How we feel about America after living in Denmark for 5 years
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2024
- Joshua and Maya share our feelings about America after spending 5 years living in Denmark.
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I saw an interview once, that I believe was made by Jon Stewart. He asked a US House Representative something like "what is the most important thing for you to accomplish as a politician". His answer, without any hesitation, was "getting re-elected". Not making the world a better place, not ending poverty, not securing decent living conditions for poor children, not helping the homeless... But getting re-elected.... That says it all, I think.
I'm also an American living in Denmark (have lived here for 33 years, since I was 25). The unfortunate thing that I notice about The US, is that the government absolutely doesn't reflect the people. Like you two mention in your video, the politicians are too busy with their own interests, and not the peoples interests.
My father was a US diplomat, so as a child, we moved every 4 years to different countries, and had Washington D.C. as our "base". I feel fortunate to have been able to experience different cultures (India, Germany, Switzerland, and now Denmark. Though I miss a lot of things from The US, I always have a feeling that there's too much of an imbalance when I visit.
Joshua and Maya, there's nothing more eye-opening than being able to travel, and experience different cultures. It makes one more patriotic about being a human being more than a nationality, which is something that I feel is extremely healthy!
It's very sad that most americans don't have the means to travel. Ive also heard that if you go back in time to presidents like Eisenhower. Who is thought of as oldschool conservative. He would come off as left wing in the modern american political climate in alot of ways.
American living in DK since 2010 here. I understand the guilt you two expressed because I felt it too. I made the choice about five years ago to stop closely following the news from the US and start following the Danish news. I cancelled my NYT, WaPo, and Slate subscriptions. 99% of it was irrelevant to my life here, a sinkhole for time and attention that could be better directed to the place where I actually live.
Have you actively tried to shift more of your energy and attention away from the US and towards Denmark, even if that is only spending more time reading Danish news and absorbing Danish culture?
Thanks for sharing! It's nice getting the perspectives of some people in a similar situation.
I live in Denmark, I am ethnically danish etc. however I subscribe to outlets like The Lever and Pro Publica because what happens in the US affects the whole world, and those outlets do some of the best investigatory journalism. I don't even read them all that often, but I want them to be strong enough to fight the corporate powers in the US :P
I am an American and Danish citizen and have lived here since 2005 and find that American news is relevant to my life here as the USA has a lot of influence in general on Denmark and Europe. Denmark is also very pro American and a particularly strong ally militarily. For example, how will a second Trump presidential term potentially affect us here? I think the effects could be more than just minimal.
@@jackmeeellleee4896 jeg kan kun tale for mig selv,men trump og det republikanske parti har efter min mening ødelagt meget (og det gør han stadigvæk) jeg havde følelsen at U.S.A faldt os (EU) i ryggen (men også det fornuftige U.S.A),han har også ødelagt hvad jeg så som et splittet land,men dog stadigvæk følgende de demokratiske spilleregler, i bund og grund opfatter jeg ham og de andre amerikanske politikere som stærkt utroværdige 3 klasses sæbeopera skuespillere.Og det tror jeg er en af grundende til at rusland og kina mener at det er frit frem for dem at blive de nye 'supermagter' og tage for sig af land/resourcer som det passer dem. I can only speak for myself, but Trump and the Republican Party have, in my opinion, destroyed a lot (and he still does) I had the feeling that the U.S.A. stabbed us (the EU) in the back (but also the reasonable U.S.A. was let down by the madman), he has also destroyed what I saw as a divided country, but still following the democratic rules of the game, basically I perceive him and the other American politicians as highly untrustworthy 3rd class soap opera actors. And I think that is one of the reason why Russia and China believe that it is free for them to become the new 'superpowers' and deal with land/resources as they see fit.
As a dane who lived some of my life abroad i found that I would appreciate danish society more, when I saw the problems other countries have to deal with. But it also makes me annoyed when I hear danes complain about minor problems, like they dont realise how good they have it.
I had the same issue for a long time, but i learned to just not care about it. Im Danish born but both my parents live very international lives and i have close family all over the world. America, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, Philippines and Denmark. So ive been many places and have a very international family making me a bit disconnected from Danish culture, but i also live here so im also kinda disconnected from the other countries my family lives in. Im kinda in the middle, which had me struggle with what you mentioned for a long time in my life.
Just because the problems are minor doesn't mean they don't need fixing.
@@missa2855 just because there ain't a problem doesn't mean it needs to be fixed. MitID be like.
@@missa2855Or complaining.
Well theres a reason why everything is almost perfect, it’s the little details thats left we complain about
I moved to Sweden from the USA over 20 years ago. I have never looked back with regret to still be here in Sweden. It is very refreshing to see other Americans seeing the problems of the American society.
When I moved here, the first question Swedes would ask is "Why did you move to Sweden from America? The US is so great"... After saying that if the picture they have of the USA is from films or TV.. they have a very distorted picture of the real US. What I find funny is that I don't ever get that question anymore and some of those have said after seeing the US objectively, they agree with me.
Josh and Maya. I hear ya and it's perfectly fine that you get a new perspective. I have traveled a lot outside of the US as have you and quite a few times to Denmark and I always feel relieved when I'm out of the US just to get away from all of those sound bites and all of the negative news. I get a bit depressed when I come back home from travel. When I'm abroad I experience clean transportation, clean streets and environments, feel less threatend, more relaxed and a bit more of feeling alive again. I'm happy for you folks, keep living, loving and have the opportunity to enjoy life. It's ok here in the US, but not what it used to be.
To me it seems obvious that the Two Party System is a large part if the polarization problem. There are only two teams, whereas, as you know, in DK we have like 10 parties or however many it is right now which force discussions to be more nuanced. Ranked choice voting would give third parties a chance.
I agree ranked choice voting would be good - but there are far more nuance to how it works in the US. It also isn't a 'system' as third parties are welcome to join, it's just nearly impossible given the $$$ required. But in reality each party has small caucuses that represent different views and influence the large party as a whole. I would suggest the difference is that in DK the coalitions are formed after an election in order to form a majority government - in the US the coalitions are formed before the election so only 2 parties end up competing in the end.
@@TravelinYoung Having the coalitions formed after the election means that more peoples views are represented. With a first past the post you end up with two dominant parties in which a few tens of thousands of members form policy. With more parties elected the minority views that would be in the larger parties are represented.
That makes the assumption everyone in a single party is aligned keeping out the minority views. I would suggest the recent vote for speakership in the House of Representatives proves that a minority caucus inside a major party can have influence over policy. As long as the margins of majority are narrow within Congress, the minority actually has a strong voice - and in some cases that can lead to negative consequences since their views only represent a small group of people.
@@TravelinYoung
The problem with a first past the post system is that it heavily incentives two opposing party forming.Let's say you have one party with 40% of votes, and the second with 30% of votes. If you add a third party that shares some ideology with the first one and takes 15% of their voters, now the party with the 30% of the votes will win, even though the majority would have prevented the former 40% party.
This means two opposing parties will form which absorb all the potential third parties and their ideologies. You get a super party that has an internal power structure separated from the voters. Voters can now only vote for the super party itself, but the super party might be heavily influenced by a sub-party that very few voters would actually vote for. This greatly diminishes the ability of the political system to represent the will of it's voters.
It is still two wings of the same eagle, that give you the illusion of a choice, when have voting really made any big changes, but I guess it is like a wise old Man once said, Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.
I can recommend East Idaho News for some wholesome local news. I, as a Dane, watch it regularly although I have no connection to Idaho whatsoever. I just really enjoy the positive small town vibe they convey - whether it’s a segment about some local food truck that started serving meals or their Feel Good Friday segments. It provides a different positive perspective on the US 😊
Lol that’s funny I live in North Idaho 😂✝️
As a Dane I really appreciate getting a more neutral perspective on the US from people like you, because judging from the news (on either side) it sure as heck fire oftentimes feels like the US is one big ultra polarized war zone where you're either on team Blue or team Red and no mercy is shown to anyone with a different political perspective than your own. So, thanks for making this video and allowing me to restore some confidence that the US is not on the brink of total destruction 😉👍
Oh wow! Everything you have said is spot on. I live in Sweden, moved away from South Africa. I totally get you on this topic, the quilt, the disconnected feeling of your friends, family and country, how you start to see your own country from another perspective. Its crazy.
I think a lot of that disconnect comes from the difference in the news media in the US vs. Denmark. I have lived in the US for 6 years and I find that Danish news still offer me more than just news on the political landscape, that helps me keep a sense of 'I'm Danish'. But really what i found is that I tend to put Denmark and Danish culture on a higher pedestal, celebrating and comparing all the things I knew, to how it is over here. So I -- probably unfairly -- view Denmark more positively than when I moved away. And, since I see all the failures in the political level more closely over here, and how they affect and polarize the people around you, see the US in a more negative light than I did before.
I lived in South Korea for a year, going home in 8 days. I too have thought of Denmark better since especially politically. I find that I want to bring aspects of Korean life (usually related to cafes, restaurants, manners, city design) to Denmark rather than bring them to Korea. Whether that's because I'm Danish or because I find parts of Danish society better I can't say, but I for sure don't want to bring any Korean politics or banking or work culture with me
Ja, jeg kom hjem til Danmark for 20 år siden efter 20 år i forskellige lande. Men det er sgu lidt indskrænket hvad de byder på DR. Men stadig tusind gange bedre end den mudderkastning der fremhersker i Amerikanske medier
This is a funny coincidence! This video randomly popped up in my TH-cam feed, and after watching a part of it I realised that my daughter (also named Maja - only with a j) went to “folk”-school with your daughter. We were talking a bit after their graduation day at school back in 2020 as well 😃
Im a Brit who lived in the US a few years ago in San Diego. I was treated so well and never had a single issue with my American cousins who were kind and helpful to me and my family during our stay. I came away feeling very positive and actually miss the vibe and the courtesy and manners of most Americans I came into contact with.
Yes CCW, Americans love Brits. Your accent will open doors for you and because Americans are not so worldly, they tend to think that all people who speak with a British accent, of whatever sort, will be kind and mannerly and should be revered. It is a weird concept, but it really is true.
It's pretty refreshing to hear a Brit say positive things about America. Just out of curiosity, do other Brits usually dismiss your answer when they ask you about your experience in America?
@@juangabrielsaizvarona332 I'm nordic but most people i know enjoy america, except for politics which is divisive. Also had a great experience in the US for a few months, it's not like it's a bad country or people, do british people not like it usually? I know many people who have studied in the US or visit there. I was on the west coast, my biggest complaint is probably the public transport. I like to walk around the city and use train/bus, but that was a very different experience in the US
Much love from Sweden
This might be a weird question but how would you rank living in Sweden from 1/10?
Thanks for your videos, it's very interesting to see things from your point of view
As a Dane I have traveled a lot, Europe, Egypt, many times, China, Bali and I do appreciate the fact that we live in one of the absolute "Buttercups" of this world. Natural disasters are hardly felt, decent wages and conditions and everything functions well. Even as now basic pensioners, my handicapped wife and I are able to travel if we feel for it. I have also invested well, I admit, so we will hardly miss anything in our lifetime.
You have your ancestors to thank for that. So cherish the lessons they teach you, the lessons that have passed from generation to generation.
Rebelling as a teen is natural. And the next step is to grow up and realize that your parents and grandparents have valuable things to teach you,
despite the fact that they have their own flaws, as everyone does.
It's a great country but to be fair, we have our flaws too in Denmark. For example getting in touch with a psychiatrist should be easier than it currently is, I have to wait 1.5 years for my ADD treatment. I'm a young man and I have to put my future on hold and waste 1½ years of my golden days because of lack of psychiatrists.
Europe is declining, especially German Italy and French. Besides the fact that Denmark has such a small economy industry, its declining neighbouring countries would negatively impact on Denmark
@@weedsmker-ud3uw Ja, sig bare frem. Jeg er 55 og skal vente 1 1/2 år på en udredning (kronisk træt og smadret ovenpå kemo for 12 år siden). Og når damen på kommunen vil pushe noget, kan jeg ellers læne mig tilbage og sige at de jo kun satser på ungdommen. Men du, unge mand, må også bare vente. Der er lidt af et system af forventning om at tingene fungerer fint i Danmark, men det gør det nok ikke helt..... :) (nb: har levet mange år i udlandet, så blev temmelig skuffet over at komme hjem. Mine børn valgte IKKE at blive i Danmark da de fløj fra reden)
I am a dane, and I fear that things are declining somewhat. I feel like many politicians hold on to a narrative about Denmark that is not true anymore.
Thank you. Very nice discussion that gave me some new perspectives. :)
Really interesting to hear your inside-outside perspective on both USA and the world in general, thanks for sharing. Would love to hear more of these kind of reflections. 👍🙏
I'm from Germany and live in Norway. I definitely am way more disconnected and view Germany in a more critical light than when I moved from there. In the beginning I kept up with reading German news. Now I can't even remember when I've last read anything on there. In the beginning I went back for visiting family several times a year. Now it's been 5 years since my last visit and I don't miss it. Contrary to most of my expat friends I do not feel like going home when visiting my home country. I left in the first place because it never felt like home, so maybe that is the difference for me. I feel like I'm going home when I go back to where I live now.
I've had the same experience. When I ever go "home", I'm just another tourist. Real home is where I have been living the past 20 years
That is the tough part - the first time you feel like a tourist. I didn’t like the feeling at first but now it is a bit liberating as being a tourist can be fun.
Yes these are my feelings too. The US is not home anymore. I don’t feel drawn to it.
@@espeluciao2874 real home is where love is
Seems like such a genuinely family all of you. Hope you the best.
Hey guys thank you very much for your video. I been living in Denmark for almost five years also and I lived in the US before for a couple of years. I feel identify with what you mentioned and can relate it to my own country and the US. I hope you keep coming with more videos
Interesting thoughts ! I recognize a lot of change in how you see your own country when abroad from i was in Australia. I had a bit "glorifying" view of Sweden when in Aus but when i got home i revised my view on both Aus and Swe to see more positive and negative things with both. Also too think more that there is just more ways to solve problems and nothing really have to be all good or bad.
One of the reason I did not stay longer in Aus was as you say that you miss your friends and relatives. Also true in a smaller sense when i moved far within swe but then i meet up with my closest a few times a year at least.
Interesting perspectives. And also quite a respectable collection of bottles in the background. :-)
Interesting video. I’m an ex Kiwi in Aarhus and can associate with what you guys say.
It’s not just that you lose contact with friends etc due to the distance, but you are also changed by the local culture affecting you over time.
Re not being able to go to funerals. The way I’ve handled that is by trying to visit older family members when they’re still doing ok … that’s a good way to deal with it.
Really interesting to listen to. Many good points, in general and about US. It helps to restore the belief of that there are many sensibel well informed americans. Thank you for that. Best regards from an old dane.
You guys are father and daughter goal's. God bless you both.
Best wishes to you guys from Denmark 🤗
Good Morning, When I lived and worked in Germany and in Scotland. I also had kind of that feeling lol. I can see it must be so hard for you to see whats going on i US. I have friends and cousins in US, so also hear the positiv side . Take care.
I can relate and I agree with your observations. I have lived “away” from Denmark for about ten years, and I have lost that feeling of Denmark as being “my one true home”, and I have also seen and experienced how things can be done differently, and dare I say.. sometimes better. In some regards. I guess home is indeed where you lay your hat. Or spend most time. And home, where ever, tend to become important and special to us all, perhaps at the cost of loosing something you might have thought would define you forever. Probably a very human reaction. And I would argue, that it is/can be a healthy and rewarding one. Even though it will always come at a price and demand some sacrifice too.
I have found it interesting following your experiences in parallel with my own Swiss ones. Thank you for sharing. Best wishes, Emil
I know what you mean. My perspective completely shifted when I did the opposite of you guys and moved from Denmark to the U.S. If I didn't have someone to game with in Denmark, I probably would've lost touch. This is a great conversation to have and great video as usual.
That where a more thoughtful episode then normal 👍🏻
I think the word you were looking for at approx. 07.50 was 'critical' ?
Haven't watched your channel before - even though the algorithm makes it pop up in my preferences - but I watched this one, and I felt this was what I needed from Americans: thoughtful, nuanced, humane. Thank the both of you.
Thanks for saying that and welcome!
I love your shirt, Josh, it is exactly the same as the one I am wearing right now. Twenty years ago I worked as a postal worker, and those shirts were part of the uniform. When i quit, I brought four shirts with me, and they are still going strong. Kansas shirts are a Danish product; I guess they are sown in China nowadays, but they are still very resilient. The only piece of clothing that I own, that is older, and is still going strong, is my old Wrangler cowboy jacket - it is almost fifty years old. So there is at least one thing Danes and Americans (and maybe the Chinese?) have in common: We make sturdy clothing. Cheers from Copenhagen!
very thoughtful presentation.
I’m from Copenhagen Denmark and I remember back in the days I looked up to America like they are so cool and so on but now I’m like that country is scary and weird and what is going to happen next it’s really nice to hear your point of view Nice video by the way keep it up I’m going to watch some more🤘😎
One thing that struck me that a traveling TH-camr from Europe said about America ,well two things actually, the first thing she said after traveling about in America is she now understands why many Americans don't travel outside the country, because there so much diversity in America, within communities, food, landscape and people. She stated that simply traveling in America can have a similar feeling to visiting different countries. The second thing she stated was that America has the best and the worst food.
Maya is such a beautiful name.
I think it really depends on a lot of factors. I moved the other way, from Denmark to the US. I make more each month, which means that I can save more - especially after taxes. Wages here are just in a whole other league and so are the opportunities in the job market - especially if you have a degree. Living costs are much lower, which makes it easier monthly, and supermarkets have a more diverse selection. I can go to the supermarket and buy grass-fed beef - I couldn't do that in Denmark. Apartments are of higher quality with more amenities for less than in Copenhagen. On health care: No waiting lists. I still remember when my dad had to wait for years to get back surgery - talk about a false sense of security. He had paid taxes for his entire life. The country is polarized, but it's not something I experience daily. People here are much nicer and more open than in Denmark. So I love the US and I will never move back. The view of the US in Europe are often formed by people who know very little about the country.
This is a great comment. Spread the word.
Reading a lot about living costs skyrocketing in Florida and New York, I don’t think your comment “aged well” as they say in USA :)
I understand the disconnect and reflection because the same thing happened to me when I studied abroad. That said, many many Americans living here in the states now don’t recognize their own country at the moment. It is rough. However, as you point out, lots of very good people and happiness in ordinary lives, too.
Hi Josh
I’ve been watching many of your videos from the beginning and up till now and have found them very intrresting. It’s amazing how quickly time passes. You have been here for five years now and for some reason I have the idea that your Danish is rather limited. How do you feel about that?
When I have worked abroad in Italy, Brazil, France and Russia amongst others I have always started learning the local language in order to communicate better with the locals.
What is your take on that ? I hear you say that you are probably not going to leave in a short while.
I've lived in a good bit of the world; not just visited, but lived for 2-4 years at a time 😉
As a Dane, I appreciate being able to travel/live without any problems, as Danes are reasonably well thought of around the world.
I take my 'critical thinking cap' with me whereever I go, realizing full well, how functional the social net, health care, educational systems and political diversity are here.
I keep up with all the news from home...
35-40 yrs ago, I got the monthly newspaper from Politiken sent to my home address, plus I'd go to the embassy at least once a week and read the daily newspapers from DK.
Now, the internet has made it so much easier(spiced up with a lot of junk, too)to stay in touch.
Don't let the excentric news be your guideline. You keep your life real, so keep your news intake real, as well 👍
Everything changes, not all of it is good for everyone, but being aware, voting, getting engaged in societal policies(even at a distance)can make the difference in how you see your life's timeline.
It might change your perspective quicker, when you aren't in the middle of things
..and the other regrets of distance to family and friends..? would most likely happen regardless..as jobs, age and the amount travel the family have always done, undoubtedly would give the Youngs, new insight.
hello from Hundested 🌸
I've lived in Finland for 15 years, I grew up in New England. News in general is negative. "Happy " news isn't news worthy. For example the "positive news" in Finland is about our zoo animals and if its appropriate to keep them and also rescuing sea animals. I read Finnish and English news daily. I prefer to focus on longer interviews or podcasts on one specific topic.
Americans tend to panic & purchase. Nordic people tend to organize, plan and prep. At least in Finland we don't panic. We prepare ourselves for problems and don't react to disasters.
Ok, that´s it! Josh I would love to invite you to a beer sometime and talk reflections on life, I think it would be quite interesting. Btw. you all seem like very nice human beings, which in the end is the most important (in my eyes).
hello and welcome to little Denmark 😉
Hi Youngs, a big thx for sharing your views with us. In regards to being there (the US) and contribute to a development, I feel that you here in DK doing your youtube as Americans, and contribute your thoughts and feelings about relevant things and topics. Are helping a lot... hugely imo..., getting linked and shared around, have alot more weight than a guy like me pointing out some things that might be worth to change as they are tested proven and works in other countries (and im' not a red devil Dane... i dont' really care who runs the show, as long its fair for all and at the same time works efficiently, progressive and is still bringing in a profit) it in turn, it do to some degree, bring up just a tiny little devil in me, when some will cloud up the facts and tell im' the dangerous one.
Btw. if you not all ready know i can point you to a super good little brewery close to Nyborg in Refsvindinge.... its ambrosia.. well if food was beer. ;o) worth the little detour if you guys are on one of your trips to jylland anyway.
cheers from denmark
I love the US, we've been to California three times within a few years and are going back again next year. We love it there, our favourite place in the entire world!
As a European (Dane) I have so many things to be grateful for in America like NASA, SpaceX, the US military, technology in general and so much more.
Interesting stuff 👍🇩🇰
Been here 15 years now. I hated the US when I was there. I have very little attachment left. People are so angry in the US. I feel it the moment I get off the plane to visit. I always felt it. This is why I am so much happier here. The polarization is real. Half of Americans are nuts. My friend living there are miserable and want out too.
Man I would love to talk to you people :)
Anyways good video as usual, as always offer for coffee is still on should you lot make it to Aalborg
Been here in DK since 86..came at 25.. miss my family, friends and life style in the USA. Here in Midt Vest Jylland the Danish are friendly but very closed to letting other people in.
This is a very enlightening conversation. I have always had this view of the US that has made me vow to never visit the place ever. And it is from the media and how it is portrayed. I think this has actually changed my mind and perception. Thanks for this.
Negative news from the USA should not keep you away from visiting it. Yes, there is a lot of crazy stuff happening over there but as they said: USA is such a large country. I had two vacations over there, first time for four weeks and second time, three. Not once in New York, St. Louis, New Orleans, Washington DC, Orlando or Key West did I experience any negativity what so ever except for a smal tiny almost not noteworthy incident with a guy that wanted to shine my sneakers.
You will meet interesting people, helpful people that are willing to go to extreme actions to help you out. We had a guy in Orlando stopping the bus we sat on by blocking it with his car, because he noticed us as tourist jumping on a bus going out of the area tourists normally go to in that city to be sure that we wasn't lost.
So, visit the USA, it is a great country with some hickups, but all in all, great people.
Every year you're away, is another year adding onto the fact that you utterly don't want to go back (me 42 years in Switzerland)
I share it a lot, even though I never moved out of Denmark. My partner is Italian and I've spend tons of time with her family and been an active part in helping her integrate into Danish society. It has been such an eye opener towards Danish society, norms and customs that I feel a major disconnect towards Danes in general and often even my own family and friends.
I wouldn't use the word negative, but more different and that I have grown very fond of many Italian aspects to life.
As a Dane i lived near Rapid City. S.D. in 83/84 attending Highschool. It was an eye opener to see motherland from a distance. When away from all the noice, you now see what's good and bad. And when I got back, never ever wanted to live on the country side anymore. I have visited NYC twice in this century to discover how much society has changed. So.... if i ever moved to the us.... it has to be to a big city.
I have it the opposite way. My fiancee lives in L.A. in California. I have visited her 6 times and every time I'm back home in DK I enjoy the peace and quiet away from the noisy big city. My Ameucan fiancee feels the same way. Our dream is moving to a small, quiet city in Jutland near the ocean.
@@MIB_63 Noice from the city is one thing. But back in the day, there was no internet. So most of the talk was sorted out of the news stream. Getting the overview was faster then.
Love your videos :)
I just realised a funny thing, Maya says "like" a lot. :D
A thing the might be funny, could you do a video in danish? :)
Hi Travelin young 👍🏼 i was very cool to hear your Danish as you Miranda and your Mother Maya speaking👁️👍🏼.you Miranda have the typically danish hand and body movment in the languages and that was very interesting to se 👍🏼👁️ And you Maya i am a swedish guy and i don't meet Danish languish everyday 🌍👁️ And i understand everything you and Miranda talking about and thats is very good..So you can now speak your Danish in Norway and sweden thats open many doors for you to..🌍👁️ on Miranda was it hard for me as swed to even see the US style and english language behind your Danish 👍🏼👍🏼 And i can tell you that it is very special to hear a US person speaking danish in all countries in Scandinavia and you can easy see the respect from Scandinavian people ❤️🇸🇪❤️🇩🇰❤️🇧🇻❤️
I am a brit and been living in Denmark for 25 years .. i like it for the most part but I would love to go back to the UK when my kids are older
Jeg læser aldrig folks kommentere på jeres kanal. Jeg ser kun jeres indslag, og er vild med dem :-) Kunne være super sjovt at se en video hvor prøver at snakke lidt dansk he he. Og hvem er bedst til at tale dansk af jer ? Jeg er 100 % sikker på hvem af jer der er bedst :-) Tak for en dejlig og hyggelig kanal :-)
I really can't wait until I turn 18 so I can leave the US, luckily it will be very soon!
Hi :) I'm sure you don't have to move as far away from family and friends as you did to lose touch with them and lose your sense of where you belong. I was born in Rødovre near Copenhagen, and when I was almost 3 years old, the family moved to Greenland, and after 2 years there, the family moved back to Denmark to a small town in Northern Jutland. Later, my then husband and I moved to Aalborg. Even though I wasn't born up here, I feel like I have a hard time saying where I belong. But I like this part of Denmark very much, and would never move back to the capital again. My parents came from Nørrebro (Copenhagen) and Holeby on Lolland, respectively.
I like the game Minecraft a lot, and follow everyone from Hermitcraft. They have been around for over 11 years and I feel in a way that they are part of my circle of friends. And they are from England, the US, Canada, Germany, Poland (living in Sweden), Australia, South Africa (living in England) and Sweden. And that is why I am very worried if something happens in the areas where they live, e.g. the school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee.
A question for Maya for your next live stream. How much is your interest in Minecraft? And do you know the youtubers from Hermitcraft?
Pære dansk? Do you play/sing the old Danish ditty "Sådan er Kapitalismen"?
Try "Dutch Americano" too if you're interested in The Netherlands. One of my favorites. 🙂
Perhaps the issues you talk about here are common for most people who move away? They certainly mirror my own experience. As you say, it would be interesting to hear how Danes view their country from the outside.
Yeps, mine børn født i Danmark voksede op i to andre udlande i Europa før de fik nogle få år i Danmark. Så snart de voksede op forlod de landet med det samme
As a dane I thank you for making this
And it has changed alot
🇩🇰 I’m a dane, and I lived in Florida for 3,5 years, I don’t miss Florida, after being back 🇺🇸
how did you trastistion to make most, bulk of your food at home , dinner , lunch ect , like they do in denmark. vs ~usa lifestyle~. by eating out and fast food. did you become better cooks also in the process and learn to like more verity of foods.?
Ive actually always been an avid home cook so we have never been big on eating out. I grew up watching a lot of American gourmet cooking shows like The French Chef, Frugal Gourmet, Great Chefs of America/Europe, etc. and have always enjoyed testing my skills.
I have continued to learn new thing throughout the years and am slowly learning to make Danish recipes. Coming here just reinforced the need to cook at home because eating out is way too expensive 😂 - M
Hello @travelin'young... Can you do a show on Jante Loven?
3:45 My mantra is that no news about a country is good news unless it is no news in Denmark in danish media... Think thats general that u dont want medias in other countries to speak about your country because it is usually bad.
But thats my take on it as a dane living in Copenhagen
I don’t know what country you are from…world best country Danmark..Happy people 🕺🏼very good system 🕺🏼
Hi guys, I love watching your videos and hearing your discussions about living here in DK as Americans, so thank you for your content.
I have a small concern to share, and it’s probably just the lighting in the video and the angle of the camera, but it looks like Maya’s thyroid is swollen. Just wanted to let you, so if you need to act on it, you can.
THANK 👏 YOU 👏! I noticed it as well and have been bugging her about getting it checked out. 🙏 - M
California to DC is (almost) the same distance as Stockholm to Rome AND BACK.
Why not visit in the summer or Christmas
I'm curious, do You subscribe to local news papers from where You lived in the US? If not, doing so, could help with feeling more connected, since they also tend to write more about down to earth everyday stuff and non-sensational related topics, whereas the battlefield for the major news outlets leads to news pertaining to that battlefield, if You get what I mean. All levels of scope are needed/useful. Each news area (local, state, national and global) do have their own purpose, however entwined or untwined, they may be.
I don’t but unfortunately local news is battling for life right now with large conglomerates consolidating the information while removing real reporting. This is a major issue blossoming in the US but expanding elsewhere.
@@TravelinYoung Yea, I figured that might be the case, as local news is dying out everywhere, as You said. It's weird, the sense of, how local "unimportant" stories and presence have a value, but that value can't be transferred into sustainable capital, while the grassroot that it is, is what profits the ones that can transfer into sustainable capital, even more than(!), but at the cost of readers/viewers losing 90% of the content behind/under it, since the conglomerates can't cover all of the news out there. (and wont, since it's not profitable). Anyways, this may perhaps, have become a bit more philosopical than intended. Thanks for answering. :)
7:50 then use "critical" instead of "negative", marks your investigating query!
as a Dane, no matter what, everything can be seen from at least 2 pages, and I try to look with realistic eyes at what and how the content is in the information I get, whether it is from the news or ordinary people.
example, if a friend says that person you shouldn't talk to because blah blah blah, then I get curious as to why, then I like to talk to that person, then I form my own impression, not because I don't believe my friend, but because I want to form my own opinion
Very very good , also for Swedish and Norwegian s....
If you ever want to visit Fyn. Just say the word and I’ll gladly be your guide 🥳
A question :) When will Denmark feel like home? You mention that when you are home (in the US) but you only are that for a few weeks per year.
But after 5 years are you still not feeling like home in Denmark?
By the way i love following your channel, keep up the good work
Denmark feels like home yes - but as long as my parents still live in the same house I grew up in, I will also call that home. Thanks for watching!
@@TravelinYoung that is a good answer 😄 is there something you miss from your home in the USA, that i dont have or cant get in your home in Denmark
Thank you for that perfect analysis. Every time I visit the U.S. I meet a lot of nice people hardworking and just trying to make the best of their life. In Denmark we only hear all the negative stories about the U.S. Our son lives in Seattle and he is never coming back. He says that Denmark is too small for him. And I know what he means going to an Asian fish market with variety in fish that cold never exist in Denmark. Going to the mountains one day and the desert the next. Or working in huge tech companies and lots of them to choose between that could never be possible in Denmark. Of course he is also starting to experience the downsides. He had a job as a head of a department and was feed up with constantly and only being measured on output and never on how content his employees were or if they developed as employees.
well in europe, one day, u could go to spain or greece an then go ski in austria and hike in morocco....denmark is small, europe is bigger and easy to travel within. he woud work in switzerland or luxembourg, he would earn more or even way more, get vacations weeks and universal healthcare.....comparing the US and denmark is not very fair.
Based on my experience on numerous US travels, meeting ordinary americans could change the rather negative point of view that many danes have on the US society. Americans are generally just fun, welcoming and heartwarning for the most part.
Truth!
Always interesting to hear foreigners experience. Time has not been standing still in DK. Just 5 decades ago, life in DK was vastly different. A complete monoculture where nobody ever saw a foreigner unless they were i Cph, where foreign embassies were located. Most Danes and foreigners living here today, never knew the country we had. In a human relations/trust and confidence aspect, things have unfortunately not gotten better. I have lived in extended periods in Greenland, USA, Russia and Germany, and the last 10 years been traveling all over Europe for 5 month a year. Know all European countries rather well, but unfortunately, the west is in a general decline for the middle class. Just one example, the unrest in France these days. Nothing fundamental will be solved.
I share your pain over the current polarization in the US and I'm thankful that things are not that bad here in Denmark... at least not yet.
I think most of the problem lies with the media - print, tv and social. In Denmark we have 2 major tv channels for news, DR and TV2, and although they may not always be 100% unbiased and agree on everything, they basically report the news as they happen.
Printed news are the same, sure we have left-leaning, and right-leaning media, but generally they don't accuse each other of lying/spreading fake news (and thereby accussing the opponent's readers of being complete idiots)
The current government is even an example of uniting left and right. The parties involved certainly don't agree on everything, but they have the will to talk to each other in a civilized way, and have found solutions both sides could live with.
I can listen to a DK political debate and find things from almost every party to agree with, but also things that I don't agree with, so I don't see any party as divine gurus and on the other hand, no party as pure evil and 100% lies. This, in my opinion, is the pre-requisite of a healthy political climate: listening to mulitple views and deciding who to side with on a per-case basis, rather than simply saying that "my party is always right and I won't bother listening to anybody else, cause they're all liars and crooks"
It would be extremely interesting if you could discuss the subject on a future live episode, although I realize it may be difficult without getting too specific on US political matters, but maybe on a more generic level "is it possible to make people listen to each other again instead of just yelling? And if yes, then how? Where to start?"
My neighbors here in Denmark are from Texas, They Will not return to USA, they are living South Denmark😊she have a job the frist 4 years and she was supporting him - no onde look mad at him - as she say: we Can survive Winther 1 job here in denmark
Difficult topic. I guess the experience always will be some polarized when observing on the distance, either one way or the other. It is easier to see the whole palette when fully observed by your self. Just my 5 cents.
Whenever there is some form of polarization in a topic, be it political, national, economical or cultural, more and more I realize it seems like the main trends seem to behave like a pendulum. I find myself wondering where that will take us in the future, based on today's political and international climate.
I can completely understand where you are coming from being upset with living so far away and how bad things have gotten and feeling helpless to do anything. It feels a bit like you are trying to approach dealing with the issues of the United States but from your new perspective of having lived in Denmark now for so long and that is more the disconnect because in Denmark you could actually participate in more meaningful ways that bring about change than you realistically can in the US. My husband experienced this in the reverse with having a hard time hearing about some changes and things happening in Denmark over the years. It’s. Really hard position to be in and I just want to acknowledge that.
Have you guys tryed tasting real Blueberries..not those "fake" American ones.. the Scandinavian ones aren't as big as the American version but they taste better (and has a lot more healthy stuff inside) they are purpur/purple inside and not white like the the big overseas version that is sold in the supermarket
Hej med jer.
Hvad er jeres amerikanske venners reaktion på jeres forvandlinger ? Er det radikale eller misundelige reaktioner som i møder, hvordan ser jeres venskabsnetværk på jeres forvandlinger?
Having lived in FL for 2x1 year, first as an exchange student and several years later for studying, and visited a couple of other states in the US as well, I believe you have to compare the US with the EU and compare an EU country with an US state, because both the US and the EU are both "internally" diversified despite their unification of states/countries.
Nyhedsmedier burde have at ansvar for at bringe en positiv nyhed for hver negativ nyhed. selvom folk ikke er klar over det nedbryder alle de negative nyheder folks tro på det gode i verden, og skaber frygt for almindelige mennesker der ikke kan bære vægten af verdens problemer
I could translate the above, but I am just too lazy :). I really enjoy your channel and keep the good work
Det kræver at der sker lige så meget gode ting som dårlige.
I have a question about Denmark 🇩🇰.
Does Denmark 🇩🇰 have snow at winter?
A little, but not much. Typically melts in a day or two. On rare occasions it sticks around a few days.
@@TravelinYoung Wow 😯
@@TravelinYoung I’m at same time zone as Denmark. GMT +2 so I assume it’s late now, I’m planning to go to bed now so I don’t feel tired tomorrow , but it’s already too late since it’s 23:47 24 hour clock.
And I usually wake up at 7:00 in the morning.
Do u have a drink problem? :). Good vid.
Good points about the socalled polarization in society - but that goes for all countries, I think. Media has a tendency to - as you say - magnify differences in order to generate clicks and revenue. Wise words...
It's very funny hearing you speak english now compared to your first Denmark videos. You sound a lot more like a dane speaking English than an American speaking english. It's subtle but i clearly hear it. I don't know if anyone else has made that observation yet.
I would also say that the US seems to have gotten a lot more polarized in the last 5 years and i think a big factor to that has been political figures that have boosted that mentality. I also know some Americans from NY, Texas and south Carolina that i talk to here and there and they also say some things have shifted to the worse in that regard
But i definitely agree that good stories are often overlooked, as they aren't deemed as interesting. It's a shame, because a more balanced type of news stories would be better mentally as well. If we only hear bad stuff, it affects our view
I agree, I turned off my TV/news many years ago, I will not turn it back on before there is a station who sends the "good news" I can easily live with out all the fear mongering, I sleep much better at night, no need to keep updated on wars/famine/deaths/division and corruption aso.
Not even in the last five years. It started when Obama got in office. Look back at the new Tea Party movement, people like Ann Culter, Michele Bachmann and so on.The new movement of ultra conservatives and conspiracy theorist etc. set the order of the day. And when you mix in Obama who also did his share to divide the country, you have a recipe for political disaster. Then we get Trump vs. Clinton, we get Covid which just serves to reinforce the divide. But the polarization has been there for well over a decade now and it has been a while since the US had a proper president who was more than just a face for the public. While Bush Jr. may not have been the best president ever, he was not the disaster we see now. Obama, Clinton, Trump, Biden. Pick your poison. It's all a disaster.
A few months back I traveled from NYC to Copenhagen - and had a really sad conversation with a young US citizen. She told me about the big age-gap existing stateside. Since I have dived into the topic a bit more, and sadly enough it seems that a big and expanding gap has taken whole of the US families. Younger and older cannot agree - to the extend that they cannot discuss at all, and either has to terminate relationships or stick to weather talk (not going near any climate talks!😢)
Yep. But I will point out that the problem you are describing is not just the old who can't talk to the young. The Gen Z of the US very much present a problem where they are not willing to talk to anybody, that also goes for a lot of Millennials. At the moment you have a lot of Gen Z'ers who tend to be pedantic, prude and very much the front runners of cancel culture etc. Sadly the divide there is because many parents fail to teach their kids how to function alongside other people. Everyone's an individual and there are no losers. Unfortunately that also means that there are no winners, and nobody puts in an effort to gap the divide. Participation ribbons all around.
@@AB-80X I agree we should all be much better to and make time to have real conversations.
Even though I love my two smart and wonderful teenage daughters, I am often amazed how little time the are able to sit down and have an actual talk. Having meaningful talks cross multiple age-generations is just not a thing any longer.
I agree: We are not putting in enough effort to having an impact on this! I would love to know what to do - as I am sure a few hundreds of millions of parents around the world would.
Denmark seems very, very small when you live in a large country (USA, Brazil, China, Japan etc.). Also, you can hardly believe what Danish media is pushing as perceived societal "problems". Danes don't know how lucky they are and forget to focus on all the positive sides of living there. I'll move back one day just to be in Copenhagen, but I'll keep reading/listening to foreign media to keep a realistic perspective of the world. The challenge today with the US for many Danes is that our values are splitting fast and creating a divide in world view - as when Trump when President at a NATO summit claimed Europe was his enemy, even as we bleed blood together in Afghanistan, Iraq etc. We stood together during the cold war. Now we are uncertain if the next US President will leave Ukraine to be crushed by Russia.
So, we Danes don't have a realistic view on the world and we don't know how lucky we are.
Wrong.!
Most of us know we live in the best country on the planet and people are well informed about what's happening in the world.
Guess you didn't hear what the weak (Republican) house speaker, said to a Russian journalist in Israel the other day about US support to Ukraine 😊
@@thomash.larsen6932 the best country on planet 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
Americans are always welcome in Denmark. Many of us are still very grateful for you involvement and sacrifice during WW2. Without you guys, the British and the Canadians Europe had never been liberated. Enjoy your stay and glad you like it here.