A Family Affair

4,000 Miles Away, I Still Can't Breathe.

I feel at peace.  I have never been so happy, so calm, and so reflective. I have truly been having the time of my life in Denmark. But I also feel helpless.  I feel frustrated. I feel saddened.  I feel disgusted.   I arrived in Denmark about a week after Mike Brown was killed and watched the riots in the safety of my Danish host family’s home.  I had hoped that circumstances would be better by the time I returned, but who was I kidding? The problem is deeper than Ferguson. It’s deeper than Mike Brown, deeper than Darren Wilson.  Years of systematic and institutionalized racism have come to a head.  Attending a Historically Black institution is an experience, but attending one during a time like this is priceless.  I am upset that I am missing the protests in front of the CNN center, the marches, the discussions.  However, it is also very powerful watching what is going on from another country. The attention that Ferguson and the Eric Garner case have gotten worldwide is amazing.  People cannot believe that something like this is happening in the Untied States of America, the land of the “free.”

With my time in Denmark coming to an end, the feeling is bittersweet.  For the first time in my life I have lived in a place where my race was not a huge factor, and must now return home where racial tensions are higher than they have been since the 60s.   The disrespect and discrimination is so blatant at this point, that I am afraid my words will fall on deaf ears, and my actions won’t make any difference.  But no matter what, I will fight. 

#BlackLivesMatter

WE Can’t Breathe.

Get Lost, and You Might Find: My Time in Brussels

“I want to go to Brussels!” A phrase I had never spoken. When planning my Amsterdam trip, my travel partner and I found round trip bus tickets to Brussels from Amsterdam for $4!! Yep you read that right. 4 bucks.  So we had to go to Brussels for the hell of it.  I must say, one day in Brussels was enough to see almost everything, but to my surprise, I have officially fallen in love with the city.  Our main focus was to eat Belgian waffles, have Moules Frites (Mussels and fries), Belgian chocolate, and a hearty Belgian beer.  But the city itself is just as cool as the food. The buildings were stately and beautiful, while also full of character. Brussels is the center of the EU (European Union) and there were diplomats and important people all over the city.  However, there were just enough native Belgians and immigrants to reserve the authenticity of the city.  

Spaces

Aalborg, Denmark

Space.  An area that is used or available for a specific purpose.  We often don’t think about the context of space and how we occupy it.  It’s just there for us to use, or so we think.  I visited two centers for refugees seeking asylum in Denmark, which gave me a whole new appreciation for space. It was something I will never forget, a humbling and emotional experience beyond measure.  An experience I have to share.

Let's Eat!

I told people I was studying abroad and the two most popular questions I got were, “do they speak English there?” and “what is the food like?” Before you travel it is a good idea to have some idea of the types of foods you will be eating for the sake of dietary restrictions, allergies, religious beliefs, and simply because you have a right to know.  I studied abroad in Malaga, Spain last summer and my host family was also hosting a student from Copenhagen.  One night, he made us a traditional Danish meal.  The meal consisted of a boiled potato (that I seasoned myself) and a piece of sausage.  So you can imagine my standards for Danish food were pretty low upon arrival.  However, I was pleasantly surprised.  Denmark prides itself on their pesticide-free food.  Most food items are fresh and organic and it fits in with the healthy lifestyle that most Danish people live.  Besides the crazy amount of bread and butter they eat, this is a culture that has been able to fuse delicious and healthy.  Read on for some traditional Danish foods and some of my favorites and not so favorites thus far!

Bike (Cult)ure

Before I arrived to Copenhagen, I did some research so I wouldn’t be a completely clueless “American” when I arrived.  Biking EVERYWHERE and I really mean everywhere, is a huge part of the Danish culture.  Bikes get more respect than cars here, and just a little less than pedestrians.  In the states, most people bike for fun or fitness.  In Denmark, they bike for their life. There are more spots for bikes than cars. You can even bring your bike on the train, but you have to buy a train ticket for it of course. Cuz that makes sense.  Anyway, I used to be extremely fit. Worked out 4 days a week, ate healthy (ok I’m lying) but I was in great shape.  I went to college and completely digressed and now I can barely walk up a flight of stairs without gasping for air at the top floor. When my host family told me they had an extra bike for me, I didn’t know whether to be happy that I did not have to rent one, or cry because I knew it was going to kick my ass.  I have not ridden my bike in so long I don’t even remember what color it is.  But once you learn how to ride a bike, you can ride one whenever, forever, right? No.  

Comfort Zones are a Nice Place, but Nothing Grows There...

It has been a month since I have been in Denmark and I have been super busy, which is the main reason I have not been blogging often.  However, every time I would set aside time to blog I would end up deleting everything I had written.  I could not figure out what I wanted to share or what direction to go in.  I have been experiencing so much I felt overloaded with information.  Culture shock has never been a “thing” for me.  I usually adjust well in different cultures, but this experience has challenged me in various ways. There has been no place for my comfort zone here, and it has jump-started the growth I had hoped to obtain during this journey. I came here alone. No friends, no family, no familiarity.  I am someone that enjoys being alone.  I am not anti-social, but I enjoy myself and I am okay with not being around people all of the time.  For this reason, I knew that coming to an unknown country, by myself, would be OKAY.  I would finally get time to myself to truly discover who I really was. 

Hej Danmark!

How many people visit Denmark? How many people think that it is part of the US? I do not know the answers to these questions but I do know that many people were slightly perplexed when I told them where I would be studying abroad this semester.  Why Denmark? What's there? What part of Europe is that in? Wait...isn't Denmark in the U.S.? (Because Denmark is easily confused with Denver *inserts stale face here*) I was not sure of what I would expect in this new place, a country that is rarely discussed.  All I knew was that the school I was studying at had a very good Psychology program (I am a Psych major) and people spoke Danish. That doesn't say much.  However, I planned to be living with a host family upon my arrival, so intense cultural immersion was coming my way. 

I wanted to create a blog of my travels and experiences for my records but also as a way for the people in my life, and those who are just curious, to experience this wonderful opportunity with me (even if it's just my mom and sister who read it). I am already having so many thoughts and I hope that I can articulate them well through words and photos. The Danes do not believe in much censorship, which I absolutely love, so Coffee Talk will be completely real. Get excited. 

P.S. "Hej Danmark" directly translates to "Hello Denmark" in English. Bare with me people, I'm learning Danish slowly BUT surely. ;)