Beware – Here’re 10 Strange Things About Denmark You Should Know

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October 24th, 2014 by financetwitter

Oct 24 2014

Denmark is one of the top countries to retire. But before you even think about retirement, this awesome country is already one of the best countries to live and work. Well, if you know about this country, you probably know that it consistently tops international rankings as the happiest nation in the world. So, it’s a no-brainer that a happy country naturally is a good country to settle down, right?

The question is – why are the Danes so super-duper happy about their country? Have they been fed with ecstasy so that they become the happiest people on planet Earth? It seems researchers at the University of Warwick have found the secret to their happiness. It’s all in their genes. The Danish DNA could be the key to happiness. So, if you want your next generation to be happy, go get married to Danes.

However, even if the revelation about the Danish DNA being the answer to their happiness is false, it’s not hard to see why the people are so freaking happy. If you think Vikings are cool, then this is perhaps the first reason why they’re so happy. If you lose your job, the government will continue to pay 90% of your salary for up to “Two Years”. The average maternity leave is a whopping 52-weeks, 100% paid for – that’s 1-full-year.

Even their slaves – McDonald’s crews – are the highest paid in the world. The fact that their universities are 100% free to attend, not to mention fabulously beautiful, is enough to make others filled with jealousy. Do we need to tell you about how delicious their pastries are? No wonder they created the infamous Lego and make tons of money from such a simple toy. Did you know that the Danes ruled England for 27 years from 1016?

Still, there’re certain things that other countries would warn their citizens before stepping their foot on Denmark’s soil, for whatever reasons. Some have the perceptions that the Danes are quite arrogant, probably because of their prides being the Vikings’ descendants. But if the Danes are arrogant because they’re the happiest people in this planet, they’re wrong. The happiest people are actually the North Koreans (*grin*). Here’re 10 things about Denmark that you should be aware of.

{ 1 } Watch Out For Bikes

Cyclists are the kings in Denmark. While you can’t see as many cyclists in China today as 30-years ago, the number of cyclists in Denmark has been increasing. There’re an estimated 7,000 kilometres of dedicated bicycle paths and lanes in Denmark. Most children start bicycling to school from age 8-10 and continue to do so until at least 18. Hence, be sure to check bicycle lanes before turning right, as the cyclists have right-of-way over pedestrians and automobiles.

{ 2 } Beware of Nørrebro

Nørrebro is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark – the home of thousands of new workers, who came to seek their fortune in the city. About 28% of the residents in Nørrebro are immigrants or their descendants, mostly of Middle Eastern origin. Why should you beware of this area? That’s because Nørrebro is known as the site of many riots over the years, thanks to gang related violence.

{ 3 } Watch Your Belongings

While 42,000 burglaries reported in 2013 were the lowest since 2009, thanks to organised gangs, the number of pick-pocketing incidents skyrocket to a whopping 23,276 in the first 6-months of 2013 in Copenhagen alone. These criminals come primarily from Romania, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Northern Africa. Sure, Denmark is still a heaven as compare to Italy or Spain when comes to pick-pocket, but it’s always pay to be extra alert in this country, nevertheless.

{ 4 } No Drugs Please

Recently, opposition party Liberal Alliance proposes to make it legal to be in possession of cannabis and hard narcotics. This speaks volumes about Denmark’s liberal society. However, you should not get involved with drugs of any kind. You will not be treated more leniently than residents. Anyone found in possession of illegal drugs deemed to be for personal consumption will receive a police fine of DKK 500 (US$85; £53; RM280). Yes, the amount is laughable small, but considering homosexuality is legal, this fine is heavy.

{ 5 } No Sex With Teenagers

If you think United States is a heaven as you can have sex with teenagers 18-years-old and above, think again. In Denmark, you can “do it” as long as they are 15-years-old and above. Here, it is common for teenage couples to spend the night together in each other’s homes. Denmark is very liberal on teen sex and teen drinking. Sex-lives is discussed as freely as lunch, and every parent knows that their kid has sex, and they are fine with it. Still, if you’re an American, having sex with 15-years-old Danish teenagers could land you in trouble.

{ 6 } Avoid Pick-Up Anything in Greenland

Forget about Australia’s gold or South Africa’s diamond. Greenland is a gemstone heaven, especially ruby. The red gems are the most valuable precious stones in the world, worth up to ten times as much as diamond, and Greenland is chock full of them.Before 2009, you probably can collect some red gems the size of two fists, but not anymore. The law has been changed so that not even Greenlanders themselves can collect a single rock, let alone foreigners like you.

{ 7 } Beware of Terrorist Threat

Yesterday, Canada’s parliament was under attack by terrorist. Canadian Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, who was recently convert to Muslim, went on a shooting spree. The jihadist suspect killed a soldier and injured a second, before being shot to death by Kevin Vickers, the sergeant at arms. In August, a 27-year-old militant jihadist born and raised in Denmark has fought alongside ISIS in Syria, and revealed that “soon it will be Denmark’s turn”.

{ 8 } No “Thank You” or “Please” Here

The Danes are very polite people but you may not agree. Here’s why – there’s no word for “please” or “thank you” in their vocabulary. They also don’t like small conversation, so expect a strange stare from a taxi driver if you ask him how he’s doing. Similarly, over a lovely Danish meal, you might be asked by someone you just met to “Pass the potatoes,” or “Pour me a drink,” without the common pleasantries that North Americans are accustomed to.

{ 9 } Denmark Doesn’t Have The Euro

Despite being a member of European Union since 1973, the Kingdom of Denmark doesn’t use Euro, but the krone (crown). During a referendum, 53.1% Danish rejected euro while 46.9% voted “yes”. The Danish Central Bank said the economy was fundamentally sound and reaffirmed that the crown would remain tied to the euro within the existing fixed exchange rate policy. So, remember what currency to bring before you visit Denmark.

{ 10 } The Danish Pay 50-60% in Tax – And They Love It

If you hate your own government for the taxes, don’t try to strike a conversation with the Danes by criticising their government’s insane high tax. They could probably punch the heck out of you (*grin*). On the contrary, they love and support the high tax bracket. That’s because they get free healthcare, free good schools – through universities and even education abroad, unemployment security, 1-year-paid maternity leave.

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Comments

Comment by humpty on January 9, 2018 at 12:44 pm

The Danish word for both “please” and “thank you” is “tak.”