sweden and other happenings

i feel like i haven’t really had time to update this or write in my real journal lately, but i guess that’s good because it means i’ve been busy doing other things! i really like to take time to reflect and take it all in, but i suppose being wrapped up in a bundle of activities is a positive break from my normal routine.

in terms of academics, things just keep getting better (and they were good to begin with). i read parts of a really interesting report called MIPEX— the migrant integration policy index— which denmark pretty much flunked. in some areas like family reunification their policies are considered “critically unfavorable,” the worst in the eu, and borderline human rights violations. interesting considering how liberal and progressive the country is in other respects like environmentalism and gay marriage. a lawyer from the denmark institute for human rights came into class and gave us a brief lecture on this— very thought-provoking. as part of this class i met with another under-aged asylum seeker today. he is 17 and fled imprisonment in rwanda by coming to denmark. in fact, he didn’t know he was in denmark but ended up here when, in rwanda, a stranger sent by his mother gave him a bundle of papers. his goal is to become a doctor but he needs to first be granted asylum so that he can take danish classes, so that he can finish high school, apply to university, and finally med school. all danish education is free but there are no international universities, so one must speak fluent danish to benefit from this system. it makes sense but is frustrating for migrants like the one i met today who speak three or four languages fluently but have trouble with the insane language that is danish.

a major highlight this week was going to sverige-- sweden. i think i had built up my expectations a bit too high, but it was indeed really fun. i knew i would like sweden because it is the birthplace of some of my very favorite things (ikea, h&m, swedish fish, jens lekman, swedish pancakes…although i'm not sure if they are actually from sweden). malmö, just about an hour’s bus ride from copenhagen, is like a very old and somewhat smaller version of this city. copenhagen is the biggest city in denmark at 1,153,000 people; malmö is the third biggest in sweden at 260,000; they are part of the same metropolitan area called the oresund. interestingly enough, about 27% of malmö’s population was born abroad. sweden scored the highest across the board in MIPEX— immigration and integration seem to be happening much more successfully in sweden for some reason (i really don’t get why or how). another huge benefit of going to sweden for those of us living in denmark is the cost of living there is much much cheaper. it’s an ideal place for shopping! i scoured the shops looking for a colorful, unique and somehow distinctly scandinavian scarf that was below 100 swedish kroner (about $12 usd). sadly, i didn’t find one…but i had a great time looking! my friend alex and i ended the day at malmöhus castle, which houses an aquarium, natural history museum, and a modern art museum in the old castle itself. unfortunately it was the most creepy museum i’ve ever been to and we got so freaked out we left without exploring the whole thing. i can’t put a finger on what was so eerie about it but it might have had something to do with the fact that we had no clue what was going on (i.e. we don’t read swedish!). i’m pretty sure everything in the museum had to do with torture or imprisonment but have no clue if that was the intention. whatever the case it still tickles me that i managed to get to and from an entire other country in the same time it would take me to get to school for a regular day of classes!

in other news— i’ve got to be brief because it’s getting late for me!— i am now twenty one. i had a nice low-key birthday, which is just what i wanted. i went out to dinner with my host family. i’m finally feeling like i really connect with my little host brother johannes, so that’s good. i’ve eaten some delicious pastries this week. and my best friend from age four, alex, will be coming to visit copenhagen this weekend!! i think it will be a really fun weekend of walking around and exploring some different neighborhoods. i just wish it would stop snowing soon so i could show her this city in its best light. in any case, i’m looking forward to it!