A lot of good going around

It was SO sunny!!

Yesterday it felt like the first day of spring! The sun was shining all day long and it was the first day since I've been here that I didn't need to wear gloves when I was walking around outside. The weather was perfect, I just made my train into the city; things were going very smoothly, but then I hit a little bump in the road...

If you read my last post, you know that I showed up 30 minutes late to meet my Service Learning Seminar for our study tour. Oops! I had simply forgotten the correct time and when I arrived, my class had already left. Luckily, my teacher had given her phone number to the front desk so I was able to reach her and meet up with everyone for the second of 4 visits on our half-day excursion. Thank goodness for cell phones!

We spent the day going to several volunteer organizations in and around Copenhagen. As we walked from site to site we discussed the fact that all of the places we went served immigrants and/or refugees. It was such a strange concept, that the majority of volunteer organizations in Denmark serve people who aren't citizens, but it makes sense when you think about the fact that all Danish citizens have their needs taken care of by the Welfare System. In the US, we use foodbanks, homeless shelters, and free clinics to reach citizens whose basic needs aren't met. Here, that isn't really an issue.

Of the four places that we went, two served refugees and two served people displaced in other parts of the world. The first visit (that I missed) was to a house that helps people who have fled their home countries to get accustomed to life here. The house helps them to develop skills by providing them with jobs (being a tailor or a hairdresser) and offers a comfortable place to find other people in a similar situation.

We went to another center that helps people seeking citizenship by helping them fill out applications and respond to written inquiries from officials. The building was really nice and new, and was outfitted with several "study rooms," rooms in which lawyers will come and meet if requested, and a computer lab with ~15 computers (which were all being used while we were there). Amazingly, the staff explained that every day from 4 to 6pm the building remains open although there are no volunteers/employees there for those hours. The "day staff" leaves at 4 and the "evening staff" doesn't arrive until 6, so the Danes simply trust the population that they serve to be responsible. Pretty cool.

"Red Cross Store"

We found our way from there to a Red Cross Thrift Store that is at the end of our street. I had no idea it existed! This was perhaps my favorite place because not only did all the proceeds go to help refugees in Africa, but the bags that you get when you purchase something look like this:

In case you can't tell, it's 100% made of recycled goods!

And when you turn the bag to the other side, it looks like this:

How awesome is that? Prisoners make the bags as a vocational activity AND they use recycled newsprint. That means that residents get cheap clothes, prisoners are given work, paper (and clothes) are recycled, and refugees are provided with aid! So much good going around!

From the second floor of Cafe Retro. 

We ended the afternoon at the Retro Cafe, a really trendy (and ridiculously cozy) cafe that donates all of its proceeds to India and Sierra Leone. DIS treated us to drinks (which were SO good) while we talked about big issues like immigration, discrimination, segregation, adoption, and personal/national responsibility to struggling nations. Immigration is a big issue in Denmark, and people who are non-natives often have a really hard time fitting in (especially because it is such a homogenous society). It is interesting to consider that "hot topics" in the US are even hotter topics here (but in a very different way).

BEST hot chocolate I've ever had

Alright, I am now moving on to write about my adventure with Alex today! I should have it posted by the end of tonight, but for the moment I am putting things on hold to skype with my brother (yay!). More soon!