Goodbye, Copenhagen: Daily Report for September 12

Hello good viewers of all things Danish! 

My name is Jamie and I am honored to be bringing you the final installment of the Daily Report for Denmark: Colonialism, Culture, Public Art Activism. 

Over the course of the last 28 days, we've experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, but through it all we've been together and we wouldn't have it any other way! As we spent September 12th preparing for our final presentations and the 13th actually presenting them, allow me to walk you through our final days in Denmark as a group. Come along!

September 12th: Espresso House Grind Sesh with Ikea Meatballs to Fuel our Progress

Originally for Tuesday we had a visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art scheduled. That excursion became optional and most of us ended up using the time instead to put the pedal to the metal to finalize our presentations.

The Espresso House courtyard was full of concentration, the sharing of ideas, and caffeine. The crafters were in one corner, embroidering and painting, while the other was hard at work on slides, it was a beautiful thing. We spent a better part of the morning there, even taking time for some of us to have a practice run through of our presentations to get some thoughts. Eventually the rain drove us back to the Hotel Saga where some of us met with our fearless leaders, Juliana and Morten, to get some last-minute feedback while the rest of us went to dutifully keep working or taking a few moments to rest in our rooms.

Reaching into the early hours of the evening, we were called to one last Ikea meal. The meatballs, while not standing a chance in comparison to true Swedish meatballs as we came to discover in Malmo, were within our price range and always hit the spot. Once we finished our lovely meal we wandered Ikea a little bit, creating stories for each room we went into. As a group, we returned to Saga satiated and ready to put the finishing touches on our projects and hopefully get a little bit of sleep before the big day.

September 13th: Everything We’ve Been Working Towards

A quick Saga breakfast and we were off to the University of Copenhagen, some of us stopping to get the cheap and delicious school coffee or chai to quench our nerves beforehand.

Allie started us off strong not only with her keen juxtaposition of the Danish and American welfare states, but also with play dough! Below you can see some of the truly exquisite artwork created by Quinn and Juliana. We just know one day they’ll be shown in the SMK, they’re almost as good as Matisse…almost!

Meheq then drew the mosaic of her identity before our eyes through her stunningly detailed paintings and personal connections. Julia followed in a similar vein of personal reflection, this time focusing on the power of symbols in storytelling both at the personal and national level. Riley and I were up next, the only group of two. Together through embroidered artwork we navigated the dualities that have persisted throughout this program, particularly how to engage in difficult topics while also protecting one’s own mental health. 

Here we took a moment for a much-needed snack break. More coffee, some oranges, a Twix or two, some guests showing up, and we were back to it!

After the break Casey helped us to contextualize some of the conversations we’ve been having throughout this course in the greater regard of Danish history. Quinn brought it back to the present in his deep dive of Danish politics and the emotions we tie to political landscapes and change. Brielle then took it away to explain the necessity of complexity, nuance, and all narratives within education to help create fuller understandings and a more aware populace. Finally, Ashley closed us in conversation through the prompt of her original poem, “Submersed,” in which water is a key part of shaping her experiences in Denmark.

Just like that, we were finished! We did it! Ahhhhhhh…now it’s time to celebrate.

The group promptly hit the 300-year-old pub and grabbed some cider and trusty Tuborg to say “skal” to all our hard work.

Rounding out the evening and the program, all of us enjoyed a delicious final meal together at Spiseloppen in Christiania. Morten let his hair down to become what we’ve termed “Morten after Dark.”  Over dinner we shared laughs, lingering content connections, and some truly remarkable memories.

That evening partying ensued, some bags were packed, and four of us prepared to depart in the morning. I currently write this in the air on my way home. While our time together in Copenhagen may have come to an end, this is an experience we will continue to reflect on for years to come.

Until next time,

Jamie