I am a black woman with a whole ‘lotta culture.
Born to Haitian parents in Montréal. I was then raised in Miami, FL and am currently attending college in Atlanta, GA; the former a melting pot of different cultures and the latter, the mecca of southern black culture.
You can only imagine how much of a culture shock Copenhagen was for me.
Denmark is a country that really values equality and there is a great sense of homogeneity here. So, the question is: how do you find culture often found in the black diaspora in a predominantly white city which values everyone being similar?
The answer is you meet a young South African woman named Bontle! Bontle has opened many doors for me to interact with individuals who share a similar cultural background.
Bontle first introduced me to Rust, an Afro-Caribbean entertainment venue. Upon entering Rust, a Jamaican man’s booming voice flows poetry over the reggae music playing softly in the background. After the open mic, there was an opportunity to mingle and bust a whine to Afro-Caribbean music with people from all over the world who belong to the African Diaspora.
Bontle also scored us tickets to “Dark Noon,” a satire of the creation of America through a “Western lens,” portrayed by South African actors. Which was a 10/10, check it out, if you ever get the chance!
Though the black culture here isn’t as obvious as it is back home, it’s here, you just have to look for it.
It’s an A-B conversation and I’m C-ing my way outta here!
-your international girlfriend, Cassandre.