Shoe Etiquette and Danish Homes
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
When you visit a Danish household, apartments in particular, there tends to be one hard and fast rule....the podcast title probably gives it away, but give this episode a watch and weigh in with your own stories and experiences.
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Danes and Doggy Bags
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
The meal was amazing. The portions were bottomless. You're ready to go home but feel guilty about wasting food. You're also feeling a bit lazy - why cook tomorrow morning? So, you ask for a doggy bag. What's a doggy bag? It's a to-go bag for your leftovers and while it may eventually find its way to a canine friend, the food you save and take home is usually reserved for human consumption as delicious leftovers. At least, that's how we do it in the US. But, what about Denmark?
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Scandinavia and Fur Fashion
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
Yikes! It's a hard topic. What's up with all the Danes wearing fur and working it into Danish fashion? Why is it still so popular in Nordic and Scandinavian fashion when most other regions have abandoned it? I encourage everyone tow atch the full video for commenting, particularly as I know it's an emotional and sensitive topic for most. Right or wrong is up to you, but, as with everything in this series - I aim to better understand and explain the what and the why.
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Famous but Controversial Licorice Pipes
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
They may be delicious and a simple candy, but that does not mean they're not noteworthy and are without controversy. Tune into this episode of Denmark 101 for a look at one of Denmark's most iconic candied treats!
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Julefrokost: Danish Christmas Lunch Parties
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
Starting in late November, the Christmas Lunch / Danish Julefrokost season starts and it is a wild and crazy time. With charming dinners, fancy clothing, wonderful food (and not so wonderful food) as well as inappropriate flirtations and more than one or two frisky encounters - it's quite the cultural experience. Here's a quick down and dirty look at what it is and some casual observations.
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Danish Snaps vs Akvavit: What's the Difference?
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
WTH is Snaps? Is it the same as Akvavit? Do you spell it snapps, schnaps, akvavit, or aquavit? In this episode of Denmark 101 I take a shot at explaining how Danish snaps is made and its cultural significance in preparation for next week's julefrokost video.
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The Danish Export Economy
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
At the heart of understanding Denmark, Danish history, and Danish culture is the Danish economy. To do that, I've put together this video summarizing and discussing a number of statistics that serve as a great insight into where Denmark's job market is centered, where the country's economy is going, potential pitfalls in the future, and exciting opportunities.
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Boobs and Danish Beaches
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
For my 50th Denmark 101 episode it's time to circle back around to the topic of Danes and Nudity, this time, let's focus in on beaches, breasts, and general nudity. Is it legal? Is it true that Europeans run around beaches naked? Are the men naked? Do people still go topless? Tune in and find out in this episode of Denmark 101 - and just a reminder for those watching, idiotic or disrespectful comments will be treated with disrespect or re-located to where they belong; the trash.
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Copenhagen's Neighborhoods
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
Do you know the difference between København V, Vesterbro, Nørrebro, Østerbro, Christianshavn, Christiania, Amager and Frederiksberg? Each is widely different with very distinct with their own unique personalities. I do my best in this episode of Denmark 101 to give you a quick crash course run-through. Hint: If you're not familiar with Copenhagen, you may want to also pull up a map for this one!
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Danish Bodegas
Denmark 101 with Alex Berger
There are few things more Danish than the Bodega. Far from a local corner shop which might share the same name in other countries, a Bodega is the name for the traditional Danish corner bar. They're small, they're gritty, they're a bit rough, and they're overflowing with charm.
info_outlineWhen I graduated from Arizona State with my Bachelors there were three separate ceremonies all of which required I purchase and wear a maroon robe. I was initially skeptical of it all, choosing to only attend one, and thinking it was overhyped, a bit tacky, and ridiculous. But, later, I came to realize it offered a sense of closure and bookmarked the end of one chapter and the start of another.
So, when it arrived in Copenhagen ready to attend the University of Copenhagen for my Master's nearly 4 years later, I expected that when I graduated from the 2 year program I'd have a similar ritual and experience - after all the University dates back to 1479 - only with more "old world" pomp and ceremony than we'd had back in Arizona.
That's not quite what I got....
If you're Danish hopefully you'll find this series interesting, a bit informative, and not too outlandishly offensive.
If you're a foreigner coming to Denmark, I hope this helps you build upon observations and insights the rest of us had to find out the hard way.
Topics that will be covered include the Danish approach to nudity, how to make Danish friends, how to meet Danes, Danish manners, and even a look at Janteloven.
Stay tuned for future updates - this is just the beginning!
Explore the stories behind this podcast at http://virtualwayfarer.com.
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