Cultural Difference #1

     Being in a new country allows one to open their mind and experience different ways of doing things. In some instances these new cultural differences make lots of sense, in others they are completely bewildering, and still in others you simply learn more about the values and beliefs of the country. Throughout my stay in Copenhagen I will blog about these cultural differences. For the first installment of this "series" I want to talk about babies and their carriages.

     First, let me address the style in which these babies "ride." Danish baby carriages are much more traditional. The three in the picture are excellent examples of what you see when walking down the street. Interestingly enough I took the picture in Western Denmark on a university campus. So far, I do not know if their is a general, cultural consensus as to why the Danes tend to use this large, elegant, but at times bulky carriage. May it have something to do with providing a certain kind of comfort for the baby, or perhaps it is simply a more discrete carriage, unlike the colorful ones we tend to see in the States. One thing for certain is that these buggies look classy! I have a feeling my parents will be happy to see that the type of stroller they used to push me around is still thriving in popularity in Denmark!

     Aside from the style of the buggy, there is a much bigger cultural difference to note. That is, many Danes leave their baby/toddler outside of a store, while they then go into the store to shop. Frequently you will see a mother or father park the buggy with their child in it and leave them to go into the store. The thought is that if the baby is sleeping or is peaceful then the baby/toddler will be content to sit outside of the store. However, if the baby wakes up and begins to cry then the mother will attempt to comfort the baby. For many Americans this cultural difference may seem like child neglect, however, the difference comes from two perspectives on society. In America we tend to be overly cautious, viewing most strangers with an air of suspicion. In Denmark, the Danes assume that everyone around them is normal. Why would there be a reason for the person to be crazy or unhinged - they think. It is this thought that can be seen in the entire socio-political structure of Denmark -- one of community and compromise. While at first this cultural difference may seem shocking, after a while it becomes a pleasant sight, reminding me that humans can trust each other.

-John

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It's all in a name

     For my first post, I would like to talk about the name of this blog and give a short introduction of who I am and what I want this blog to be. To start, the name Urban Woodsman is a nickname my mother gave me. She uses this catchy phrase to quickly describe who I am to other people. The nickname is accurate. "Urban" describes where I currently live and go to school. "Woodsman" describes what my hobbies are and the lifestyle I want to live. On a deeper level, this witty nickname defines my current state of limbo. The realities of each word are opposites of each other. I am living my life in the mindset of a woodsman, however, my environment does not reflect my mindset. At times this can be frusterating. I long to retreat into the wilderness and create my own homestead where I am self sufficient. However, decisions I made in High School about where to go to university have temporarily halted those dreams. Am I bitter or angry? Certainly not. When I chose to go to college in a large city, I had no idea that I would become so engaged in an alternative wilderness lifestyle. And of course, living in a city offers so many diverse and cultural experiences that I will treasure once I retreat into the woods. So while I may be dreaming of the woods now, I also realize that living in a city is a fantastic experience.

     About a month ago I moved to Copenhagen, Denmark to study for a semester. Initially, I put off ideas of creating a blog. I don't read other peoples blogs and I didn't understand what blogging could do for the writer or the reader. However, after some thought I decided to create this blog for a couple of reasons. I write this blog so I can keep friends and family up to date on my life in Denmark. I write this blog so that people from around the world can learn and gain entertainment from my experiences. Lastly, I write this blog for myself. Not only as a journal, but as a way to express myself. Regardless of whether 0 people read this blog or 100,000 there is something that feels good about putting thoughts and feelings into words and sending them out into the world. Like a message in a bottle.

-John