Beautiful Berlin

A few weeks ago my husband and I took our annual trip together, which happened to be to Berlin. We've decided this is our Christmas present to each other each year due to the fact that 1) we never really feel like we "need" anything and 2) the majority of our travel budget is spent on trips back to the U.S. to see family and friends. This allows us to see someplace new and slowly check off the long list of places in the world we would like to travel.

Apart from being mesmerized in its history, Berlin is a place of great beauty. I'm not just talking about the landscape or architecture, but more of the inner strength and colorfulness of the people. It felt very international to me, and at times American. I know that sounds crazy, but walking through the Mitte neighborhood where we stayed, there were times I swore I could have been in Chicago. The fact that they have Starbucks helped, but also the newness of the buildings and wideness of the streets definitely made me feel like I was on the other side of the Atlantic at times. Then I would see an old building next to a new one and I would remember how the city had to rebuild itself many times over the years.

The most emotional part of our trip was a visit to the Holocaust Memorial and the parts of the city where the Wall still stands. The American Embassy was right next to the memorial which reminded me of the role the country played in WWII. I have a suspicion its location was a strategic decision given it took nearly 17 years to complete the construction after many years of negotiating and planning. We found a path which symbolized where the Wall once stood and followed it to a part of the city where you can see it in its original form. After walking by the words "Why" and "Madness" spray painted into the Wall, you get a sense for how it must have felt to be living there at that time. A Visa was required to move from one side of the city to the other. This part of the city known as "Checkpoint Charlie" actually still has the original signs up, in addition to fake American soldiers standing guard (for the tourists of course).

One of my favorite parts of the trip however, was dinner at an authentic German restaurant with friends. Because I work for an international company and we have an office in Berlin, we met up with some locals for traditional schnitzel and cheese noodles, in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Afterwards we went to a hotel bar, which again reminded me of something we would do in Chicago. Whenever I travel, I prefer to go where the locals go, and do as the locals do. Just goes to show, no matter where in the world you live, some things remain the same.

What's the Bond Deal?

The whole James Bond fascination must be a European thing. The latest Bond movie has everyone I know in Denmark and throughout Europe talking about the movie with a sense of excitement you usually only see for major events like the Oscars or the World Cup. From opening night black tie attire to dinner plans to drinks, this movie has friends excitedly talking about when and how they plan to celebrate seeing the next Bond flick.

I tried to share in their excitement (to be polite of course) but kept asking myself inside the entire time they were talking, what the big deal was? In the U.S. the Bond movies are legendary as well, but for me they are more nostalgic than anything else. Like listening to Frank Sinatra, or going to a great steak house. Looking back at when the series began that makes sense, as the first movie was aired in 1954.

I am certainly not against seeing the Bond movies, but honestly can't remember the last time I saw one. I remember Madonna releasing a song for the 'Die Another Day' movie but that was circa 2002. The Bond actors that come to mind for me are Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan, but of course there are many more. Ask any Bond fan and they are sure to utter off the actor's names as easily as their children's names. 58 years and nine Bond actors later, Daniel Craig seems to have resurrected the series from old school charm to current day action.

How do I know that? Because when I was invited to see the movie with my favorite British friend, I of course accepted the invitation succumbing to the excitement of it all (for research purposes, obviously). When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?

Football Politics

I was living in Chicago during the last American Presidential election. It was 2008 and Tobias and I were still dating. I remember him waking up with me early in the morning so I could be one of the first in line to vote at the church around the corner from my building. Later that night we celebrated the historical victory with friends and champagne. We could hear the cheers from Grant Park, nearly 2 miles away, when Obama took the stage to accept the Presidency. It was an incredible evening. 

Six months later I moved to Denmark.

I have been gone for the majority of Obama's Presidency in the U.S. and have only seen progress or discontent through the eyes of the Danish media, my American friends' Facebook posts, and discussions with family back home. When the Affordable Health Care Act was passed, it was deemed a success when talking to friends and colleagues in Denmark. This of course was coming from a place where there is a good public health system, and a private option as well, functioning side by side. It is also coming from a mindset where people are happy to take care of others and health care is a human right, not a personal responsibility. In terms of foreign policy and approach, the Obama administration has made being an American living abroad a pleasant experience. Not like when Bush was in office and most Americans claimed they were Canadians whenever they traveled abroad, to eliminate the uncomfortable dialogue and scary anger felt towards the U.S. at the time.

Despite my lack of physical presence in the country of my birth during the past 3.5 years, I have still been able to follow Obama's successes and losses (for the most part) due to Denmark's global news focus and interest in American politics. It has actually surprised me how much the majority of Danes identify with the U.S. in terms of language and culture versus England, who is their next door neighbor. This fascination with American culture has enabled some great conversations allowing me to elaborate on my country's politics and reflect a little bit as well. One thing that strikes me as needing an immediate modification is the limitation of a 2 party political system, who's ideals are too far apart to make any real progress in 4 or 8 years, depending on which party is currently in office. This creates a football politics situation where two parties are too busy fighting with each other or winning the office, that no real progress is ever made. Any time one party is in office, it seems to be the goal of the other party to get them out of office as quickly as possible. As long as they continue to go back and forth tearing down what the other party implemented, no real progress is ever going to be made.

In Denmark there are 9 political parties. In the U.K. there are now 3 strong parties. In Germany there are 2 major parties and 3 minor parties and in France it is a multi-party system as well. I am not saying the U.S. needs to look to Europe for guidance in any way. I have just found myself trying to answer the baffled looks as to why the system is the way it is in the U.S., more than once. Believe me, I refer to the online version of Wikipedia, as well as the human version (also known as my husband) a lot when this happens.

Danish Weddings

I've been to three Danish weddings since moving to Denmark in 2009, four if you count my own which was a little bit like baptism by fire, as we say in the U.S. of A. The Danes have many traditions when it comes to weddings and I was fortunate enough to discover many of them for the first time not as a guest, but as the bride in my own wedding. The first tradition being when the bride or groom leaves the room. Depending on who leaves first, determines who gets a chance to kiss the bride or groom first. My husband happened to be the first to step away from the room when we were married and before I knew what was happening, swarms of men were coming at me. My husband's friends Bjørn and Anne witnessed the fear on my face in those first moments of husband and wife in our new life of what was soon to be the first of many Danish traditions I would come to learn and enjoy. Last weekend we had the pleasure of celebrating Bjørn and Anne's union on the island of Møn, the same place we had exchanged our vows three years ago. Except this time it was nice to be the guest and participant instead of on the receiving end of the tradition.

In Denmark the wedding festivities begin for both bride and groom with a bachelor/bachelorette or stag/hen party, as we call them in the U.S. and UK. Except in Denmark the party is called a polterabend for both guys and girls. The word is German and although 'abend' means night, the event lasts all day long. Unlike in the U.S. where the party date is typically known and decided by the bride and groom, in Denmark both parties are surprised by friends the day of the event and expected to pack attire often in a moment's notice. Day activities can be anywhere from paintball to climbing trees to go-kart racing or fencing to making cd's and wine tasting. Breakfast and/or lunch is also planned to break up the day activities before dinner and the evening events begin. As in customary, drinking is usually involved from beginning to end.

Which brings me back to the wedding. A toast master is often assigned and this person's task is to coordinate all the speeches and toasts throughout the dinner, which in Denmark can last anywhere from 4-6 hours. Bjørn and Anne had 9 speeches in total, and almost missed the couple's first dance which is typically the Waltz. This needs to be done before midnight the day of the wedding or they will have bad luck (or so the tradition/superstition goes). While the couple dances, the guests circle and close in around them until the groom is lifted up above the crowd, so his friends can take off his shoes and cut the tips of his socks off. This is believed to symbolize the change in status of a man from single to married. Strange? Perhaps. But there are also some really great traditions. Like enjoying cake and champagne immediately after the ceremony. After all, why should one wait?

No matter the country or tradition, nothing compares to celebrating the union of good friends and couples who attended your very own wedding. This summer alone I was lucky enough to be the guest of three weddings and one baptism (and counting...)!

The Office

I've been full-time for three weeks now and there are some things about working in a Danish office environment that are very different from an American one. In ode to the British and American TV Show, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share them here. First of all, working in an office in Denmark is just as much about your personality, your interests, and who you are as a person, as it is about your professional or technical skills. The Danish word "hygge" comes to mind here. The Danes like to create a cozy environment at all times, and there are many social occasions or rituals in the office throughout the week where personality becomes a factor.

The first being daily lunch. In a typical office environment food is provided or catered in, and all employees contribute financially to it out of their paychecks. It is served at 12pm every day and it is a group event. No running out to grab lunch, or bringing in food from home. In the US it would be very normal to sit at your desk and go online during lunch, or continue to work while you eat. In DK everyone sits down together and has interesting conversation about work, personal interests, or whatever current events are happening in the world. My experience as one of the few American employees in the office, is as the "official sponsor" for my country. Meaning, whenever there is something happening in the world where the US has had some sort of involvement, you will be asked your opinion or viewpoint "from the American people." This has taught me to pay attention to current events, for which I can thank my news junkie of a husband!

The second very social event of the week is the Friday breakfast. Every Friday morning Danes all across the country go to their local Baker before work to pick up fresh bread and pastries. Typically beginning at 9am or shortly thereafter, everyone gathers to have breakfast together. Juice, coffee, bread, cheese, marmalade, butter and nutella are common items served, and sometimes some pastries are also offered. This is also where I became addicted to the very Danish breakfast concoction of bread, butter, cheese, and marmalade on top. (Don't knock it until you try it!) It is nearly impossible for me to just have plain old bread with butter anymore, especially when cheese and marmalade are involved. At Friday breakfast, we usually catch up from the events of the week or talk about weekend plans, another very social event. Some Fridays in the offices across Denmark are officially finished off with a Friday bar, or drinks in the office typically beginning at 3pm. So with breakfast, lunch, and happy hour on Fridays, that makes for approximately 4 hours to get your work done that day. Not bad!

Besides lunch and breakfast, another lovely habit I have come to enjoy is the communal fruit basket. Danes have a high focus on health and instead of a vending machine packed with sugar and salt filled snacks, fresh fruit and vegetables are replenished every Monday morning for employees to snack on throughout the week, free of charge. However, a not so healthy habit that I have picked up on is the daily dose of insane amounts of coffee. I went from only having one cup of coffee in the morning in the US (usually brought to work from Starbucks or Corner Bakery) in addition to an afternoon tea, to having one cup of coffee at home in the morning and another at the office when I get in, to a mid-afternoon coffee (usually decaf or black tea) to a final cup of coffee in the evenings (always decaf) in Denmark. I partly blame that on the cold and damp weather but I would be lying if I didn't also say there was a social factor involved that began with my husband's parents. There is not an evening coffee event to this day where they don't have a bottle of Bailey's nearby so I can enjoy that in my coffee, and therefore consider it a more of a nightcap. One wouldn't want to disrupt their sleep by having caffeine after 3pm! A family joke of which I have often (and happily) bore the the brunt.

Which brings me to my final point. A sense of humor (or humour) is another key ingredient to living and working in Denmark. The Danes have an odd sense of humor at times, but one that I have come to thoroughly enjoy. They love to laugh and in general have a good time whether they are at work or play. Hygge is not such a bad thing after all. Even though in the US it could 'officially' never be allowed to be a selection criteria.

Back to Reality

This past Monday reality set in as I began working a full-time job again. Since May, 2009 my life has been a series of adjustments given my new status as an expat. I went through a period of several months after first arriving in Denmark where I didn't know what the future held for me in this foreign land. However, all signs pointed towards learning the language. Not only so I could understand the world around me, my temporary residency and/or immigration contract pretty much required language lessons before I could be considered a permanent resident. Despite the rules, I wanted to learn the language as I had married into the culture and wanted to be able to speak to my Danish family one day. After 6 months of looking for work in Denmark, I quickly realized the fact that not having my Masters or the ability to speak the native language were two strikes against me, preventing me from finding work and/or being just as successful in Denmark as I had been in the United States. So Danish lessons began and so did the application process for business school.

Three years later, I have worked hard to 'level the playing field' between Denmark and the US when it comes to career and the enjoyment of everyday life in general. I can understand approximately 80-90% of what is spoken and can make my way through most social situations. In-depth conversations and/or work concepts are still difficult but I know once I take the final fifth module in Danish that will only get easier. I received my Masters in Economics and Business Administration which I've been told lies somewhere between an MBA and a PhD in the US. I'm not the sort of person that brags, but I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish. However, despite my hard work the current employment economy is hard for the average Dane to find work just graduating from university, not to mention a foreigner. What I didn't anticipate post graduate degree, was that I might be considered just another recent graduate, versus an experienced professional with over 10 years experience on top of her recent education.

So while I was lucky enough to find full-time work, the level of success in terms of my career in Denmark remains to be seen. Recent conversations and other expat experiences have given me the impression that the language barrier will continue to be an issue and while organizationally the flat hierarchy of the Scandinavian culture makes for a 'cozy' work environment, financial success may be harder to achieve for an experienced professional. However, the jury is still out on that last statement as I know several Danes that would attest to financial success being greater for them in Denmark versus other countries. The only conclusion I can make from that is when it comes to developed countries in general, citizens may always have a greater impression of perceived success in their native land. The reality could in fact be very different. On the other hand, perhaps it all comes down to how you define success.

Endless Summer

A month and two weeks since my last post can only mean two things. I have been busy enough not to be in front of the computer every day, and enjoying the Summer schedule and weather. All of which are good excuses to have. However, for those family and friends that keep up on my life in Denmark, here is a recap of events from the other side of the pond.

The Summer was kicked off by a trip to visit friends and family and enjoy the 30+ degree Celsius or 90+ degree Fahrenheit weather in the States. My good friend Lori was married on June 23rd and the opportunity to be involved in her wedding was an honor I will always treasure. After reconnecting with mates in Chicago, I made the trek to Wisconsin to see my sister, little nephews, and girlfriends from high school. No matter how many years or months pass, making the time to see each other on these trips back are priceless. My heart aches with each goodbye but I know it is only temporary.

Less than 24 hours after I landed back in DK in July I defended my thesis and officially ended my graduate education receiving a 10. In US terms that would be an A or AB depending on the grading scale so I am very happy to not only have delivered an 80 page paper worth reading, but to have written it on a topic I find extremely interesting and relevant. It focused on sustainability and innovation, combining personal interest with academic research. My Danish family and good friend Beth were there to congratulate me on the final result and enjoy champagne, kransekage (small Danish cookies made with marzipan) and a celebratory dinner at a local restaurant.

Two days later my brother and sister-in-law arrived from the States to enjoy 10 days in Denmark with me and my husband. This was a first trip to Europe for my brother and one that my sister-in-law and I were determined to make special. Our time was spent enjoying canal tours, castle trips, cliff hikes, Danish in-laws, and sightseeing in beautiful Skagen. The trip to Frederiksborg Slot was truly an experience, enough to make it my favorite castle in Denmark. Not sure if it was the good company or the beautiful weather and scenery, but probably all of the above. While visiting my in-laws on the island of Møn, I think my family was overwhelmed at the hospitality not to mention the length of time and amount of food served during a traditional dinner feast in Denmark, which made that a fun memory as well. However, my favorite experience of this Summer by far was witnessing the beauty of Skagen.

I have wanted to go to the northern most point of Denmark since I arrived just over three years ago, so when my family decided to spend their entire 10 days in Europe, in Denmark, I jumped at the chance to take them there as well. It's a 6 hour drive from southern Denmark on a good day of traffic, but the trip is worth every kilometer. Painters and artists are known to have traveled to Skagen due to the light and colors it evokes. Tourists, myself included, travel to Grenen to witness the waters of two oceans collide. I will never forget the walk. The beauty of the sky and ocean blending into one, and the refreshing air and soft sandy beaches were enough to actually bring me to tears. It was a sight to see and a location to experience for anyone willing to make the 9 hour flight and 6 hour drive.