Instances in life as I know them
in which Kira marries a giant.
One of the things you’re warned about when first moving to Denmark is how difficult is it to make friends with Danes. Part of the reason is due to the culture; they aren’t overtly open and outwardly friendly like North Americans. The second is because foreigners tend to move. Why attach yourself to someone who’ll eventually leave? In a stroke of luck, I did not face this difficulty.
Continue reading ➞ Destination Wedding #2: The Nielsen-Andersen Copenhagen Cruise
I had a good slice of Americana this past Thursday in what turned out to be a long but pretty good day. The morning started out with a Meet’n’Greet event with Madam Secretary, that turned out to be was more of a Q&A; running late from far more pressing duties. I arrived at the Black Diamond timely, but out of fear security would confiscate my camera, I left it in my locker. It was less that rigorous, and I realized too late that I could have brought it in. Anyhow, because the early bird catches the worm, I was able to snag a pretty good seat. It doesn’t quite look so from the angle below, but I was just 4 row. I did have my camera phone, but the quality isn’t good enough to post. I will say, that I have a lot of respect for that woman. She spoke largely about gender issues, Syria and Russia, and her experience these past 20 years in the upper echelons of our government. Any how her poise and intelligence are tremendous and worthy of emulation. Sadly, she has no intention of running for president in 2016, but if she ever changes her mind, she’d have my vote.
Later that evening, I headed to the Nørrebro, for the second day of Distortion. There, at a venue called Rust in the near centrum part of the hood, was to be a show by M.O.P (short for Mash Out Posse), an American hip hop duo from Brooklyn. A Brooklynite herself, my friend Hallie (who was featured in the Dark Girls Documentary; trailer clip at the 8:23 mark) convinced me to go with, and although exhausted, we managed to get in, had a blast and met some nice people to boot.
This is the cleanest version I could find.
The best of spring has arrived, and with the increasing warmth and sun, the Danes are becoming happier and playful. Last month, the Copenhagen Phil (Sjællands Symfoniorkester) surprised the passengers in the Copenhagen Metro by playing Griegs Peer Gynt. Couldn’t have been a more fitting tune for a city awakening from winter’s gloom.
A couple weeks back I received a second parcel in the post from my mom who had been in Florida visiting my sister, and kindly picked out some items for me on an shopping trip. I’d been eagerly awaiting said parcel for over two weeks. Typically packages arrive from the Pacific Northwest in about seven days. From Florida, five days. But naturally, as I was excited about this one, which contained 3 skirts, 2 dresses, a blazer purse and wallet (she spoils me), it managed to hit the major stops at weekends. Even better, it arrives to the main distribution center the day before the Easter holiday break which is baffling five days long. (Note: the churches here suffer low attendance, and the ones not offering community-type activities are closing left and right. The Danes may not go to church, but they their work-free holidays seriously.) Pressing on.
Finally back to functioning society (“functioning” used somewhat loosely), I head online to check the status and see something I don’t fully understand. So I ring them up. “Yes, it says there is a fee of which you must pay in order to pick up your items.” The service rep tells me. What does she mean a fee?! “Why is there a fee?” I drill, completely unamused. “Let me check….. Yes. You will have to pay 700.” &%^$#. Speechless. In case you need conversion, that’s $125USD. “The value is listed at over 300 Danish kroner. Anything over 300 Danish is taxed by customs.” Yes, because that makes a whole heap of sense. Of course the tags were left on everything, so it didn’t help. But it’s a viscious cycle. You buy abroad, because things are so damn expensive here. And then they tax it, so a) you’d pay what it would cost if you got it here, thus b) deterring people from buying abroad where items are diverse and cheaper. Even though the whole purpose of buying abroad is because, things are expensive here. The markup is insane.
Yesterday, I trotted down to the American candy store in search of Cheetos. And no, I’m not ashamed of that. I immediately spotted the orange bag at the entrance and spot the fun size bags shelved neatly by the door. As I reach down to grab a bag, I notice the price: 15 dkk. The about $2.75 for a $.25 cent bag of chips. I couldn’t do it, so I settled on a box of Toffee Bunch-a-crunch instead. That little bag would have just been a tease as I’d need at least three to satiate my craving. But I can’t say its surprising. Shocking is the fact that the store sells predominantly budget-line, Flavorite brand items at brand name + import tax prices (think a 300% markup if not more). Folks either aren’t familiar witg American Products to know better, or crave it too strongly to care. Such is the price one pays for an excellent Scandinavian life.
I had plans to meet up with my homie Alex (Shanghai) who has just returned from a semester abroad in Livepool for lunch. We began at the same time, though he’s been gone the past six months. The meeting was to catch up, and dicuss the thesis and internships (he has recently acquired an internship with the UN in Geneva. I just had an online test and a phone interview for an internship position with the UNOPS here in CPH and am waiting to hear the final verdict). Before I left I saw on the Denmark.USEmbassy Facebook page that there was going to be a jazz event at my faculty library. We would already be on campus nearby at the canteen, so why not swing by and check it out?
What is was, was the opening the Jazz Ambassadors Photo Exhibit in celebration of the American Black History Month, the ambassadors being black American Jazz performers (such as Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, ect) who were sent abroad as cultural ambassadors during the cold war, to appease and win over non-democratic nations towards democracy and shatter views of the United States as imperialist. So out into international territories they went to spread an openness and democracy not available to them in their own nation. This was during the time when segregation and racial inequality was still in full swing (pun intended). In addition to the exhibit, internationally renowned musicians Frank London, Ron Caswell and Mads Pagsberg performed a jam session in the true spirit of Danish-American jazz tradition. There was also gratis refreshments. Not bad at all.
“What state are you from?” Ms. Fulton asks after I’m introduced to her by one of her people who overhears my accent and learns that I’m a student.”I am from Washington State.” She exclaims,”We’ve just made a deal with a couple Washington vineyards to sell their wine here in Denmark. You’ll have to come when they launch.” This makes me proud. I am glad to see the state getting its name and reputation out there.
…performed in Copenhagen this past Friday evening, and I went with my homefry Migui to see him. I’d first learned about Watts as an intern at the Lakeshore Theater in Chicago, a comedy theater located in the north side of Chicago on, you guessed it, Lakeshore. The comedy spot has since closed, but while it was running, Watts was a frequent guest. Of course I never got to see him there. He performed just before I started working, with his last performance a week after I moved back home to the Pacific Northwest. A fact I shared with him. He remembered the theater and we briefly reminisced. Anyhow, I wish I had some device to record the show. It was brilliant, and left Migs and I in near stitches. His act is entirely improvisational. He creates a beat by mouth which he records to a track and plays on a loop. He then continues adding layers, by mouth and piano, until he’s content with his beat, and then sings (incredibly well I might add) nonsensical lyrics to them. For example, the lyrics to an old soul track he came up with were about spreading butter on some bread then adding other ingredients until the perfect sandwich was constructed. Sung entirely a la Marvin Gaye. In between songs, he prattles on about utter foolishness and nincompoopery. Fantastic. Check the video below. Doesn’t do him justice, but you’ll get a better picture. And no he isn’t British. He changes accents and styles constantly.
In other news, I was poking around on Philippe Jaroussky’s site trying to find more information about his summer performance in Baden Baden (avec Mme Marie-Nicole Lemieux), when I saw a Berlin date. And then I remembered. I was to see him perform in Hamburg end of November, but Darnell talked me out of it, convincing me to wait until the February date. Originally I was planning to take the Foreign Service Officer test in February, and if I registered to take it in Berlin, I’d be proverbially knocking out three birds* to visit her. (*Who came up with that hideously morbid idiom?) This I somehow completely forgot. Anyhow the date happens to be the 16th, when I would be there for the Berlin Film fest, so I check for availability. It wasn’t sold out! Not yet anyway, so I swiped the cheapest ticket I could find. EXCITED! In the video below, Jaroussky is the first to sing.
is delightful. For certain an excellent place to spend an afternoon. After dining on margherita pizza and following it up with gelato, Mom and I took a leisure stroll through the park and caught the result portion of a flower arranging contest at the main stage (they were all stunning). On our way out, we stopped at the outdoor stage with the peacock curtains where a small crowd was beginning to converge. To our surprise, the queen and her entourage joined shortly thereafter and a ballet performance began. From what I caught among the whispered gossip throughout the crowd, she herself had made the costumes.
Click photo to see more images.
Joyous Abroad 