River-Rafting and a Newfound Friend

Saturday, July 21:

           
            I am honestly not even sure where to start explaining the day. There were so many events that occurred which I am so grateful for. I guess I will start with the morning.

            In the morning our study abroad group had a guest speaker named Ana who came to speak to us about the criminal justice system in Scandinavia. It was very interesting. Being a professor for students who study abroad in Copenhagen, she understands a lot of where American students come from and the customs they are accustomed to. We talked about the differences between our country and theirs. The death penalty is illegal in Denmark, and instead, criminals face up to 21 years in prison. Another example is the fact that juries do not determine verdicts on court cases; rather, a group of judges do. Comparing the differences, asking questions, and discussing with our fellow peers was invigorating and extraordinary. I am glad she took the time to speak with us. I learned a lot more about these Nordic countries than I ever knew before.

            When Ms. Ana finished speaking to us, we were given the rest of the day to do our own activities in Copenhagen. Not really having a set agenda for any places I wanted to go, I decided go with Michael and Berta to seek out flea market shopping. We perused the different stands for some time, and I loved looking around even though I did not purchase anything. We also wanted to go second-hand shopping for clothes, but the location where we assumed they would be did not pan out. Michael then elected that he would rather go to Christiania’s to look around. He felt they might have a better selection of gifts and clothes because of their uniqueness and peculiarity. Having to make a choice between staying with Berta or going with Michael, I opted to tag along with Michael back to the neighborhood we had visited with the group yesterday.

Tim's bike

            Going with Michael was the best decision I made. I got to experience one of the best moments on the trip so far with him. After perusing their clothing and various items for some time, Michael and I decided to sit down in a grassy area because we were tired from walking. We took advantage of the fabulous weather and conversed amongst ourselves about life and our goals in the future. A gentleman who was listening to us ventured over and greeted us. He introduced himself as Tim and told us he was a "freegan". He explained this means that he is permitted to take food from restaurants and local food establishments when they are going to dispose of it. The food is still good, yet they cannot serve or sell it any more as it is no longer “fresh”. He does this for a couple reasons.  It helps to eliminate waste, and it is a financial benefit for him since he does not have to buy food. His friendliness, generosity, and unique behavior led us to conversing more with him and finding out about his life in Christiania.
           Tim said he moved from Poland to Copenhagen in May in pursuit of a more promising future.  He shared with us that he lives in Christiania because he liked his freedom and the atmosphere. The rent was inexpensive, and the culture was much more relaxed. Tim was very intellectual and talked with us for quite awhile about the government and the economic system here. He invited us back to his home and we accepted. He proceeded to tell us about his dreams and aspirations. The little dilapidated house seemed an unlikely place for a person to live, but nevertheless, it suited Tim and he was satisfied with having so little. His theory was that he should not "live to work" but "work to live", and by residing in Christiania, he was confident he could. Material possessions seemed insignificant to him. That is probably impressed me the most about him.

             Because it was such a gorgeous day, Tim requested that we go out on the water on his small wooden raft he owned. Using a small oar, Michael helped guide the raft and we drifted out onto the lake. The sun warmed us and the wind was peaceful. Being able to sit and talk to an absolute stranger, who readily opened up to us about so many things, was very memorable. Religious and political persuasions were shared amongst us, and I appreciated a contrasting point of view from a person of another country and culture.

Michael relaxing and reflecting on the raft

            Soon it was time for Tim to go to work at the restaurant in town, so we docked the raft near the closest bank we could find.  We walked back with Tim to his house to pick up our stuff, and then he asked if we would we objected to taking his raft back to the water area where we started. We politely consented; he thanked us again and verbalized his pleasure in the time together and visiting. Michael and I made a beeline for the raft and hopped on. Now we were trying to go the opposite direction of where we floated at the outset. With the wind blowing, it was hard to fight against the current. After some time and much effort at using the oar, we had only progressed a few yards. I was a little concerned if we would ever make it back as we were now in the middle of the river. Michael determined it might be easier for him to get into the water and pull the raft with a rope secured around him. This ended up being the best solution. As he swam forward, I tried to push with the oar. I soon realized I was only making things worse as I was pushing the wrong way! Nevertheless, Michael was patient and taught me how to "sweep" the oar the right way. Twenty minutes later we eventually returned the raft back to its original spot. By the time we got to shore, we were both soaked and muddy. Regardless, we were not bothered by it since we had been involved in such a great adventure.

Michael putting on his shoes outside of Tim's house

     It is experiences like these I am so grateful for when traveling abroad. I believe there is no better way to understand a person's culture and way of life than by slowing down, engaging in their favorite activities, and just listening to what they have to say. It was surprising that Tim trusted us to such a great extent in just a matter of a few hours.
      I learned a great deal from Tim and Michael, as well as discovering a lot about sustainability too. It brought to light that so often the simplest things are the best. Sometimes we need to slow down, be silent, and reflect. We must thankful for the things we do have and not take them for granted. As random as our river raft trip was, there was so much to take into consideration. I would not trade this incredible venture we had for anything.

            Before heading out, we decided to grab a bite to eat in Christiania before we left and then walked back to the hotel with the sun setting and the city in a beautiful aurora. We took one more stop to get a Nutella banana crepe on the way home and then met up with the rest of the group to share our experiences and our story. I went to the hotel, took a shower (because I really needed it) and went out one more time for ice cream with some friends.

            I am sad today is our last full day in Copenhagen. I had so much fun. I really wonder if any future day on the trip will top off the experience I had today.