busybusy!

hey friends!

sorry not to blog much, we are BUSY here, and with great things. This weekend we finally had some free time but i was constantly with people - seeing Malmo, Sweden with a bunch of the others, wandering around Copenhagen with some of the Danes. I have gotten very close very quickly to quite a few of the people on the program. One of them is actually from Seattle and is one of my closest friends! He reminds me SO much of my friend Zach from Whitman, it is uncanny. And a comfort :) Love you, Zach! The Danes are determined to show us a good time and shelter us from anything less than extraordinary. On Friday there was a Brazilian Carnival in one of the big public parks that they took us to - after a long day of program events. I also ended up at a Pakistani whirling dervish drum circle and the anthropology end of year party at Copenhagen university because one of my Danish friends goes there. We saw a play called "The White Man" last monday about immigrants dealing with Danish society - it tried to portray the range of approaches to integration - or assimilation as the case may be - amongst immigrants. There were real life moments tossed in artfully. It was a powerful experience for the Danes to see. As one of my Danish friends put it - the play was aimed at well meaning liberals in Denmark who don't think they have any racist tendencies because they are part of this lovely welfare state based on equality of opportunity... It isn't a tirade against extreme racism - that wouldn't be remotely controversial. My friend who took me to the anthropology year-end party said that it was the perfect example of his experience of the well-meaning white man in Denmark. Very kind and fun, quite 'open' to new experiences - but never really aware of the way a lot of Danish people are living. And not quite wanting to be aware.

Lots of interesting speakers - quite a few on human rights law and the differences between Danish and American courts. The Queen has an IMMENSE amoutn of power in actuality - it is a bit odd really. And seems to fly in the face of what Denmark is proud of - the equality it offers to all its people. Many young people would abolish the monarchy if they had the choice. But it's not relaly important enough to completely fight for.

Learnign abotu immigration in the Dnaish context has totally thrown me for a loop. I can't quite really articulate how different things are here from the American discourse but WOW if I thought I knew "about immigration" I was sorely mistaken. A good reminder that we are composed of the contexts and experiences we have the chance to take in. Minorities are grouped together here in a different way from the states. It is Islam and not Hispanics that are stigmatized... but it's not like you can just insert the would 'Muslim' in any mention of 'Hispanic' in the American context. Denmark is happy to welcome in asylum seekers who are persecuted for political or social reasons - Denmark has welcomed quite a few LGBT people who are unable to return to Iran, for example. But then the welfare state component throws a bunch of twists into the equation. Many people are put off when asked to pay into a system that will support new comers who havent been paying into the system. Many more Danes however would argue that it is vital to the social cohesion of Denmark (something we hear abotu constantly) that all people in the country - regardless of citizenship status - receive the same social benefits. Otherwise they will never feel the necessary connection to the country and it would be a serious human rights violation.

Language. Denmark simply doesn't have the language to talk about racial, ethnic, and religious debates/diversions. Literally they lack words in many cases. Ideas about structural racism, ethnic identity, coexisting identities, and more are brand new here. A friend of mine on the program has a Danish mother and a father who is half Iraqi and half Iranian. She considers herself Danish and has talked abotu how it is really impossible to be both in this country. Another friend has a Danish father and Chilean mother - her mother was a refugee from Pinochet;s regime. She feels Danish but always seperate and less Danish. These women are both highly educated and engaged in political conversations abotu Denmark.

okay I am EXHAUSTED. I have more to say but i gotta go. This program is nothing if not FAST paced! I will be back though, I enjoy reflecting on here.

Love,
Alice