food and conversations.

Hi again,

So I went on a trip today with my visiting mom, Annette. She really enjoys taking DIS students to cultural places and she is a great tour guide. I brought my roommate, Sarah, along so that we could both benefit from my amazing visiting mom. On the way to our destination, Fredricksborg Castle, we picked up Caitlin, another DISer who was studying here for a full year. Caitlin had Annette and family as her visiting family last semester. So we all went out for a drive on a beautifully sunny (but chilly) afternoon. Annette packed us each 2 and a half sandwiches ( it really only adds up to 1 full sandwich with two pieces of bread and one half sandwich on one piece of bread, but sandwiches here are usually just one slice of bread.) We went to the castle which used to be used as a royal residence but is now just for visitors and royal weddings. Then we had lunch in the garden, overlooking the lake around the castle, which had a royal crest carved out in the shrubbery. Next we drove to a lake area and walked around, it had sculptures in the forest nearby and a green house, and garden, and even a gallery for different exhibitions....it so quaint and beautiful. Then we went back home for tea and cookies and we talked about visiting the states, some past students who came, and about so many other things....Sarah went home to meet a friend for dinner and I helped set the table with Par. I also formed the meat patties for the meat-eaters. We had so much food for dinner. It was me, Annette, Par, Dennis, and two of Dennis' friends. We started with a porridge type dish made from the black bread (full of fiber) and topped with whipped cream. I was the only younger person to actually finish this dish, I got the feeling from the other guests that it was not their favorite (but I could not understand the objections to it b/c they spoke to each other in Danish about it). Then we had the main course of all sorts of things...potatoes in the shape of eggs with gravy, various vegetables (they're so good to me...), and a lot of meat with deliciously smelling sauces. The entire dinner was basically Annette arguing with the rest of her family about her union's decision to go on strike soon because of their low salaries. She works as a nurse who does community (non-medical) work visiting elderly folks in the area. Her union plans on proposing a legal strike sometime between April 1st and June 1st to start discussions about making their salary fairer. The union includes nurses, police, and some other professions that are vital to the community. The salary issues have to do with the fact that people with less education and experience (who work in private companies) are making the same amount of money as people with 15 to 20 years experience (in the union). The men at the table fought with Annette about the significance and reason for such a strike and tried to show her that it was useless. Annette called them Republicans and went on eating. It was all very heated and all in Danish, but I got the English translation after dinner...I will keep you updated on the progress of the union. If the strike happens while I am here it should be very interesting because they will hold peaceful demonstrations and my visiting mom will be a part of all of it.

Annette and I also had a conversation after dinner about immigration in Denmark and what some locals call 'Little Istanbul'. I had told Annette that I was considering a few different volunteer opportunities for the semester at a few different spots around Copenhagen, only to actually go to one of them...but I had a few back ups...and I told her about an after-school tutoring and social program for Muslim girls that needed some volunteers to come hang out with the girls and tutor them or just make friends with them. Annette told me she thought that was a bad idea and that I should be careful because I'm an American. She said that although I would be going there to be friends with the girls and help them practice their English (and a little Danish....) I would not be as welcome as I may think. She then told me that I am an American and America is what many Muslims connect to the ruin of their country and what forced them to leave. Obviously, I cannot know (and neither can Annette) if all Muslim immigrants (or Muslims in general) believe that... but I find it very hard to separate America and Destruction from each other when I look at the world from a foreigners point of view. I have never been ashamed to be an American, I am what I am and I do love my country, but I find it a lot harder to be displaced and distance myself from American political issues and wrong doings while I am here. I am representing America, for the good and the bad, and I have to say... it's very difficult to do. I want to be able to discuss issues and have conversations as a neutral person but I cannot deny my nationality and so there will always be those stereotypes. I guess this is all part of the experience of being abroad, the questions, the revelations, and the bigger and broader questions that arise from the answers. I find it very easy to be sheltered from what the U.S. government is doing and almost ignore things while I am studying in the states....but I cannot go one day here without discussing Danish political issues, which lead to U.S. political topics and so on and so forth...

I can't believe I've already been here for three weeks and my view of everything keeps shifting so much. Everything is moving so fast. Luckily, a long Danish meal and conversation helps me slow down, sort everything out, and start thinking even more outside the box then I had before. It's all very challenging but I think I'm up for it...

Vi ses, Hej Hej! (see you, bye bye).
Em