What Are You Doing in Denmark?

What happens when you lose your job in Denmark? For two internationals, it became an opportunity to explore Copenhagen, try new things, and create an unexpected community. Derek and Brooke are joined by Johanna Splett (Germany) and Valeria Caro (Sweden), two former colleagues who were laid off in the same round after years working together. Rather than spending every waking hour applying for jobs, they created an Unemployment Bucket List: 23 things to do in Copenhagen during the hours they'd normally be at work. Their project quickly took on a life of its own, attracting followers on Instagram and TikTok, media attention, and messages from other people experiencing unemployment. But there's more to their story than daytime adventures. We talk about what it's like to be laid off in Denmark as an international, navigating the Danish employment system, the role of unions and A-kasser, the challenges of finding work, and how losing a job can affect your identity and confidence. We also get into Danish work-life balance, the pressure to find a new job, language barriers, and why taking time to enjoy life isn't a waste of time when you're unemployed. And the best news? Both Johanna and Valeria have found new jobs! In this episode: What happens when you're laid off in Denmark? Why unemployment can feel different for internationals. How two former colleagues turned a difficult experience into a Copenhagen adventure. What the Danish job market is like and the importance of networking. Why learning Danish and joining an A-kasse can make a difference. Why taking a break from job hunting is important, too. Follow Johanna and Valeria on Instagram and TikTok: @theunemploymentbucketlist 🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F 📢 Send your questions and/or comments. voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid email: [email protected] 👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast. 👀 More living in Denmark tips: https://instagram.com/waydidpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When does a joke stop being funny and start becoming bullying? Derek and Conrad are joined by fellow-comedian, Neil Fitzpatrick to talk about the controversy surrounding Danish comedian Rasmus Wallbridge and TV 2’s Alle elsker Rasmus. The program convinced him he was making his dream film for four months, with nearly 150 people helping keep the elaborate deception alive. After a wave of criticism, TV 2 pulled the programme and apologized. But there's a bigger conversation here than one controversial television show. What makes Danish humor so distinctive? Is taking the piss a sign of affection, or can the expectation to laugh along sometimes push things too far? And what happens when everyone is in on the joke except the person it's about? We also explore Denmark's famously flat hierarchy and consensus culture. When everyone is supposedly equal, does responsibility sometimes become so diffused that nobody feels accountable? And is there a difference between having the freedom to speak up and actually feeling comfortable being the person who does? From workplace banter and Janteloven to groupthink and the fine line between comedy and cruelty, we unpack what this story might reveal about Danish culture and what internationals can learn from it. See Derek, Conrad, and Neil for a night of English Standup Comedy in Copenhagen on 26th November ➡️ TICKETS Sign up to get Conrad's King Carrot special on 15/December: https://conradmolden.dk Neil Fitzpatrick (guest) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neilfitzcomedy/ 🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F 📢 Send your questions and/or comments. voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid email: [email protected] 👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast. 👀 More living in Denmark tips: https://instagram.com/waydidpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it possible to become friends with your colleagues in Denmark, or are work friendships strictly a Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-4 arrangement? This week on What Are You Doing in Denmark?, Derek and Brooke tackle a question many internationals in Denmark have probably wondered about: Why does everyone seem to disappear the second the workday ends? And is it weird to ask a Danish coworker to grab a beer, just the two of you? We discuss Friday bars, Danish work-life balance, the unwritten rules of workplace socializing, and why company outings don't always translate into actual friendships. We also compare the spontaneity of American happy hours with Denmark's more scheduled approach to social life. Plus, if you've ever felt rejected when a Danish colleague didn't take you up on an invitation, we have some advice: it might not be personal. So, should you ask that coworker out for a beer? Yes! Just be prepared to adjust your expectations, respect people's boundaries, and remember that making friends as an international takes time. Have a question about life in Denmark? Send us a DM, leave a comment, or send us a voice message. We love hearing from you! Chapters: 00:00 – Can You Be Friends With Your Colleagues in Denmark? 00:38 – The Question: Why Does Everyone Leave at 4 PM? 01:19 – Danish Work-Life Balance and the School Pickup Schedule 02:25 – Friday Bars: A Culture Shock for Internationals 04:06 – Why Doesn't Anyone Want to Go Out After Work? 05:06 – The Unwritten Social Contract of Danish Workplaces 06:48 – Are You Missing Out If You Skip Friday Bar? 07:06 – Julefrokost, Company Parties and Workplace Bonding 08:10 – Does Drinking With Colleagues Actually Make You Friends? 09:39 – Keeping Work Friendships Separate From Real Life 10:19 – Do Danish Colleagues Actually Want to Hang Out? 11:04 – Can You Make Friends With Danish Coworkers? 11:51 – American Happy Hours vs. Danish Social Life 13:48 – Is It Weird to Make Plans With Just One or Two Colleagues? 15:06 – Do Company Outings Actually Help You Bond? 15:29 – The DHL Relay: Team Building or Just a Run? 16:50 – Adjusting Your Expectations When Moving to Denmark 17:29 – Should You Keep Asking If a Colleague Says No? 19:39 – Danish Work-Life Balance and Personal Boundaries 20:36 – Can You Be Your Whole Self Around Coworkers? 21:08 – Our Advice: Go Ahead and Ask Them for a Beer 21:51 – Send Us Your Questions About Life in Denmark 🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F 📢 Send your questions and/or comments. voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid email: [email protected] 👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast. 👀 More living in Denmark tips: https://instagram.com/waydidpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to grow up in Denmark and still be treated like a foreigner? In this episode, Derek sits down with Lena Rexhepi, who arrived in Denmark from Kosovo as a nine-year-old refugee in 1999. Now the author of But Where Are You Really From? Foreign There, Foreign Here: From Kosovo to Denmark, Lena shares her story of fleeing war, rebuilding her life, and navigating what it means to belong to two places without always feeling completely at home in either. Lena opens up about the lasting impact of childhood displacement, the changing political rhetoric around refugees and immigrants in Denmark, and the everyday experiences of racism and othering that can follow you even when you've grown up here, learned the language, and built a successful career. From having to explain her name in professional meetings to confronting assumptions about her background on dates and at dinner parties, Lena explores how seemingly innocent questions can carry deeper messages about who belongs. She also shares what she genuinely loves about Danish culture, the differences she sees between Denmark and Kosovo, and why identity doesn't always fit neatly into one box. This is a conversation about migration, identity, resilience, and the difference between living in a country and feeling at home in it. In this episode: What Lena remembers about fleeing the Kosovo War as a child How Denmark welcomed her family — and how her experience changed as she grew up Why “Where are you really from?” can be a loaded question Racism, stereotypes, and being othered in everyday life Navigating identity, dating, names, and professional life in Denmark What Lena appreciates about Danish culture, despite its contradictions What it means to be told to “go back home” when you're not sure where home is Lena's memoir is But Where Are You Really From? Foreign There, Foreign Here: From Kosovo to Denmark Order it here: https://lenarexhepi.com/about-the-book/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:01 Lena's story: From Kosovo to Denmark 02:01 Fleeing the Kosovo War 04:19 Writing about childhood trauma 06:14 Finding refuge in Denmark 09:00 Denmark's changing attitudes toward refugees 11:24 Everyday racism and stereotypes 12:16 Being judged by your background 15:56 The subtle ways we make people feel like outsiders 16:08 Having to explain your name 18:00 Choosing a name that fits in 20:20 How othering affects dating and relationships 23:46 Living between Danish and Albanian identities 24:10 What Lena appreciates about Danish culture 26:07 Danish directness vs. Albanian warmth 29:00 Identity, labels, and the meaning of belonging 32:00 Being told to “go back home” 34:24 Class, privilege, and belonging within Denmark 35:37 What Lena would tell her nine-year-old self 🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F 📢 Send your questions and/or comments. voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid email: [email protected] 👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast. 👀 More living in Denmark tips: https://instagram.com/waydidpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denmark is supposed to be good at work-life balance. Five weeks of paid vacation, a culture that encourages you to switch off, and a whole summer when it feels like the country collectively disappears. So why is it still so hard to relax? This week, Derek and Brooke talk about the work habits they brought with them to Denmark, and the ways they've struggled to leave them behind. From hoarding vacation days and working through the summer shutdown to overloading a holiday with so many activities that it stops being relaxing, they unpack what it actually takes to slow down. They also get into the unwritten rules of Danish workplace culture, why working longer doesn't necessarily mean working better, and whether ambition and standing out can sometimes clash with the Danish preference for fitting in. Along the way, they answer a listener's question about navigating expectations, office humor, and career goals as an international employee. Because sometimes, learning to make Denmark make sense means learning when to close your laptop and leave it closed. In this episode: Why Americans and other internationals can struggle with Denmark's work-life balance What to do with those five weeks of paid vacation (and why you should actually use them) How the Danish summer shutdown affects work and planning Why filling your free time with activities isn't always the same as relaxing The unwritten rules of Danish workplace culture Ambition, productivity, and the pressure to fit in Have a story about learning to switch off in Denmark? We'd love to hear it. Get in touch through our SpeakPipe! 🎟️ Get tickets for Derek and Conrad's English Stand Up Comedy Show on 26th November ➡️ HERE 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F 📢 Send your questions and/or comments. voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid email: [email protected] 👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast. 👀 More living in Denmark tips: https://instagram.com/waydidpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.