blackgirl on mars: notes on a life in copenhagen (or how my alienation brings me closer to people).

So, as I sit in my friend's Christianshavn apartment, working away on yet another geeky project, we can't help but notice the presence of the police across the street. We weren't the only people who noticed--not only were the cops there, but so was an ambulance. Not long after, a stretcher is wheeled out with only a pair of construction boots visible. What is going on? We think and ask the police. According to them, a man has been stabbed by a a group of immigrant boys down the street. But the story seems suspect--if he was attacked at the local 7-11, which they claim, what was the victim doing across the street? We watch as the ambulance, police escorted, drives away leaving behind a team of police officers. My friend and I were too occupied with our project to have heard anything--and we were gripped with disbelief that a crime of such a horrific nature could have happened so close to us. We talked about the wave of crimes that have recently gripped Copenhagen. When I fir...

--- On Mon, 2/16/09, Reginald Daniel wrote: Hey Darlin', At the risk of sounding like my grandmother-- did you receive my gift, baby, 'cause I haven't heard from you. I sent it on the 19th of December via USPS. xoxox Reggie --- On Tue, 2/17/09, Lesley-Ann Brown wrote: Hey Reggie, I sent you a video on your Facebook wall: It was of Kai and I thanking you for all the beautiful gifts...I knew you were in Miami but thought it odd that you didn't comment on our video...check it out to see if it is still there. Thanks so much, I wear that black jacket a lot (it's gorgeous) and Kai has been enjoying a bowl of cream of wheat every morning since the package's arrival. I miss you! Warm Regards and all my love to you and Michael, Lesley-Ann --- On Tue, 2/17/09, Reginald Daniel wrote: ...

I guess one of the things I need to get better at is telling the world what is going on here in Denmark--cause I know the world is sitting right at the edge of its seat, waiting to hear! Well, the other day--and I'm recounting this from the top of my head, the professional journalist that I am--some cops broke up some demonstration and in so doing, someone managed to record a cop calling a demonstrator, Perker . Now Perker is like the equivalent of the N word in many respects. It was created as a sign of disrespect to people from Pakistan and by extension, other foreigners. According to the Nudansk Ordbog (New Danish Dictionary) perker means, "a Dane or immigrant of especially Arabic or Middle Eastern ancestry." There were many stories about it in various newspapers and on the news, and my students were visibly upset about it. People who use the word, both immigrants and non-immigrants alike, say that it's just a word and that they have claimed it, much like some s...

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of checking out the Islandic/Danish band Croisztan, who are self-declared freedom fighters for the fictive Eastern European country, Croisztan. With a mix of punk, Balkan folk music, heavy metal and yes, even disco there wasn't much you needed to understand lyrically besides the constant yell for "Vodka!" I enjoyed this band and they totally took me back to the daze of hanging out at CBGBs, or smaller, dives around lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, and all my friends' bands like the Negatones, or really, really back in the daze when Sweet Diesel played around the East Village. Gosh, that was a LONG time ago. I can't even remember half of the bands we checked out-- It was funny, my sitting there in this little club and I couldn't help but think how out-of-place I should have felt. It was a room mostly of younguns and of course, Danish and Islandic crowd. I was the only Black person there for a minute and I laughed on the insid...

Every so often, the impossible becomes possible: Somebody actually sends me a personal, gem of an email. Instead of spam, impersonal requests to support something or somebody, I get exactly what I need: A gentle reminder that, well, just read and enjoy! I met Barbara J. last Summer at the Black Women in Europe Conference in Amsterdam. We've been in touch ever since. Hello Lesley Ann, I'm glad that you enjoyed Zaidie's comments. By the same token I very much enjoyed reading your - stream of consciousness, Bandit Girl. In the dim days of the 60's I dreamed of living in Europe and so never minded being an ex-pat. It goes with the territory. It was a promise that I made to myself - to live for some time in Europe so that I could breathe without thinking of being black, first. I am a human being, first. If I could have redrawn the world, it would have been very much like it is today - without the constant fighting, of course. I remember my first trip to Europe. In those day...

I've been dreaming about pea soup since yesterday but have been too sick to get up and make it. But it's not that hard to make--so maybe I'll do it now. Usually, I don't mind being sick. I take it stride, and surrender to the fact that my body needs rest. But this sickness is so inconvenient. If it could have waited at least a couple of more days...But, our body and health has nothing to do with our schedules. Sigh. I'm looking for an apartment, and boy, it couldn't have been a better time. Prices are dropping, but the million dollar question is, by how much? I'm looking in this area called Amager--which is a lot like Queens and Brooklyn in the old days, you know, before all the rich kids moved in. Very working class and not too flashy. Just what I'm in the mood for at this juncture of my life. Every one laughs at me cause I'm really fixated on buying a place with a nice bathroom. Finding an affordable place in Copenhagen with a nice bathroom could b...