Studying abroad is equal seclusion

While the number of students who choose to study abroad either as an exchange student or placing a semester abroad when they are studying at the universities has declined mostly based on the torment Camilla Broe was exposed of before she was cleared of all charges, still some students make the decision to leave Denmark for a period.

In such a case it is important to remember that other countries have rather odd customs when we are talking of remembering relationships and a Danish student fell victim of odd foreign customs. We are talking about the case at Yale in the United States where a Danish student, who was studying at Yale made a video film of him and his girlfriend as it is quite common in our culture.

In Denmark it isn't illegal to do it without one of persons knowledge unless it is published in the public without consent of both persons. In fact a lot of movies exist in private.

But he was not in the civilized country of Denmark. He was abroad. He should have chosen seclusion and not to engage in relationships before he returns to Denmark. Sites like Exchange Student Information phrases it very precise:

Don't change or influence anything in the local culture. Just as it is known in Star Trek as the prime directive it is not your job to influence the local citizens by testimony or other kind of statement. As an Exchange student you are there to study the native population, not to change it or help it.

The Danish student simply forgot where he was. It was not a criminal offense in a developed country like Denmark, but it turned out to be in the country he had chosen to study in. The police raided the students apartment, found the movie and charged him in an act of lack of respect of other cultures in a student enviroment where many foregin students are encouraged to study.

The sentence was an act of xenophobia against the Dane. While he of course should have recognized that he was staying in a place where the culture was not as developed as in Denmark, the court should have recognized that they encourage an international student environment and it has it costs to let people from many countries live to close together. Near Copenhagen we have a part of the city called Taastrupgaard where people from 20 nations live. If you ask the local police they have to let a lot of things pass just to make the life in this part of the town go on.

The lesson learned is that Danish students who choose to study abroad must avoid relationships when they cannot act out Danish customs while being a part of them. A more general conclusion must be that this case as well as the Italian case against an American student Amanda Knox show that the time where young people can study abroad without being harassed is over.

Sources:
Judge sentences Desfeux to probation, Yale Daily News
Dansk sexskandale på USA's eliteuniversitet, by Mikkel Selin, Ekstra Bladet, September 21, 2007

A fair sentence reached in Scotland

We have been asked to investigate a traffic accident in Scotland more than 10 years ago so we could determind whether this case was an act of xenophobia as it was with the case against the soccer player Mads Timm, which was rather unfair sentenced to jail for a year in an accident where he was not in the car causing minor injury to some woman who saw the accident to reach 5 minutes of fame.

We will make a separate entry about Mads Timm later.

However in the case against the author Henning Korvel we have to conclude that the sentence was extremely tough but fair, considering the rather extreme level of sentence guidelines they have on traffic accidents.

It was a rather normal traffic accident without alcohol involved as they do happen every other day. Only the fact that a person died made it more than a police report.

Another similar accident - however without people dying - took place in New Zealand back in 2007. It is not known whether this Danish tourist made it out of New Zealand before arrests could be made.

People who visit the countries where they drive on the left side of the road should be adviced to let local drivers drive or simply use public transportation. Sentence guidelines which allow up to 2 years of jail is a hidden advice to tourists that they are not wanted as drivers on the roads.

Please follow this advice. Refrain from driving in countries where they drive on the wrong side of the road.

References:
Driver on wrong side, court told, The Herald Scotland, November 17, 1998
Death-crash tourist fined, The Herald Scotland, November 18, 1998
Dansk turist kørte i den forkert side, by Birger A. Andersen, BT, April 12, 2007

Maxwell Mccord - new entry on our webpage

Based on a comment given on our blog we investigated the case of Maxwell Mccord. Based on our finding we accepted this case on our webpage.

Here is the entry:

Maxwell Mccord emigrated to the United States representing Danish firms abroad. Danish firms have learned a lot from Japanise firms. The general rule is that the manager stationed abroad is that he doesn't speak the language abroad because he is the embassdor for the head office back home. He must not be compromized by local customs or even bribed. To translate his orders he has subordinate doing the unpleasant job.

Mr. Mccord was an exception and perhaps that's the reason that he ended up in trouble. Maybe he offended some local business partners and they decided to frame him. He had to spend 3 years in jail accused for the murder of his wife before he was aquitted. The reason for him being charged with murder seems to be based solely on the fact that he was a foreigner.

Justice was served in the end but he is here to find because his arrest hurt the possibilites for the Danish industry as whole. It prevented our businesses from playing a major role in this market and cause our industry to rely solely on local employees which are expendable.

Rather surprising at that time there was little involvement from the Danish authorities regardless of the fact that Danish jobs were on the line and the legal system in the United States is designed so it is rather difficult to achieve another result in the appeal than the orginal sentence handed out by a lower court. Had Mccord been found guilty it would have been difficult to achieve the correct result later.

This case learned Danish firms that local firms sometime will go to the full extend to protect the local market. Today youth are warned against working abroad where legal protection often is of another standard than at home.

Second it learned the Danish public that holding a Danish passport is not guarantee that you are safe from being victimized by local dirty politics.

References:
Drabssag mod dansker ved at være slut, BT
GOOD NEWS - Florida - Maxwell McCord, Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty
Denmark Watching Weston Man's Murder Trial, WPLG local 10 news