What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes
Danish culture can be confusing for expats and internationals. This podcast aims to resolve cultural confusion by exploring why Danes think and behave the way they do. Co-hosts Sam Floy and Josefine Volqvartz interview experts and locals to explain the reasons behind Danish customs. The show is educational, entertaining, and inclusive, catering to both Danes and non-Danes. It offers a deep dive into the quirks of the happiest country in the world.
Episodes
Danish Weddings: what to expect when tying the knot (or not) in Denmark
If you’ve listened to our episode on Dating Danes and have been really applying yourself, you might be starting to think about Danish weddings…
Both Sam and Josefine have (separately!) had Danish weddings that are a little bit different to how other countries do it. But what are some of the things to expect when going to a Danish wedding?
In this bonus episode of What the Denmark we’re spe
Newcomers’ Survival Guide: everything you need to know ahead of visiting Denmark for the first time
In this last episode of the current season we give you everything you need to know ahead of coming to Denmark for the first time.
Sam and Josefine are joined in the studio with two excellent guests sharing their insights and tips on how to orient your first days and weeks in the land of Denmark..!
Kay Xander Mellish the author of the new book "How to Work in Denmark: Tips for finding a job,
Dating Danes: learning the (missing?) language of love in Denmark
For a culture that is normally so practical and matter-of-fact (see Separate Duvets), Danes seem to find it surprisingly difficult to talk about relationships.
Compared with other cultures, it’s rare in Denmark to ask someone out on a date in person (unless drunk) and there’s often missing vocabulary around defining what relationships are (there’s no direct translation for “dating”).
All th
Green Transition: how Denmark became a low-carbon, sustainable society
In the 1970s, Denmark was like most other Western countries when it came to generating energy: the majority came from high-polluting, non-renewable resources.
When oil crises hit after OPEC switched off oil supply, Denmark, and indeed much of the world, was hit with huge economic and social pain.
Once the flow oil came back, many countries began to return to their economies running on foss
Little land: how Denmark's history defines the nation today
It seems that one of the defining characteristics of being Danish is to feel you are a member of a small nation.
During the Viking and Middle Age periods, Denmark was a relative superpower, with territory spanning modern day Norway, south Sweden and northern Germany.
A series of failed military campaigns during the 1800s however meant that much of this land was lost, and my the 1860s, only
Forest kindergartens: why Danish parents send their children to learn in nature
In the 1950s, a Danish woman, Ella Flatau, began taking her kids on walks in the forest to teach them about the world.
Soon, other parents asked if their kids could join, and before long, they formalised the arrangement, creating the first "forest kindergarten" in the country, and possibly the world.
Fast forward to today, and most of us have a sense that it's good for young children (and o
"Denmark is such a 'low anxiety' place to live"
In this episode Sam is speaking to Anne Jamison and John Bennett, a couple from the USA who moved to Denmark from Dubai last year.
Anne and John share their thoughts on:
Work/life balance in Denmark and how this differs from US cultureDenmark being a “low anxiety” place to workThe tribulations in getting things delivered to Denmark over the summer
And many more fun, interesting things that
Affordable housing: Denmark's cooperative (andelsboliger) approach
Around the world house prices are rising far higher than incomes meaning "ordinary people" are unable to afford to own a place to live.
In Denmark, andelsboliger ("co-operative housing") offers a solution.
With roots in the 1800s, it is an approach whereby people come together to collectively own a common asset (in this case a property, such as an apartment block) and then collectively reap
Social conformity: why Janteloven is essential for understanding Danish society, with Michael Booth
We're back with Season 3!
In this episode we tackle Janteloven or "The Law of Jante".
In 1933, a Danish-Norwegian author called Axel Sandemose wrote a book describing a fictional town in rural Denmark.
The people of the town were very set in their ways, and didn't like it when individuals tried to break from the norms, or think that they were in any way special.
This fictional (satirical)
Winter bathing: is cold water the secret to Danish happiness?
When temperatures drop, the last thing on most people's minds is to go outside, strip off and take a plunge into near freezing water.
That is, however, what a large percentage of the Danish population do each winter.
Why on earth would someone choose to do this?
Well, it turns out that the benefits to doing so are pretty convincing, and not just for the physical aspects of helping you burn
Trust: how and why Danes have the highest trust levels in the world
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, citizens' trust in their governments has declined all across Europe, and around the world.
Denmark, however, stands out as a country where trust levels have increased.
But why?
This is the topic of this week's episode + an exploration into the country's remarkable high levels of trust between people.
We discuss:
The game theory of strangers trusti
New Nordic Cuisine: how can Denmark have the best restaurants in the world?
Danish food culture has an outsized impact on the world stage.
For a country with less than 0.1% of the world's population, Denmark boasts the two best restaurants in the world and has a culinary movement that is the envy of chefs and kitchens around the world.
But it wasn't always that way...
In fact, there was a very distinct turning point when Danish (and more broadly Nordic) food becam
"I love the calmness of queueing in Denmark" + other observations
Guki is originally from Georgia (the country, not the US state), and moved to Denmark for studies after growing up fascinated by Scandinavia.
This is a different type of episode to our usual ones, where we speak with people are learning about Danish culture after moving to Denmark.
These interviews, we feel, are a great way to learn practical advice from others adapting to Denmark, but also
Adults in onesies: what flyverdragter says about Danish fashion
As winter approaches, you might spot an unusual sight on the streets of Denmark: fashionable people (mostly women) wearing an all-in-one ski suit worn predominantly by toddlers.
These ski suits (or rather "flight suits") have become a fashion trend in Denmark in recent years, and they show no signs of stopping.
Sam and Josefine discuss the past, present and future of this trend with lifesty
Danish etiquette: "ignoring people is polite here"
Danish culture is premised on various values such as trust, equality and respect for privacy.
Whilst this has many virtues, from an outsider perspective, this can also appear to play out in scenarios where Danes come across as... well, a bit rude.
For example, it's not natural for Danish people to hold the door open for each other, or to offer help for someone struggling to take a baby stro
Work life balance (US vs Denmark) with David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH)
David Heinemeier Hansson is a tech entrepreneur and internationally successful racing driver. Anyone who has worked in computer programming will likely have come across Ruby on Rails. Well, David invented it.
David is the author of several business books with his American Basecamp business partner, Jason Fried including Rework, Remote and It Doesn’t Have To Be Crazy at Work. He writes freque
Danish pronunciation: How to speak with a potato in your mouth
The initial stumbling block for a lot of non-Danes speaking Danish is being able to say things in a (somewhat) comprehensible manner, and understanding what others are saying back to you.
Danes are notorious amongst their Scandinavian counterparts for mumbling, earning the not so flattering reputation of sounding like they speak with potatoes in their mouth...
In this episode we understand
Season One in review
Sam, Josefine and Andreas (our "audio guy") have a conversation about the things we've learnt from the first season of What The Denmark.
We cover:
Feedback from listenersFavourite things we've learned from the episodes so farNew perspectives on the topics (e.g. does the Danish army have a "flat hierarchy"?)Behind the scenes and some of the statisticsNew episode ideas that will be coming up
Handball: How the sport encapsulates Danish culture
The sport of handball has a rich history in Denmark.
The country invented the modern form of the game (so the story goes) and the men's team are the two-time reigning world champions.
In this episode, Sam and Josefine speak with the head of the Danish Handball Federation, Morten Stig Christensen, about his view on the sport and what it means for the country.
Through the discussions, a numb
"Why do Danish people wave when they ride a bike?"
Esther is originally from The Netherlands, and moved to Denmark in 2019.
This is the first of a new type of episode on What The Denmark where we speak with people are learning about Danish culture after moving to Denmark.
These interviews, we feel, are a great way to learn practical advice from others adapting to Denmark, but also to get fresh perspectives on things that seem peculiar to ou
Getting a job (Part 2): Practical advice on how to get a job (in Denmark)
Getting the dream job (or indeed any job) can be a daunting experience.
In this episode of What The Denmark we dive into the practical advice on how to get a job.
Whilst this is through the lens of getting a job in Denmark, as you'll hear the tips and advice that Sam and Josefine discuss (a lot coming from Karey-Anne from The Welcome Group in Copenhagen) are applicable to anyone seeking emp
Getting a job (Part 1): Are Danish companies overlooking international talent?
The Danish job market is a competitive hunting ground.
Many applicants find themselves sending out hundreds of CVs without any joy.
In this episode we identify what makes the Danish job market different from other countries, and why it is so hard to get a foot in the door.
Sam and Josefine speak with Karey-Anne Duevang, CEO of The Welcome Group and English Job Denmark and Nikolaj Lubanski,
Danish humour: Why can Danish humour be so confusing to non-Danes?
If you’ve ever spoken at length with a Danish person, chances are that their dry sense of humour has resulted in instances of confusion rather than fits of laughter.
While Danes seem to have a peculiar pride in their dry sense of humour, many non-Danes struggle with the irony and don’t get if their Danish counterpart is trying to be funny, or is just being a bit weird.
In this podcast episo
Making friends (Part 2): Practical advice on making friends with Danes
In the previous episode of What the Denmark, we covered the theory on making friends in Denmark and why it can be more challenging than elsewhere.
In this episode, we leave behind the theory and dig deeper into the practical advice.
Our guests include Ana Sofia, a student from Portugal, and Emilie Møllenbach and Camila Vicenci who are a successful Dane/non-Dane friendship.
The episode star
Making friends (Part 1): How coconuts and peaches help explain Danish friendships
Danes are notoriously known for being hard to make friends with. In the 2019 report by InterNations, Denmark ranked at the absolute bottom of their ‘Ease of Settling in’ charts.
But why is it so hard to make friends and feel at home in Denmark?
In these two episodes of What Denmark, we explore this critical issue and give advice on making friends in Denmark.
Part 1 covers the theory of ho
Flat Hierarchies: The pros and cons of a high trust Danish workplace
Denmark and other Nordic countries are celebrated for their flat organisations and inclusive work practices, and for a good reason.
But what are the downsides of this approach? Why do some people coming in from a more hierarchical culture find it demotivating to work this way?
In this episode Sam and Josefine speak with management expert Chris Shern, international CEO Nico Blier-Silvestri
Duvets: Why do Danish couples sleep with separate duvets?
There's a good chance you've never thought much about the type of duvet you have.
But there's actually quite a lot of interesting history, science and culture bound up in the different approaches to co-sleeping, both in Denmark and around the world.
In this episode Sam and Josefine speak to people around the world about their experience of using duvets.
In Denmark it's common for couples s
What The Denmark returns soon! And we need your help...
Hello!
Hope you've had a lovely summer.
The What The Denmark team have been busy getting ready for a new season of the podcast... and we'd love your input for a couple of episodes!
Dating Danes
One episode has the working title How to date a Dane.
Have you had experience dating Danish people? Is it different to dating people from different countries? Any funny/ amusing anecdotes?
(Sam
The Backstory of What The Denmark
How the discovery that Danish couples slept with separate duvets led to the start of the What The Denmark podcast.
Learn more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/
