My week has been fairly simple, as I’ve been preparing a lot for my study tour in Norway. I had exams & papers in all my classes, so have been academically busy, and then on Saturday, I went out for pho with my friend Faith. Pho is one of my favorite foods, so I was pleasantly surprised that Copenhagen has multiple Vietnamese restaurants with good reviews – this restaurant was not disappointing either!

Since my week hasn’t had much excitement, I wanted to talk a little about studying in Copenhagen in general. When people ask why I decided to study in Copenhagen, I never really know what to say. It’s a happy place. It’s a safe city. It’s a good program. If I think a little more, I might add something my interest in sustainability. 

And in all honestly, yes, Denmark is relatively happy and safe, and my program has been excellent. I really enjoy living in Copenhagen. But I’ve definitely found some surprises along the way. On the big end of the scale, there are incredibly unsustainable practices here. On the small end, there are no cast iron skillets. 

Going to a cheap super market in Denmark, like Netto or Lidl, it is impossible to by a two inch chunk of ginger, or a single lime. That’s because all produce is wrapped in plastic, and sold by unit not weight. This is a practice I wish would change, not just for convince of cooking, but also because the plastic is just unnecessary. Denmark has also faced controversy for their use of wood burning as energy. Since they get the wood from outside countries, it is a green practice in Denmark. But for the world overall, the cutting of forests and shipping of wood isn’t sustainable. And this isn’t to say that the Danes don’t value being green, but just an example that green values aren’t as common or simple as I imagined. 

However, many Danes are working towards being more environmentally friendly. And while there is certainly an individual aspect to this, I think the government is the biggest motivator. They provide citizens with money to shift to greener practices, like transitioning to clean heating. This is common across Scandinavia; in Norway, people received reduced taxes if they bought an electric car, and now 50% of people or so have. Looking at the environmental challenges we face, it can feel daunting as an individual, especially living within a capitalist system. But, when economical incentives can be provided, transitioning towards sustainability (thoughtfully) can be easier – and we need the government’s help on that. 

Things I’ve learned:

• Cooking for one is hard in Denmark and I miss my auntie’s kitchen. 
• The government can help citizens to live more sustainability. Policy and lawmakers can cause positive change for the environment. 
• Denmark isn’t quite what I expected, but that’s not necessarily bad – they have good pho after all!