Plays it As it Lays

It seemed like the line at the coffee shop would never end. After my friend and I finally got our orders, we rushed to the building where out next class was to meet. We climbed up the narrow spiral staircase that dates back to the 18th century, and huffed and puffed as we reached the fourth floor. The classroom door was closed. And outside? A newborn baby.

My professor for "Health Beyond Borders," Amy, recently had a baby. Though she is entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave, she still opts to teach our class (and take those stairs since there are no elevators in the building). Last time her husband (who was entitled to two weeks off from work for paternity leave) had the baby, but today her daughter joined us. The baby was a bit cranky so Amy spent most of the class outside the class room, but it was not the end of the world. We still went through class with the help of the program assistant, and even formed groups for our major semester project.

Amy opened the class by saying that even though the situation may seem unusual. In America, I doubt that we would often see a baby in a class room, except in extenuating circumstances or a planned visit. But in Denmark, the importance of family and children makes it completely acceptable, and even normal.