This entry has been borrowed from the Danish Tourist site, who made a great quick guide for understanding some of our at times odd behaviors, so you don’t get freaked out or worried when visiting Denmark or if you have Danish colleagues/friends who might display certain interesting trades when chatting to them.
It might also help explain a few quirks you have noticed by my sense of humor and my way of writing my posts. Count yourself lucky you haven’t met me yet 🙂
- Don’t panic if people don’t respond to small talk; it doesn’t really exist in Denmark as we tend to engage in conversations about topics. We love to talk, but the trick is to ask questions, then we’ll open up 🙂
- Don’t panic of the humor makes you blush a little. To outsiders, Danes can seem quick to take a joke to the next level. Danish humor can go from subtle to ironic to downright inappropriate within a very short conversation 🙂
- Don’t panic if you are invited to someone’s home. Most social interactions happen in the privacy settings of the home. That’s our way of showing you that we trust and enjoy your company, and we feel more comfortable and relaxed in our homes. Just bring a bottle of wine or flowers for the host and it’ll be fine 🙂
- Don’t panic if a “How are you doing?” small talk comment triggers a paragraph-long answer; including dog’s trip to the vet, what we had for breakfast and how the day is going in general. We Danes tend to give a full (and often long) answer to any question. It would be rude not to 🙂
These are just some of the simple steps to understanding us Danes much better. It all starts with a simple conversation and evolves from there. You’ll soon find that we Danes are wonderful people.
We care deeply for our family, friends and socializing. Don’t be shy and enjoy a lifelong friendship with a Dane.
These simple steps are just the tip of the Carlsberg. Hug a Dane today 🙂