What Are You Doing in Denmark?

Is it possible to become friends with your colleagues in Denmark, or are work friendships strictly a Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-4 arrangement?

This week on What Are You Doing in Denmark?, Derek and Brooke tackle a question many internationals in Denmark have probably wondered about: Why does everyone seem to disappear the second the workday ends? And is it weird to ask a Danish coworker to grab a beer, just the two of you?

We discuss Friday bars, Danish work-life balance, the unwritten rules of workplace socializing, and why company outings don't always translate into actual friendships. We also compare the spontaneity of American happy hours with Denmark's more scheduled approach to social life.

Plus, if you've ever felt rejected when a Danish colleague didn't take you up on an invitation, we have some advice: it might not be personal.

So, should you ask that coworker out for a beer? Yes! Just be prepared to adjust your expectations, respect people's boundaries, and remember that making friends as an international takes time.

Have a question about life in Denmark? Send us a DM, leave a comment, or send us a voice message. We love hearing from you!

Chapters:

00:00 – Can You Be Friends With Your Colleagues in Denmark?

00:38 – The Question: Why Does Everyone Leave at 4 PM?

01:19 – Danish Work-Life Balance and the School Pickup Schedule

02:25 – Friday Bars: A Culture Shock for Internationals

04:06 – Why Doesn't Anyone Want to Go Out After Work?

05:06 – The Unwritten Social Contract of Danish Workplaces

06:48 – Are You Missing Out If You Skip Friday Bar?

07:06 – Julefrokost, Company Parties and Workplace Bonding

08:10 – Does Drinking With Colleagues Actually Make You Friends?

09:39 – Keeping Work Friendships Separate From Real Life

10:19 – Do Danish Colleagues Actually Want to Hang Out?

11:04 – Can You Make Friends With Danish Coworkers?

11:51 – American Happy Hours vs. Danish Social Life

13:48 – Is It Weird to Make Plans With Just One or Two Colleagues?

15:06 – Do Company Outings Actually Help You Bond?

15:29 – The DHL Relay: Team Building or Just a Run?

16:50 – Adjusting Your Expectations When Moving to Denmark

17:29 – Should You Keep Asking If a Colleague Says No?

19:39 – Danish Work-Life Balance and Personal Boundaries

20:36 – Can You Be Your Whole Self Around Coworkers?

21:08 – Our Advice: Go Ahead and Ask Them for a Beer

21:51 – Send Us Your Questions About Life in Denmark

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to grow up in Denmark and still be treated like a foreigner?

In this episode, Derek sits down with Lena Rexhepi, who arrived in Denmark from Kosovo as a nine-year-old refugee in 1999. Now the author of But Where Are You Really From? Foreign There, Foreign Here: From Kosovo to Denmark, Lena shares her story of fleeing war, rebuilding her life, and navigating what it means to belong to two places without always feeling completely at home in either.

Lena opens up about the lasting impact of childhood displacement, the changing political rhetoric around refugees and immigrants in Denmark, and the everyday experiences of racism and othering that can follow you even when you've grown up here, learned the language, and built a successful career.

From having to explain her name in professional meetings to confronting assumptions about her background on dates and at dinner parties, Lena explores how seemingly innocent questions can carry deeper messages about who belongs. She also shares what she genuinely loves about Danish culture, the differences she sees between Denmark and Kosovo, and why identity doesn't always fit neatly into one box.

This is a conversation about migration, identity, resilience, and the difference between living in a country and feeling at home in it.

In this episode:

• What Lena remembers about fleeing the Kosovo War as a child
• How Denmark welcomed her family — and how her experience changed as she grew up
• Why “Where are you really from?” can be a loaded question
• Racism, stereotypes, and being othered in everyday life
• Navigating identity, dating, names, and professional life in Denmark
• What Lena appreciates about Danish culture, despite its contradictions
• What it means to be told to “go back home” when you're not sure where home is

Lena's memoir is But Where Are You Really From? Foreign There, Foreign Here: From Kosovo to Denmark

Order it here: https://lenarexhepi.com/about-the-book/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Lena's story: From Kosovo to Denmark

02:01 Fleeing the Kosovo War

04:19 Writing about childhood trauma

06:14 Finding refuge in Denmark

09:00 Denmark's changing attitudes toward refugees

11:24 Everyday racism and stereotypes

12:16 Being judged by your background

15:56 The subtle ways we make people feel like outsiders

16:08 Having to explain your name

18:00 Choosing a name that fits in

20:20 How othering affects dating and relationships

23:46 Living between Danish and Albanian identities

24:10 What Lena appreciates about Danish culture

26:07 Danish directness vs. Albanian warmth

29:00 Identity, labels, and the meaning of belonging

32:00 Being told to “go back home”

34:24 Class, privilege, and belonging within Denmark

35:37 What Lena would tell her nine-year-old self

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denmark is supposed to be good at work-life balance. Five weeks of paid vacation, a culture that encourages you to switch off, and a whole summer when it feels like the country collectively disappears. So why is it still so hard to relax?

This week, Derek and Brooke talk about the work habits they brought with them to Denmark, and the ways they've struggled to leave them behind. From hoarding vacation days and working through the summer shutdown to overloading a holiday with so many activities that it stops being relaxing, they unpack what it actually takes to slow down.

They also get into the unwritten rules of Danish workplace culture, why working longer doesn't necessarily mean working better, and whether ambition and standing out can sometimes clash with the Danish preference for fitting in. Along the way, they answer a listener's question about navigating expectations, office humor, and career goals as an international employee.

Because sometimes, learning to make Denmark make sense means learning when to close your laptop and leave it closed.

In this episode:

• Why Americans and other internationals can struggle with Denmark's work-life balance
• What to do with those five weeks of paid vacation (and why you should actually use them)
• How the Danish summer shutdown affects work and planning
• Why filling your free time with activities isn't always the same as relaxing
• The unwritten rules of Danish workplace culture
• Ambition, productivity, and the pressure to fit in

Have a story about learning to switch off in Denmark? We'd love to hear it. Get in touch through our SpeakPipe!

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the problem with modern convenience is that it works too well? Comedians Anders Morgenstierne and Jefferson Bond join Derek to unpack why Denmark can feel slow, strange, and even inconvenient at first, and why that might actually be the point.Sparked by a question from a YouTube viewer, the conversation explores the trade-offs behind on-demand delivery, apps, and round-the-clock convenience.

Along the way, the trio shares stories about potato week, delivery work, package mishaps, and the eye-watering cost of Danish taxis. Beneath the jokes about Spider-Man, Amazon, and a very suspicious Titanic theory, there’s a thoughtful question: when everything becomes effortless, what do we lose? This episode is for anyone living in Denmark, considering a move, or curious about the balance between convenience, community, and how we treat the people who make our deliveries possible.

Anders Morgenstierne:

Get tickets for Anders's Show HERE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andersmorgenstierne

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andersmorgenstierne

Jefferson Bond:

Get tickets for Jeff's Show HERE

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jeffersonbondcomedy

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/jeffersonbondcomedy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jefferson.A.Bond/

00:00 — The convenience question from a YouTube viewer

00:30 — Meet comedians Annis Moynstein and Jefferson Bond

01:27 — Is Denmark inconvenient—or just different?

01:46 — Potato break and the convenience of doing things yourself

03:51 — The hidden human cost of instant delivery

05:14 — Spider-Man, responsibility, and a delivery detour

06:38 — Amazon, instant gratification, and wanting more

07:59 — What happens when we stop going out?

09:51 — Delivery work, schedules, and who pays the price

11:20 — Courier stories from the night shift

13:38 — Package pickups, secondhand shopping, and delivery doubts

16:54 — DIY culture and why slower services may benefit workers

17:52 — The Danish taxi-price rant

19:13 — A comic detour into Irish stereotypes and Titanic theories

23:20 — Up Festival show mentions and the final thought

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do Danish friends sometimes seem reluctant to invite you into their homes?

This week, we answer a listener question from a Lebanese expat in Copenhagen who loves hosting dinners for friends but rarely gets invited back by their Danish friends. Is it a Danish cultural difference, a question of friendship groups, or simply a matter of personality?

Derek, Conrad and returning guest, Kriti Prajapati talk about hosting, Danish friendship circles, language barriers, cultural references, social media FOMO, getting rejected by friends, and why building friendships in Denmark can sometimes require a little more intention.

Plus: how to actually spend time with your Danish friends outside the usual group setting and our increasingly questionable advice for getting a Dane to invite you over.

More of Kriti:

Tickets for Kriti's show at Up Festival: https://upfestival.dk/om/komikere/kriti-prajapati

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kriticalcomedy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KritiPrajapati

Other WAYDID episodes with Kriti: https://pod.link/1704607322/episode/NjczMjdkOWE0N2JmOTIwNTRlMDZkN2Nm

00:00 Welcome to WAYDID + Kriti returns

00:43 Why don’t my Danish friends invite me over?

02:15 Is Danish hosting actually different?

04:38 The language barrier nobody thinks about

08:37 Why cultural references matter in friendship

11:45 Danish friends already have established friend groups

13:32 Social media makes feeling left out worse

14:02 Should you mix Danish and international friends?

17:25 Are Danes less spontaneous about socializing?

19:19 Do Danes have different kinds of friends?

21:37 When should you stop trying with a friend?

22:38 Is this just a Copenhagen thing?

23:05 Why Danes schedule doing nothing

23:55 How to actually get closer to Danish friends

25:20 How to make a Dane invite you over

26:48 Maybe it’s not a Danish problem

27:56 Kriti’s comedy festival show

28:46 Thanks for listening!

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Denmark really as open-minded and progressive as it seems, or is Danish culture also deeply conformist? In this episode of What Are You Doing in Denmark, Derek Hartman is joined by Anders Morgenstierne and Jefferson Bond to answer a listener’s question about fitting in, Danish social norms, and the tension between individuality and conformity in Denmark.

The conversation explores Janteloven, Danish humor, high-trust society, quiet zones, public behavior, supermarkets, Copenhagen vs. the Danish countryside, and what it can feel like to experience Denmark as an outsider. Plus, plenty of discussion about the strange little cultural rules that make Denmark both incredibly comfortable and occasionally confusing for internationals.

Anders Morgenstierne:

Get tickets for Anders's Show HERE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andersmorgenstierne

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andersmorgenstierne

Jefferson Bond:

Get tickets for Jeff's Show HERE

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jeffersonbondcomedy 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/jeffersonbondcomedy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jefferson.A.Bond/

00:00 Intro: Is Denmark Really Progressive?

01:07 Meet Anas & Jefferson

02:03 A Listener Asks: Why Is Denmark So Conformist?

03:05 The Danish Supermarket Experience

04:38 Progressive Denmark vs. Conformist Denmark

06:02 How Denmark Makes You Soft

07:00 Is Denmark Really That Progressive?

08:14 The Pressure to “Fit In”

09:15 The Danish Social Rulebook

10:03 Why We Love the Quiet Zone

12:00 Danish Train Etiquette

13:00 Don’t Play Music Out Loud on Public Transport

14:01 The Velcro Shoe Defense

14:55 Is It Conformity or Danish Culture?

16:01 High Trust Society & Following the Rules

17:01 Denmark Is a Quokka

18:02 Janteloven: Taking People Down a Peg

19:03 Copenhagen vs. the Danish Countryside

20:01 The Great Nykøbing Debate

21:02 Speaking Danish & Trying to Fit In

22:06 Can You Be Yourself in Denmark?

23:04 Is There a Middle Ground?

24:01 Why Danish Supermarkets Feel So Different

26:00 Netto, Self-Checkout & Danish Efficiency

27:00 “Uniform and Joyless”

28:02 When Danish Systems Break

29:04 The Joy of Supermarkets Abroad

30:01 The Final Verdict for Marcus

30:37 Up Festival & Where to Find the Guests

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s it really like to move to Denmark from the US to study and then try to build a career here?

In this episode of What Are You Doing in Denmark, Derek and Brooke talk with Jose Marquez, who moved from Texas to Denmark to study wind energy at DTU. Three years later, he’s finished his master’s, built a life in Copenhagen, grown a following by sharing things to do around the city… and faced the much harder question: Can I actually find a job in Denmark and stay?

Jose takes us through the reality of studying in Denmark as an international student, from the surprisingly social university experience and international student community to Danish teaching styles, group projects, Friday bars, campus food and the cultural differences between studying in Denmark and the US.

We also get into the transition from university to the Danish workforce: job-search visas, networking, Danish CVs and interviews, how much Danish you actually need to get hired, student assistant jobs, career fairs and the importance of having work experience before moving.

Get inspired by Jose in this episode as he shares that one of the biggest things Denmark taught him is that “if I want to, I can.”

Share this episode with anyone considering studying in Denmark, wondering what happens after graduation, or simply curious about what it's like to build a life here as an international.

Find Jose:

https://www.instagram.com/ihad.tolaugh/

https://www.tiktok.com/@ihadtolaugh

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danish politics was anything but sleepy this summer. From a farmer revolt over fertilization rules to a high-stakes immigration showdown and a citizenship freeze that could leave thousands in limbo, this episode breaks down the summers biggest political stories that internationals in Denmark cannot afford to miss.

Derek Hartman and Mike Walsh welcome back Danish politics YouTuber, Jonas Laursen, the conversation cuts through the headlines to explain what is actually happening now that Parliament is back in session. Jonas unpacks why the so-called cucumber time never really arrived this year, and why the biggest political fights are only just heating up.

You’ll discover:

• Why the new fertilization law has triggered tractor protests across Denmark
• How the Green Tripartite agreement set up a clash between farmers, environmental priorities, and the government
• Why Venstre MPs rebelled against their own party line, and what that says about internal party pressure
• How the Spain-Morocco border crisis became a Danish political flashpoint
• Why Mette Frederiksen’s hardline immigration stance is gaining allies, but also stirring backlash
• What’s behind the freeze on Danish citizenship and why more than 2,000 approved applicants are still waiting
• Where the new international workforce visa law fits into Denmark’s broader labor and immigration debate

Jonas also explains the strange political spiral around immigration in Denmark, where Social Democrats, the Danish People’s Party, and other right-wing forces keep pushing the debate further in one direction while the practical consequences land on real people - including internationals who have already done everything required of them to become citizens.

On a brighter note: Jonas shares news about The Danish Dispatch, his new English-language project launching 1 October, designed to give internationals the context Danish news often leaves out. You can find more on his social media below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjonaslaursen/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jonas.laursen5

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jonasblaursen

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danish weddings have rules, rituals, and surprises most outsiders never see - and Indian weddings have their own glorious chaos. Kriti Prajippati returns to share what actually happens when cultures, ceremonies, and expectations collide, from gift etiquette and dress codes to the tiny traditions that can leave you completely lost. Kriti - comedian, content creator, and host favorite - also reveals how living in Denmark for nine years shaped her new solo show, debuting at the UP Festival in Copenhagen this October. 

Along the way, the conversation gets wonderfully specific: the midnight timing of some Indian weddings, the Danish custom of speeches and songs, the infamous sock-cutting tradition, and the awkward reality of trying to navigate it all as an international guest.You’ll discover:

• what to wear to a Danish wedding, and what not to wear
• why gifts can range from cash to very personal, very unexpected choices
• how Danish weddings differ from Indian, Hungarian, and mixed-culture celebrations
• why speeches, songs, and staged performances can stretch a Danish dinner into an all-night affair
• the rituals - from kissing customs to sock cutting - that can catch first-timers off guard

More of Kriti:

Tickets for Kriti's show at Up Festival: https://upfestival.dk/om/komikere/kriti-prajapati

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kriticalcomedy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KritiPrajapati

Other WAYDID episodes with Kriti: https://pod.link/1704607322/episode/NjczMjdkOWE0N2JmOTIwNTRlMDZkN2Nm

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danish weddings have rules, rituals, and a lot more kissing than you think. Indian weddings have fire, midnight ceremonies, and enough momentum to leave everyone exhausted before sunrise. Kriti Prajapati joins Derek Hartman and Conrad Molden to compare the two, and the result is equal parts culture shock, comedy, and genuinely useful advice for anyone attending a wedding in Denmark. 

Kriti is a comedian, content creator, and longtime Copenhagen insider who brings her own cross-cultural wedding stories to the table, from a wedding where she brought a very personal gift to the bride, to the Danish traditions that caught her completely off guard. 

If you are headed to a Danish wedding, living in Denmark, or just love hearing how the same milestone can look wildly different across cultures, this one is packed with the kind of details you only learn by being there.

You'll discover:

• What to expect from a Danish wedding ceremony, dinner, and party
• Why speeches can feel like a full-on variety show
• The strange but important rules around kissing the groom, standing on chairs, and going under the table
• What not to wear, what to bring, and how gifts actually work
• How Indian weddings handle timing, rituals, guests, and the infamous shoe-stealing tradition

Kriti also shares stories from performing comedy at Danish and international weddings, teaching Bollywood dance, and building a new solo show for the UP Festival in Copenhagen. Along the way, you\ll laugh through hilarious comparisons of how different cultures celebrate, flirt, host, and overcomplicate a very happy day. Essential listening if you have a Danish wedding on your calendar, love cross-cultural comedy, or want the inside track on what really happens once the invitations go out.

More of Kriti:

Tickets for Kriti's show at Up Festival: https://upfestival.dk/om/komikere/kriti-prajapati

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kriticalcomedy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KritiPrajapati

Other WAYDID episodes with Kriti: https://pod.link/1704607322/episode/NjczMjdkOWE0N2JmOTIwNTRlMDZkN2Nm

🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: [email protected]

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.