If you’re wondering if it’s worth it to learn Danish, my answer would be yes, particularly if you plan to stay in Denmark for more than a couple of years. They’re also not really mute – in fact, they have a noisy hiss that can signal an attack if they feel their nest is threatened. Yet when Americans arrive with their burning ambition and enthusiasm, they sometimes experience tensions with the modest, calm, practical Danes. No blustering American cruise ship passengers looking for KONG-ens Nytorv (pronounced like the protagonist in “King Kong”). Of course, there’s less to do – no Copenhagen Jazz Festival, no Roskilde Festival, no Distortion, and a lot fewer of the big family parties and graduation bashes that keep things lively in other years. She runs a consultancy that helps Danish companies communicate in English and is a popular keynote speaker on topics that include Danish business culture, how newcomers can fit into Danish society, and the “Danglish” that Danes often struggle with when speaking or writing English. It’s rather nice. Interested in the USA Denmark cultural differences? But these strong, individualist, and often angry animals are a strange fit for a country that prides itself on co-operation and peacefulness. This website - lifeindenmark.dk and lifeindenmark.borger.dk - uses cookies to collect information and usage statistics. The German occupying force rolled in by land, and Denmark surrendered almost immediately – the flat Danish landscape would have been no match for the powerful Nazi tank divisions of 1940. Moving to a foreign country and adapting to a new culture can take time.

Given that these muscular birds are about a meter tall and their wingspan can be twice that, you may feel threatened too. Getting settled. It’s a funny kind of summer this year in Copenhagen, without the usual swarm of tourists. 1. However a lot of foreigners have a different opinion. As a companion to her new book, “Working with Danes: Tips for Americans”, Kay Xander Mellish has created a selection of articles about US business culture vs Danish business culture. The Danish police sent a friendly message to every mobile telephone in the country, reminding recipients to practice social distancing as you “enjoy your weekend.”. This is a practical guide to a number of things relevant when you are going to work or study in Denmark. Yes, most of the high schools we visited had a bar, or at least a café where they serve the students beer on tap, or hard cider in cans, or alco-pops in bottles when they want to relax after class. And once you get into debt in Denmark, it can be very difficult to get out. If you accept our cookies, click on “Accept cookies”. Denmark was occupied for more than 5 years.

However, learning Danish is highly recommended because it will help you engage with people both socially and at work. But daily life has changed for ordinary citizens as well, and not just because many of us aren’t quite sure what will be happening with our jobs and exactly how we will be paying the rent in the future, not to mention all that online shopping from home we’ve been doing during quarantine. Concerts and sporting events are canceled. You will find shortcuts to the most popular pages under each subject. The first Danish Coronavirus case was diagnosed on February 27, and so many things have changed in Denmark over the past four weeks. Forbes and OECD have made surveys that shows that Denmark is ‘the happiest place in the world’. However, learning Danish is highly recommended because it will help you engage with … Joining an association or club where you can enjoy and perhaps share an interest with Danes is a good way to meet people and create a personal network. By choosing to live and in Denmark, you will discover the culture of perfection in a sound and relaxed atmosphere. She empathized with teens’ desire to go out and party, but encouraged them to stay home and tolerate their parents for a little longer. Get some quick facts about Denmark on the official website Denmark.dk. Cookies are used to make the site simpler. And the economy might be in tatters when the quarantine ends. Danes consider themselves happy here but when you ask non-Danes you get quite a different reply. Forgot your password? She even offers a few quirky tips for people interested in moving to the USA from Denmark or how to move to Denmark from the USA. We looked at the classrooms, and at the laboratories – my daughter likes science. Denmark is a great place to do business.

If you continue, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on lifeindenmark.dk, You will have to address practical issues - start here, Your guide to practical things you need to know, Before leaving you need to address relevant things. Click on “Refuse cookies” if you choose not to accept our cookies. Denmark has well-functioning infrastructure, a strong educational system and rich cultural life that can make living in Denmark a good experience for you and the family you may want to bring. Denmark has well-functioning infrastructure, a strong educational system and rich cultural life that can make living in Denmark a good experience for you and the family you may want to bring. This book is a companion volume to last year’s popular book, Working with Americans: Tips for Danes. That said, mute swans are easy to find in Denmark.
Cookies are used to make the site simpler. Now, high school students are usually 16 to 19 years old, and the legal purchase age for wine and beer in Denmark is 16, so it’s all totally legal. Click on “Refuse cookies” if you choose not to accept our cookies. Also, in this case, speaking the Danish language will give you an advantage and help you getting settled. Denmark and World War II: Thoughts on an anniversary, Denmark’s Weapons Against COVID-19: Early Action, High Trust—and a No-Nonsense Queen, US business culture vs Danish business culture, How to manage the anti-authoritarian Danes and build consensus, Why your Danish colleagues may undersell their products or skills, What times of year you should avoid for campaigns and launches, Why giving too much positive feedback can be a turnoff for Danes, How transparency and trust is key to negotiating in Denmark, Why you should never say “let’s have lunch” unless you mean it.
But for now, there is a certain pleasure in watching the gentle social machinery of the Danish state swing into action. Her new book is a companion volume to her previous book, “Working with Americans: Tips for Danes” which was published in 2019. Tomorrow evening – Monday, May 4, 2020 – many Danes will put a candle in the window to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of that occupation. The menu consists of four subjects. Kay is an author, speaker, and cultural coach based in Copenhagen, Denmark. There never seems to be an obvious or generally agreed-upon answer. Almost all Danes speak and understand English, which makes it easy for foreigners to work and live in Denmark. And Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made an appearance on the Instagram account of Denmark’s top Gen-Z influencer, Anders Hemmingsen. Almost all Danes speak and understand English, which makes it easy for foreigners to work and live in Denmark. The bunkers were never used for their intended purpose.

If you’ve always wanted to listen to more Danish music, now probably isn’t the time: thousands of Danish songs recently disappeared from YouTube due to a copyright dispute. There’s nothing more eternal in Denmark than going out on a boat. New user? There are a couple in the park near my house, huge slabs of grey concrete now partially covered by greenery. Kay Xander Mellish has lived in Denmark for more than a decade. Anyone who takes a walk around Copenhagen is bound to run across one of the hundreds of concrete bunkers that were built to defend Danes from air raids during World War II. Schools are closed, with the kids (more or less) learning from home, and many of their parents are (more or less) working from home too. However, coming to a country like Denmark where the standard of living is generally very high and people feel happy and safe will most certainly make this process easier. In a sense, we longtime residents have the city for ourselves. Accept cookies. But what about Denmark? Infrastructure is superb, corruption minimal, and the Danes sincerely enjoy a good business deal. As Danes we are generally proud of our country and quite often think that Denmark is a good place to live – probably the best place in the world.

Welcome to Denmark!

A website called The worst-case coronavirus scenario is as terrifying in Denmark as it is everywhere else. No groups of petite elderly Chinese ladies posing for pictures around the Hans Christian Andersen statue. Music isn’t one of Denmark’s most famous exports, even when it is available. Confirmations scheduled for the spring have been put off – a crushing disappointment for the teenagers who have spent the past 6 months in Bible studies with hopes of a big spring party. Earlier this year, my daughter and I visited several Danish high schools to help her decide where she’ll continue her education. Kay discusses business culture in Denmark, with its emphasis on low hierarchy and trust, as well as business etiquette in Denmark, such as highlighting group achievements over individuals and not singling any person out for blame. Among the many cultural questions I ask audiences during my How to Live in Denmark Game Show is “Which animal represents Denmark best?”? It also includes a short section with ideas for how to prepare for long-term stays in Denmark. Learning the Danish language. Visit our Books about Denmark page for information about all our books, including How to Work in Denmark: Tips for finding a job, succeeding at work, and understanding your Danish boss; How to Live in Denmark: An entertaining guide for foreigners and their Danish friends; and … Here is my list of the three hardest things about life in Denmark for foreigners. They talk about their professional challenges, future plans and encounter with a work-life balance in a Danish way. We looked at the athletic faculties, and we looked at the bars. Cinemas, shops, gyms, and swimming halls have been shut down in an attempt to break the chain of infections. Hear all our How to Live in Denmark podcasts on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts (iTunes).

Working with Danes: Tips for Americans, Kay Xander Mellish’s new book, is now available in eBook form. For the moment, the eBook is available exclusively on Amazon. 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 travelling, parties, dining out, and gifts. It’s just a bit surprising when you come from anyplace where teenagers are encouraged not to drink alcohol to find a bar conveniently located next to the school gym. While Danish housewares and furniture design are popular all over the world, most Danish music fans are local, particularly when it comes to Danish-language rap.