that is adhered to in the US and does not exist in Denmark.

3. In Denmark, asking the question “how are you?” really means that you want to know how someone is doing.  In the US, when I say “Hey, how are you?” the typical response is “Hi” or maybe “Hey, good, you?”.  In Denmark this question is not used as a greeting and people actually respond in detail.

4. Danes really like to plan ahead.  When I heard this I thought ‘great, so do I’, but no, Danes really like to plan ahead.  Last week my host parents asked me to put Thanksgiving on the calendar so that they can be sure to buy a turkey.  (To be fair, this is their first time hosting an American student in the fall and, thus, their first time celebrating Thanksgiving.  They are pretty excited.)  Two weeks ago they asked me if I am free during Week 41 to go on vacation with them to Jutland.  Umm, is that in October?  (Not only do I have no clue what I will be doing next week, I had to find a calendar and count the weeks to see what week they were talking about.)

Back to my life...

Last night I went to the F.C. København vs. Brøndby IF football (soccer) game.  FCK and Brøndby are both Copenhagen teams and they HATE each other!  Brøndby fans are known for being wild, and last night they did not disappoint.  They set off smoke bombs in the stands, threw firecrackers onto the field, and lit stadium seats on fire.  By the end of the game 40 people had been arrested and there had been tens of thousands of kroner in damages to the stadium.  The game itself was exciting, too; FCK is the team to beat among the Danish football clubs.  Brøndby put up a good fight, but FCK won 2-0.

FCK vs. Brøndby

wild Brøndby fans

Today, believe it or not, was my first day of riding my bike in the rain.  The weather is getting colder, but up until now there have been lots of sunny days.  There have been scattered showers, but I have always been in class or on the train during the rain and somehow avoided getting wet.  Today I had no such luck.  It was raining and windy and the hood of my raincoat wouldn’t stay on while I rode my bike home from the train.  I got soaked.  Fall is finally here, so I can expect lots of gray skies and rain for the remainder of my time here.  One rainy commute down, one hundred more to go!



One final observation:  Danes don’t dress for rain.  They wear a rain coat and carry an umbrella, but they don’t wear rain boots or sensible clothing.  In fact, in my opinion, all Danish women seem to wear a type of uniform every day.  This “uniform” consists of layered slouchy tops and sweaters in dark, neutral colors, a scarf, black leggings or tights (depending on how long their top is), and black knee-high boots or black socks with black flats.  I’m afraid that I look very American in my fitted navy blazer, skinny jeans, and red patent leather flats.  (Also, what do they call flats here if a ‘flat’ is an apartment?)



Ok, that’s all for now.  This post is 254 words longer than the essay that I handed in today for my European Business Strategy class!

Love,

Allie