Weekend Update

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First I was busy, then I was unproductive, but now I'm back. But still fairly unproductive.

Saturday, September 26, 2009: The climate is a hot issue in Denmark. Unlike the United States, their available resources and land have always been limited (read: no manifest destiny) so the Danes have developed an acute and sophisticated sense of awareness when it comes to reducing, reusing, and recycling, emphasis on the reduce part. There's an island called Samsø that is entirely self sufficient, as far as energy is concerned. Wind power produces nearly 20% of Denmark's energy. So it makes sense that climate and environmental activists here take themselves very seriously. SHUT IT DOWN (shutitdown.dk) is "a mass civil disobedient action which will close down a coal power plant in Copenhagen. SHUT IT DOWN claims: capitalism is the source of all climate crises, market solutions produce profit, NO better climate, climate justice for the global south NOW, and STOP burning fossil fuels...bastards." On Saturday the mass action includes two trucks with sounds systems, one of which had a cardboard dinosaur smashing a coal plant propped up on top of it, and at least 1000 people in three blocks. We walk from the meeting point through the streets to the road just outside the coal power plant. This is where one of the trucks stayed with the non-active activists, meaning the ones who weren't planning on entering the plant (myself included). The other two groups of people split up and each tried to enter the plant from different sides. This is where it gets intense. After some reassessment, both groups gather at the northwest side. They are armed with gas masks, wire cutters, mattresses, and a passionate love for environmental and social justice. Some of them cut through the fence to allow easy entrance/escape. Lots of cameras and video cameras are recording this, even Danish Radio, the main media in Denmark. The police are out in full force with their riot gear and vans. Tensions are high. The truck gets confiscated; some people get arrested. We didn't stick around for too long after that, but apparently some random person in a car wasn't pleased about the inconvenience of social dissent in the streets, so he purposely hit a protester and drove away. Good thing the police were there because they apprehended him. Ha!

Following the protest, we headed back into Copenhagen, maybe to find some food, and we took a short cut through Christiania. We didn't make it much further because there was a party! It was the neighborhood's 38th birthday, so there was a giant neighborhood-wide party going on. Lots of stages with different music and stands with food and drink, lanterns of fire being released into the night sky. We played hacky-sack in a field for a while, enjoying the atmosphere, then found a veggie restaurant. Tim was the only who ate, as Stephanie and I are taking full advantage of the free food to be had at our houses. But while we sat and chatted we met three other kids from the USA - one is studying here, one is working at a bike shop, and one is just passing through on a trans-European journey. It's nice meeting people like that.

I didn't stay out too late because Sunday was RACE DAY! I ran 10 km, for the first time ever, in 56:50. I'm quite pleased. But what's next? I need a new running goal. Suggestions? Maybe the Berlin Half Marathon in March? I think so. Needless to say, I didn't feel like doing much the rest of the day. So I didn't.

The rest of my week has so far consisted of hacky-sack and midterms. I made a hacky-sack, but one of the seams was faulty, so Tim and I destroyed it within the first hour. But now I've fixed and refilled it so we're good to go again. And go we will. I was hacking with my 7 year old cousin Sophie just moments ago.

Wednesday was exciting. Students from both the EU Politics class and the Danish Politics class (I'm in both) took a field trip to a gymnasium, which is quite like a high school, to meet Danish students who are studying American politics. We were first treated to one-on-one tours of the school, which is old and prestigious and cozier than my university's student union bar. Then we broke up into small groups to talk about security/threats, alcohol/smoking policies, the structure of the political systems, and anything else we fancied. The Danish students are taking a trip to Washington D.C. in the spring. Mostly they wanted to know if they could smoke and drink there, and what the night life was like. It was really cute. Naturally they were all appalled at the alcohol policy of the US, but were to relieved to learn that the tobacco policy is actually quite similar to theirs. Since we had learned a lot about Denmark in our classes, it was more interesting to hear what these Danes thought about the USA and answer their questions as best as I could. One of the boys I talked to said he was worried about getting stabbed when walking through Nørrebro (where the gang war is going on). I told him that knives are no big deal because in the USA you can carry assault weapons to protests, especially if you're white. A side note: they were all thin and well-dressed and gorgeous. Like most Danes.

Today I passed my European Politics midterm with flying colors - right? I also turned in one paper about a human's responsibility to own choices and thereby establish a history and an identity. It's for my philosophy class. I'm not even sure I totally understand it.

Plans for the weekend: remember Aqua? They sing Barbie Girl and were huge in the 90s. Apparently they are performed at Rådhusplads tomorrow evening, outside, which means free since they can't stop me from listening. So I'll probably check that out. I hear Medina is playing too. She's a Danish pop sensation, and the one song I've heard by her so far is actually pretty good. Saturday night Studieskolen, where I study Danish, is throwing a party for all its students. I've invited my Danish friend along with me with the ulterior motive of forcing him to force me to practice my Danish. Other nationalities in my class include: Italy, Canada, Brazil, USA, Iceland, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, UK, Australia, and a few I've yet to identify. It's beautiful! Most of them came here for love or money (job), but there is another student or two.

Next stop: Brussels/The Hague/Amsterdam!

TINADAD 4: Danes do not go out to meet new people. They go out to be out with the friends they already have. They are not much for small talk.

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Photos

Shut It Down
It's a protest on wheels!

Shut It Down 2
On our way to the coal power plant.

Gammeltorv
The fountain in the square by school.

Olympic cow
Obama and Oprah are in Copenhagen this weekend for an Olympic conference. The candidate cities are: Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo.

Kongens Nytorv
The Metro stop that gets me home from Studieskolen.

Comments

[aliyah]

coal!
wow Elisabeth...i love reading your blog entries :) that coal plant shut down is hardcore! i was picturing it all in my head..and i was getting energized! what a thing to witness. i heard medina on the radio yesterday!