The Copenhagen Puzzle

     The battle... in the past I always look back at these moments in hindsight through a romantic lense. I played up how the struggles were what made the victory of succeeding in a foreign country so sweet. This time around, in the name of interesting writing and authenticity, I want to be more honest about it and blog about the process as it’s happening. With that said being on the edge of a society is both intriguing and scary. The intrigue comes from going out socializing seeing the people and the culture. When you’re out and you’re identified by the locals as being more than a tourist people become fascinated by you.  A friend once called this effect - holding the traveler card. Already, so many times, I’ve been asked – “why would you come to Denmark?... we’re so small.” My answer is the freedom, the creativity I see in people, and the intrigue of the newness of everything. Locals like this answer it endures you to them. For me that “newness” is a kind of drug, it’s enthralling and exciting. Again on this trip there were times when I felt like I didn’t need much sleep or to eat as much as I would usually. My body was literally being fed on experience. Now where the fear factor comes into play is the question – can I actually make it? Everyone I have met here says getting a job without speaking Danish is extremely difficult.

    The natural comparison point is my arrival in Amsterdam seven years ago. Then, same as here, there was a learning curve that needed to be met.  Similar to Denmark Dutch people speak English, but they expect to speak Dutch in all service related exchanges in their own country. I struggled mightily at first in Amsterdam working a number of dishwashing jobs in the office buildings of ABN Ambro. Eventually it all worked out though when I got a sweet job as a creative copy writer for an Advertising company called: Media Republic. That opportunity came around through a combination of sheer luck and meeting Dutch people around the city who pointed me in the right directions.

      In Copenhagen I’ve met a lot of people and my social life even in a week is diverse and fun. Already, I have the opportunity to write for the local English weekly News paper; potentially a job this summer to work at the Roskilde festival, and the chance to help a bunch of young people re-establish a famous music venue and club called the Stengade. However, the real issues still remain -even if hidden under the guise of good times and fun – finding a permanent place to stay and finding a real job.  When I think about this fear sets in; the kind of fear that paralyses you and makes you want to sit and watch TV and waste time idly. The fear I’ve felt before when I’ve literally eclipsed all my recourses. That point hasn’t come yet, and won’t for a little while, however in the name of maturity – with my birthday a mere 8 days away – I want to avoid that if I can.  I’ll need to put some muscle to my hustle. As it has been in the past with other cities Copenhagen is like a puzzle with things to be learned. All I can do is start to see the picture as a whole as I continue to lay pieces down. Key though is I have to act even though everything hasn't yet been revealed...

Dutch don't Invent they Re-invent

    In an ill fated attempt, probably a blue print for disaster, I feel impelled to try to describe a few of my thoughts about the Amsterdam Dutch. What I consider their central characteristic is an innate ability to reference other cultures and reinterpret and reinvent these cultures. What I mean is that I have never seen a place where there’s such a smorgasbord of language, cultural imagery, media, and fashion mashed together. Maybe this trend came from the time when Amsterdam was the hub of world trade – the so called golden age of Amsterdam. Or, maybe it’s just the fact that this small but densely populated country has so many big brooding neighbours around it. Regardless, the result is an inspiring dialectic of culture which synthesises into something originally Dutch. Now before I confuse everyone, including myself, it’s time for some examples of what I mean.

  

     Dutch fashion is an fascinating mixture of genres. It has a formality to it, with guys often wearing blazers and girls wearing proper classy looking skirts, but usually this formality is mixed with something else. Maybe, that girl dressed in a formal looking long black coat and skirt, finishes her look off with a funky scarf and a pair of Adidas trainers. Or, a guy rocking a blazer has a funny band or film oriented t-shirt under it instead of a shirt.  What I’m saying is for people under 40 there’s almost always a mix of clothing genres together. A Dutch friend of mind once said about Amsterdamer’s love of wearing a blazer and a hoody together. “We like to keep it business in the front and street in the back.” I always liked that expression. To be fair though, fashion is just on the surface, what I’m grasping at here reaches deeper. 

     When it comes to consumption of media the Amsterdamer’s are voracious. The sheer amount and variety of music, film and art they are familiar with is impressive. Several years back I remember being at a friend’s birthday party in Amsterdam. When everyone got drunk, two Dutch guys decided to show me their prowess at English by rapping some songs - acapella. Now they didn’t choose any of the standards, say Dr. Dre, snoop, or 50 cent. No, they started rapping word for word the intellectual rap of the Roots, and Gang Starr. Honestly, the fact they even heard of these groups let alone could repeat their difficult lyrics word for word baffled me. The same can be said of Amsterdamer's knowledge of North American film, music and television. It’s shocking how good it is. The other night in a night club called the Melkweg twenty something’s were singing 90’s songs word for word. This little country has so many different cultural influences and they soak them up like a sponge in a bath tub.  

    The reason why Dutch media is so intriguing and successful is that it has the innate, and often ironic, context of so many other countries cultural imagery. This imagery is then just refined, synthesized and mixed to create something original. The Dutch magic is that this new cultural product still has recognizable features to the original genres. So really it’s something people know, but is intriguing because it’s also different at the same time. Amsterdam is such a media hub, because they have taken and embraced the role of media re-inventors. In essence they say: “we’ll take your imagery and mash into something new that you will find interesting.” In the present postmodern information era we live in this is path forward for media production. Again, like they have been many times before, the Dutch are on the cutting edge,

The Amsterdam Way

    So I've been back in Amsterdam a few days. Some quick impressions. The stats are true - people here are happier. The reason is simple, unhappiness comes from being forced to act, behave, and maybe even consciously think in a way that does not match your internal world. Here in Amsterdam there's so few road blocks to let the real you out. The gift that the Dutch give to each other is, if not agreeing with a view point or position, they always at least accept it as valid. Further, most people here are fit, active and know the importance of taking time for oneself and their friends.

    My experience with Dutch friendship has been a really good one. What I found in the two and half years I lived here previously is that though it takes longer to become friends – the friendship is much deeper. So far in my stay I have enjoyed an unprecedented amount of hospitality. Not only did my best Dutch friend pick me up from the airport, he also said: “here use my flat for a few days I'll just stay at my girlfriends house.” Beyond gestures, I've also found it exceedingly easy to be candid with my Dutch friends. There's no judgement. They are just interested, as I am too, in mining into who they and their friends really are. In my mind's eye, that's the most important thing we can do – be ourselves and expect the same from others. We're all in this together and that pathos always comes through when I'm here in Amsterdam...

     Being back on a bicycle, my second Amsterdam legs, has been brilliant too. It took a moment to get my skills back, as I initially leapt on to my friend's bike, like a wild west hero getting on his trusted horse, only to give myself a little knock on the soft bits. Given a minute though I was on my perch looking over the city amongst the locals. First thing I did was ride away from the chaotic and tourist oriented areas near Dam Square. I rode along the Amstel River past the Amstel Hotel to where I use to live in Amsterdam East. If images of bridge upon bridge, unique architecture complete with wonderful,ornate Dutch window frames, interconnected brick buildings, and of coarse seeing, the real locals, the amazingly attractive Dutch people is something you'd enjoy - a ride out of the centre is a must. Next, I did a quick circuit of some of the cities lovely parks: vondel, wester and ooster parks. Though the weather was a bit brisk still groups of friends sat on the grass talking to one another with bottles of wine. My ride concluded with a trip along one of the major canal circles the Heren gracht where I use to work. Nothing could be further apart than the opulent, prosperous and serene Heren Gracht and the crowded and seedy areas around Dam Square and the Red Light District. This is a different Amsterdam than nearly every tourist sees. In reality, I'm lucky to be back now – but more so I'm lucky to have had a real experience living here previous. Every street brings back a memory and a recognition of what I only could call the Amsterdam way.More on that in a future blog...