Things Danes do that Most Americans Don't

Denmark is a wonderful country full of lovely people. Though some things Danes do can seem a little strange to a foreigner at first... Here is a list of things I have noticed that Danes do, that most Americans don't.

- Eat licorice.

Oh, do the Danes love their licorice... most people I have asked about it describe it as their little guilty pleasure. They will pop little licorice candies in their mouths with a smile. In Denmark, licorice comes in sweet, salty, animal shaped, twisted, you name it. When my host mom gave me some licorice to try as she was eating it out of a bag in her car, I took a small bite of the bear-shaped candy and the whole taste invaded my mouth. Danish licorice is definitely something. Something you should try, but I can't promise you'll like it... unless you're Danish of course.

- Bike everywhere.

If you've ever been to Copenhagen, you know how crazy those cyclists are. I guess you can compare them to taxies in New York City... they WILL run you over if you dare wander into the bike lane. In more rural areas of Denmark, it's not as crazy as Copenhagen, but everybody still takes their bike. In my town, there are little posts that go on the road to separate a path for the bikes, since there isn't a main bike lane. How thoughtful.

- Leave their dogs and babies outside stores

People in Denmark feel safe leaving their babies in strollers or their dogs outside stores. This would NEVER happen in the states. You would probably get in trouble for child neglect. (There was a Danish woman who was arrested for child endangerment in NYC for leaving her kid outside of a restaurant).

- Be so casual with their teachers.

Danish students can call their teachers by their first names, talk to them if they have a problem, and can generally have more relaxed social interactions with them. In the US, this is completely different. We call our teachers by their last names with one of the titles Ms, Mr, or Mrs. It is also quite uncommon for teachers to be as casual as Danish teachers. American schools generally have more rules preventing this as well.

- Have the word "hygge"

Now, if you haven't heard of the word "hygge", let me enlighten you. This is the cutest word in the books. Unfortunately, hygge doesn't have a translation into English, which makes it a unique Danish word. It's a word for when you spend some quality time with your friends or family while often enjoying a snack and a good conversation. Some English words that can try to describe this lovely Danish one, would be "cozy", "cute", or maybe "lovely". After spending time with my Danish friends, they will often say "Oh this was so hyggeligt". Hyggeligt is the adjective form of hygge. This just keeps getting better and better.

- Put yogurt in cartons

Yup. That's right. I had to mention the yogurt in the milk cartons. Also, eating just oats like cereal is a thing too. You can't forget to forget the top slice of bread on your sandwich! Danish food really is fantastic. I will have to make a separate post to go into more detail...

- Putting their flag everywhere

If you are ever fortunate enough to go to a Danish celebration, whether it be a holiday, birthday party, or family event, you WILL see the Danish flag at least 50 times. The Danes are very proud to be Danish (understandably) and will put their flag on the wall, in flower pots, on dinner tables, on flag posts, stuck on pieces of bread, on cake... if the Danes can find a way to show their Danish pride, they will do it.

(Fun fact: The Danish flag is the oldest flag that is still in use today!)

- Let children use public transportation on their own

I would never imagine an American parent letting their 7 or 8 year old kid use the train on their own. Here in Denmark, you can see children by themselves or just with their friends going to school without parents. Children in Denmark are given much more trusted independence in general.

- Being so quiet in trains

If you use the train in Denmark, you'll notice that it's awfully quiet. It's not common for people to strike up a chat with the person sitting next to them... Of course there will be people talking with their friends sometimes, but generally, a Danish train is much quieter than any other I've seen in the US. They even have a silent zone in where you can not talk at all.

These are just some of the major differences I've noticed from being in Denmark. It has been so wonderful here noticing all of the differences between the cultures of the US and Denmark.