Greetings from Denmark! Now that I've been here for two months, I've had ample time to take note of some distinctive features of life in Denmark. For those of you unfamiliar with Danish culture, this is an entry-level entry of key terms and concepts. There will be a multiple choice exam at the end of this, so pay attention. Let's start at the beginning:
Same, same but different
Before arriving, one of my fears about living in Scandinavia was that the nouns would be too perfect. Not grammatically, but visually. Okay, okay, I based this notion off of Ikea and Scandinavian design magazines, but I had figured that a society that creates such smooth and elegant spaces must also be a very reserved and suburban-feeling one. That is why, on my first day in Copenhagen, I was relieved when I explored the neighborhood of Norrebro. Never have I associated the adjective “relief” with “litter,” but that day I did. I was also naively surprised by how culturally diverse the neighborhood is. For a long time I had attributed and dismissed the success of the Danish welfare system to what I presupposed to be an ethnically homogeneous country. If Norrebro is any representation of modern Danish society, then I might as well have been walking down a street in Brooklyn.
In addition to Norrebro, there is also Freetown Christiania - or rather, the self-proclaimed autonomous area of Christiania. It is an area of old military barracks that were abandoned after WWII and then occupied by squatters in 1971. There is no such thing as private property there - everything is collectively owned, marijuana is the town mascot and the hippie dream of the 60's is still alive and well. Christiania does not look like Ikea at all. In fact, it looks like a social experiment in which everyone is so laid back and equal that no one has to do menial jobs like cleaning. It looks like a teenager's room.
But really, there is some structure to it - it's not complete anarchy. Here's what they have to say about how they run the show : All About Christiania
Okay, now that I've painted this eclectic picture of Copenhagen, I'll concede: some of my preconceptions about Scandinavia are, in fact, the case. While it is not nearly as culturally homogeneous as I was expecting, it is fashionably homogeneous. And it turns out that my wardrobe is the uniform of most young Danish women. Imagine arriving in a foreign land as a tall girl known for wearing skirts and leggings, walking down the street and thinking that everyone was just mocking you. Yea. That's how it felt when I discovered that everyone here is not only my height or taller, but also owns my wardrobe. It was like finding my people but also having an identity crisis. The only discernible difference in Danish women's clothing is color or lack thereof: 50 shades of gray is really popular here. I guess Danes take their inspiration from the weather?
Same, same but different
Before arriving, one of my fears about living in Scandinavia was that the nouns would be too perfect. Not grammatically, but visually. Okay, okay, I based this notion off of Ikea and Scandinavian design magazines, but I had figured that a society that creates such smooth and elegant spaces must also be a very reserved and suburban-feeling one. That is why, on my first day in Copenhagen, I was relieved when I explored the neighborhood of Norrebro. Never have I associated the adjective “relief” with “litter,” but that day I did. I was also naively surprised by how culturally diverse the neighborhood is. For a long time I had attributed and dismissed the success of the Danish welfare system to what I presupposed to be an ethnically homogeneous country. If Norrebro is any representation of modern Danish society, then I might as well have been walking down a street in Brooklyn.
In addition to Norrebro, there is also Freetown Christiania - or rather, the self-proclaimed autonomous area of Christiania. It is an area of old military barracks that were abandoned after WWII and then occupied by squatters in 1971. There is no such thing as private property there - everything is collectively owned, marijuana is the town mascot and the hippie dream of the 60's is still alive and well. Christiania does not look like Ikea at all. In fact, it looks like a social experiment in which everyone is so laid back and equal that no one has to do menial jobs like cleaning. It looks like a teenager's room.
But really, there is some structure to it - it's not complete anarchy. Here's what they have to say about how they run the show : All About Christiania
Okay, now that I've painted this eclectic picture of Copenhagen, I'll concede: some of my preconceptions about Scandinavia are, in fact, the case. While it is not nearly as culturally homogeneous as I was expecting, it is fashionably homogeneous. And it turns out that my wardrobe is the uniform of most young Danish women. Imagine arriving in a foreign land as a tall girl known for wearing skirts and leggings, walking down the street and thinking that everyone was just mocking you. Yea. That's how it felt when I discovered that everyone here is not only my height or taller, but also owns my wardrobe. It was like finding my people but also having an identity crisis. The only discernible difference in Danish women's clothing is color or lack thereof: 50 shades of gray is really popular here. I guess Danes take their inspiration from the weather?
Bikes galore
According to someone somewhere on the internet, Copenhagen is the most bike-friendly city in the world. 37% of commuters are cyclists. Denmark is aiming to be CO2 neutral by 2025 and its goal is to raise bike commuters to 50%. Here's a photo of the parking lot at the mall :
Rain or rain, cloud or cloud, Copenhageners are out and about on two wheels. In fact, cycling is often quicker than public transport or driving which ironically means that if you are slow and lazy (leaving your home), you’re also faster and in shape. Not only is there outstanding infrastructure for cyclists (separate and well-maintained bike lanes on almost every street, air pumps for bike tires all around the city, covered bike parking and even sections of trains and buses especially for bicycles), but also there is a whole culture of etiquette and communication amongst cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians. Since there are so many cyclists on the streets, especially downtown on a nice day, you really do have to signal when you are going to stop. There is little space for error when dozens of other cyclists are flocking in the herd. That means that one individually-minded cyclist can ruin it for the whole lot, not that I know from experience or anything...
So here's the protocol in case any of you wish to replicate this system at home: To stop, you put one hand up. To pass, you ring your bell and go to the left. To turn left, you proceed to the far right corner and wait until the crosswalk light signals your turn. Do I sound like an expert? You should really see me in action. I often forget to stay to the right as I gawk at the sights of the city and then start hearing a bell symphony approaching from behind.
In addition to the collective rules of the road there are also special signals for bicycles.
Traffic signals not only go from green to yellow to red as in the US, but also from red to yellow to green to help cyclists and drivers prepare to go. Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists all seem to very much obey the traffic signals and jaywalking actually does feel like a crime here. No one does it, even when there isn't any oncoming traffic. During my first month here I would scamper across an intersection as the lone ranger, but now I feel that my own internal chastisement for civil disobedience is not worth it. I don't want to be that pedestrian or cyclist.
Follow the implicit rules so that there won't be explicit rules
So Danish society seems to be pretty self-governing and responsible and I don't get it. I don't know if what I don't get is why the US doesn't function in such a manner or how Denmark came to be so darn sensible, patient, and cooperative. Sometimes I see things and think, yes, we should do that back home. But this overall social phenomenon - well, I'm not sure how you would replicate it in the US. Just expect everyone to be better citizens just because? This question occupies much of my thought bandwidth as I'm out and about in the city. I have several theories about how being this way comes to be, but I'll save those for another entry because now it is time for your quiz. Please click the link below. Good luck!
