April 2017 – Page 2 – W&L Corporate Social Responsibility

Freedom on Steroids

One day before my freshman year, I was suddenly struck by the notion that I was going to almost complete freedom for the first time in my life once I stated at Washington and Lee. While I still had some obligations, such as class and swim practice, I could stay out as late as I wanted, eat whatever I felt like, or even just up and leave Lexington without anyone to tell me otherwise. *Disclaimer to all reading- I was and have been a very good student and never felt the need to really test the limits of my freedom, but knowing I could has always excited me!

For the first three years of my college experience, I never thought that I could ever get or want more freedom than what Washington and Lee already gave me. Clearly I was wrong. Today, as my classmates and I were reflecting on our experience in Copenhagen so far, we came to realize that the freedom we have here is so much more than we ever expected- it is almost literally “freedom on steroids.”

While we work each day on our individual projects, our two professors are back on campus teaching another class. That means that we have no adults here to structure our days. We get to make our own work schedules, set our own hours and locations, and travel around the city or even the country as much as we want. Our only real task is to finish our projects by the deadline.

To almost any other college student, this sounds unreal. How can you possibly be trusted to do your work? Why don’t you just leave it for the last minute and go travel for four weeks? How is that even allowed?

My honest answer to all of these questions is that Washington and Lee and its honor system, have been preparing me for this moment since I first set foot on campus. While our class is all under the impression that we want to have fun this trip, our first and foremost goal is to produce the best projects we possible can.

Yes, we can travel as much as we want, but both groups decided on their own (with some advice from our professors) to only take this upcoming weekend off. My group decided to work every week day we are here, and even some weekends, starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending whenever we accomplish our tasks for the day.

Other students at other schools in the same situation might abuse this freedom, but my class seems to view this as the ultimate challenge. We get to prove to everyone that yes, you can leave a group of 8 unchaperoned students in a foreign county for four weeks and have them create and produce amazing projects by the end of it. Washington and Lee has taught us what we have to do to get a task done, so much so that we even when given the gift of freedom on steroids, we still chose to work until the job is done.

Feeling Comfortable

Cole and I enjoying a sprinkle ice cream cone which I devoured in less than two minutes.

Going to Denmark, I really had no expectations. Before the trip, I didn’t meet anyone that went to Copenhagen previously so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I also think I didn’t had any time to develop expectations considering the sheer amount of work I had to do before arriving. I decided to make the poor decision and leave Saturday right after finals to go to Munich, giving myself no time to pack. I ultimately had to rush out of my apartment and drive to Dulles International Airport. I only began to feel relaxed when the plane took off. Since I went to Munich first, I only really began to form expectations for Germany on the first flight. Munich also took away the original shock of being in Europe that I would have expected to get when arriving here. I was originally overwhelmed when arriving in Germany by myself but the few days there made me ready for my stay in Europe. I noticed how comfortable I really was with being in Europe when I was repeatedly asked for directions by Germans. Although I wasn’t too much of a help to the people who did ask me, it made me realize that I was walking confidently around the city even though I had only been there a couple of days. This made my arrival into Copenhagen feel oddly relaxing, as I felt comfortable with my ability to navigate around Europe (with the help of Google Maps of course).

The only expectation I formed was from watching the video talking about Denmark and its current ranking as the happiest country in the world. Although the people seem nice I don’t really get the impression that they are any happier than anywhere else I have been. It also seems hard to believe considering the gloomy weather. I am really intrigued to find out more about what makes Denmark the happiest country in the world. I have really begun to appreciate their wide spread use of bikes but I am also intimidated by their biking as well. I am intimidated because everyone that I have seen biking has been on a mission and positive of the route they are taking to get to their destination. Since I have only been here for three days I have to use Google Maps to get everywhere. I am afraid the Danes will run me over when I have to check my phone to see where I am going so I still haven’t rented a bike due to this fear.

I am really excited to be here and have already fallen in love with the beauty of this city. From making friends at bars to exploring the city with classmates, I have begun to feel comfortable here and am excited to tackle the difficult project ahead of us in this beautiful country.

Everyone Thinks I Am Danish

At almost every store I go into, at every restaurant I walk to, and even in the elevators, everyone speaks to me in Danish.
I know Danish is the official language of Denmark, but it seems most of my friends are not being regularly spoken to in Danish. However, it seems that I am everywhere I go.
I suppose it is the combination of my blonde hair and dark clothing that makes people believe I am a local, but alas, I have never been to the country before. I would rather fit in than stick out.
Unfortunately, the lack of Danish language knowledge makes me feel helpless and dumb.
Not only do I have no idea how to respond when people begin speaking to me in the language, but I also cannot read anything that has been written on advertisements, menus, and even water bottles. I have almost bought sparkling water rather than still water multiple times because quite honestly, I can’t tell the difference in their Danish words. As if I knew what the Danish words were in the first place.
I feel so much better knowing that most of the people here speak English as well, but when I left the city of Copenhagen, it was not quite the same. I tried to order an ice cream cone and they had no clue what I meant when I said “waffle cone” and “rainbow sprinkles.” It was like I was speaking a foreign language to them. Probably because I was.
I would really like to learn Danish, but it is so hard going into a country and knowing absolutely nothing about the language, then suddenly being immersed into it. They say it is easier to learn a language when you are in the country, but how can I learn the language when I have no base? It is like running on uneven sidewalks; I do not know how to begin controlling my footing.
However, the majority of the people have been very friendly, despite my lack of understanding of their language. Many people speak in perfect English, which makes communication much easier.
As a person who has rarely left the United States, I am not used to being the one unable to speak the native tongue. This has been an incredibly eye opening experience, seeing things from another perspective. Instead of being in the majority for languages, I am in the minority. However, because of the way I appear, people still believe I am in the majority. I am not upset they assume I am Danish, it simply makes communicating that much harder and more embarrassing. The look of confusion and horror I likely give off when someone speaks to me in Danish is mortifying, and I am sure they think I am just another dumb, uncultured American who came to Denmark without knowing Danish.
I hope to begin picking up some Danish phrases throughout my time here. I have found a link with some useful Danish phrases and their pronunciation. I hope they will help me successfully let the people know that I am not actually Danish.

http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/danish.php

Exercise Options Abound

Through the various incarnations of #wlucsr, our students have maintained their preferred exercise routine or found a new one. In the course of a typical day, students spend much more time on foot and/or on bike than I think they do when on campus. Such is life in Copenhagen.

Scandi Six: Copenhagen Running Routes

Beyond that, some find a gym. Many maintain their usual morning or afternoon run. For the latter group (or for those looking to start a new jogging routine), here are some possible routes, most of them easily accessible from Danhostel.

On Uneven Ground

I’ve never claimed to be graceful, but it seems that Copenhagen has amplified that issue. Cobblestone streets, uneven bike lanes, steps up and down and of irregular size, all tripping hazards aimed at bringing me to my knees. Being in a new place seems to put you on uneven footing, making navigation and even walking a challenge. Luckily, Copenhagen seems to move a bit slower and I definitely feel more relaxed than I anticipated.

Copenhagen seems to move just a little bit slower, especially for a major metropolitan city. My first experience in Europe was this February, in the city of Paris. I was surprised how much slower the pace of the city was, but the crowds and the noise were prolific. Foreign tourists filled the city, creating a cacophony of sounds and cameras flashing, and crowds galore. I was told this was Paris’ least busy time of the year but I often found it hard to move through the crowds in my arrondissement. Copenhagen, on the other hand, has been quiet, peaceful, and very orderly, if not predictable. The Danes definitely make more of an effort to keep quiet in public spaces, as the roar of our group appears to have been disruptive on multiple occasions. Everyone seems to move slower here too, either planning their time more effectively or simply not feeling the need to rush. I seemed to be outpacing most of the locals, but I am always feeling the need to rush. Rushing around is typical for the American cities I am accustomed to, and more of what I expected for the major city. Where there does seem to be rushing is the bike lane, with individuals whirring around in a methodical yet death-defying manner. Being entirely incompetent on a bicycle, it’s terrifying but everyone I have seen has been laser focused on the road ahead of them and given the quantity of bikes I have seen, have yet to witness an accident. This is where the order seems to come into play, where everyone seems to follow the rules and ensure the city is running like Swiss clockwork. Everyone seems orderly in their walk and their composition, and the tourists and visitors are easily identifiable by the natives. Uniformity among the natives seems to be key and one can quickly tell a Dane from the foreigners. Many of the foreigners are a mixed bunch, lacking primarily the uniform of dark, solid colored clothing. American cities are so much about individuality and dressing a way that represents yourself, versus a dark uniform which is so popular in European cities. European cities are certainly different than what I expected, but having only experienced two, I have a lot to learn.

Copenhagen surprises have been plentiful yet my first few days have felt comfortable and relaxing. As work begins and we are baptized by fire, I am sure I will have plenty more discoveries about what this Scandinavian paradise has to offer. Although, as much as I hope I will acclimate, I was told that foreigners are never fully acclimated to Danish culture. I will be sure to report back.

The Silence of the City

Do you hear that? No, not the cars whizzing by the hostel. Not the young teenagers chatting out in the lobby. Not the sound of bicycle bells ringing to warn people that if they do not move they will be plowed over, nor the sound of me shouting every time I see a dog (this happens quite frequently). I am talking about the silence. Now your first thought is probably, “you can’t hear silence.” That may be true, but if you listen closely, you can notice the lack of certain familiar sounds.

Often times, large metropolitan cities like Washington D.C. or New York City “never sleep” because they constantly produce a variety of sounds. One of the most common sounds heard in these urban cities are police sirens.

Whenever I visit Washington D.C., it seems as though police sirens are the city’s soundtrack. Sometimes the sirens are merely ten feet away, other times they are ten blocks away. Either way, there is always a constant droning of sirens echoing throughout the city. The sirens are so common, that often times they become “white noise” to me. After only a few hours in the city, I hardly notice their distinct wailing anymore.

However, this is not the case here in Copenhagen. I notice every single police siren as the emergency vehicles zip down the street. So, why do I pay more attention to the sirens here in Copenhagen rather than drown them out like I do in D.C.? Because I have realized that here in Copenhagen, sirens are a rarity.

“But Copenhagen is the capital city of Denmark, how can there not be any sirens?” Great question person reading this, allow me to explain.

I was lying in bed yesterday morning and felt like something was missing. I was not sure what, but something just felt “off”. However, as I was getting ready for the day, I heard a police siren whiz past our hostel, heading towards downtown. Instantly, I knew that was what I was missing: the constant sound of police sirens.

Keep in mind, our hostel is in a prime location; downtown is only a five-minute walk from the heart of downtown Copenhagen. The police station is a mere three blocks away.

Nevertheless, in the three days I have been here, I have heard a total of 10 police sirens. Granted, I may have missed two or three while I was asleep or eating in a restaurant, but while I have been awake, I have only heard 10 sirens. To me, that is insane. How amazing is it that in 72 hours, I have only heard 10 sirens? That is about one siren every seven hours.

The thing that really stuck with me was that I actually noticed the lack of sirens. It seems so natural to hear police sirens everywhere in urban US cities, that one normally thinks nothing of it. Yet here in Copenhagen, I find it odd whenever I hear a siren, simply because of the scarcity of the sounds. It makes me wonder, is Copenhagen that much safer than D.C. and other US urban cities?

I know other people have touched on the safety of Copenhagen in their blog posts, and I would second/third that point. I understand it is still critical to be vigilant and aware of one’s surroundings while abroad, however I cannot help but feel a unique sense of safety in Copenhagen.

Back in a Familiar City?

Although I’ve been to Copenhagen before, I by no means consider myself a local. However, I do believe that I have travelled enough and am independent enough to perform basic functions in a city. Furthermore, I expected to be somewhat familiar with locations around Copenhagen. Apparently not.

Shortly after arriving, I made a quick trip to the grocery store, Fakta, to pick up some toiletries and snacks. Walking into the shop reminded me of my first experience at Walmart in the US, where I felt so lost and intimidated. I ended up pay much more for a plastic bag, because I grabbed the thermal ones. I thought I was copying the actions of the Dane in front of my, but I was clearly wrong. However, the most embarrassing part was at checkout, where I held up the check out line not once, but twice. The first time was because my debit card kept being rejected and the cashier kept telling me to try again. The second time, I returned to explain that I had come back to pay for the groceries I couldn’t pay for earlier. This was a completely unexpected sequence of events that led me to feel somewhat frustrated. How could I be so unprepared? I would expect this on my first visit to a city, but definitely not on a second extended visit!

Another aspect that surprised me was how unfamiliar I am with the city. Of course, there are landmarks that I remember, such as Danhostel, Tivoli, Andersen Bakery and Strøget. However, locations like Paper Island are new and I could not remember the way to Nyhavn. Luckily, as we walked around Copenhagen today, I began recalling some of the familiar locations and random facts I remembered about the city. This included the rediscovery of the trampolines on the sidewalk (one of my favorite things about the city) and the location of a company we visited two years ago.

While I hope to begin recalling how to get places and the addresses or names of locations, I am finding myself coming to new realizations about the city. An early morning run took us to Fisketorvet Copenhagen Mall, which is definitely closer than I remembered from last time. We also travelled to Humlebæk today and I never realized that the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art was in that area. Furthermore, there is certainly more of Copenhagen and its surrounding region to discover. While travelling for class earlier today to Humlebæk, we ventured quite far outside of Copenhagen by train and bus. The scenery looked so different to the clustered city center that I was used to and there were definitely places to explore between our ‘homebase’ in Danhostel, the area of Humlebæk and beyond. I know that we will be busy with our project work, but I am excited to get to know Copenhagen and its surrounding areas better and hopefully permanently!

Feeling a Little like a Local

Last year, I attended the Business 180 spring term class that spends two weeks in Copenhagen. After the first few days, I felt like I was at least reasonably competent in my abilities to traverse the city. Like Cassidy mentioned in her blog post “Maybe change isn’t that bad,” I also felt strangely calm when I arrived in Copenhagen for the first time. At every opportunity, my classmates and I ventured into the streets to find food, visit museums and churches, or even just to “do as the Danish do.”

Well, if you are trying to “do as the Danish do,” at least two things will probably happen: first, you’ll start to wear A LOT of black; and second, you’ll walk or ride a bike almost everywhere you go. The walking and bike paths in Copenhagen make it extremely easy to get around the city, even if you, like me, are directionally challenged. The architecture also helps.

Copenhagen boasts an interesting variety of architectural styles. The ancient structures of days gone by stand right next to impressive modern buildings like the Black Diamond Library and Royal Danish Theater. Because many of the buildings are so unique, I find it easier to figure out where I am in relation to where I am trying to go. The buildings also make it easier for me to pick a path to take.

Today, on the way to dinner at Paper Island, I knew that if I could either cross the bridge next to Danhostel and follow the waterway until I reached a footbridge that crosses to the food service area, or I could walk past City Hall onto the main pedestrian street, follow the street until it essentially ends in front of Nyhavn, and then cross the newly built bridge that connects Nyhavn to Paper Island. I honestly have no idea what any of these streets are called or whether I’m walking north, south, east or west, but I do know that walking next to the harbor is a bit colder because there is nothing standing between you and the chilling wind, but it takes less time than following the pedestrian street.

After dinner, I left Paper Island and decided to walk back on the other side of the harbor which is now a viable option because of the new bridge. I was almost to the part of the sidewalk where there are trampolines when a young girl split off from her family and walked over to stand directly in my path. She asked me if I knew where “the building full of food trucks” (aka Paper Island) was located. Her father followed her and looked at me hopefully.

I happily gave them directions and then finished walking home. I cannot believe that I know the streets of Copenhagen well enough to give strangers directions. I almost felt like a local taking short cuts and wearing black from head to toe with simple, comfy walking shoes. I can’t wait to spend the next four weeks getting to know Copenhagen even better.

Maybe change isn’t that bad

I have never liked change. When I say never, I mean since I was a little kid, I have detested even the smallest changes in my life. I have distinct memories of bursting into tears upon seeing my mom after she got a hair cut because I didn’t like the “newness” of it. As I grew up, I stopped crying when faced with new places or big changes, but always had that horrible gut feeling like something wasn’t quite right.

Now this “off” feeling normally happens every single time I travel, whether it is for a two day stay in a hotel during a meet or for a fun vacation. My expectation going into this trip was that I would feel the same way for the first few days; I would be anxious, clam up around others, hesitate to go exploring, and maybe even wish that I was home. Honestly, I was getting nervous about being nervous there, and as the trip grew closer my nerves only increased.But then I arrived in Copenhagen, and instead of feeling anxious, I felt strangely calm.

As I was making my way from the airport to the hostel via train and walking, I kept waiting for the panic to set in. But upon each length of this 20 minute journey, I just felt more and more relaxed. When I finally reached the hostel (after getting momentarily lost in the street) instead of hiding out in my room, my roommate and I went off exploring the city.

I believe our excursion lasted around 4 hours and we estimate that we walked close to 12 miles overall, but never once during our walk did we actually have a destination in mind. Instead, we just went where we felt like-we wondered down Strøget, stopped off for lunch, walked along the harbor, found Nyhavn, and even decided to wander over to Paper Island for coffee.

Exploring the streets of Copenhagen only made me feel more safe and secure here. Maybe it was the wide walkable streets, the impeccable architecture or just the friendly people that we met along the way, but I can’t recall the last time I felt so at home in a place that wasn’t actually my home.

Overall, my first impression of Copenhagen was that this was a place unlike any that I had been to before. While I still have yet to experience most of what this city has to offer, I’m actually looking forward to all these new experiences. And yes, I’m even excited for the new changes and surprises that are bound to happen in this next month. So here’s to learning embrace new experiences and finally realizing that maybe change isn’t that bad after all. Skål!

Giving up Four Wheels for Two

Copenhagen is a city of cyclists. Those visiting for the first time are often taken aback by the volume of bicycles on the streets and the number of bikes in the racks around various metro stops and other high traffic areas. I’ve seen statistics that suggest 40-60% of Copenhageners cycle to and from work daily.

I grew up in Houston, which is a city of solitary drivers. “If it can be done on two wheels, why not do in on four?” seems to be the attitude of Houstonians. “Even better if a 5-8 passenger vehicle can carry only a lone driver,” one might conclude from the number of cars and SUVs with a solitary person behind the wheel sitting in Houston rush hour traffic.

There are certainly plenty of other cities that exhibit cycling propensities similar to Copenhagen and many urban centers the more closely resemble Houston. Why is this? What accounts for the differing preferences for cars vs. bikes?

Allow me to get a few of the more obvious similarities and differences out of the way quickly. While both Houston and Copenhagen are coastal and relatively flat, the climate varies greatly. Copenhagen has a temperate climate, with average summer high temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s according to Wikipedia. That’s typical of Houston too . . . in February. While average winter lows obviously vary too (just below freezing in Copenhagen to mid-40s in Houston), most would say you can dress for the Copenhagen chill easier than for the Houston heat and humidity. Beyond climate, the cities exist on an entirely different geographic scale. Municipal Copenhagen is roughly 33 square miles, while Houston covers 667 square miles. Account for suburbs and the difference grows. There is, however, another key reason for the difference that mirrors one of the big differences between the broad commitment to sustainability of Denmark vs. the US. The respective governments have committed to divergent paths, in this case related to sustainable transportation.

For my entire lifetime, Houston has been investing in expansion of its freeway system to handle the large population and the propensity to drive. Sure, there have been initiatives designed to introduce alternatives, but they have been half-hearted at best. A high occupancy vehicle lane here. A new bus route there. We notice them as we sit in our SUVs twice a day during morning and evening rush hour(s).

Copenhagen, on the other hand, has made and continues to make significant investments in infrastructure to encourage more sustainable transport. We could complain about the metro expansion and the disruption it has caused around the city for several years, but it is likely to make a good mass transit system even better. Let’s get back to the bikes.

City planners in Copenhagen have taken steps for some time to nudge people out of their cars and on to their bikes. Many years ago the city introduced what amounted to free loaner bikes. This ensured that there was always a two-wheeled option available. Next? Turn the city’s parking lots in to parks and green spaces or plazas full of cafes, kiosks, and places to relax with a meal or drink. While improving the aesthetics of the city, these public spaces also made it a bigger hassle to park a car, thereby nudging folks to the bike racks. Ample bike lanes and bike traffic signals make navigating on two wheels much easier (just learn the rules of the road before you hop on a bike).

As I was walking to my favorite bakery (Andersen’s, if you must know) this morning, watching the wave of bikes build for the morning commute, I wondered . . . How many other cities could follow Copenhagen’s lead? I’m not sure that a 15 mile commute from Houston’s suburbs to the central business district in 98 degree summer heat will ever be feasible on a bike, but I suspect that there are other decisions that might at least increase willingness to consider other more sustainable alternatives than hopping in that SUV by oneself. I’m not holding my breath.