Amsterdam was like a bigger Copenhagen. This makes sense because as I learned in my Royalty class, King Christian IV (the greatest king of Denmark ever according to the essay prompt on my exam) was greatly influenced by Dutch architecture and the city’s layout. The townhouses lining the canals are beautiful, and I definitely see the resemblance in the facades on the houses in CPH. Believe it or not, there is more color in Copenhagen — greens, blues, reds, yellows brighten up the long grey days. I prefer the neutral tones in Amsterdam. I think the muted browns, blues, greys and black tie the city together. And it was sunny while I was there so maybe I didn’t need the color as much…
A difference between Amsterdam and Copenhagen: the people. Especially the colors of the people. Excuse me for being blunt (I’m finding that Europeans are generally blunt themselves) — I saw more people who are black in two days in Amsterdam than I have seen in the entire seven weeks I’ve been abroad. Those seven weeks include visits around Copenhagen, Berlin, Sweden and Edinburgh. I feel like that sort of diversity, or lack there of, is saying something. Not sure what it’s saying, but it’s something.
This observation combined with an essay I’m writing for my Stolen Childhood’s class and a reading I did for Danish Culture about Danish education brings me back to the Nordic principle of en god barndom, or a good childhood life. As I write in my persuasive paper, the ideas of en god barndom of egalitarianism, emancipation and cooperation, promoting and protecting children’s rights and social development, the treatment of Danish children and students as “beings” rather than “becomings” (“beings” = current participants in society; “becomings” = future participants in society) are all fabulous sounding attitudes toward children. The value of social and personal development into human beings is visible among Danes, young and old. I see kids (youngest being six or seven) take the bus alone all the time. There is absolutely truth to elements of en god barndom. But the ways I’ve heard the ideas talked about here, the message is that en god barndom is “the right way” and is practically flawless. However, I’m not convinced that the principles are universally applicable or even should be the universal model for raising children. Given the increasingly heterogenous population in Denmark, the reality that there are cultural, moral, ethical, religious, social, you name it, differences in individual communities, I don’t see how the model of en god barndom can be successful anywhere other than a strictly homogenous population.
Next task: challenge the concept in class. Is Denmark really equal? But first, a painting analysis of Louis XIV of France and his spectacular legacy of magnificence, opulence and power for European monarchies. A picture of the painting is below.
Louis XIV in His Royal Costume, 1701 by Hyacinthe Rigaud
DIS 2015: A Non-Danish Blonde in Copenhagen 
What the lack of black people in Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Scotland compared to Holland says is that Holland used to hold colonies in Africa and the other countries didn’t.
All European countries, including Denmark, are becomming less homogenic but as this is where white people originate from and large scale immigration from other continents have only happend since the end of WW2 you will still find less diversity than in the US.
Amaricans are quick to point this out because of your own history but a nation built from immigration (and slaves transported in) will look different than a country where people have livede for 10.000 years.
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Thanks for your comment, Mette. I hope my observations are not read with a tone of condescention or condemnation. More than anything, these are just observations. And no doubt history plays a role in the make up of populations in the various European countries. I think it is interesting to consider what the future effects of the lack of diversity/increasing immigration into Europe can/will be.
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