First week (plus)

Wow! I definitely should have started writing this a week ago. Where to begin?

Well, I am living in a small, bucolic, suburban town called Roskilde that is about ten miles west of Copenhagen. (Fords – sound familiar?) Except Roskilde is actually way older than Copenhagen itself; Absalon, the bishop of Roskilde in the 12th century, actually chartered the small fishing village of Havn himself!

Every morning, I commute about a mile by bike to the train station, then a 30-minute ride on the “regionaltog,” and finally another half-mile walking. The bike culture here is amazing! Cars (taxed 105% on the first $10,000, and much more if it exceeds certain amounts) are prohibitively expensive, not to mention gas (11 kroners per liter, roughly $8 per gallon). My Danish host family doesn’t even own a car – how many suburban American families do you know who can say that?

As Thomas Friedman and many others have glowingly observed, this is a culture that has unselfconsciously practiced for years the eco-friendly habits that are just now becoming a self-righteous vogue for Americans. (Yes, the thing about the two-speed toilets is true!) Walking through the streets of Copenhagen, you’ll notice that most commuter bicyclists have half-flat tires and no gearshifts, not to mention performancewear or a gazillion reflective things (Dad, I can’t wait until you see this). Instead of driving the kids in a minivan, Mom or Dad puts them in a sort of cart attached to the front of the bike. Once they reach seven or so, they ride their own bikes unaccompanied to school. Fortunately, most bike-riding does not take place in streets with cars (far too dangerous). In the city, all arterials have a bike lane, and I don’t mean those lame “sharrows,” which privileged drivers to dangerously cut me off several times this summer on my way to work. No, they have a lane all their own, separated from the car lanes by – you guessed it – bike parking. And on smaller streets, they have their own “second sidewalk!” See below, in Roskilde:



The most interesting thing, by far, has been experiencing a decidedly advanced nation that, in many (refreshing) ways, lacks the "convenience culture" of the United States. For example, Danish grocery stores are open for limited hours on Sundays, but in a stripped-down way: no fresh produce, understocked shelves. This has something to do with the nationally mandated 37-hour workweek. But also: who needs to buy their produce specifically on Sunday? Why not just another day, and prevent the trucks from having to ship it out fresh on what should be the drivers’ day off? Also, most buildings in downtown CPH are built in the neoclassical style, meaning they are all mostly four stories high, and you bet there are no elevators in buildings only four stories high. Take the stairs!

As a student of the European Politics and Society program here at DIS, most of my classes inevitably have much to do with the European Union – specifically, its core issue of sacrificing sovereignty for collaboration and economic benefit. Although I know it’s a bit of a stretch, I’m starting to look at Danish culture through this lens, too. Denmark is well-known as one of the original welfare states; its citizens see 50 to 70 percent of their income taxed away in return for universal health care – excuse me, I think I meant “quality, affordable access for all” ☺ – as well as unbeatable workers’ benefits and infrastructure. (And much more). Obviously, this wouldn’t even begin to fly in today’s US political culture, so why does it work here? How are people trusting enough of their government’s policies that they’re willing to pay prices that are made up mostly of taxes for things such as gas? The only somewhat satisfactory answer I’ve heard so far is that in a nation of only five million people, there’s no such thing as lobbying or pork – all benefits are spread pretty much evenly throughout this close-knit “tribe.” Plus, the Danish parliamentary system ensures that leaders never have too much power for too long. But that can’t be all. Obviously, I have a lot of learning to do.

I miss everyone! Please keep me updated on your lives!!

Love,
Becca

P.S. More pictures coming soon! Ok, here is one. This is me and my friend Steph, this one time we entered a storybook. (At Kastellet, Copenhagen's star-shaped fortress. The windmill was very heavily guarded. It seemed important.)