Oh where oh where can my English be?

I'm all shook up linguistically these days. I'm finally beginning to drift in and out of thinking in Danish instead of English when I am trying my darnedest to speak Danish. However, when I tried to speak Spanish with my friend Irene from Sevilla I thought ONLY in a distorted amalgamation of danish-french-spanish... It always made sense to me when I crossed my Spanish and French... but the structure of Danish is different enough that I end up trying to jam one of the languages in the structure of the other and it's just not a pretty sight - or sound. But at least I'll never lose my mother tongue right? I would hope so.

And then last night I was saying goodbye to a friend who needed to catch a train. Rather than saying, "It's getting late, so you better go!" I say, "But the hour is actually very much". There are two awkward Scandinavian-isms going on there.

In Danish you can say, "Klokken er mange" which, directly translated, means "The hour is many". I jokingly tease my friend about it when she says that in English.... that sure bit me in the butt.

Thing two: In Danish one often starts a sentence with "But" in a way that makes no sense to native English speakers because they're not contradicting anything. Directly translated they say things like, "But it's because she's going to Aarhus this weekend." Or, "But we had a really nice time today". And I'm like.... no one said it was a bad time. You don't need to convince me. Even more often they're say, "It's because....." and it's hard for me to put my finger on exactly why it sounds weird to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing people who can fluently communicate with my in my native language... it's actually a fun way to learn how I should structure my sentences in Danish.

My friend Sørine tells me the direct translation of Danish for lawn mower is "grass hitting machine".  Call it how you see it, right?

The most common danish --> english oddity is "Thank you for the day!" I love it. Tak for dagen! :)

Fitting in is overrated

The song for today: Fladt Land - Pato Siebenhaar feat. Danni Toma. I'll explain why below...

Yesterday was a big day for me and safety.

While I was waiting for my dear friend Lotta to meet me at a museum I finally found a bike shop with helmets in my size. It's been no trouble locating tiny helmets decked out with dinosaurs and super scary monsters or princesses but the adult set has been a bit more elusive.... it's fair to say that the vast majority of adult Copenhageners don't wear a helmet when they bike. And if they do it's black or brown... and maybe the occasional blue. I was planning on fitting in but that's just not worth my time AND ultimately futile so I got a vibrant turquoise helmet. In the cool Copenhagen style though. I also got some heavy-duty magnetic activated bike lights. Seeing as the helmet is bright enough to act as a third light and I also have two reflectors on my wheels... I think it's fair to say that the streets of Copenhagen are safer today.

A photo of me at the CPH history museum WITH my fancy new helmet.

For months now I have been trying to remind myself to go see Copenhagen museums because it's easy to forget they're there once you move to a place. During exams I made a list of must-see museums and all their free entrance days to keep me motivated through studying (nerd alert!!! yesss!). First stop, the Museum of Copenhagen. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a third of the museum is dedicated to the theme of "Becoming a Copenhagener" - the history of immigration, cosmopolitanism and identity politics in Copenhagen. Not like I'm interested in that enough to do a two-year masters program related to it or anything. The exhibit has been up since November 2010 and will be around through the end of 2012. From Lotta's perspective even having an exhibit in an official museum that acknowledged and explored immigrant experiences and multiculturalism was a striking difference from what one would find in Helsinki. Lotta has worked as a social worker with refugee communities in Helsinki, particularly the Somali diaspora. As always I love getting her broader perspective on the Scandinavian/Nordic context.

Photo slideshow: Wanted and unwanted immigrants to Copenhagen

A theme that surface continually throughout the displays was the sense that non-ethnic Danes often feel unable to be "Danish" but readily identify as Copenhageners. And indeed I could see myself feeling like a Copenhagener after a couple years here - it's a very open city in many ways - but I would never feel like a Dane no matter how blond I am and how permanent the visa in my passport claimed my stay was. Part of the exhibit included a little area where you could write down what brought you to Copenhagen and add to a collage on the wall. I waxed eloquent for quite some time. Ha! Before the museum yesterday I was meeting with my project partner at a library and we ran into a friend of hers who is from Seattle! He asked what I was up to here and one of the first things we started talking about was visas... shop talk? We eventually realized that we're not only fro the same area, but he had my Uncle Ralph for a math teacher at Garfield High School. He recalled a couple bars from the song some friends of his in a band made about "Mr. Minor". Surreal.

Speaking with a dear friend from the the HIA program this summer, Kashay, last night got me fired up to write about all of this... she is interested in minority experiences in Europe - particularly the concept of "blackness" as an identifier. I think she's really on to something - especially in Scandinavia - when she notices that the dialog is so dominated by ideas of the clash of Islam and Christianity, the Muslim other that the experiences and potential point of prideful collective identity around blackness is much less visible. I'm excited to see where her thoughts and interests take her on this one.

"Fladt Land" is off Pato's first Danish-language album. As such, he decided to play with the idea of being Danish - what it means or could mean, who is included and excluded, how to be a part of making the Denmark he wants. The song takes inspiration from Gi' Mig Danmark Tilbage (Give Me Denmark Back), Natasja's hit single that busted wide open the idea of Denmark belonging to any one ethnicity. She was born and raised in Denmark to a Danish mother and Sudanese father and became a beacon for political activism and Danish music. About "Fladt Land, Pato says that he wanted to acknowledge first that no one needed to give Denmark "back" to him because it was never taken away, it was always assumed that as an ethnic Danes, Denmark was his. He talks about growing up with hi grandmas, coming into the world in a public/community hospital, eating rød grod med flød. One of the lines is "I was born in the open sandwich nation". hahaha... I won't claim to understand all of it but he is speaking clearly enough to catch the main idea. The big refrain is - no matter what if you're a Dane you were born in a flat land. The featured guy, Danni Toma, was raised in Aalborg by a Danish mother and Palestinian father - he's younger, closer to my age. He says you're kidding yourself if you think being Danish is just about eating rød grod med flød and that Danish politics can be embarrassing but he loves his country because he has his base there, it's his place. The thing about "amerikansk" - he says he finds it bizarre how they're gone from Danish to American values - meaning, not into equality.

Hahahha...

Hej hej for now... i'm off to take some photos of the world, it's a beautiful day.

And today in "Alice mauls the Danish language":

Theme song for today: Madder Red

A couple weeks back I was practicing my Danish with a Danish friend. Doesn't seem like I'd need to make that distinction... but sometimes I practice with Norwegian or Canadian or Swedish or Finnish friends and it does some pretty funky-fresh things to my accent. I was trying to talk about Bosnia, my trip there this summer, the religious situation there.... but instead of saying "There are many Christians and a large Muslim community" I said, "There are many Christians and a huge male-mouse population". "Musulman" is French for Muslim... Mus mænd is Danish for male mice. Sometimes I mumble French words into my Danish. Sometimes I speak them with confidence and authority, which is even probably even more confusing.

On the night we celebrated our exams being finished I tried to tell Hege that I was so happy she's in my life.... but I actually said, "I'm looking forward to having you".

Last night I had a friend Theis over for dinner and I was telling him a story from the weekend. I kind of have to explain for it to make sense - I spent the night at my friend's place because she lives close to where I clean so it saved an hour commute time in total - but she was out until 7 in the morning so I used her key to get home earlier than that seeing as I had to leave for work at 8. I kept trying to tell Theis that it was okay, I got into the house because I had the key - but I really told him that I used my hooves and claws to get into her apartment. French key = clé, pronounced 'clay'. Danish hoof = klov, claw = klo.... So I tried to danskify "clé" and it backfired.

My most charming language-learning moment is - and I think will always remain - the time I told my friend's host brother in the Dominican Republic that, "Ahora, cuando hablo español estoy embarazada, pero todavía estoy excitado". I was trying to let him know that my Spanish was improving so I was a bit embarrassed when I spoke but still excited to be speaking Spanish.... instead I let him know that even though I was pregnant I was still very turned on.

I finally made it to Københavns Sprogcenter to sign up for an interview for free Danish classes!!! Which means I'll probably be having more of these little magic language moments as I hiccup my way into speaking this crazy lil thing called dansk. I've found that Danes are often not terribly friendly or helpful to foreigners when on the phone. I spoke with the office a couple weeks ago and she was really cagey, telling me I had to come in with my passport, proof of residence, work permit, and CPR card in order to even set up an interview time. When I got there, however, the guy just asked for my CPR number and told me to come back in a week and have a good one. Similar thing this summer... I was speaking with a company that rents flats out and she basically told me that there's no way I'd ever be able to live in Copenhagen... and then I gave her to my Danish friend and all of a sudden I was lined up to be living somewhere in six months. I don't really know what the deal is. Obviously it's not all Danes, but I do find that in general Danes are extremely nice to me in informal settings and a bit brusk in official encounters.

Here are some more photos that have nothing to do with what I'm writing about - but are lovely all the same!

From the exit of Vestre Kirkegård.... um, creepy?

The next few are from a bridge that goes over the main train lines through the city just before Enghave station, which is in the western part of Vesterbro.

The old Carlsberg factory

That bridge is only open to foot traffic and bikes - it heads into Vestre Kirkegård. The first time I went there was an accident, when I was still trying to take a different route to school every day to get to know the neighborhoods better.

The red ones are the 'typical' Copenhagen trains... I'm not sure but I think the grey/silver is a more regional train.

Carlsberg factory in the background there...

Outside the language center in Vesterbro... just some Danes rockin' the Danishest of fashion statements: BigScarfTightBlackPantsBikeBun.

Found in Hege's apartment... Haha she's mentioned more than once that if we really wanted to make the Danish flag really look nice we could just go ahead and add a blue cross.

Views from Hege's on Vesterbrogade! Super active area, as you can obviously see. Lots of great restaurants, cafes, fun businesses, hipster-y things. and also where the prostitution in Copenhagen happens.

annnnd about two hours later.

Out with Global Refugee Studies friends after we finished exams! My camera isn't really made for indoor / bar photos so I put it away after this.

Rådhuspladsen! The town hall square.

That's the actual Town Hall building on the right there.

Industrial Copenhagen... This is near Dybølsbro Station / Fisketorvet.

Postcards!!! I mean, studying for my exam.

Tomorrow I FINALLY have my exam for the fall's courses... The last week and half have been a blur of first sickness and then studystudystudyBIRTHDAY!studystudy. The whole one oral exam determines my grade for three courses for the entire semester is still very bizarre to me. I'll happily admit that I like the American system of more frequent examinations. For one thing I don't understand how people learn to write well if they have just one huge writing assignment a semester rather than smaller practice rounds so to speak.

In Copenhagen - and I'm told Denmark generally - you can find free postcards ALL over the place. They run the gamut from artistic and aesthetic experiments (oh-so "Danish design") to blatant advertising. Many young Copenhageners collect them for cheap interior decorating. They're mostly found in cafes, bars, and buses - it's alway exciting when a new batch comes out. You can spot the foreigners by our determined need to "catch 'em all!" each time. I've sent some priceless beauties to friends but here's my collection now:

du bestemmer = you decide

vær opmærksom = be observant/take note

Kom på dit livs sjælerejse = come along on your life's (soul) journey

In the event of tricky pidgeons

literally: You are for delicious  -  figuratively: You're hot!

Oscar Wilde quote :)

Organic cows go outside/on the grass

Just another Dane about to be swallowed whole by her scarf. Daily CPH tragedy.

Politken is "wind in the face"  - Politiken is a big newspaper, this is an ad to subscribe

Niller is being mischievous - Niller is a name...

Huh. I just remembered on my birthday we were joking around about how Danes always put out little Danish flags for ANY celebration - including birthdays, grocery outlet sale events, as well as holidays, sports matches. The birthday-danish flag connection has always been puzzling to me - I can't imagine thinking, "happy birthday to me and the United States of America". After I teased them for a while someone asked me to name my favorite things about the US.... From what I remember I said:

1. It's home.
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Natural Beauty
5. Optimism / Friendliness

Locating home

In previous posts I've mentioned the psychological effect of knowing that I'll be here for a long while - even though I've only been here about two and a half weeks it feels very much different from the two five week trips I've had here before. One way I can mark the difference is the impulse I feel to stay in touch with home differently. I haven't been able to skype with my family because I was having internet issues and the time zone means it's only possible on weekends. But I really, really feel the need to talk to them! Not because I haven't gone two weeks without contact before. And I also have been keeping in frequent touch with American news media - particularly my podcast obsessions. Gotta love that "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" and "Democracy Now" and "Rachel Maddow". Home, sweet home.

Last night my friend had a lovely little dinner party. Nash, a friend on our program who is from the UK, was there and DJing. It was funny to realize that his music was comfortable and familiar to me though our lives have been anything but parallel. We actually ended up going to the Hard Rock cafe as well.... haahaha, doesn't exactly remind me of home, but fun anyway.

I'm really, really looking forward to starting English-Danish classes with my new friend, Hanan. I forget if I already talked about this.... she's going to teach me Danish - she is COMMITTED to making these little lesson plans, hot damn. And I am going to help her expand her vocabulary, speak more comfortably, work on her writing. I hope I'll be good enough! She's definitely already fully an English speaker... so it's kinda hard to work from that point. Easier to teach the basic lessons in many ways. But she's an EAGER student, so I'm sure we'll make good headway.

Bureaucracy take three!!! or four???

In June, while I was in Copenhagen working with HIA, I blogged rather extensively about my experiences trying to get a visa here in Denmark. It was quite a wild ride. On Tuesday I went to the Borger Service (citizen service center) to attempt to get my CPR (like social security) number and health care card. Without the CPR umber I can't buy a smart phone, have a bank account, be legally in the country, work.... it's something I'm pretty interested in, in other words. Two of my new friends from my GRS program, Hege from Norway and Lotta from Finland, also came along with me. Well. For one reason or another all three of us failed. Lotta needed to register at a different center because she lives in a suburb and Hege needed her renter's agreement. The little American (me) still did not have her residence permit. WHAT? What about that thing in my passport?

So off we went to the Immigration services center - a MUCH less lovely building, I must add. Borger Service is open, has some of that friendly Danish architecture going on, people can come and go as they please, there are helpful informational fliers about, a whole queue dedicated to helping people make sure they have all their paperwork so they aren't waiting in vain... and even a fish tank I believe. When I arrived at the Immigration Services place there was a wait time of over 200 minutes. HA! I've seen that before... 200 easily means 375. But luckily I was able to talk to someone and show that I had already done everything they had asked of me and - whoops - they had forgotten to send my my residence papers. Or sent it to the wrong place? Unclear. Anyhow... I was out of there pretty quickly. Now I'm headed off to Borger Service again. Fingers crossed!!!

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In totally separate news... My friend Ida came over to visit last night for dinner. I am having people over to dinner left and right. It honestly makes me feel so much more secure and homey to be able to take care of people in that small way. After dinner I read my Danish children's book to her and she helped me along with my pronunciation. Adorable photos coming...

That awkward moment....

...when people think you're either super standoffish or mentally challenged or mute but really you're just not fluent in Danish.

That moment happens to be aaaaa-lot. I'm at this place with Danish now where I can carry on conversations with people who want to talk to me and look at me directly and say complete sentences with every ounce of pronunciation and goodwill possible. And then we can dialog. Orrrr I can understand random mutterings of shop keepers and the man at the bus stop and the the woman at the meat isle in the grocery store. But I'm not quite "quippy" in Danish. So Even though I know she's joking about how we're both taking a really long time to look at tiny packages of sliced chick and ham that aren't all that different from each other.... all I do is grin at her intensively. Ok, maybe she doesn't find it funny how tiny the packages are. But seriously!? It's about 10 lil slices per package. I feel so... American and supersized.... but that is not family value, c'mon.

Today was odd. I had very little pressing matters to take care of. I picked up a huge bag I had left at a friend's house for the last two months, bought some sheets and little wicker basket to hold my socks, went grocery shopping (clearly)... and decorated the living daylights out of my room. My roommate is SUCH a doer. She reminds me of my mom. Very busy, short, action-oriented. She offered to help me rearrange my furniture this morning. So I kindly thanked her and then sat there dreamily thinking about how I might like it all set up. She comes back about three minutes later - "SO, are we ready?"  But my god she was in it for the long hall. We had the GIANT dressed - 8.5 feet-ish - in five different locations and the other display case/dresser, desk, and eating table chasing it around the room the whole while. We also ransacked her storage unit to find me that table and some extra lamps. She's truly generous with her time - I feel lucky to live with her.

I've also been thinking a lot about Danish fashion... they all look so similar. And no, I'm not just saying that there are a lot of blonds. Mostly... the aesthetic is SO consistent, it's a bit unnerving to me. At least they all look good. Lots of stripes, cropped jackets, skinny jeans, black tights, blue/black/grey perhaps with an accent color, interesting sneakers or flats, this inexplicable kind of romper pant that is sort of tight around the ankles but loose on the legs and tight again around the wait. SOMEHOW, in spite of the way it sounds when i try to describe it as dryly as possible, those pants actually look good on Danish people. y the way, everything except that romper-pant situation applies to both men and women, just fitted differently. Back to the blond thing though. This 'Danish aesthetic' is not at all limited to white people, but at the same time, it does seem to carry an obvious 'whitness' or 'Danishness' with it. Women who wear the headscarf sometimes have the same exact dress that I've describes - and often don't, particularly if they're older. Those who dress with this Danish vibe are sill obviously marked as different by the scarf, but the rest of the clothing seems to play almost as much of a role in marking difference. The fascinating point is that it's not purely difference of how revealing or "sexy" the clothes are - it's truly a matter of fashion.

Okay, enough big thoughts for now, I'm tired and I have International Student Orientation tomorrow!

Vi ses i morgen,
Alice