Being Abroad-experienced in America

Well, I have been home for two weeks now; in my tardiness in adding this final post, I am certain that most people have stopped following this blog. That is completely understandable: by now, I have seen probably seen most of the people that have kept up to date on this blog, a series of loving embraces and friendly smiles warming my heart upon my return to the states. However, for those of you who are still reading and are wondering what my final conclusion of my trip will be, this post is for you.

To begin, I will discuss the highlights of the lessons that I have learned since my departure four and a half months ago. These are in no particular order, as they each have had and will continue to have varying levels of influence on my life.

First, my independence has grown immensely, as evidenced first by navigation. I navigated and mastered the Danish public transportation system, the ultimate test being my ability to track and relocate my missing hat. This experience was not without its frustrations (as falling asleep and missing my train stop twice, winding up going the wrong direction on the S-train, and getting ignored by a bus driver evidence) and I certainly am not immune to travel craziness (as electrical and weather problems evidence). I also was successful in planning and navigating my trips to Rome and Malmö, feats that still daunt me even after having completed them once already. A few downright terrifying/amusing events also occurred, including my falling asleep and waking up in a bus barn in Moscow and getting lost in the red light district of Hamburg. Nevertheless, I still have developed significant abilities to find my way around a city.

My independence also increased somewhat in my ability to manage finances. My financial circumstances were simple in that I was working with a fixed amount of money for the entire semester; however, on that fixed quantity, I was able to do all of the trips that I wanted to do, find low-priced souvenirs, and even allow myself some creature comforts such as the occasional pastry. I engaged in many more financial transactions abroad than back home, even beginning the development of being able to recognize foreign coins by feel or size.

Another important lesson has been in security. While abroad, I lived in a fairly constant state of vigilance as I often had to protect myself and my valuables alone. To those of you accustomed to city life, this might not seem like an accomplishment, but my ability to keep a tight grip on my wallet and my camera improved immensely. Through much prior prompting, I even became wary of the police as necessary, especially during my travels in Russia.

Remaining on the topic of security, I also learned that the state of constant state of potential hazard that many public figures feel is not global. In the US, many public figures have contracted guards or other defensive measures in order to prevent attack from a lunatic with a vendetta. In Denmark, politicians and other celebrities seem far less concerned with potential attack, most noticeably with the lack of any mechanical security on the Queen's birthday. When I mentioned this lack of security to my host mom, she said, "Who would want to hurt the queen? That would be horrible!" The optimism, naiveté, or merely homogeneity of thought in Denmark is revealed in that statement.

One more minor lesson that Americans can derive from Europe is moderation. Americans are renowned for doing things bigger in a wide variety of ways: our meals are huge portions, our cars are immense, our daily activities consume more of the earth's resources, and our youth drinking culture encourages heavy drinking. All of these actions, taken to the extreme like we so often do, are simply killing us, whether it be from obesity or poisoning the atmosphere or poisoning ourselves. In Denmark, they have some sense of moderation, and that what resources they do not use will be put to good use by someone else; they believe in perfecting the taste of a dish rather than racking up quantity; and they do not have this binge drinking culture. If we Americans could wake up and smell the (small, organic) coffee, we might not wind up quite so unhealthy or toxic to our environment.

Europeans also have to teach Americans something about compromise. As discussed in the last post, I was immediately struck by the partisanship of political discourse among Americans. As a result of the governmental structure of the European Union, European politics are much less likely to arrive at 50/50 gridlock, largely due to the qualified majority voting in the European Parliament and pluralist political systems of representation. In the EU, this means that member states would rather vote yes on a measure they disagree with so that they can be put in charge of implementing it rather than be left behind without a voice; within the member states, this means that ruling parties can construct coalitions that will consistently support the government's measures. While I am not entirely certain that these systems of legislation are preferable, I do have immense respect for the general European belief that "We are all in this together."

Some Danish political problems, though, are as horrid as our own. Danes cannot seem to handle immigration reform or address the sociocultural impact of changing demographics. Immigrants are shunned or downright discriminated against in workplaces and marriage laws, many Danes being perfectly content to blame all political or social ills on influences of "second generation immigrants." Here, Danes could learn much from us.

Lastly, the Danish humility has struck me as something worthy of respect, contemplation, and reevaluation. As stated before, Danes have this constant thread of egalitarianism running through their politics and culture, a resource that has allowed them to construct a social welfare system that can boast the happiest people in the world. Danes have also stood up for human rights worldwide, and seem firmly committed to the belief that the socioeconomic status of people in the world should be more equal. Even the EU seems committed to these goals, as they spent billions of Euros each year to aid in the construction of sound infrastructure in the developing EU member states.

The counterpart to this egalitarianism is modesty, also incredibly strong among Danes. As a whole, Danes are a quiet and introverted people (especially when compared to the antics of Italians or Russians). In many cases, this modesty likely bolsters confidence, and Danes feel comfortable attending public or international schools to become international financiers, politicians, or activists.

There is a dark side to all of this, however; in other cases, this egalitarianism and modesty is turned against those who wish to achieve or stand out from the crowd, a concept known as Jante Law. Denmark had many great leaders that conquered much of northern Europe throughout its history, but now the Danish people ridicule or harass those with visions of grandeur. As a country, they have little to no power in their own right, and it is very easy for them to be quiet and agreeable on the world stage, and even easier for them to shun outsiders who threaten to disrupt the "little fairy tale land" that those nativistic Danes believe in so strongly. Despite all this, some degree of modesty and egalitarianism are crucial to a positive future for our world.

In this list, and in this blog, I have hoped to detail the differences between a life lived in the US and a life lived in Denmark. I cannot hope to find a fitting conclusion for such a long writing (in fact, this might be my longest continuous writing yet), though suffice to say that I have learned and experienced so much in those four months that I will never again have the same world outlook. I feel more confident in addressing future challenges, though I am also more cognizant of my weaknesses. I realize that I can have an existence alone, but that I will undoubtedly need strong friendships and family ties to keep me stable, and it is truly only upon returning home do I recognize the true strength of that love and friendship. I realize my attempts to be well-liked and friendly, though I now know that my actions can be viewed as cold and judgmental. I decided on a few career paths that I would likely not pursue, but I was made aware of many more that need thoughtful contemplation. Through all, I promise myself that I will remain optimistic and faithful, and try to make a little "hygge" where I can.

That's the end of the blog. Thanks for reading; my wish is that it has been enlightening or at least entertaining. I'm Aaron Barker. Good night, and remember that every challenge can be overcome with love, courage, and hope.