My Copenhagen Life.

from the day we walked to brooklyn, 2011

Last Thursday I had dinner with a former student at Copenhagen International School -- the school I worked in when I was headhunted to teach at Copenhagen City School.  When I started at CIS I started as a private tutor and substitute teacher. I was hired by a few parents to support their kids with their homework and I was finally hired to offer a child full-time classroom support. His name was Brendan and that  year I became very good friends with my Sarah from Wiggan, who was the classroom teacher. Sarah and I are friends to this day and we both worked really well together.
Brendan was an amazing, round-faced, freckled boy whose family was also pretty amazing. I had to implement a reading programme with him, something that was supposed to help him read better as he was dyslexic. Brendan, like ALL other children I have met who have been diagnosed as having "special needs" was an amazingly talented young man. This experience made me lose a little faith in our education system only because every kid that I met who seemed a bit different - who saw things out of the box, seemed to be getting this label "special needs." No, I'm not an expert but I have often felt that we actually needed to listen or follow these kids more, not the standardized path that most schools have taken or are taking. I supported another kid as well - he was in the 6th grade. He was a beautiful, blond boy from Georgia and one of the most creative people I have ever met. In fact, he did this drawing once which he gave to me. And when I left the apartment I was living in at the time, I left the drawing by a mistake and when the owner of the apartment saw it, he said he wanted to keep it. I still miss that drawing.
After a couple of years of working with the kids, I applied for a job in administration there and got it. CIS is probably the most prestigious school in Denmark, it's certainly the most expensive. I had an amazing time there - and met many wonderful people. Including its students. Philip is one of them.
Every so often a student reaches out to me on Facebook - and Philip and I have been corresponding for quite some time. I bumped into him years ago in a post I wrote about - it was the first time I saw the Danish Palestine poet Yaya Hassan perform, and the only reason I saw him actually, was because I bumped into Philip and he put me on to the fact that the poet was performing there (the Black Diamond) that evening.
Finally Philip and I connected and I had him over for dinner. He confirmed to me yet again what I love about people - I won't qualify this with age or anything because I encourage diversity all around. It's important to speak to people different from you - age wise, nationality wise etc. etc.  I was staying out at a Danish suburb - in fact right across the street from where the U.S. Ambassador lives.  He actually married his partner there last weekend.  It's funny when I am in that house, all I have to do is look out the window and I see the American flag waving in the wind. It's a beautiful house that I am fortunate to sometimes have access to in order to write.

Well it turns out Philip has been writing and writing well. One of the things I do is encourage people and their talent. I think we need more of that -- and Philip is doing some amazing writing out there. He shared with me a desire to work in film and I could tell from his many movie references that he has already begun studying his medium. While we talked he mentioned that there was a poetry slam the following night, and then I remembered that another former student of mine, but from the other international school - with just as amazing kids- had invited me. She was going to participate in the slam. We both made a deal to go. Besides wanting to support Maya - who has always been an amazing writer as well, I have been wanting to start performing again. It's been a while and I figured it would be worth checking out the venue.

Maya was very good - I especially loved her first poem which was all in Danish and full of lasting imagery. Maya was supposed to be going off to London to study but she decided she wanted to take the year off to travel and write a book. I think that is so cool.

Zanubia was also there - both Maya and Zanubia were in my first class at Copenhagen City School- the class that I took to Amsterdam, in fact. Zanubia's parents are from Somalia and I was once invited to her mother's for food and the spread! I have to get myself another invitation soon! Did you know that Somalians were the largest group of people of African descent here in Denmark? And like all other communities, it is so nuanced - with many, many being well educated  and well qualified. I can't wait til a young writer pens that book about this experience - I hope it will be Zanubia! There is so much missing here in the Danish literary landscape and all I have ever said to my students is to create what you wish you had when you were growing up so that the generations to come will have it.

The emcee at the poetry reading said "neger"(negro, nigger) and even exclaimed "Heil Hitler" a few times. The audience laughs. I think that is all you need to do here in Denmark for comedy. Say the two most offensive things and act like it's a joke. Not all Danes are like this - but so much of the "comedy" is.  Maybe my performance will be just me on a stage saying those two expressions. Not.

After the poetry slam we went over to Philip and Diab joined us. It was an interesting group of young adults in one room and we talked about art, books, life, politics. It was inspiring.

I've been teaching English. And I'm enjoying it. I'm going to teach more - allowing myself to enter slowly but surely. Truth is, I miss teaching. I've been teaching adults through a school here and plan to start teaching kids privately - whether it's tutoring, homework help or whatever academic needs the child may have. It's funny - because that's how I started here in Copenhagen - and now I'm returning.

I've also moved from Vesterbro - which was also the neighborhood I first lived in when I moved to Denmark- so also full circle. But now the circle is turning into a lotus because now I'm in Nørrebro again, the second neighborhood I moved to after Vesterbro.  I love Vesterbro - but the deluge of heroin addicts and prostitutes outside the front door began to wear me down. A few months ago I had the photographer Intisar Abiota from Portland visiting and she was a bit in shock to see all the Black girls on the street. It's quite obvious, the contrast between the girls standing on the corner and the men driving slowly by. My first essay that was ever published in Denmark "Black girls on Istedgade" was about race and prostitution. But I don't think quite that many Danes got it or cared to.

I don't care how progressive folks are about prostitution - it just can't be fun standing on a street corner awaiting a car to drive you away. One of the reasons I never really liked the movie Pretty Woman. I wonder how many generations of prostitutes that narrative has inspired.  If you want to sell your body that's your business. But making a movie about one who is saved by a rich man is too much for me. Especially when you tie in the power of story, cinema and the fact that given the "recession" the last 40 or so years in my life, tends to push even more women into prostitution.  I'm not judging the women here - just the crappy system that seems to encourage it. But I don't think it should be illegal - which is the case here. But that's a whole 'nother story. I'll just tell that that in countries where it is illegal here in Europe, it merely pushes the market underground.

Nørrebro is way more diverse than Vesterbro and when I walk over to Nørrebro Station, it reminds me of Flatbush back in the day. I have to qualify every memory about Brooklyn like that now, "back in the day." We all know why.

For all you writers out there I just want to add a special note of encouragement. Writing is a calling. I can't tell you if you have it or not, but if you feel that writing is something you can not not do - then, this is for you. I am currently experiencing an amazing moment. I have been working on this one project- my memoir about living here --and the thing is about me and writing is that I'm a snob. I like good literature. I can read many kinds of books, but when it comes to the books I am creating? It not only has to be a good story, but it has to be executed very well. I am an artist in the end. No other label will ever truly capture what I do. This inability to be placed in a box has made for an interesting life. Certainly not dull.  But what I want to say to you writer, be you young or old- is that keep going. Even in times when you are not writing, know that you will again. Know that every single thing you do, every breath you take, every step, every phone call, every single thing no matter how  mundane it is is key to your writing.  Writing is about revelation. And to be able to reveal, one must truly pay attention.

I want to take a moment to thank a very special, old and dear friend, also from Brooklyn. I've been looking for an editor for a while - got to the point where I'm like, man, I'll pay for one. You have to have someone you can spar with. I reached out to a couple of writers and editors that I know. One got back to me, the other one never answered. And I'm offering money, right? Then I talk to an old friend of mine, a writer as well and former editor at a large publishing house in New York.  Brook's passing did that - it brought us together again. (Thank you Brook, although I wish you were still here to Skype, email and all that - but I get it. I'm not questioning the ancestors but man, Brook. You are missed. I'm working on a piece about the Rhode Island Writers Colony now - we're going to keep your dream alive!)

And I told her what I was looking for. And her response? "The only payment I want from you is that you do your best." Wow - and check this out: I just got her edited version of my first chapter and what? Yes, I'm on track.

Farvel,
Lesley-Ann aka Blackgirl on Mars
Having a truly Alien experience.