PODCAST · society
How to Live in Denmark
by Kay Xander Mellish
Quick takes on life in Denmark, in 10 minutes or less. Life as an international in Denmark, one of the world's most homogenous countries, isn't always easy. In Denmark's longest-running English-language podcast, Kay Xander Mellish, an American who has lived in Denmark for more than a decade, offers tips for enjoying your time in "the world's happiest country" plus insights on Danish culture and Danish working culture.Whether you're living in Denmark, thinking about moving to Denmark, or interested in a job in Denmark and want to understand Danish business culture, this podcast will offer insights and guidance.Each episode of How to Live in Denmark is less than 10 minutes long—perfect for your coffee break or commute. Join Kay Xander Mellish as she shares quick, witty, and useful insights on Danish culture and Danish working life in this short-form podcast series."How to Live in Denmark" tackles topics that will help you understand the Danish way of living, emphasizing work-life bala
Episodes
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Bakeries and the Danish soul
Just fifteen or twenty years ago, bakeries in Denmark seemed to be dying. They couldn't find staff. Nobody, it was said, wanted to get up in the middle of the night and make bread. The few bakeries that were left tended to have dirty windows and sour service and offer stale, dusty pastries. Most...
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13 Quick Tips for Newcomers to Copenhagen
Just arrived in Copenhagen? Welcome to Denmark! Now here's what nobody tells you. From getting an ugly bicycle and navigating the honor system on public transport to dating, drinking, saving money, seeing a Danish doctor, and even talking to a priest when you're feeling lonely, here are 13 quick...
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Copenhagen vs Berlin
Copenhagen and Berlin are less than an hour apart by plane, but very different in spirit. Copenhagen is a mostly clean, mostly safe, mostly well-run, mostly get up early in the morning and get to work type of city. Berlin is fun, exciting, and a little bit chaotic. Long before I lived in...
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Brok: The Danish art of petty complaints
Brok rhymes with clock, and it is a Danish word that describes the petty complaints that are common in one of the happiest countries in the world, and one of the richest. It's complaining as a social activity, usually about things that are more irritating than dangerous. I feel there's more…
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Authenticity and the Danish Summer Light
These are the light times in Denmark. In May and June, it's light until 10 or 11 in the evening, and then the sun is back around 4am. It's a nice contrast to the dark times in winter, although all that light can make you feel a bit jittery and overstimulated. It's also one of the few times a year...
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My Awkward First Year in Denmark
One thing no one ever tells you about moving to a new country is the incredible awkwardness of it. As a newcomer, you are constantly doing or saying or planning the wrong thing, something that would be perfectly reasonable in your home culture but is weird or laughable in your new location. Like...
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The Scheduled Dane: Why Friendship Needs a Calendar
Danes usually don't do spontaneous. They do calendars. This episode looks at why a country that can count 8,000 ballots in three hours still needs two weeks' notice for almost everything else. From perfectly timed buses to highly efficient elections, Denmark's culture of planning keeps society...
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Danish dinner party customs & why it's OK to break your Royal Copenhagen cup
Some might say that the most Danish piece of furniture is the chair. The Swan Chair, the Egg Chair, the Wishbone chair. They're all international design classics. You can buy a poster with 100 of the top Danish chairs, and if you go to Designmuseum Danmark there is a hall of chairs you can walk...
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Vintage TV and movies as a guide to Danish culture
Watching vintage TV and movies is a great way to survive the long Danish winter—and if you're learning Danish or trying to understand Danish culture, it's even better. Many classic Danish films and TV shows are available online for free. Whatever your taste, there are Danish films for it: Danish...
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December: Little Nisse, Big Money: The Danish Year Part 12
The nisse is a centuries-old figure in Danish folklore, and every December these tiny, mischievous spirits take center stage. While Santa Claus makes one big appearance late in the month, the nisse are active the whole season long. With their short stature and bright red hats, nisse are often...
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November Rain and "daylighting" buried rivers: The Danish Year Part 11
November always seems like the rainiest of Danish months, but it isn't, actually. October is. But November feels rainier, because the sky is so grey, and it gets dark so early, and the rain sometimes comes down in little freezing pellets. Denmark is a watery country, not just its long coastline…
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October, democracy in denmark, and competitive poster hanging: The Danish Year Part 10
Election posters are a colorful part of democracy in Denmark. In October, the campaigns swing into gear, and when the whistle blows on a set date at precisely noon, teams of poster-hangers cover the country with the faces of their candidates. It's highly competitive; It's against the law to take...
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September, elite sport, and the not-quite death of Jante Law: The Danish Year Part 9
Denmark may be a small country, but it produces world-class athletes in cycling, tennis, handball, badminton, and golf. How do they do it? And how does the tax-financed effort to create athletic champions fit with the culture code of "Jante Law", the idea is that no one should think themselves...
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August, The first day of school, and how children learn to be Danish: The Danish Year Part 8
Denmark is a very good place to be a child, and to have children, yet the birthrate is dropping as it is in so many other countries. Some preschools have shut down due to lack of kids. Just this year Denmark reached a population of 6 million – a big landmark - but that's mostly due to…
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July, Nature in Denmark, and following The Daisy Route: The Danish Year Part 7
July is vacation month in Denmark, and it's ironic that many Danes go elsewhere on vacation at just this time of year, when you have the best chance of good weather in Denmark. And I do mean chance – there is never any guarantee. Some Danes go abroad, driving vacations to Southern Europe are...
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June: Danish pride, women in uniform, and the reverse Jante Law: The Danish Year Part 6
As of this month, girls who turn 18 can be drafted into the Danish military. This is new, even though girls in Norway and Sweden have been eligible for the draft for some time. Denmark is proud of its record on gender equality, so maybe it's a wonder it hasn't happened sooner. After all, more…
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May, the candle in the window, and getting old in Denmark: The Danish Year Part 5
There's a lovely May tradition in Denmark of setting a candle in the window on the evening of May 4. This is to commemorate the surrender of the Germans and the end of the Nazi occupation in 1945. The Nazis imposed a blackout on Denmark to confuse the Allied air forces, so now that they were...
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April, Gardening in Denmark, and what it means to be "Pear Danish": The Danish Year Part 4
As the long Danish winter finally draws to an end, it's time for Danes to start planting their gardens. Now, in early April, it's rhubarb, parsnips, cabbage. After the risk of frost is gone, in late April, you can put down some beets, and chives, and parsley – all good traditional Danish food. By...
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March, "Gække Letters", and the things lost in Digital Denmark: The Danish Year Part 3
Gækkebrev are a great Danish tradition, but like many other Danish traditions, they are fighting to survive amid the country's ambitious digital agenda. What is a gækkebrev, or gække letter? A single piece of paper, cut into a lace-like design somewhat like a snowflake, sent anonymously in the…
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February, the Cat in the Barrel, and the Absence of Faith: The Danish Year Part 2
Fastelavn is one of the Danes' favorite holidays. It takes place in February, when the light is finally beginning to come back after a long season of winter darkness. "Hitting the cat in the barrel" - which used to involve a real cat, but no longer does - and eating messy fastelavn buns full of...
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January, Skiing, and Income Inequality: The Danish Year Part 1
If you're one of the bottom 80% of Danish earners, you'll probably spend most of your dark January evenings and weekends at home, hoping your bank account can recover from Christmas excesses. Restaurants have a lot of empty tables this time of year. Shops mostly process the return of unwanted...
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The Danish Empire - without Greenland?
Denmark, as Danes like to tell you, is a little country. But it used to be a much bigger country, a bit of an empire. Norway was once part of Denmark. Iceland was once part of Denmark. The southern half of Sweden and a bit of northern Germany used to be part of Denmark. What is now called the US...
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Learning Danish through song lyrics
One of the tips I often give to newcomers in Denmark is to learn Danish through song lyrics. Find a Danish lyricist whose music you enjoy listening to on repeat. The repetition will help you get a feel for how the Danish language flows, and you'll have something to dance to during those long…
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Job switching in Denmark
Denmark has one of the highest job mobility rates in the world - about 20% of Danes start new jobs each year. Frequent job changes are a reflection of the Danish concept of "flexicurity" – flexibility with the security of the welfare state. As a matter of fact, if you stay in the same job for…
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The Design Quirks of Copenhagen
Did you know that Copenhagen has its own color? It's called Copenhagen Green, and it's a dark emerald green, mixed with a fair amount of black. A little like the dark green we see on the leaves of trees here late in August. Pantone 3435C, for you designer types. You'll notice that all Copenhagen...
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Who is Holger Danske?
Many countries have a fictional character who represents them. Uncle Sam for the USA, Marianne in France, Mother India. Others have a legendary figure, who was real at one point but is now shrouded in myth, like King Arthur in England. For Denmark, Holger Danske is both. He was probably real,...
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The white magic of the Danish graduation hat
In June of each year, the streets of Denmark are suddenly full of young people wearing stiff white caps with bands of various colors - burgundy, midnight blue, light blue. These teenagers have just graduated from gymnasium, the Danish equivalent of high school, and the white hat is a sign of that...
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Do you have to speak Danish to work in Denmark?
If you're only in Denmark for a few months, it might not be worth the investment in time to learn much more than the basic pleasantries in Danish. But you plan to stay in Denmark for more than a year or so, it's a good idea to learn some Danish – and your visa may require that you do so. Even if...
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Why Danes Find Compliments So Awkward
A story I've heard over and over again when I talk to internationals working in Denmark is this: They thought they were going to get fired. They'd been working for a year or so at professional-level job in Denmark, often one they'd been recruited for, but they'd never heard any positive comments...
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Romance in Denmark
Whether you're navigating the cobbled streets of Copenhagen on a first date, exploring the charming countryside with a new companion, or swiping right in the pursuit of love, this episode offers the inside scoop on Danish dating culture. We explore different facets of the Danish dating scene…
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Finding light in the Danish Winter Darkness
Many internationals newly arrived in Denmark struggle with the long Danish winter. The darkness that starts to fall in the early afternoon means that 5pm looks just like 8pm, which looks just like midnight, which looks just like 5am. Dense, inky black sky. During the daytime there's a dim grey...
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New Year's Eve Traditions in Denmark
It's almost Week 1, in the weekly numbering system that's widely used in Northern Europe, where the year starts with week 1 and runs through to Week 52 or 53, depending on the calendar. It's very efficient for planning, so you don't have to say something messy like "What about that week that…
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How to Handle a Conflict in Denmark
If you are an international who lives in Denmark, or someone who wants to, you have to learn the Danish way of dealing with conflict. This might be with a colleague, or your upstairs neighbors, or the authorities at the commune. In these cases, it's very important not to lose your temper or raise...
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Drugs in Denmark
Denmark is getting rich selling pharmaceuticals to other countries, but within Denmark itself, the approach is inconsistent. Getting illegal drugs doesn't seem to be too difficult, but getting legal drugs from your doctor can be.
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Equality and the Electric Bike
When I first arrived in Denmark, you could shut down any dispute in Denmark by appealing to equality and the common good. Solidarity - "solidaritet" - and "fælleskab", or community, or even "samfundssind", societal spirit, were magic words. They still are with the older generation that built...
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How to Meet a Dead Viking: The Mummies of Denmark
Many people who visit Denmark are fans of the Vikings, the colloquial name for Scandinavians before the medieval era, although technically speaking the Viking raiders were at their peak in the years 800-1100. There are plenty of opportunities, especially now during tourist season, to see…
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No ice cream in July: Scenes from the Danish summer vacation period
In Denmark, the right to a long summer vacation is enshrined into law - the national vacation law, which states that all employees have a right to three weeks' vacation between May and September. Shops close, too. An ice cream shop in my neighborhood closed down for the entire month of July last...
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Rich in Denmark
Denmark is a rich country, but does it have rich people? It does, but Denmark's wealthy tend to keep a low profile, due to the informal Jante Law in Denmark that prohibits too much showing off. That said, spring and summer is great time to see Danish rich people in their natural habitat. That's...
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What Newcomers to Denmark Ask Me
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...
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Denmark and Butter: A Love Story
The hottest competitive sport in Denmark over the past year hasn't been handball, or football, or badminton. It's been chasing cheap butter in the supermarket. Recent inflation has doubled the price of butter – in some places, up to 30 kroner – but if you rush, you can get…a package of butter for...
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Randers is not a joke
It seems as if every country has a city or region that it is the butt of jokes. The rest of the country makes fun of the locals' unattractive accents and supposedly low-end behavior. In Denmark, that city is Randers. Randers is a city in Northern Jutland, about a half hour away from Aarhus. It…
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The Bridges of Denmark
A country like Denmark, with so much coastline and water, needs a lot of bridges - and there have been 5 new colorful, stylish bridges built in Copenhagen alone in the past decade. And because this is Denmark, and people love design, each bridge has its own special look. You can't just put up a…
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On returning to Denmark: Swimming in Copenhagen harbor, picking wild blackberries, and admiring Danish law and order
After some time out of Denmark, Kay returns and finds a whole new list of things to love. Swimming in Copenhagen harbour is a delight - the once-industrial waterway has been cleaned up enough to become a giant swimming zone. The wild blackberry bushes are ready for harvest, and there are plenty…
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Ballad of the Danish Royal Teenagers
It's hard to be a teenager no matter who you are or where you live, but spare a thought for the two teenagers of the Danish Royal Family. 16-year-old Christian - the future King Christian XI - and 15-year-old Isabella have to deal with family photo calls and media events, leaked Tik Tok videos…
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Tivoli vs Bakken: How two amusement parks show the two sides of Denmark
Denmark has several amusement parks, including the original Legoland, but the ones I know best are the ones in Copenhagen - Tivoli Gardens and Bakken. Tivoli and Bakken show two different sides of the Danish character. Tivoli is the sleek, confident, high-end image that Denmark likes to present…
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On the Road: Copenhagen Northwest, beyond the cherry trees
It's springtime, and the cherry trees are about to bloom in Copenhagen Northwest, which is usually the only time people who live outside Northwest bother to go there. Northwest is a working class neighborhood, so much so that the streets are named after working-class occupations. While other...
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The Secret Strategy for Practicing Spoken Danish
Newcomers to Denmark often complain that the locals aren't chatty. Danes don't want to converse on the bus, or on the train, or in line at the supermarket, or really anyplace that isn't a designated social zone. Like the company canteen at lunch, or a dinner party at home to which they have…
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Queen Margrethe, Denmark's good-humored, much-loved monarch
No matter how they feel about the institution of royalty, almost everyone likes Denmark's Queen Margrethe, who is celebrating 50 years on the throne this week. Every New Year's Eve, the streets of Denmark go quiet as the Queen makes her annual televised speech to her subjects. I find the speeches...
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The Non-Drinkers' Guide to Danish Christmas parties
Drinking, and drinking heavily, is common in Denmark at holiday time. Whether it's the traditional "gløgg" - hot spiced wine with nuts, orange peel and a little brandy - or the specially-made (and specially-strong) Christmas beers, you'll be offered a great deal of alcohol at almost every…
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Denmark's Big and Wonderful Second Hand Economy
Second hand shopping in Denmark is more than a way to save money. It is part of the country's commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. In Denmark, buying used is practical, socially accepted, and often the preferred choice. The Danes believe that if something still has years of life...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Quick takes on life in Denmark, in 10 minutes or less. Life as an international in Denmark, one of the world's most homogenous countries, isn't always easy. In Denmark's longest-running English-language podcast, Kay Xander Mellish, an American who has lived in Denmark for more than a decade, offers tips for enjoying your time in "the world's happiest country" plus insights on Danish culture and Danish working culture.Whether you're living in Denmark, thinking about moving to Denmark, or interested in a job in Denmark and want to understand Danish business culture, this podcast will offer insights and guidance.Each episode of How to Live in Denmark is less than 10 minutes long—perfect for your coffee break or commute. Join Kay Xander Mellish as she shares quick, witty, and useful insights on Danish culture and Danish working life in this short-form podcast series."How to Live in Denmark" tackles topics that will help you understand the Danish way of living, emphasizing work-life bala
HOSTED BY
Kay Xander Mellish
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does How to Live in Denmark have?
How to Live in Denmark currently has 150 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is How to Live in Denmark about?
Quick takes on life in Denmark, in 10 minutes or less. Life as an international in Denmark, one of the world's most homogenous countries, isn't always easy. In Denmark's longest-running English-language podcast, Kay Xander Mellish, an American who has lived in Denmark for more than a decade, offers...
How often does How to Live in Denmark release new episodes?
How to Live in Denmark publishes regularly with 150 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to How to Live in Denmark?
You can listen to How to Live in Denmark on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts How to Live in Denmark?
How to Live in Denmark is created and hosted by Kay Xander Mellish.
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