Denmark: Utopia-- ja or nej?

As a sociologist, I have an insatiable curiosity about how societies function, and as a medical sociologist, my focus is often on the quality of life of the inhabitants. Upon settling in at our first location in Denmark, Solrod, I noticed many structural factors that differed from the U.S. Structural factors are aspects of a community that may have an influence on its people, such as its infrastructure/public transport, educational system, climate, services provided, food, family units, and demographic makeup. In contrast to many (but not all) U.S. cities, Solrod has excellent public transportation, bike trails and lanes everywhere, food of the highest quality--even in the school cafeterias, free healthcare, and a strikingly narrow gap between rich and poor. I noticed hoards of kids biking to school in the mornings, and despite the citizens’ 60% tax, there is actually a Danish expression about “paying it with joy”. 

In my host family, my teenage host brother set the table without being asked, helped out with dinner prep without being asked, engaged in conversation with me without being asked, helped clear the table without being asked…and did I mention he was sixteen? My point is, Denmark was starting to seem like a utopia to me. Utopia is almost a dirty word, with weird connotations, like with the words “hippie” and “commune” and “communism”.  Yet anywhere I looked, I couldn't find evidence of the social problems plaguing my home country. Rebellious teens, overweight children, and discrimination against the poor where nowhere to be found. While on the train to Copenhagen, I thought I’d finally found evidence of poverty when I looked out the window and saw what appeared to be shanty houses…for the homeless? Other marginalized populations? Immigrants, perhaps? Alas, it was not a ghetto.  They were community gardens and small “summer houses” for the working class. When our group visited the local mayor, I had my chance to put this utopia hypothesis to the test. We asked the mayor what the biggest challenge was in his community—constituents are always complaining about something, right? Every city has social problems, right? In Klamath Falls, where I live, it’s meth..and teen pregnancy..and a 60-some percent (high school) graduation rate. So what was it here? Was this a utopia? I actually used that word with the mayor and expected an eye-roll. Instead he stared at us…stroked his chin pensively…and said “problems?...problems….no.” I rest my case. And I’m taking notes.

Trelleborg Viking Fortress

Visited some ancient Viking history today. We went to Trelleborg which is the site of a Viking fortress from a thousand years ago. We learned about how it was built and could be defended. 

Mark the Brave

Sophie the Stong

Slagelse Gymnasium

I had a great time at the Slagelse Gymnasium with Trine and Annemette. They are Counselors that work with students as they go through the three year program. 

Thanks Solrod

We gave our first team presentation today in Solrod. What a great club!  Thanks for everything!  Here are some pictures of us with some of the Solrod members. 

Danny with his hosts Ole and Virginia

Jill and Hans the GSE coordinator

Sophie and Leah, posing by Leah's fun van!

Turning a Sow's Ear Into a Silk Purse

After dropping off my baggage in my hotel room and taking a quick shower, I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood late in the afternoon of the day we arrived in Denmark.  At first the area seemed like an industrial site, but it soon became clear that various art installations and other resources had been added recently in order to encourage a different kind of use.

In the background of the above picture is an older factory.  In the foreground is a community garden - each raised bed is cared for by a different person.

Just behind the garden is a outdoor kitchen with a roof but no walls.  According to the sign it can be reserved by members of the community for functions.

Beside the garden and kitchen is a combination art installation/play area - the blue fabric is a series of hammocks you can sit in.

The contrast between the small-scale, community-oriented new construction with the large-scale, industrial space was striking.  I'm glad I had a chance to see it - my host Hans told me that the entire area is due to be redeveloped soon, with all existing structures replaced with new ones housing apartments and offices.

Getting Settled

Our hosts arranged a very nice hotel, the "Hvide Hus" (White House) for us to stay in our first night in Denmark.  It's on the beach in the town of Køge, south of Copenhagen, and it overlooks the Baltic Sea.  It was a great place to recover from our long flight.  

Hans Nielsen, the GSE Chair for our host district, and his wife Aase took us to dinner at the hotel restaurant that first night.  Good food and good company - we were all very impressed.

welcome to Solrod

To start off our visit, we met with the Mayor of Solrod. He answered many of the questions we had about the municipality system in Denmark, and his role in the community. We appreciated his willingness to meet with us!

Comfort foods and a quiet night

We were told that the hospitality and generosity of our host families would be beyond measure. But words cannot express the hygge you will feel in the homes of complete strangers. At least not English words :)

GSE is a professional vocational exchange program. And I keep forgetting that my vocation is not culinary arts. The endless variety of vegetarian dishes my host mom is inventing daily is nothing short of inspiring. I fear that my praise is starting to sound disingenuous but I'm so grateful and so impressed. She doesn't have recipes or even names for most of them so I'm making a concerted effort to take pictures and jot down ingredients so I can attempt to recreate them back home.

Tonight, after another night of sprawling entrees we settled into the living room to watch tv, work on our respective projects and drink hot tea with dessert. Candles have been burning since before dark and their black lab is sleeping at our feet.

I will upload pics of all of her food-as-art-as-gifts later but for now I'm just going to enjoy the company of new people I feel like I've known for ages.

Trip to Kronborg

I'm having a great time with my host, Ole Anderson. Today he took me to Kronborg Slot which is the castle that is the setting in Hamlet. Beautiful and lots of history. I have enjoyed talking about American politics with Ole who has been to more states than many US citizens. He has admired US politicians that have compromised and collaborated more than ones that have merely wanted to "win".  Pictures of Holgier the Danske and the Keonborg Ballroom. 

Taxidermy and Gardenburgers in Central Oregon

Our first meeting as a team! Group Study Exchange has a fifty-year history of cultural and professional exchange. And our team is just the latest and the luckiest in a long line of professionals from different backgrounds who will benefit from this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

This Rotary International program began in 1965 and is now being managed by individual rotary districts for the first time.

Representing District 5110, we hail from Corvallis, Eugene, Bend and Klammath Falls. Our first meeting was at the Walker Range Fire Protection office in Crescent Oregon. Where better for a bunch of Oregonians to meet than in the middle of a forested state park?

After introductions and logistics we went to lunch at a local attraction/restaurant known statewide (and probably beyond) for its extensive bottle collection and mounted animals, including a two-headed calf above the men's room. The Mohawk Restaurant is a must-stop destination if you're in or around the Bend area.

The food was great, we got to know each other a little bit and we were pleased to be joined by past District Governor Dell Gray and current DG Tim Mobley.