What Newcomers to Denmark Ask Me

What Newcomers to Denmark Ask Me

Author: Kay Xander Mellish April 30, 2023 Duration: 6:57

When you've been an international in Denmark for a while, as I have, you sometimes forget what it was like to arrive here for the first time and know nothing.

I remember arriving just about this time of year and being astonished by all the public holidays in spring. I'd arrived to work, but the office kept shutting down.

Now one of my various gigs is cultural training for newcomers, paid for by the big corporations that bring them here. The questions they ask bring me back to the time when I first arrived.

One of the most popular questions is pretty basic: How do I send a letter in Denmark? What does a postbox look like? Where do I buy a stamp?

I also get a lot of questions about Danish bicycle culture, which the Danish government promotes so heavily in its tourist campaigns.

A nice man newly-arrived from Russia asked me: Will it be possible for me to get a bicycle in Denmark? I said yes, it would.

But hey, there are no dumb questions. (Would it be possible for me, Kay, to get a bicycle in Moscow? I have no idea.)

Bicycle culture is often exaggerated in Denmark – the truth is, the number of kilometers cycled each year keeps falling, and the number of cars keeps increasing, even thought it is very expensive.

You can still get by with only a bike in Copenhagen and Aarhus, but in the less urban parts of Denmark, life will be uncomfortable without a car.

 

This is the 122th episode of the "How to Live in Denmark podcast", and originally ran in 2023.

Get all of Kay Xander Mellish's books about Denmark at http://books.howtoliveindenmark.com. Book Kay for a talk to your group or organization at http://events.howtoliveindenmark.com.


For anyone curious about or currently navigating Danish life from the outside, How to Live in Denmark serves as an essential, on-the-ground guide. Hosted by Kay Xander Mellish, an American writer who has made Denmark her home for over ten years, this conversation cuts straight to the heart of the everyday realities in one of the world's most homogenous-and often puzzling-societies. Rather than lengthy lectures, you'll find concise, ten-minute episodes packed with practical advice and cultural translation. This isn't just about travel tips; it's a deep dive into the unspoken rules of Danish social etiquette, the nuances of the local workplace, and the sometimes surprising path to feeling at home in a country frequently labeled the world's happiest. Mellish draws from her own long-term experience to explain everything from navigating the infamous Jantelov to understanding the Danish approach to business meetings and casual Friday night hygge. As Denmark's longest-running English-language podcast, it has become a trusted resource for internationals, whether they are planning a move, newly arrived, or have been settled for years but still occasionally find themselves wondering, "Why do Danes do it that way?" Each episode feels like a chat with a well-informed friend who helps decode the complexities of a fascinating culture, making your time there richer and a lot less confusing.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

How to Live in Denmark
Podcast Episodes
Politeness in Denmark: Some thoughts on Danish etiquette [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:31
"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 were not at all polite, because effusive praise a…
What I say when I'm welcoming newcomers to Denmark [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:58
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 the publication of my first book,…
Summer Vacation in Denmark: The Agony and the Ecstasy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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April Fool's in Denmark, and the rough game of Danish humor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Motivating Danish employees: Tips for Foreign Managers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:27
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 part in our various countries of o…
The sound of Denmark? Quiet. Very quiet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:57
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 no one wants to eat their…
Tips for Living with a Danish Family [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:56
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 maybe you'll just be staying w…
Autumn in Denmark: The slow fading of the light [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:59
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 feel a little fall crispness in the…