Some more differences

1. Napkins. The Danes don't use napkins. My second day here I asked Michael about this and he replied: "why do we need napkins when we use a knife and a fork? There's no mess". So sometimes I feel like a savage.

2. The Danes say "it's okay" when you say thank you, but its in the tone that you would use when someone is apologizing to you. I haven't yet told my host family that you're supposed to say "your welcome" or "it's no big deal".

3. Danes open their windows for 5 minutes each day to let in the fresh air. Apparently this has to do with letting out "the toxins" from all the candles they burn in the house.

4. It takes a whole day to do your laundry. And the machines are smaller.

5. EVERYTHING is closed on Sunday. Everything.

6. Their transportation system (except for the metro in the city) is not like New York in that there is a train every 5 minutes. So if you miss your train you might be screwed. Rejseplanen is my new best friend. You can enter where you are leaving from and where you are going and the departure or arrival time that you need, and it tells you exactly how to get there. And the times at which the train/orbus leaves to get you there. It's amazing.

7. Some of their buses only run twice an hour. What the hell?!

8. They can get flustered easily when they screw up a word in English or don't know what the translation is, yet they all speak English really well. Many are fluent. They seriously doubt their ability.

9. My host brother told me that if you can only speak 2 languages, it's looked down on as a negative thing. Most people speak at least 3. My host brother learns English and French in school. Then there is Norwegian and Swedish which is slightly different than Danish, and all three countries understand each other's languages. So if you count that, then that's at least 5.

10. They call minorities or ethnic individuals "bilingual" which is the politically correct term.

11. Their bacon is ridiculously salty.

12. The people I have met have only talked about America in positive words. Whenever I offer a criticism or point out a flaw, many are quick to offer the opposite stance and point out something good about the U.S. They love us.