What The Denmark | Danish Culture for Expats, Internationals and Danes

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 outsiders.

Esther and Sam talk about a variety of different topics, including:

• Similarities between The Netherlands and Denmark (size; old monarchy)
• Differences (approach to biking; the fact there is LESS rain in Denmark)
• Advice for people new to Denmark

as well as a chat about liquorice.

Learn more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/

Do you have some interesting advice to share?

Subscribe to the What The Denmark newsletter (via the website) where you'll receive details of how to be interviewed on the show.

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 employment.

We get tactical, including:

• Planning which applications to make
• When to call the hiring manager and what to say
• How to follow up after an interview

We also talk about alternative forms of employment and how, for example, freelancing first becomes a much easier way to get a foot in the door before landing a dream job.

If you haven't already, you may enjoy listening to Getting a job (Part 1) for some of theory, and additional ideas around finding employment.

Learn more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/

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, Director of Talent Acquisition at Copenhagen Capacity to get their perspective on the Danish job market.

We talk about what it feels like for Danes and non-Danes alike through the job process, and also how Danish hiring managers might be missing out on some top talent due to cultural confusion.

Next week we will be talking about practical tips for how to get a job (in Denmark) and so be sure to subscribe to not miss out!

Learn more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/blog-post/getting-a-job-part-1

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 episode, Sam and Josefine are joined by journalist Aske Hald Knudstrup to talk about their own experiences of Danish humour, including interviews with two humour experts who help pinpoint what is particular about the Danish way of being funny.

After listening you’ll get a better understanding of what Danes are doing when they’re being funny, and why Danish humour is deeply connected with Denmark’s history of social democratism.

Learn more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/blog-post/danish-humour

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 starts with hearing the struggles that Ana Sofia has with reaching out and connecting with Danes.

Sam and Josefine then take a look at "The Strength of Weak Ties" and how the public and private spheres are quite distinct in Denmark.

We then hear from the successful friendship of Emilie and Camila, and how they can inspire others to make friends in Denmark.

Sam and Josefine finish with practical tips from research and experience. Spoiler alert: if you want to make friends with Danes - invite them around for a wine tasting!

Learn more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/blog-post/making-friends-2

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 how different cultures interact with new people (using the metaphor of coconuts and peaches) as well as several unique aspects about Denmark and how Danes like to socialise.

Read more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/

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 and Danish architect Josefine Bols.

The episode covers various topics including:

• A Foundation of Trust
• Flat power distribution in practice
• Story time: dirty dishes
• Practical advice for managers and employees

Read more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/blog-post/flat-hierarchies

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 sleeping on the same double bed to each have their own separate duvet(!)

In many parts of the world this is unheard of - and suggests that there is a lack of intimacy between the partners.

This first episode of What The Denmark we take a deep dive into something you may never have considered - whether you should try using a shared duvet or separate duvets when you go to bed.

Featuring interviews with historians, scientists and a variety of different Danes and Internationals, you'll no doubt think about your co-sleeping arrangements differently after listening!

Learn more at: https://www.whatthedenmark.com/blog-post/duvets

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/