Podcasts by How to Live in Denmark

The Danish Alcohol Culture from 2020-03-17T07:13:44

Alcohol has a long history in Denmark. The Vikings brewed four types of beverages: ale, mead, fruit wine, and syra, a fermented milk – and for many centuries Danish babies have eaten øllebrød, w...

Debt in Denmark from 2020-01-22T14:45:58

January, February, and March are some of the dreariest months in Denmark – it’s dark, with no Christmas lights to pep it up – and many people are dealing with a heavy load of year-end debt from ...

Making Danish friends: A few tips based on experience from 2019-12-01T11:00

If you’re newly arrived in Denmark, making Danish friends is not easy – in fact, surveys show that one of the main reasons internationals end up leaving is the difficulty of building a network.<...

Nudity in Denmark: The naked truth from 2019-11-02T11:00

The relaxed approach to nudity in Denmark can be a surprise for many newcomers.

It’s something they’re often confronted with at the local swimming hall, where a very large and strong atte...

Politeness in Denmark: Some thoughts on Danish etiquette from 2019-10-12T12:26:36

“Is there politeness in Denmark?” 

That was the question I was recently invited on a national TV show to discuss.

The implication was that I was supposed to say that Danes...

What I say when I'm welcoming newcomers to Denmark from 2019-09-01T16:53:45

One of my favorite types of speaking engagement is introducing Denmark to some of the smart, motivated young people arriving from around the world to study at Danish universities.

Since t...

Summer Vacation in Denmark: The Agony and the Ecstasy from 2019-07-02T12:01:03

Planning your summer vacation in Denmark is like playing the lottery. You could hit it lucky, with golden days and long, warm evenings, when you can sit with friends in the soft light and drink ...

April Fool's in Denmark, and the rough game of Danish humor from 2019-03-31T22:01

April 1st is April Fool’s Day – Aprilsnar in Danish – and each Danish newspaper will feature a clever but false story for the unwary to be fooled by.

To some extent every day is ...

Motivating Danish employees: Tips for Foreign Managers from 2019-03-03T11:00

Motivating Danish employees is very different than motivating other groups of people because there are two big factors missing – hierarchy and fear. 

We don’t like to talk about the fear ...

The sound of Denmark? Quiet. Very quiet from 2019-02-07T07:09:45

Denmark is a quiet country, even within the cities. Especially this time of year, February, when it’s too cold to do anything but scurry from place to place, when the street cafés are closed and...

Tips for Living with a Danish Family from 2019-01-09T09:17:56

As the new academic semester starts up, some of you may be planning to live in a Danish home. It could be you’ll rent a room in a household, maybe you’ll be part of a Danish host family, or mayb...

Alone for the holidays: What to do for Christmas in Denmark when you're on your own from 2018-12-15T07:50

Being alone for Christmas in Denmark can be tough – one of the downsides of Danish "hygge" is that people who are not inside the "hygge" circle can feel shut out and very alone.

Here are ...

Christmas gift giving in Denmark: Package games, Almond Gifts, and Why It's OK to Exchange Whatever You Get from 2018-12-02T18:47:24

Like so many other aspects of life in Denmark, gift giving in the holiday season comes with dozens of unwritten rules and unspoken expectations.

Should you give a gift to your boss? What ...

Autumn in Denmark: The slow fading of the light from 2018-09-21T06:30

Autumn in Denmark actually starts in mid-August, when the kids go back to school. Danish kids have a very short holiday – usually only about 6 weeks.

By late August, you can definitely fe...

The story behind the How to Live in Denmark Podcast: Fifth anniversary episode from 2018-08-31T10:00

This is a special episode, because this is the fifth anniversary of the How to Live in Denmark podcast.The podcast began in the summer of 2013; at the time I’m recording this, it is near the end...

Is learning to speak Danish worth it? from 2018-05-07T04:48:43

Learning to speak Danish can be difficult, even if you speak its close linguistic cousins, English and German.

While the written language isn’t too tough to figure out, the spoken languag...

What to wear to work in Denmark: Fashion in blue, black, grey, and for the adventurous - beige from 2018-04-03T14:23:54

There’s no reason to spend a lot on what you wear to work in Denmark. Danes, by nature, are not flashy dressers.

In most Danish business environments, you’ll be perfectly well dressed in ...

Your first day at work in Denmark: Flowers, handshakes, passwords, and several people named Mette from 2018-03-07T08:05:55

On your first day at work in Denmark, you may find a pretty bouquet of flowers on your desk to welcome you.

(This terrified a Chinese acquaintance of mine, who was accustomed to receiving...

Can I date my Danish colleague? from 2018-02-07T08:28:39

Many Danes meet their future spouses at work. Yet there are also strict laws in Denmark against sexual harassment.

Where do you draw a line between harassment and two adults developing te...

Understanding your Danish boss: Less like a general, more like a sports coach from 2017-10-29T10:55:45

In an anti-authoritarian country like Denmark, being a boss is a precarious (social) position. Danish bosses don’t like to flaunt their authority.

In fact, when you enter a room of Danes,...

The Danish Flag: 800 years old and going out fashion? from 2017-09-03T09:54:53

People visiting Denmark can’t help but notice that the Danish flag is everywhere.

Christmas trees here are decorated with little Danish flags. Cucumbers in the supermarket have Danish fla...

Your free daily banana and five weeks off: Job benefits in Denmark from 2017-08-27T02:33:36

On-the-job benefits in Denmark come in three categories: the kind every Danish worker gets, the kind everyone at your company gets, and the kind everyone at a certain level in your company gets....

Danish gangsters: Night-time helicopters and the risks of a knit hat from 2017-08-20T08:32:08

If you live in Denmark or follow the Danish media, you’ll know there’s been a lot of talk of gangsters over the past week. One Danish gang is trying to expand at the expense of another gang, and...

The Trailing Spouse in Denmark from 2017-08-13T06:00:43

A generation ago, expat spouses in Denmark were mostly “cookie pushers” – stay-at-home-wives who supported their husbands’ careers with chic little cocktail parties for his business associates. ...

Why job titles aren't important in Denmark from 2017-03-05T08:43:58

One of the most important words in the Danish language is "ligestilling"  – equality. The belief that all (Danish) people are basically equal permeates every relationship and every inte...

Danish union vs A-kasse: What's the difference? from 2017-01-25T17:28:39

When you first arrive in Denmark to work or look for work, the last thing you need is another monthly expense. So many foreigners “save money” by not joining a union.

And I was one of the...

Networking in Denmark: 5 useful tips for making Danish business contacts from 2016-10-23T11:05:53

Networking in Denmark is tough, even for Danes. This is a culture where it’s considered bad manners to talk to someone you don’t know, unless you’re drunk, in which case all bets are off.

It's all about the cake: The secrets of socializing with your Danish colleagues from 2016-09-04T11:52:40

When you work in a Danish office, you’ll often find yourself invited to impromptu in-office social events with your Danish colleagues. Somebody’s birthday, someone’s having a baby, somebody has ...

The Danish art of taking time off from 2016-08-15T06:52

When I first began working in Denmark, people used to start saying around April or May, “So – are you taking three or four?”

What they meant was, are you taking three or four weeks off fo...

The Danish job interview from 2016-05-22T10:00

If you’ve been asked for a job interview at a Danish company, congratulations. Danish companies don’t like to waste time, so they wouldn’t be setting aside time to meet you if they didn’t think ...

Finding a job in Denmark: Cover Letters, LinkedIn, plus two magic words from 2016-04-21T10:56:46

I often give presentations to job hunters in Denmark, and I tell them there are two words you can add to your cover letter that will virtually guarantee that it will be carefully read.

Wh...

Looking for a job in Denmark: Your Danish cv (And why you might want to consider a Danish nickname) from 2016-03-18T10:25:34

When you're putting together a cv for Denmark, titles and grades and long descriptions of examinations (unless they’re required for the job, as they are for accountants, architects and engineers...

Getting a job in Denmark: Fine-tuning your approach to the Danish job market from 2016-02-22T14:46:36

Foreigners in general are often trying to look for a job in a way that works well in their home country, not Denmark.

Basically, this works as about as well as trying to tell your new gir...

How to date a Dane: The two-speed bicycle and the flexible word from 2015-11-01T12:38:58

In Denmark, romance is like a two-speed bike. Speed one is casual sexual affairs with someone you may never see again: speed two is a serious relationship where you’ll be expected to go to all y...

Danes and Beauty: Miss Denmark, the empty museum, and why you shouldn't expect compliments from 2015-09-21T07:06:59

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Arriving in Denmark: Some tips from my experience from 2015-08-23T18:56:03

August in Denmark brings the first signs of fall: a crisp chill...

Danish babies: Rolling Royalty and Tribal Names from 2015-07-14T10:29:52

Denmark is a small country, and Danish people tend to think sma...

Private-equity pastry and the decline of bodegas: How Denmark is changing from 2015-05-31T12:22:53

Every country changes, and so does Denmark. When I hold  Listen

Danes and Fear: What is there to be afraid of in Denmark? from 2015-05-10T08:29:01

In general, Denmark is not a fearful country.  You could argue, what is there to be afraid of in Denmark?  It seems like a safe little corner of the world.  Tax-funded social programs make it un...

Spring in Denmark: Hot Wheat Buns and Highly-Educated Drunks from 2015-04-19T07:23:26

It’s spring in Denmark, and spring is by far my favorite season...

Danish Birthday Traditions from 2015-04-12T14:16:02

It has been said that Danish birthdays are the most important i...

Danes and Singing from 2015-03-08T10:40:34

There have been very few international singing stars from Denmark, and that’s a surprise, be...

Danes and Inequality: Private Schools and Migrants Who Sleep in Sandboxes from 2015-01-25T10:18:58

I was on Danish morning TV recently, which isn’t really something to boast about.  In a country of 5 million, 10 guests a show, 365 days ...

Cat Bites and Dental Vacations: The ups and downs of the Danish health care system from 2015-01-11T12:13:39

I've just arrived back in Denmark after a couple of weeks in the US and the night I got back, my cat bit me. This was not just a little affectionate peck - Fluffy used her sharp teeth, her fangs...

'Best of' Podcast: Christmas in Denmark Part 2: Get Yourself an Elf Hat from 2014-12-05T17:05:44

I’ve been living in ...

Don't mention the flag: What I learned when I studied for the Danish citizenship exam from 2014-11-29T16:29:46

There was no How to Live in Denmark podcast last week, and I apologize for that.  I have been busy studying f...

Donald Duck, Anti-Depressants, and the Myth of Danish Happiness from 2014-11-16T17:08:48

Hello, and welcome to the How to Live in Denmark podcast.  I'm Kay Xander Mellish.

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Danes and Environmentalism: Why a country that loves green tech is the world's fourth-biggest polluter from 2014-11-02T09:21

It's been a beautiful autumn here in Denmark.  Warm, with golden sun, blue skies, red and yellow and orange leaves on the trees. Listen

Are you a good foreigner, or a bad foreigner? How the Danes categorize newcomers to Denmark from 2014-10-05T17:25:36

Have you ever seen the movie The Wizard of Oz?  Listen

The 8:00 meeting is not an 8:05 meeting: Do's and Don'ts in Denmark from 2014-09-21T16:52

I did a little crowdsourcing for this week's podcast.   I asked some of our listeners, and some people on Facebook - what were some of t...

The Little Match Girl and the Fur Industry: Danes and China from 2014-09-14T20:04

How to make friends in Denmark; or 'Friendship in Denmark is a slow-growing plant.' from 2014-08-31T07:58:03

I was in London this week, and did a little fall wardrobe shopping.   I got tired after walking for awhile, a...

Danes and English, or "Can I live in Denmark without speaking Danish?" from 2014-08-24T10:07:09

I get a lot of mail at the How To Live in Denmark podcast, and some of it is from people who want to move to Denmark, but they’re not sure what to do...

Danes and Authority: The giant penis on the wall, or how to deal with Danish civil servants from 2014-08-17T07:27

When you think you’re talking to the authorities in Denmark, you’re often not talking to the authorities. If it comes to bus s...

What I like about Denmark from 2014-06-28T10:50:22

I got an email a couple of weeks ago at howtoliveindenmark.com from a Danish woman who now lives in Germany.  Listen

More thoughts on Danish summer: The downside of the 'light times' from 2014-06-15T12:53:48

If you’re in Denmark right now, you’ll know that we’re coming up on the year’s longest day this week.  June 21.  You know i...

Danes and Swedes: The world's worst haircuts are Swedish from 2014-06-08T12:01:19

Hello, and welcome to the How To Live in Denmark podcast.  I’m Kay Xander Mellish.

Listen

Danes&IT: Anyone can guess your CPR number from 2014-05-31T17:16:45

Ordinarily don’t get my technology news from the local newspaper sold by the homeless in Denmark, but I did this week.  First of all, I learned that you can pay your homeless newspaper seller by...

Danes and Norwegians: Bitter envy and brotherly love from 2014-05-23T12:43:19

Danes and Norwegians were part of the same country for hundreds of years, and they’re still family.  Written Dan...

Summerhouse or dollhouse? What to expect if you're invited to a Danish summer home from 2014-05-10T14:19:39

If you live in city or a big town in Denmark, you may notice that the weekends are getting very quiet just about now.

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Stories of a Salty: Arriving back in Denmark after vacation from 2014-05-04T07:01:24

When you go back to your country of origin, it’s alarming sometimes to realize how Danish you are becoming.

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The Little Mermaid is Highly Disappointing: Better ideas for visitors to Denmark from 2014-04-06T08:20:45

If you’ve seen it, you know the Little Mermaid is only about four feet tall – that’s 1.25 meters.  You probably own pillows that are bigger than the Li...

Raising children in Denmark: If their social life's OK, academic success will follow from 2014-03-30T09:35

Denmark is a pretty good place to raise children. Working hours are shorter, and it’s perfectly OK to leave work at 3 or 4 o’clock to pick up your kids.  There’s a good system for early childhoo...

The Things I Do Double: Thoughts on Denmark’s offer of Double Citizenship from 2014-03-23T13:52:54

There was big news this week for foreigners in Denmark.  It looks double citizenship will soon be permitted.<...

Salaam and Gooddag: Denmark for Muslims from 2014-03-16T17:59:20

There’s a new mosque opening down the street from me this spring, a big one.  It will be the first mosque with minarets in Denmark, although the minarets are legal...

Danes and Stereotypes: The superficial American and the Copenhagen cheater from 2014-03-09T08:43:20

As an American in Denmark, I get to experience Danish stereotypes about Americans on a regular basis: we are superficial, too outspoken and direct, and are apparently controlle...

Danish Names: Why Bent is not bent, and why It's bad to be Brian from 2014-03-02T16:53:05

Danish names are very strongly stratified by age. Ole and Finn and Knud and Kaj and Jørn and Jørgen and to some extent Poul and Per, are...

How to find a job in Denmark: Not easy, but it can be done from 2014-02-23T08:42

Finding a job anywhere is a headache, and Denmark is no different.  And let's be frank, if the employer has a choice between a foreigner and a Dane, they're probably going to hire the Danish per...

Dating in Denmark, Part 2: Dating Danish men, a guide for the foreign woman from 2014-02-16T20:22:43

If you are a romance novelist, the Danish man is not your dream man. He will not write poetry and pursue his beloved to the ends of the Earth. He won't...

Dating in Denmark, Part 1: Meeting Danish women, a guide for the foreign man from 2014-02-09T09:37:37

 A lot of the mail I get at Listen

More Snow Tomorrow: Surviving winter as a foreigner in Denmark from 2014-02-02T20:33:53

I’m looking out the window as I record, and it’s snowing again. It’s pretty, but it’s not a novelty any more. It’s been like this for the past couple of weeks, Danish winter weather. Nearly ever...

Danes and Vikings, plus: Two words to use to get Danish people to do what you want from 2014-01-26T19:08

I play a little game sometime when I look at Danish people. I imagine them as Vikings. It’s easy now that big beards are in fashion on young men. Sometimes on the metro I’ll look up at the hipst...

Danes and Work: My vacation flight was cancelled, because the pilot was on vacation from 2014-01-19T02:01:24

A few years ago, during the peak July vacation season, SAS had to cancel a large number of flights out of Denmark. This is because too many SAS pilots had taken vacation...during the vacation se...

Gossip and Scandal in Denmark from 2013-12-15T16:04:54

While French or American politicians have sex scandals, Danish politicians have tax scandals. Only the Royal Family is permitted to be the subject of really juicy gossip and scandal in Denmark.<...

Sex and Denmark from 2013-12-08T13:12:07

Even though Denmark is very open about sex, it isn’t very…sexy. Everything’s so accepted, out in the open, so practical, that sex in Denmark is a bit dull.

The post Listen

How to survive the dark times, plus: Should I move to Denmark? from 2013-11-23T05:11:02

Sitting at my desk in grey, November Copenhagen, I received an email from sunny Portugal. Eighteen-year-old Bárbara asks: Should I move to Denmark?

Christmas in Denmark Part 2: Get Yourself an Elf Hat from 2013-11-16T08:10:34

Wearing an elf hat at Christmas time is a way to show you’ve got a sense of humor about yourself. You’re likely to see an elf hat on your boss, your professor or somebody else you’re supposed to...

Ørestad, Ørested and Øresund: Why I still get lost in Denmark from 2013-11-09T13:45:39

I still get confused about Danish place names. A lot of names sound so similar that I am constantly getting lost in Denmark. People's names are tricky, too.

The post Listen

Voting at McDonald’s: Danish politics, and the posters that will last until spring from 2013-11-02T08:12:11

I like Danish politics, and I follow it, even though I don’t follow Danish sports or entertainment. I like Danish politics because it involves a lot of intelligent women running things, with men...

The Two Months of Christmas: Holiday drinking in Denmark begins now from 2013-10-25T13:17:09

Traditionally, there has been little crime in Denmark, which is a society based on trust. But when that trust is broken, Danes get confused about what to do. They don't like the idea of punishme...

Just buy more insurance: Crime and Punishment in Denmark from 2013-10-17T12:37:37

Traditionally, there has been little crime in Denmark, which is a society based on trust. But when that trust is broken, Danes get confused about what to do. They don't like the idea of punishme...

No planned hangovers: Ways I refuse to integrate in Denmark from 2013-10-11T06:37:39

More than a decade after moving to Denmark, there are still a few things I won't do to fit in. I won't cook fried fish balls, or watch Danish talent shows on TV. And I won't plan my hangovers in...

Danish Design: From spaceship toilets to thieves that steal chairs from 2013-10-06T04:00:06

The dark days of winter in Denmark last from October to March. The sky is dark when you get up in the morning, and it’s dark when you leave work. If you are moving to Denmark and want your frien...

Here come the dark times: Winter in Denmark from 2013-09-28T06:35:04

The dark days of winter in Denmark last from October to March. The sky is dark when you get up in the morning, and it’s dark when you leave work. If you are moving to Denmark and want your frien...

A thatched roof over your head: How to find a place to live in Denmark from 2013-09-22T09:29:59

If you want to live in a thatched cottage in rural Denmark, you'll find a lot to choose from. Finding an apartment in downtown Copenhagen is harder.

The post Listen

All the colors of the Danish landscape: The truth about Danish fashion from 2013-09-12T03:33:21

Danes dress to match the Danish landscape. This is why most Danish fashion comes in grey, green, blue and brown - plus beige for the adventurous. 

Two-Wheeled Vikings and why I own three bikes: Danes and Cycling from 2013-09-05T15:30:06

For Danes, bicycle lanes are the Vikings' last stand. These gentle blond people - these people who will wait two minutes at a 'Don’t Walk' sign instead of crossing an empty street - armed with a...

No food, only stuff to make food: My culture shock in Denmark from 2013-08-31T05:44

At every Danish dinner party, I'm asked a standard set of questions: How did you come to Denmark? Why did you come to Denmark? What type of culture shock did you experience once you got here? In...

Public nudity and the passion for privacy: Why I Google my Danish neighbors to find out who they are from 2013-08-24T05:56:28

They may appear nude on public beaches and in daily newspapers, but the Danes have a passion for privacy. And they may be respecting YOUR privacy by not talking to you.

Danish, Dutch, Deutschland: Confusing Denmark with its neighbors from 2013-08-15T12:01:37

It's a common mistake to confuse the Danish and the Dutch - all those healthy blond people on bicycles! - but if you really want to understand Denmark, look at Germany instead.

Painful hugs and Poison Gifts: When the same words mean different things in Danish and English from 2013-08-09T14:11:40

Danish words and English words can look similar, but some of the similarities are deceiving. A Danish hug is not comforting. And slut is not a slut.

Danish sports: Big handballs and lonely ping-pong players. from 2013-08-02T15:26:24

Denmark is a small country. It needs sports it can win. Team handball, team badminton, and team ping-pong are where Danish sports men and women shine.

White Socks and the Danish Tax Burden from 2013-07-25T08:08:44

The price of white cotton socks in Denmark is about five times as high as in the USA. I explain how the price of socks has a lot to say about the Danish economic system.

The Deeper Meaning of Pigs from 2013-07-18T10:43:03

Hear about the role of significant cultural role of pigs - and we mean real pigs, not just people with bad manners - in Danish public life.

Summer in Denmark from 2013-06-26T04:24:25

Hear about summer in Denmark (or what there is of it) and why 'summer herring' sometimes wears a bikini, and sometimes nothing at all.