Exploration Seminar in Denmark and Greenland Summer 2018
"Der findes ikke dårligt vejr - kun dårlig påklædning"
The above quote is a famous Danish phrase which translates roughly to "there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes". I also grew up hearing this, usually as it related to my resistance towards shoveling snow out of the driveway on dark, cold days, but I think it translated just as well when hiking the Greenland Ice Sheet, as I was trying to fight off numb fingertips and unfortunately, snow filled socks, as it had snowed nearly an entire season's worth of snow the night before. Finding yourself in an area with vast, endless crevasses of ice as far as you can see, and the occasional self-proclaimed polar bear (usually just a large, burly Danish man with very pale blonde hair who has decided to spend their summer camping on the ice), truly is surreal. Yet, it remains impossible to not remind yourself that this incredible landscape has been under attack for decades, and the melting ice you are standing on will likely eventually contribute to sea level rise across the planet. While often a course filled with somber realities, occasional moments of optimism, and awe-inspiring natural beauty, this experience was easily one of the biggest highlights of my time at UW, and an unique opportunity I am so happy to have been able to be a part of. During this exploration seminar, I had the chance to spend several weeks in both Copenhagen and Greenland, immersing myself in the culture and landscape of both locations, while also expanding my understanding of climate change and sustainability. This trip was truly unforgettable, and below is an in depth reflection on the seminar. I have also included some of my (very amateur) photos from the trip.
Map of the Trip
As somewhat of a souvenir for myself, I painted a watercolor map during the trip that includes all of the places we visited while in Greenland, and our modes of transportation. I think this also helps understand where the various towns of Greenland are located and their proximity to one another for those who might be unfamiliar. Overall, this map was very fun to create, and even though painting the individual fjords by hand, at different cafe tables at Torvehallerne was somewhat laborious, this map helps represent a lot of great memories for me.
Reflection
Introduction
Often, we refer to nature with terms like untouched, pristine, and unspoiled. Today, very few landscapes don’t bear the marks of human impact, especially in a time where our climate is rapidly changing. Greenland is a place that I feel exemplifies this relationship, as even though it is has very little obvious evidence of human impact, like urban development, its landscape is extremely altered by human activities, as the Greenland ice sheet continues to retreat rapidly. As someone who often studies the effects of climate change in a classroom distant from most of its strongest impacts, getting to see rapid climate change in person was something that is not only a once in a lifetime experience, but has allowed me to better understand what climate change looks like, on both a scientific and human scale. With this understanding, I hope to not only continue exploring the scientific and political effects of a warming arctic, but to also share my experiences to others to further educate those around me around the topic of climate change.
Pre-Trip Trepidations
Before departing, I had a whirlwind of emotions surrounding nearly every aspect of the trip, a combination of nervousness, excitement, and a general feeling of discomfort, as I had no idea of what to expect going on a study abroad program, but more specifically no idea of what to expect in Greenland. With Greenland there were so many unknowns that continually wandered through my head before the trip, “have I packed correctly for the harsh climate?” “Have I packed too much?” “Will there be vegetarian food?” “Will our group get along?” but most importantly, “ is it going to be as amazing as I think it will be?” Luckily for me, once arriving nearly all of those fears went away, and I started to question why I even was worried in the first place, and to make things better, Greenland quickly proved to be more amazing than I ever could have expected.
Climate Change in Real Time
In Seattle, we’re passionate about climate change and protecting the beautiful Pacific Northwest. But despite this fervor, Seattle is not in immediate danger as a result of climate change. Greenland, and the Arctic as a whole is already facing serious consequences of a warming planet. This change is evident in real time in Illusiaat, Greenland as massive icebergs float across the horizon in nearly every direction you look. As a class, we also had the opportunity to see Eqi Glacier in person, a marine terminating glacier, where we were able to see not only massive calving events in which ice falling into the sea managed to create waves that rocked our boat hundreds of meters away, but we also could visibly see the glacier’s previous extent, through lines in the bedrock. These events, while amazing to experience, show climate change in a way that I feel cannot be truly learned from a classroom. Though I might be biased as someone who is generally captivatedby the cryosphere, this is an image I don’t think I will ever forget.
While climate change is primarily portrayed as a scientific issue, I feel that more than anything it is a human problem. As bleak as it may sound, earth does not need us to survive, and although we may cause significant damage to the planet, on a geologic timescale, the planet will be able to overcome and continue functioning as it previously has with wide variations in climate. Humans on the other hand, depend entirely on the earth’s natural systems. So if there’s any reason to care about a warming arctic, it’s probably for our own benefit, and not the Earth’s. Having the chance to talk with Greenlanders about the state of the Arctic really helped to further my understanding of the many complexities of human consequences of climate change. Because earth’s climate system is so complex, I probably shouldn’t have been so surprised by the varying sentiments Greenlanders had regarding their rapidly changing home, but I was often caught off guard.
In my classes, we often talk about climate change as only having very bad outcomes, and an issue without much consequential gray area. However, seeing the actual impacts in Greenland made me realize that climate change can be much more convolutedin what it means for humans. In Greenland I realized that for some, climate change was not perceived as all bad, as they were able to grow food in the summer that previously would’ve been impossible. But at the same time, the warming weather that allowed for increased food security also meant that certain aspects of Greenlandic culture were beginning to fade, for example, the use of sled dogs. With depleting ice, sled dogs are becoming less useful in certain areas and are being slowly phased out with different modes of transportation. I found that understanding how complex the effects of climate change are in the arctic is something that is extremely valuable and can also be applied when studying other regions in my classes. WhileIof course still see climate change as something that has overwhelmingly negative effects, this experience has helped teach me to think more deeply about the small scale consequences of climate change on people, both near and far. Beyond this idea, this experience has also given me a much greater understanding of what a changing arctic truly looks like. Typically, when we raise awareness about what climate change looks like in the arctic, we use the same familiar motifs, drastically melting glaciers, sad looking polar bears, and other hungry looking megafauna. In fact, a quick google image search of “arctic climate change” as I am writing this showed a whopping 63 images containing gloomy looking polar bears, but only about 20 that showed humans, most of which show only scientists, and with just four of these images depicting any Inuit people, despite being so strongly impacted by the changing arctic. While of course I love polar bears too, I wonder if focusing more of our attention on the Inuit people, and the human aspects of climate change would have any impact on the ways we discuss and mitigate climate related issues.
Navigating New and Different Cultures
With this experience, I also had the opportunity to encounter two very different, but amazing cultures. I had little idea of what to expect in Greenland, because while I had experience and familiarity with Nordic countries, Greenland is very unique in its extremely small population, remote location, and strong Inuit identity. Certain things in Greenland required getting used to, especially as an animal lover, like seeing disembodied seals and porpoises for sale at the Nuuk meat market, as well as the limited (but expected) supply of vegetarian food. While I was at first uncomfortable with certain aspects of Inuit culture, I was impressed with how remarkably welcoming everyone was, and I developed a respect for Greenlanders’ way of life in such a harsh environment. Most interesting to me however, was the often complex relationship of Danish and traditional Greenlandic culture, visible in nearly everything including the foods we consumed, the people we talked to, and the buildings we visited. While often not directly addressed, to me it seemed that there was some strong tension among Inuit Greenlanders and the past, current, and future influence of Denmark.
Interestingly, but not unsurprising, in Denmark, most Danes seem to have very little attachment to Greenland if any at all. While Denmark is very progressive, it remains to have a very strong cultural identity, in which I often felt I stood out, besides my obvious lack of familiarity with Danish. I also had the chance to talk with some Danish college students who while raised in Denmark and fluent in Danish, were not ethnically Danish, and explained they often found it very difficult to fit in, make friends, and date Danes. I found this interesting, especially as an Inuit woman we had the chance to speak to in Greenland, Sørina, stated something similar, explaining that in Denmark she does not feel welcome, but in the US she does. So while everyone I encountered in Denmark was friendly and welcoming, it appears that there still remains some tension that is perhaps less obvious to me as a tourist.
Moving Forward
Overall, my time in Denmark and Greenland was something that greatly impacted me. This trip confirmed my interest in the arctic, and my personal interest in climate action, while expanding the way I think about climate change. Immediately upon leaving both countries I knew I wanted to return, and I am interested in exploring future educational opportunities surrounding sustainability in Denmark. I’m excited to say I’m now also taking Danish at UW! When I applied for this program, I knew it would be amazing if I was accepted, but I had no idea of what a life changing experience it would become. I am so grateful for everyone I had the chance to share this opportunity with, but also our fantastic faculty for helping to make this program so incredible.
Often, we refer to nature with terms like untouched, pristine, and unspoiled. Today, very few landscapes don’t bear the marks of human impact, especially in a time where our climate is rapidly changing. Greenland is a place that I feel exemplifies this relationship, as even though it is has very little obvious evidence of human impact, like urban development, its landscape is extremely altered by human activities, as the Greenland ice sheet continues to retreat rapidly. As someone who often studies the effects of climate change in a classroom distant from most of its strongest impacts, getting to see rapid climate change in person was something that is not only a once in a lifetime experience, but has allowed me to better understand what climate change looks like, on both a scientific and human scale. With this understanding, I hope to not only continue exploring the scientific and political effects of a warming arctic, but to also share my experiences to others to further educate those around me around the topic of climate change.
Pre-Trip Trepidations
Before departing, I had a whirlwind of emotions surrounding nearly every aspect of the trip, a combination of nervousness, excitement, and a general feeling of discomfort, as I had no idea of what to expect going on a study abroad program, but more specifically no idea of what to expect in Greenland. With Greenland there were so many unknowns that continually wandered through my head before the trip, “have I packed correctly for the harsh climate?” “Have I packed too much?” “Will there be vegetarian food?” “Will our group get along?” but most importantly, “ is it going to be as amazing as I think it will be?” Luckily for me, once arriving nearly all of those fears went away, and I started to question why I even was worried in the first place, and to make things better, Greenland quickly proved to be more amazing than I ever could have expected.
Climate Change in Real Time
In Seattle, we’re passionate about climate change and protecting the beautiful Pacific Northwest. But despite this fervor, Seattle is not in immediate danger as a result of climate change. Greenland, and the Arctic as a whole is already facing serious consequences of a warming planet. This change is evident in real time in Illusiaat, Greenland as massive icebergs float across the horizon in nearly every direction you look. As a class, we also had the opportunity to see Eqi Glacier in person, a marine terminating glacier, where we were able to see not only massive calving events in which ice falling into the sea managed to create waves that rocked our boat hundreds of meters away, but we also could visibly see the glacier’s previous extent, through lines in the bedrock. These events, while amazing to experience, show climate change in a way that I feel cannot be truly learned from a classroom. Though I might be biased as someone who is generally captivatedby the cryosphere, this is an image I don’t think I will ever forget.
While climate change is primarily portrayed as a scientific issue, I feel that more than anything it is a human problem. As bleak as it may sound, earth does not need us to survive, and although we may cause significant damage to the planet, on a geologic timescale, the planet will be able to overcome and continue functioning as it previously has with wide variations in climate. Humans on the other hand, depend entirely on the earth’s natural systems. So if there’s any reason to care about a warming arctic, it’s probably for our own benefit, and not the Earth’s. Having the chance to talk with Greenlanders about the state of the Arctic really helped to further my understanding of the many complexities of human consequences of climate change. Because earth’s climate system is so complex, I probably shouldn’t have been so surprised by the varying sentiments Greenlanders had regarding their rapidly changing home, but I was often caught off guard.
In my classes, we often talk about climate change as only having very bad outcomes, and an issue without much consequential gray area. However, seeing the actual impacts in Greenland made me realize that climate change can be much more convolutedin what it means for humans. In Greenland I realized that for some, climate change was not perceived as all bad, as they were able to grow food in the summer that previously would’ve been impossible. But at the same time, the warming weather that allowed for increased food security also meant that certain aspects of Greenlandic culture were beginning to fade, for example, the use of sled dogs. With depleting ice, sled dogs are becoming less useful in certain areas and are being slowly phased out with different modes of transportation. I found that understanding how complex the effects of climate change are in the arctic is something that is extremely valuable and can also be applied when studying other regions in my classes. WhileIof course still see climate change as something that has overwhelmingly negative effects, this experience has helped teach me to think more deeply about the small scale consequences of climate change on people, both near and far. Beyond this idea, this experience has also given me a much greater understanding of what a changing arctic truly looks like. Typically, when we raise awareness about what climate change looks like in the arctic, we use the same familiar motifs, drastically melting glaciers, sad looking polar bears, and other hungry looking megafauna. In fact, a quick google image search of “arctic climate change” as I am writing this showed a whopping 63 images containing gloomy looking polar bears, but only about 20 that showed humans, most of which show only scientists, and with just four of these images depicting any Inuit people, despite being so strongly impacted by the changing arctic. While of course I love polar bears too, I wonder if focusing more of our attention on the Inuit people, and the human aspects of climate change would have any impact on the ways we discuss and mitigate climate related issues.
Navigating New and Different Cultures
With this experience, I also had the opportunity to encounter two very different, but amazing cultures. I had little idea of what to expect in Greenland, because while I had experience and familiarity with Nordic countries, Greenland is very unique in its extremely small population, remote location, and strong Inuit identity. Certain things in Greenland required getting used to, especially as an animal lover, like seeing disembodied seals and porpoises for sale at the Nuuk meat market, as well as the limited (but expected) supply of vegetarian food. While I was at first uncomfortable with certain aspects of Inuit culture, I was impressed with how remarkably welcoming everyone was, and I developed a respect for Greenlanders’ way of life in such a harsh environment. Most interesting to me however, was the often complex relationship of Danish and traditional Greenlandic culture, visible in nearly everything including the foods we consumed, the people we talked to, and the buildings we visited. While often not directly addressed, to me it seemed that there was some strong tension among Inuit Greenlanders and the past, current, and future influence of Denmark.
Interestingly, but not unsurprising, in Denmark, most Danes seem to have very little attachment to Greenland if any at all. While Denmark is very progressive, it remains to have a very strong cultural identity, in which I often felt I stood out, besides my obvious lack of familiarity with Danish. I also had the chance to talk with some Danish college students who while raised in Denmark and fluent in Danish, were not ethnically Danish, and explained they often found it very difficult to fit in, make friends, and date Danes. I found this interesting, especially as an Inuit woman we had the chance to speak to in Greenland, Sørina, stated something similar, explaining that in Denmark she does not feel welcome, but in the US she does. So while everyone I encountered in Denmark was friendly and welcoming, it appears that there still remains some tension that is perhaps less obvious to me as a tourist.
Moving Forward
Overall, my time in Denmark and Greenland was something that greatly impacted me. This trip confirmed my interest in the arctic, and my personal interest in climate action, while expanding the way I think about climate change. Immediately upon leaving both countries I knew I wanted to return, and I am interested in exploring future educational opportunities surrounding sustainability in Denmark. I’m excited to say I’m now also taking Danish at UW! When I applied for this program, I knew it would be amazing if I was accepted, but I had no idea of what a life changing experience it would become. I am so grateful for everyone I had the chance to share this opportunity with, but also our fantastic faculty for helping to make this program so incredible.