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I think Dennis Miller breaks down this concept well. He says that in the end, when we lose the "struggle" in life, we often turn out weaker and have less resolve to excel in many ways. I'm not saying socialized anything is bad, but at a certain point we have to realize that life more like the Serengeti plains than the Garden of Eden.
Maybe they're just happy on the inside!!
www.feedbacksecrets.com
When you were talking about dessert...the thing that grows in the garden, that you called weeds, is nettles...popular ingredient at the moment in Copenhagen (not sure if that's because it's in season or just in fashion at the moment).
Glad you're enjoying Cph. :)
I've seen the stats on suicide in Scandinavia as well. I suspect -- pure speculation -- that, unlike Japan, suicide in these places are largely a result of the long periods of darkness due to their latitude/location. Large-scale SAD with predictable results.
I'd love to see any studies that have been done comparing cumulative annual exposure to sunlight and subjective reported well-being. I suspect there is a strong connection.
All said, though, those Danes make the best of some rainy and cold days. Makes you want to slap people who complain about the fog in SF :)
Tim
Thanks for the Denmark post, interesting, especially since I've never been...
Anna
Bill Bryson is one of my brothers favorite authors. I think "A Walk in the Woods" is his favorite because it takes place near his house. Gotta love NJ!
I think my brother would like to be him. He just needs a beard and glasses.
Hugs,
Jen
Hug numero dos,
Jen
Besides, exactly how do you quantify such a thing? Being somewhat of a grumpy curmudgeon, I am very skeptical of some government droid declaring that I am indeed "happy"...
Bare mine 2 øre ;)
I've only been to Copenhagen once, and then only for two or three days, but it was the dead of winter and I still found it one of the most enchanting and fun cities I've ever visited.
I remember how shockingly manageable the city was (we walked from one end to the other) This is a huge plus for me when I'm travelling. Not that I avoid big cities, but often my best memories come from smaller places where one can discover the local secrets in a shorter time. It has something to do with people in small cities being a little less jaded and maybe a little more open to strangers...
Copenhagen Danish Restaurant & Bar
Redwood City
Copenhagen Bakery
Burlingame
Anna's Danish Cookies
San Mateo
Lighthouse Diner
San Rafael
When I saw the article proclaiming Danes as the happiest in the world, I asked my then BF and Farmor (his mom) to explain why they would be blessed with that distinction. Their answer was quite frank and surprising: Danes have lower expectations.
They attributed this in part to the privilege that Danes are brought up with (such as free education). Their view is that many Danes take advantage of social programs that others in different countries work so hard for. This results in a lack of ambition or drive to succeed above the minimum required.
On the other hand, there are many notable celebrities, millionaires, entrepreneurs and/or scholars that are produced by this small country (population 5,468,120), such as model Helena Christensen, owner of Maersk Shipping, author Hans Christian Andersen, Nobel Prize winner Niels Bohr (quoted in 4HWW).
In any case, I thought this comment was interesting coming from native Danes. Regardless, it is a rich culture and I plan to visit Denmark in the near future. Skoal!
Lani
Chirsitania sounds like paradise to me.
Tim, how the hell can I do a trip to Denmark cheap?? With the dollar down and the Euro up, it seems impossible. Should I just keep saving away or do you have some tricks up your sleeve on this country????
Thanks for the great post!
Kevin
On an unrelated note, I just picked up your book and look forward to reading it.
Glad you enjoyed København Tim, but aim for the summer months next time, it is SO much nicer!
Thanks, Tim!
By the way, most of the staff at the University of Santa Monica is reading your book and love it!
Keep up the good work.
e
I really enjoyed reading this post and hearing about your adventures in pretty people land. Living in LA, I can't yet wrap my mind around flocks of gorgeous ladies without the attitude. These last two posts were two of your best yet. Your writing style is succinct and simple.
NOTE: Your TOEFL link is not working.
Off the topic, however I thought this was the best way to tell you that your translation for the Korean 4HWW is out.
I have a picture posted here for ya.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hookang/sets/72157...
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Sweeeet! Thanks so much for posting this up, Hoo Kang!
Tim
I for one, am not impressed.
Now where is that Danish application form....?!
Cheers
Jose Castro-Frenzel
TOEFL - linking to above link is incorrect. Please correct it tim.
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Oops! Not sure what happened there. I'll get it fixed. Thx, Abhinav!
Tim
I'm really proud to say that I'm a Dane. Your Denmark review and the many positive comments really made my day ;)
The picture is a classic Danish national team football (soccer) fan called "Roligan" (opposite of Hooligan, "Ro" means calm).
Being a small country we specialize in niche products like design, dairy products and luxury items.
It's free to study no matter where, we are actually paid to study ;)
We do however also pay a lot of tax. The average is about 40-45% income tax and with 25% VAT, it isn't cheap to live in Denmark. 1 gallon of gas is about kr. 42 ($8.57) ;)
If anyone is going to Denmark, let me know I'll gladly help you out.
I'd be skeptical of any study that puts Malaysia in the "happy" category...
I have travelled extensively through Sweden & Denmark & Canada, plus have lived with Danes. Denmark is a wonderful place, as is Sweden. The people are beautiful and friendly. I couldn't argue with Denmark as No.1
As an Australian who has travelled and lived around the world, including USA, I am amazed that Australia ranks so far down. Obviously there are one or two indicators that weigh heavily against us. Otherwise, living in a wealthy country with inexpensive education and health-care, very low unemployment, wonderful weather, great surf and year round outdoor lifestyle, amazing fresh food and sensational wine seems pretty good to me.
Or maybe I am just too happy to notice.
http://www.savethemales.ca/i_am_a_british_man.html
http://www.savethemales.ca/_i_am_neither_muslim...
What about a little love for the rest of the happy country? ;)
If you´ve never been there Tim I´d be happy to give you a few pointers in the right directions. Maybe even in the directions of a translator so we can see your book in Icelandic, you´ve yet to crack open our (small) market. I think there are a lot of people here to benefit from your stories and we have a few surprises for your benefit as well.
Denmark sounds like a great option for a first run;)
I personally think that people say whatever makes them feel better in surveys.
For example, the city where I grew up in in Quebec was recently elected the "happiest city in Quebec." To be honest I have no personal factual evidence to support that!
And what about Switzerland? It also has the highest suicide rate in the world. So maybe they're just happy in a creepy, "brave new world" kind of way?
Anyway I enjoyed your story as I've always wanted to visit Denmark and Iceland. Thanks :-)
Not only that, but he goes into detail for each country (and also the countries that do NOT have environments conducive to happiness, such as Qatar). Maybe you've read it already, but if not, definitely check it out. It's one of my favorite books.
Thanks for the "Dine with the Danes" link. I'll definitely store that.
Also, I wanted to thank you for the 4 hour work week, it has gotten my butt into gear and I am on my way to automation!
If you need some cool places to visit in Austria - Salzburg area, give me a ring!
-Maneesh
-----
Copenhagen, a city that exists primarily to inspire a deep regret among those cursed to live elsewhere. The Danes make the rest of us look like apes, and I'm not just talking about national health care or paternity leaves with full pay. This is a place where Wallpaper magazine is sold at the 7-Eleven, and where the clerks at 7-Eleven speak better English than most Americans. This is a town so reverent of aesthetics that a city ordinance bans cheap plastic café furniture—instead, sidewalks are lined with stainless-steel chairs and tables straight out of a design museum. Nobody steals them; everyone has much nicer ones at home. It's a city where even the airport has hardwood floors; a city where you may find yourself envious of a kindergartner's shockingly stylish shoes.
from http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/design...
I'd have been expecting this reaction from more 'inspiring' blog posts. But it never came.
My passion must lie in travel and I've never truely realised till now.
Thank you.
Well I happen to be born in Poland although Have been in NY for like 10 years already. Thanks for mentioning that Polish girls are beautiful but an attitude?
Everyone has an attitude.
Good, bad, positive, negative...
All the best,
Anna
I hope no offense was taken. I sometimes have foot n mouth disease! LOL Or don't explain myself well. My friend Konrad was born and grew up in Poland and told me of such women with 'tude! He told me some stories that were interesting but of his own opinion. I was passing along the information from another male perspective. I think if a person has an "idea" about a group of women from say LA or Poland or NY, they will get to the destination and will find those women. Your brain will focus on what you expect, so I always expect people will be lovely to me when I meet new people. I rarely meet people with 'tude, Polish or otherwise. I have many a lovely Polish girlfriends and they are cool and gorgeous. As I am sure you are Anna.
Hugs,
Jen
Is Henry Makow
a) The most ignorant man ever to be awarded a PhD?
b) Recently jilted
c) Not getting any
d) All of the above
Enquiring minds want to know.
I have never been to Scandinavia, but from what I remember of Holland, seems they have much in common: Great functional design, excellent taste in food, beautiful people impeccable English and of course bicycles.
Keep the world exploration reports coming!
Among my people, freckles and red hair are pretty normal. Where I grew up and travel to, not so much.
The people are great, they are really friendly, and they have so many attractions to see.
Why are they so happy in Denmark? It might be because they are very relaxed, and they are allowed to drink alcohol everywhere :-)
Anyway, I agree with the six reasons to visit Denmark, but you can probably add another 100.
Last.fm
If you haven't heard this yet, Tim, check it out - it will totally make your (and everybody else's) day.
The guy writing that article - though not those who reported the "research" - based his analysis on a trip to Copenhagen. Tim, what's his blog, the 4 hour work week - oh yah, does that include working on his joint rolling technique in Christiania? Hey he's obviously got something right though: be positive, travel, write it down, sell it. But as for his visit to Copenhagen, well, that's like basing my view of El Salvador upon my experience surfing Punta Mango! A great wave like Mango carries more weight for me than Copenhagen or Christiania - a dilapidated hippie hang out/ commune that is losing support because it is being invaded by disrespectful hoodlum-type shaved headed quasi "gangster" youths. Also, he talks about pairing wine with food but forgets to mention costs at a nice restaurant...or even a mere pizza joint. ($12 for a really crappy one person pizza at the "grill bar" near our house. Note, "grill-bars" are neither and have neither grill or bar. They are typically run by enterprising immigrants who have found a niche for themselves in this poorly regulated often "in the black" "under the table" industry. They are typically untalented at pizza making, their shawarma lackluster and their ingredients are typically the most downmarket and most dire of quality imaginable in DK. Yet, this is what many Danes get when they eat out- outside of the city in particular. Dude, there are no pupusa joints or taqueirias with fresh salsa and little lime wedges here, nor is there any equivalent. There are no sweet ladies making mixing up a fresh curtido and smiling when you come in. There are no liquados with fresh fruit that don't cost less than $10! Its a fucking joke. The point is, is that even bad food is expensive and good food is beyond the means or geography of most people. And fresh food? It ain't California or anything like France, Croatia or anywhere in southern Europe. Although there are some fantastic fish if you buy direct from the fishermen. The irony is that that fish never makes it to the supermarkets, it gets sent to France ASAP! So, when you buy fish at the market, it is packaged filets that have been shipped across the country and then back again. Luckily, we buy from the harbor and the fishermen hook us up.
*Do you have any idea what 25 perecnt VAT does to commerce? (After you've already paid your taxes once! Think about it, you need a guy to replace a window or repair your car. The bill comes, 200 bucks. Add 50. 1000 becomes 1250 and so on)
*Do you know that it costs almost 9 bucks for a gallon of gas and 50 dollars each way across a bridge that I need to take to go surfing on the west coast...which is 5 hours away!
*To get to Sweden - nearest pointbreak - it costs 60 bucks on the ferry and takes nearly 2 hours each direction. (note: the waves are a complete washout/ mess/ storm/ disaster here where we live 90 percent of the time. There are 3/4 ok days a year nearby)
You know, if there were good waves here, within striking distance that I didn't have to sacrifice seeing my children and Camilla to go surf, I'd do it, I'd stay. But that is NOT the case. Everything about being a surfer here is stress:
* don't know if there will be waves until 8 hours before,
* call in sick from work,
*take the car,
*wife can't get to kindergarten with Benji w/o car,
*wife with the boys all day w/o my help,
*costs about 80 bucks if I go alone (YES, PER SURF!),
*hide emotions and truth at work when you are in a great mood after surfing for the first time in 5 weeks.
But what about the Happiest People? Yes, there is health care. It is good for everyone - despite long waits for specialist visits and non- life threatening surgeries , great for a few. And in America, health care is certainly a huge problem for many many Americans. Yes, the minimalist style is elegant and their knowledge of and use of light is remarkable. Yes, there is waaaaaaaay less pollution than many other places on earth and a great deal of the country's energy (20 PERCENT!) comes from wind mills. And the same crazy taxes that make things ill affordable, also ensures that cars with smaller engines and a greater number of more fuel efficient diesel ones are sold and driven. Or, you can pay 250 bucks a month for an 'all zones' train pass. Thats what I paid when I worked in the city to get there from where I live. That's what, 3000 bucks a year - to get to work!? Yes, there is a tax credit for that, but not that much.
Anyways, the expenses are not the point. The lack of warmth from many people towards newcomers (not visitors!) is not the point. The lack of diversity in cheese. (that guy was SPACING OUT when he said the best cheese comes from DK - dude, has this guy never been to France or Spain? (or Italy, Croatia... Maybe he should visit Carrefour one day!) The point is...THERE ARE NO FUCKING WAVES, MOUNTAINS or vast tracts of nature to lose yourself in around here (unless one drive out to the west coast or gets on a sail boat, or head sover to Sweden). it is FUCKING freezing in the winter and the water is like 2-3 degrees for 4 months a year. There are nasty jellyfish and intermittent episodes of toxic algae in the sea come August when it gets nice and toasty and that's the truth dude.
So , yah, Danes are happy. We have 6 weeks vacation - paid, we can fly off to Morocco or Spain and use the fuel and carbon emissions on jets instead of in our cars. We can sit in a candle lit room on a glum day and watch raindrops whilst listening to cool music and checking out the "PH" lamps and warm candle light reflecting off some hot but lazy barmaids face(all very fun and cozy things) But, you want to be outside? Ride a mountainbike with your shirt off feeling the sun on your back ? - Forget about it! You want to surf a decent wave? Forget about it! You want to see wildlife? Forget about it? No es para mi hombre. I'd rather bust my ass and take a chance in my life than be complacent, secure and sport a half-grin. Quiero energia! I want VIBRANCY! I'd rather have a cultural mish mash than a culture that cannot mesh with anything new.
Vibrancy, that's why we're moving. And my parents are getting older. And did I mention 6 foot swells at 18 second periods, seaweed forests and last minute trips to Baja? Or last minute ski trips? Or meeting people without making plans 2 months in advance? Do I sound frustrated? No....RESOLUTE!
But, it is a great place to visit and all. Its even a great place to spend a few years. But to consider this life....forever. No way! We will show you the very best of it! Sorry if I rant a bit too much, its just that I am so fucking sick of hearing about this happiest country in the world BS. There are happy places, happy homes, happy people and happy children...but happy countries? People here - in this fair, if almost to a fault - country, are not super stressed when unchallenged - and it is EASY to be unchallenged here. If that qualifies as happiness, I'd say, yep they must be the happiest but, is that a life worth living? My challenges revolve around nature. Not to conquer but simply to enjoy the small challenges of making a deep barrel or swimming to the bottom of a giant kelp to pick up a huge crab. I could get all Danish psycho and switch to marathons and entrepreneurship to seek my challenges but that ain't me brother. I am straight up Californian to the core.
I like the sunlight idea, but I also wonder if part of it could be related to relative happiness levels. If everyone is around 50 in "happiness" and you find yourself at 40, that's not going to be nearly as depressing as if everyone else is at 90 and you're at 40. It might make your 40 start to seem like 30, or 20, etc. - especially in countries where people frequently have an expectation of happiness.
It would also be interesting to see if cultural differences play into the way suicides are reported. Maybe countries with a greater social stigma around suicide are more likely to declare questionable deaths accidental.
And on a lighter note - Am I the only one who looked at the larger version of the happiness map and felt bad that the Great Lakes were so bummed out? :)
That's also a factor I was considering. I know if it hadn't been for snowboarding here in Utah, I'd have gone crazy by now. The season has ended, but yet... still a few leftover snow storms... those damn resorts!
Worth a visit surely Tim ;) All it lacks are world class ethnic food restaurants and cheaper flights to the rest of the world.
Sounds like an absolutely wonderful place.
I hope you would consider holding a lecture at Copenhagen Business School or the University of Copenhagen next time around.
My experience is that Danes are very fals people, and when they smile to you dont expect it to be real. They will rather lie to you insted of being honest and tell you face to face that hey dont like you, because you are diffrent then them.
They have also some unwriten rules they grow up by.
You can read them if you want
http://www.bearcy.com/janteloven.html
Honestly often I wonder why turists come to Denmark, here are nothing special.
Yeah Christania is my favorit place in this country, and it is because iI have been there almost every day through out the last 4-5 years and smooked my brain out in weed and hashish.
I have friends from countries all over the world, EU, Sout America, Africa and Asia. All of them are more open minded then danes.
I just have moved to Sweeden, because it is cheaper and people will accept you for the one you are. I these 2 monthes I have said HEY to more neightboors then during my whole life in Denmark.
That place is great, the original theme park.
Copenhagen is the nicest European Capitol to visit in a few days or less.
Beautiful architecture, easy to navigate and almost everything is in walking distance. Christiana is a great place to hang out, not sure what it is like less pusher street. Copenhagen is a must see for anyone travelling through Western Europe. Getting there from Hamburg is fun by itself.
Oh, and to those bashing the taxes in Denmark, I didn't see anyone sleeping on the street, it is Socialism at work...cradle to grave.
I have a theory about the happiness measured in Denmark , Switzerland.
I live in Switzerland.
I think that , when someone asks you to take a survey, you start rationalizing POSITIVE STUFF. You start thinking that you ARE LIVING IN GOOD STANDARDS. You have clean water, good wages, good bars, good nature, mountains here.. Blabla.. You rationalize all this PLUS maybe incounsciously you compare yourself to other countries ( e.g. poor people in central-Africa. ) PLUS maybe you just want to make yourself feel happy by reponding a questionary happiness with the fact that you are happy. Cuz after all, who WANTS TO BE LIVE AS AN UNHAPPY PERSON?
On the other side you have emotions. A LOT OF PEOPLE have problems controlling their emotions. It's normal. Natural. We are animals born to survive. Evolution. And Sometimes, in a super good rich country, we lose that SWING. We don't have that instinct to fight for our lives. We think, what's the meaning of our lives..? We feel empty, we feel sad. We start to let our emotions take control. Negative emotion inside. They can pile up. ( and that's a whole other theory ). ( I believe spirituality can help you in a big way to deal with your emotions. ) You feel sad, meaningless, and get depressed. More depressed. ..... Can finish terribly.
Emotional swings.
I spent almost a week there about $1000 bucks, including Travel and Lodging (couchsurfing.com)
I made a happy slideshow: www.sixpeeps.com
Thanks for the inspiration!
I guess things and countries are complex. And that you see things around you strongly colored by your emotional and educational makeup.
I'm Danish, and love the place, but not currently living there due to the fact that I would be paying around 70% in taxes.
###
100% agreed :)
Tim
You didn't mention the beautiful Kattegat Sea in summertime, ochre-colored thatch roofed houses and rose-hip lined pathways along the craggy beach shore of Kikhavn, visiting with fishermen in Hundested as you wait for them to wrap up your little piece of freshly caught monkfish, that the are home to Novo Nordisk, the biotech giant who leads the world in the fight against diabetes.... and you didn't mention the incredibly funny dry wit of the Danes!
Seriously, I enjoyed your article! Tak!
KR,
Jennifer Dale
I think Guillermo made some good points, and if you stay long, things start to add up. 100 DKK = $21.20.. so when we went out and the cheapest beers were 50 DKK, we were hurting.
Also, there are tons of good-looking women, but Danes, and Scandinavians in general are very private. In most other European cities I've been too, locals like showing people around, or will invite you out that very night. I was a bit surprised by how reserved Danes were. They don't smile, say hi, or talk to people in lines, etc.
I did enjoy the small size of the city and tidy public transport. The trains are 24 hours on Thursday, Friday, Saturday to accommodate late-nighters.
Are you still in Denmark or did you leave the country? I thought I say you today in Stockholm, Sweden. It was either you or a look-alike.
regs,
-Jeroen-
Hey what happened to the Forum? Was going to go back and find some information there but it's link takes me back to the Resource page.
(excuse my half bad english) :)
SKÅL.
> Most Danes agree that Christiania’s days are numbered.
I think you missed the historical perspective here. Most of the people that think so have always thought so. Among the large group of Christiania supporters that’s been around for along time I don't see much of a change - a lot of us still defend Christiania as we have always done, but off course, the majority of average Danes do not. It's just not anything new ...
One of the main reasons Danes come out as being the happiest was very well put in the 60 minutes program on the issue: It's because we have such low expectations. As a Dane its OK to be second - you don't have to win everything. Being a small nation we are used to not being number on in everything. We don't expect gold and wild things in life, so we are happy for what we get. And the fact is, that mfar the majority of people - more than most other places, get what it takes to live a relatively good life.
I don't think the number of suicides is particular high in Denmark. In certain areas of Greenland it is very, very high, so this - being part of Denmark, may skew the numbers. Or they may be reported differently in different countries. In any case, if you ask the average Dane he she will say like I do, that we really don't see many suicides. Most people don't know any - even remotely, that have committed suicide.
On a final note ... Tim, you may have fallen in love with Denmark. I love it too - but I was born here. But really, I don't think you would like to live here from what I know about you reading you book. Off course I could be totally wrong - after all, we never met, but I think you would have a hard time with the commitment to the community that living here requires - e.g. by paying such a high tax as we do and living with the many behavioral laws we have (most legal issues between people here are governed by law – not by contracts. We have far less freedom to make individual agreements than you have in the US. We think it’s easier but I think you would find it “communistic” in its nature).
I am not saying this to disappoint you or scare you away from Denmark. I love that you love it here. Truly! It’s just that sometimes “paradise” may just be paradise as long as you can return home from it after a vacation … :)
- Mikkel deMib Svendsen
Thanks for the great article,
--
Dale
Tim, I find your book to be intoxicating delicious.
It has really increased my zen for exploring the world on my own terms.
Thanks and keeping on sending us daily" food for thought".
Stan
Tim, I find your book to be intoxicating delicious.
It has really increased my zen for exploring the world on my own terms.
Thanks and keep on sending us daily" food for thought".
Stan
I saw you in danish television on prime time yesterday.
It was a great broadcast with many good points from your book.
Thank you for being so nice to us ;o)
Mainly, I agree with your thoughts. We could have met to Tango at Tingluti or Taba, but I was out dancing Salsa in stead (http://www.danseguiden.dk )
I have red your book in english and have taken LOT of notes - and now it is translated to danish - GREAT - I will buy it ;o)
To be frank, your book have boosted my thoughts about working less. I have now everything set up, so it doesn't matter where in the world I am, I can give my customers the same support no matter where I stay.
I am also a lot in to building automatic systems, that delivers a steady income no matter if I work or not ;o)
THANK YOU, Tim
Best regards,
Christian Garrelts
Denmark
http://uregina.ca/~gingrich/o26f99.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_(book)
I heard a danish professor, who had looked into a number of the studies that have us pegged as "the happy nation", explain the surprising outcome this way:
We don´t set our expectation that high - so that when our lifes turn out allright (and the general standards of living are pretty good) our evaluation of life/happiness is that much more positive...
Ever gone to see a movie everyone thinks is the best ever - ever been disappointed???
And Tim - your book is so much more than your book, since a book has it´s limits - it´s the mindset and overall approach that makes it a much needed and incredibly powerful paradigmshift...
Thank you!
I see it "only" as a pointing finger... but oh what things to discover when looking in the right direction :-)
Regards - Thomas
BR Svend
If anyone is going to Denmark, be sure to visit Skagen!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skagen
I have been living in DK for 8 years (and not allowed to leave until 9 years!) and its been my worst years of my life!
Danish are rated as the happiest JUST because of their low expectation (see the 60 min report). Danish very funny only cause they consider themselves as the best in the world no matter how much miserable they are!! Who doesn’t know that Copenhagen CPH is the 3rd most expensive city in EU, and 8th in the world? Prices of cars are 3 times or 4 times the prices in German and Sweden, why?? I don’t know!
Why do you need a waiting list of 20 year to get apartment in CPH or live sharing your room like a dog! Why do you have to pay 39% of your money for the TAX and 25% moms for every thing you buy, even the milk and the electricity!!
Come on, I can go on and on about this… but rating yourself as the happiest, just because you have nothing better to do is just FANTASTIC!
You are blond and this is probably why you could feel no difference than them... but be a black or brown and you will be f*ed up even before you leave the CPH airport :(
Coming as a tourist is a good idea, but get stuck here (like I am), cause you only will balm yourself, hee hee
Copenhagen, put simply, is wonderful - it is very easy to fall in love with it within the first few hours. People are just.. enjoying life! The center of the city is surrounded by water, and the restaurants and cafes make for a nice downtown entertainment (albeit a bit pricey).
This is the exact spot we dined at - notice the color schemes
http://www.metropolismag.com/images/images_0802...
Hotel rooms were laughably small for an expensive price - imagine a closet with 2 beds for $170 a night. But who travels across the ocean to sleep anyway? I loved Copenhagen and will definitely visit again.
Tim - did you enjoy the the main street with all the street vendors.. I forget the name now.
The high suicide rates are not just because of dark winters. There are different kinds of social strains here than in the US thats for sure but it is not by far the happiest in the world.
While it is expensive it is definitely worth a visit. If you are visiting Denmark and staying for a week or longer you might like my guide for living cheaply in Denmark.
http://stakeventures.com/articles/2008/04/15/li...
I saw your interview from when you visited Denmark and it brought up an old struggle of mine that I can't get my head around.
I have been wanting to outsource some of my tasks to take advantage of geographical abitrage, but being that must of the tasks I want done must be done in Danish e.g. having someone checking my email. This does provide me with a problem, especially taking into account the prices for outsourcing in Denmark.
Have any of your other readers encountered this problem?
I look forward to your answer,
BR
Mark
###
Hi Mark,
Thank you for the comment. The answer here is what you might call "socio-arbitrage" -- finding someone, whether a college student or well-educated housewife, who will charge 50-75% of your current hourly rate. Given that you can then focus on revenue-generating activities, this would be an excellent investment.
Best of luck!
Tim
These happiness surveys are more the stuff of tabloid newspapers, than scientific treatises.
They are based on the idea that there are universal laws of happiness - but in reality, happiness is an individual matter. And changes as people explore the world and open to new places and ideas.
If your definition of happiness is getting drunk on the weekends, and living an insular and private life during the week, with a reasonably good salary that you can put towards your deferred life plan (of retiring to southern spain when you're sixty five and living in a camper van), then denmark is ideal.
Just go to any campsites in southern spain and portugal during the winter, and you'll find the places chocko-blocko with danish and dutch reg plates.
The order, comfort and predictability will suit some people at some times. But if you're a guy like Guillermo who has enjoyed the intoxication of living in surfing paradise, where you can exit your house in January in a t-shirt rather than in 5 layers of clothes, and where life is affordable and accessible to people, you'll be frustrated and disappointed in Denmark.
If you've known the spontaneous excitement and connection that you have with people in Rio or Bangkok, you're going to be bored to the point of depression in Denmark - more beer I hear them say - let's get drunk (and get ripped off getting drunk)! Got bored with that one when I was around 19 though - when I discovered that there's no Valhalla at the bottom of a pint glass (but you'll probably find hell at the bottom of 10 of them!)
I'l take the beaches of Australia, the sunshine of southern california, the hedonism of Phuket any day. And the last time I was in Thailand, seems like a lot of Danish are doing the same - cause, outside of Copenhagen, I've never seen so many Danish restaurants or pubs anywhere in my life.
See you in Baja Guillermo!
One of the most beautiful capitals in the world, with outstanding sights, and food.. :)
And of course the women there..
Check www.budapest.com :)
Definitely worth to pay a visit :)
Fortunately, I like herring, but you've got to be ready for it! :-)
Driving a car is (for me) a nuisance - clogged traffic, parking problems (and high fees), gasoline at 2$ pr. liter (prices are like this in most of Europe)... Public transport is fine, but can take forever, compared to a bicycle trip.
I don't understand why other countries around the world are not making more efforts to help and promote bicycling (apart from the very hilly or very hot areas).
Of course it is annoying if it starts raining or the wind is really strong, but that's about the only downside to it.
the geography of bliss by eric weiner
http://www.ericweinerbooks.com/content/index.asp
As if I needed yet another reason to visit my Bestefa's homeland, your article reminded me of the steadfast, good-hearted people of Danmark. My grandmother still speaks of the first time Bestefa came back to visit with his American wife and how she was treated like a celebrity...hugs, kisses and flowers.
There is also something to be said about a people whose king (Christian X) wore a yellow star of David to show solidarity with his country's Jews during WWII.
Now, I can only hope to get a hotel room in Copenhagen after your kind words! Your rock, Tim. Keep up the great work!
Bravo for a life well lived!
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as a dane living in england, i cant wait to move back, its a more relaxed life style in denmark then england. i come from a small town on the west coast (Ringkobing) its nothing like copenhagen its more like the real Denmark. most people i know are happy with life. not worried about money or work. just getting on with life with their family and friends. if anyone is to visit denmark go to jytland or fyn. its where the real danes live. and try the nice local beers there is more just carlsberg and tuborg.
ps. there is just one rule. dont think you are better then us, we dont think we are better then you.
If you want to serve something that is typical Danish, it has to be meatballs with potatoes and brown sauce or fried pork with parsleysauce.
/Tinna - a dane.
Ragnar.
1/ Carlsberg
2/ Tuborg
3/ Faxe
Most suicide notes found with the elderly are about the end of physical suffering; nothing to do with social relationships or whatnot. I am curious how many are due to euthanasia, as it isn't illegal in Denmark and many countries with high suicide rates .
http://www.a1b2c3.com/suilodge/facovr1a.htm
Said: People in Denmark are the happiest in the world, because they don’t have high expectations. Answer: in that respect I don’t think we are different from everybody else. If we really are the happiest people in the world, I believe that the two main reasons must be that we generally feel safe and that we trust in each other and the system.
SAFE: we know that we will never have to starve, that we always will have a place to live, that our children can have whatever education they want for free, that we can be treated if we are sick for free, and that we have the freedom of speech. Some of the listed countries don’t have all those wonderful privileges; in worst case none of them.
TRUST: until recently I didn’t even bother to lock my doors no matter if I was away or at home. That has driven my English boyfriend crazy lots and lots of times, quote: “when we get back, a bunch of xxxxxx will have moved in, and your B&O will be gone, all your furniture and the spoons, knives and forks too!”. Due to gangs of organized thieves travelling to Denmark with no other purpose than stealing, I do lock my doors now. But many, especially in smaller towns, still don’t. We all have our neighbours, and it is very normal to keep an eye on each others houses. Also on the countryside you can find small unmanned stalls along the roads, where you can buy fresh vegetables and fruits, and a box where you pay for what you take. That’s trust.
Suicide. Last available figures from 2006: 643 persons committed suicide. Up to age 59 there were 281 persons, from age 60 to 74 there were 124 persons, and from age 75+ there were 238. Average for the past 5 years, 642, 8 people have committed suicide. Especially elderly men seems to be vulnerable, if they have been diagnosed with dementia or if they are widowed.
How to start a conversation: Danes are NOT reserved. If you want to start a conversation, you could ask about the Danish school system, health system, tourist attractions or whatever subject you consider being of general knowledge, but don’t be surprised if you have a bucket of questions in return, as many people will be curious to hear how life is in YOUR home country.
And yes, we love our beers, and yes, we love to party Fridays and Saturdays. Can’t argue against that, and frankly I don’t feel any need to….
Denmark is a nice country, but so is numerous and numerous of other countries in this world. Every country has its strong sides and not so strong sides; we are different from each other and that’s a very good reason for travelling!
April
I think it's true. We have lower expectations than Americans for example. We don't have lower hopes and ambitions though. We aspire to get as good as we can but we just don't start out with the "I will be number 1!" attitude so we don't get that disappointed if we don't make it to number 1.
You can see the same kind of attitude from a lot of the Europeans posting here. People are happy to be in the top 10 etc. while I suspect a lot of Americans would focus more on the disappointment of NOT being number 1.
The American dream is a great way of thinking as long as you remember to keep it realistic. Otherwise you're going to get disappointed. :)
I saw some linking to the Danish "Jantelov" and that's true. Some people have that mentality but I don't really see it as a bad thing. All it really says is "You're no better than anyone else." and I see that as a healthy mentality. Why should anyone see themselves as superior to others? Some people try to argue that "Janteloven" is all about keeping others down but that's simply not true because it applies to EVERYONE. Myself included. I'm not better than you and you're not better than me.
I think that the Scandinavian countries are ranked high on the list because we don't have to worry about a lot of things because of our socialist way of running things.
When you don't have to worry about saving for college for your 3 kids, don't have to worry about a corrupt health insurance etc. you get more time to focus on the things that you personally like. And that's an important part of the Danish happiness, I think. :)
Our taxes are high but I think most Danes see it as a price they're willing to pay for the security that it provides the population. Of course some of the new-rich people will cry for tax cuts but oddly enough (sarcasm) they didn't cry about it during their free education. ;)
Danish people don't run around being all happy and whatnot in the streets. Hehe And we do tend to complain a lot. Mainly the whining is about our government but it's actually ridiculously small problems we're whining about. It's not that I see us as bigger whiners than others but we just don't have all the big issues... And people will never stop complaining about something no matter how good their life is. Hehe
Danes may seem a bit reserved but don't let that stop you from talking to us. I actually think we have a "I won't bother others and they won't bother me.." kinda attitude sometimes but if someone asks us something, the vast majority will answer politely. If you're in a bar or something, you can probably expect a longer conversation. A lot of people like to bash Bush these days (like everywhere else. lol) so you can always talk about him. ;)
We're not anti-American though. Not in general anyway. Of course we have some fools here but who doesn't?
Some Americans I've talked to online seem to think that Europeans hate Americans because we make fun of Bush but that's not the case at all. I don't know anyone who hates USA but I know a lot of people who dislike Bush.
Someone mentioned the beer being expensive and that's true. Denmark is not a cheap country to live in. Copenhagen is a lot more expensive than the rest of the country though. A small local bar would never charge 50 DKK for a beer for example. I actually live next to a small bar and a beer is like 15 DKK there so that's quite a big difference. :)
About the good looking thing.. I guess it's all relative. You have to remember that we're used to people looking like this so we don't go "WOW! OMG! WOW!" every time we walk down the street. Haha It's just how we look here. If Americans like that, that's great. lol But Danes would probably find some other nationality more attractive just because it's "new and exciting" to us. :P
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/01/20...
but seeing as you are a Dane it would be nice to have some help ;-)
København is a city that feels like home to me. I think it might be time for a move. Any help would be appreciated.
I'm afraid I don't speak Danish! It's easier for them to speak to me in near-flawless English than suffer though my Tarzan attempts at their language. Ah, well.
Good luck!
Tim
If you really want to move to Denmark, I would suggest to just go for it and learn the language once you're here. :)
Like Tim said, the vast majority of Danes speak English and it shouldn't be hard getting by in Copenhagen using the English language.
The advantage of learning the Danish language in Denmark is the ability to practice it on a daily basis and listening to how people pronounce the different words. That's a lot harder when learning from a book or using some online language website.
A lot of people claim that Danish is a hard language to learn and I think that's mainly because of the lack of "rules" to remember. We have some of them but nothing like German etc. where they have easier ways for remembering when to use "Der, Die or Das" for example. Sometimes the Danish "rules" just seem to be "That's just the way it is!". :P
Another hard part could be that a lot of our words have one than one meaning.. Kinda like how the word for a female dog in English also has another meaning. ;)
We also has some "silent letters" or whatever they're called in English. I'm sure that doesn't help either. Here's an example:
A heart = Et hjerte. (We don't pronounce the H)
An example of the "That's just the way it is!" (if it really existed) rule could be:
A man = En mand. (We don't pronounce the D)
Monday = Mandag. (We do pronounce the D)
Why is it like that? I've got no idea.. And I'm Danish. Hehe That's why I think it's a lot easier learning the language once you're in Denmark. You can just ask people if you're pronouncing the words correctly and listen to them pronouncing the words. :)
Of course some people may find your accent funny but don't let that bother you. Most people just aren't used to an American accent in the Danish language.. Just like people from New York or whatever might find the Danish accent funny. ;)
Oh, you're Scottish. Hehe Well, I that shouldn't be a problem either. People will probably just ask you, if they don't understand what you're saying. No big deal. ;)
I used to play a game with a Scottish guy living in Aarhus (2nd largest city in Denmark) and he didn't seem to have any problems even though he didn't know more than a few Danish words.
And a lot of Danes actually find the Scottish and Irish accents amazingly cool. lol Myself included. :P
Scottish (and Irish) pubs are also popular in Denmark and a lot of them seem to hire English speakers as staff. Hehe "Highlander", "Tartan Pub" etc. are pretty common names in that business. ;)
It doesn't really matter where people are from, I think. My advice would still be to move here and THEN learn the language. Well, having some English skills would probably be required. Or German might do in the southern part of Denmark. :)
And for christs sake, do it in the summer. Our winters can go to hell! :[