I am from Denmark 🇩🇰 You can get Christmas trees from approximately 16 $, if you cut them yourself (together with the kids and family, drinking hot chocolate, coffee and " Gløgg" (hot red wine with spice)) - or you can buy the trees from approximately 25$ in the cities - for those poor souls that don't like getting some fresh air in the forest, together with the kids. By the way - Santa Claus is living in Greenland - not in Finland, as those poor Fins believe (home country of Nightwish!!) 😉 We are also very much into fighting polution, creating green energy, and often considered to be front-runners in those matters. As others have mentioned, free schools, hospitals and a social security network, that prevents homelessness (unless you choose it yourself) - but our taxes... If you put everything together including the taxes on things you buy, we are around 90% give or take... Cars are like 3 times the price from factory and gasoline 1,8$ pr liter.. And yes we all speak and write fluid english and most people also german (we learn it as standard in scool, like swedish and norwegian). In general we are polite and likes to help other people ( for free and fun and friendship, even if we don't know people first..) And we have stright ruling about weapons - so Denmark are a pretty safe country to live in. We are in general nice people, that as a rule sees the best in people as a starting point - and if we were wrong - well we are pretty big and have Viking blood in our vains... And we like to party. We are mostly compared with people from the other Nordic countries - or the Aussies!!
I live in Copenhagen without a car, no way i'm trying to drag a fucking christmas tree all the way through the city from a forest. I'll just pay the 25$ thank you.
The taxes are DEFINITELY worth it if you ask me. It helps make sure everyone is taken care of, and that we have already paid for any education, healthcare, senior care, and financial help during times of unemployment that we, and everyone around us, might need.
@@Emxtional_ well, if you are against the monarchy I guess that is as close to a fair complaint as you can get. Unless the majority wants to get rid of that it probably won't change, but I get that that is frustrating for the minority. I never enjoy when the majority overrule what I would like or want, so I get it. But I guess not even a democracy will ever be able to make everyone happy all the time...
Things to add: Denmark is the least corrupt country in the world. Storebæltsbroen (the bridge that connects Fyn and Sjælland 2:40) used to be longest bridge (the free stretch between two pylons/pillars) in the world, but now currently ranks as #5. Today we are, together with Germany, constructing the longest sunked tunnel in the world, connecting Lolland (the island south of Sjælland) with Germany with a length of 18 km. In addition to the siren towers, sirens have (after this video came out) been added to all smartphones. So no matter if your phone is muted, it will send you a warning sound and message. The sirens can be used locally, for natural disasters and for example if a truck transporting dangerous gases gets in an accident and the air gets toxic.
Some DK tax stats and fees that often are glanced over in "cultural overview" vidoes: As a base, a person in Denmark is allowed to earn roughly 6.5k USD tax free per year. This is usually to cover part time jobs that students might have and small hobbyist side business income etc. What you earn above 6.5k USD is taxed at 37% - up to 78k USD. The income that exceeds 78k USD is taxed at 53%. So lets say you earn 100k USD total per year. The first 6.5k are tax free. The next 71.5k are taxed at 37%, and the remaining 12k are taxed at 53% Now, these are only the surface numbers. To counteract the taxation, there are a whole host of deductions you may apply for. One such deduction can be travel cost, if you live more than 24km (15 miles) then you can refund the cost of travel at a rate of 30 cent per km travelled per day. You can deduct other costs associated with your work depending on the field and type of employment, and the amount of savings is really just up to how much research you do about your deduction opportunities. For some of this tax money, we get free health care for everyone. We get not just free, but paid education from high school to university degrees (pay increases if the student does not live with their parents), we get a frequently renovated road network with no road taxes (except a few bridges). We also get free financial support for people without a job (your conditions are far better if you have a university degree). You get free access to resources that help you to find a job while your unemployment is paid to cover basic daily needs etc. And recently during Covid a lot of businesses received financial aid from the tax reserves which meant that the hardship overall was far less punishing compared to many other countries during the hardest lockdown periods. What we do also have, is high VAT (typically 25% on common goods end services). Typically, eating out is very expensive compared to many other places, and as a result the quality is often regarded far higher than quantity, as people rarely frequent restaurants and cafes on a daily basis, so the few times they do, the quality of the experience is regarded highly. Also for people visiting, notice that Taxi prices are astronomical. And for people intending to stay for longer, car prices have an incredibly high registry fee, generally around 180% on top of the car's base value. Looking at a good bicycle deal or public transport is advisable if you live in/near a bigger city :D
I'm from Denmark, and at the age of 25 I was allowed to retire, never having worked (but a lot of attempts) due to mental illness and diagnosis. I'm convinced in any other country outside of scandinavia, I would be dead or homeless living on the streets getting there. Because of the high taxes, people like me with severe mental illness are taken care of. We have full access to healthcare, schooling and eduation - everyone here does. I feel so safe and cared for, knowing the people around me are taking care of me indirectly and the government helping me directly to navigate life. I feel cared for by my country and neighbours, it feels very very safe and comforting.
I feel the same way. I’m not severely mentally ill but have been unable to work/go to school for about 7 years now because of anxiety (agoraphobia), have been in treatment. I am, like you, convinced I’d either be dead or homeless by now if it hadn’t been for our welfare system payed by taxes. I feel very safe here in Denmark and the high taxes is definitely a huge part of what allows me to feel this way.
He missed all our holidays we have fastelavn wich is put a fake cat and some candy in a barrel and let kids in costumes hit it with a bat( comes from putting actual black cats in barrels because the were believed to be witches cats) store bede dag (for English speaking people that is big prayer dag) were bakers work hard the day before cause you not allowed to work cause you gotta pray so we can eat hveder(wheats) ( white buns with cardamom(note the danish government has gotten rid of store bededag so people actually have to work). Sankt hans(Saint hans) were we make a fake witch out of wood and straw and burn it on a big bonfire ( again used to be really wiches a long time ago but has turned into bonfire night for every one who wants to participate ) Easter Sunday second Easter dag third Easter day. Summer holiday children get six weeks and adults as much as their job let's them. Fall break 1 week. Halloween. Mortens aften(mortens night) Eat duck basicly thanksgiving without the giving or the thanks. Sankt Lucia (Saint lucia) singing with live candles with the lights off. Christmas 24th present same day and new year these are not al in order and I might have forgotten some if length isent specified its one day also we used to be very Christian (lots still are) witch is were a lot of the extra holidays come from
Re: Sirens - when I was still in kindergarden back in the '60, the sirens were tested every Wednesday at noon. When the sirens began it was a sign for all us children to start running in circles and whatnot on the outside playground screaming our lungs out. It was just tradition :)
I'm danish and i pay my tax happily. I think what we get for our tax money is worth the high tax. Free healthcare, paid sick leave, childcare, free education et.c. And I think what we pay more in tax, compared to a US citizen, is roughly what a US citizen spends on health insurance, savings for education and so on.
Don't forget this fact. In the United States we save all our lives to support ourselves when we get old and to pay off our homes. Then when you do get cancer or have a heart attack or something you lose all your savings. Insurance here is a joke and dictates what treatments are covered. Hospitals, doctors, and politicians get all of our money eventually. This is not a lie!
I saw an American family living in Denmark doing the math - and it turns out, it actually is cheaper 'the Danish way'. They have one child, and no serious health issues.
Remember Vitamin D is ranked in that area of depression medicin. It is just for lack of the Sun in the Winther. Thanks for this video. Greetings from Denmark 👋🇩🇰
Not only lack of the D vitamins during winter but we have a very high pressure on young people during education. Too many future choices to be made and we are raised up to show responsablity to society! Many has depression cause of that and it has become a common illness in Denmark.
@@Moonytoon1979no offense but no? We have one of the best functioning phsycological help systems in the World? And the choice thing isnt that Big a thing we have to decide between what kinda School we Want when we are 16
I'm from Denmark and have lived for almost a decade in Norway too attending Norwegian schools (they're also pretty darned good btw), and honestly the taxes are so worth it. You don't have to worry about going to the doctor if you're ill or for just a check-up. If you have children, you don't need to worry about how to pay for childcare when you go back to work, while it's not free, the amount you pay is based on your income, so it becomes affordable. And as someone who comes from a big family, (5 siblings), it was a godsend to my parents that it didn't cost an arm and a leg to send us to kindergarden, or have us in after school programmes (SFO) and youth club when we got older. Which are brilliant, I remember my years in these after school programmes fondly and have so many good memories from back then. And a huge part of why I work in an SFO myself today. My older sisters who are both US citizens because their dad is from the US, have lived in both countries and they much preferred the Danish schools and the system here, while not perfect, the public schools are relatively good and you can go to University (college) without needing to fork out a fortune on tuition, whilst getting a really good education, you can get money from the state while studying, which is a huge help, because you don't need to work a lot to be able to afford living (unless you live in Copenhagen, that's expensive). Which truly makes education an available option to everyone. I genuinely feel incredibly lucky and privileged that I was born and raised in Denmark. It's meant that I've had so many opportunities that many of my American friends simply didn't, and I definately reccomend visiting on holiday! Copenhagen is great, but personally, being from the capitol, I really reccomend going to Bornholm, it's absolutely gorgeous there or taking trips out to see some of our national parks like Stevns Klint and Møns Klint, both incredibly beautiful places to see!
To answer your question to Danes - Most of us do not mind paying high taxes, and yes we have completely free healthcare. We also have social security for unemployed and not only do we have free education we get payed during education so we can focus on that rather then struggling with a part time job out of necessity.
@@JamesRelok This is arguing semantics, you should be able to read from what i wrote, that of cause i mean "payed by taxes" when i say "free" given the context. That being said there is an argument to be made that in fact it would be considered "free" in a sense. If a person is not able to work and therefore not paying taxes, they will still receive the healthcare and it would be free for them. Now you could argue that someone else is paying for it and therefore is is not free, but in that sense the word "free" is misused more often then not.
@@JamesRelok That's just wrong on both statements. And you know the meaning of "free". Nothing in life is free a toddler knows that. We are specifically discussing whether there is an upfront financial burden related to health care and education or not. And there is not. So in the context that everyone above the age of 5 understands, these government provided services are "free". Also they are free in the sense that you don't actively have to have paid any taxes in order to make use of them, nor are you ever put in debt over your use of the freely provided health care and education. You can grow up while getting paid to study, have no medical bills, then decide to move to another country for work and never pay a single coin in Danish tax. You are legally free to do this if you so please, so yes even by technicality the services are free. Onto the second statement of "taxes are 45%" - which is also wrong. Every Danish resident is allowed to earn up to 46.000 DKK (roughly 6.500 USD) tax free per year. What you earn from 6.5k USD up to 78k USD is taxed at 37%. Whatever you may earn above that income bracket is taxed at 53% (also called "Top skat", or "Peak tax". So in short summary, yes the mentioned services are free, and no taxes are not 45%. We haven't even included any of the deductions that are widely available to pretty much everyone.
@@JamesRelok You're still wrong on both accounts and the numbers you throw out are not realistic nor do they account for any real-life complexity. I should rather ask you this. Do you want every form of security paid through a single party with no middle men, and no scalping, and no reliance on your personal life performance? The cost overall end up being equal, but with the single-managing-system in Denmark you simply get more for that cost when examined across an average citizen. Is what it is.
@@JamesRelok ? How much experience do you have with the different tax brackets? Enlighten me please. Also what is your experience with living in the US and the costs of living and basic security?
Dane here, the sirens dont bother that much because we're used to it since it sounds the same day (wich is the first wednesday in may at 12), and yes we have speakers all throughout denmark so we can hear it basically whereever we are
Hi 👋 I'm a faroese Dear- ARMY living in Denmark 🇩🇰 😂 Yes, high taxes, but most of us don't mind since we get all the benefits of free healthcare, school, university and so on. I'm so happy that he included Faroe Islands, since most people tend to forget about my homeland.
Hej Alice. Jeg bor i Odense og tænker tit på både på færøerne og grønland og er glad for vi har fælledskabet sammen.Jeg tænker vi er stærkere sammen når vi nu er så små
hospitals and school is free and yea you get lots of help there and the beaches are amazing but the weather can be from snow a little to full sun to rain to 3 meters snow to thunder😂
2:31 I have used that bridge several times and it is actually quite impressive. There's spots where you can't see any land. The first time I was there driving with my girldfriend at 6 am with no one else in sight, it was just us on the bridge, no land in sight and a beautifull sunrise.
There are actually basically no natural disasters in denmark. No tornadoes or earthquakes, no tsunamis, the worst you’ll get is flooding or storms probably as it rains on average every other day.
15:05 Quick note on the comment he makes about antidepressants, I think the data is highly connected to our healthcare systems, since things like depression are found and treated at a much higher rate.
and vitamin d is classified as an antidepressant. People who are from most other countries get plenty of vitamin d from the sun but people from the north needs to take it .
That's definitely part of it. It also seems plausible that depression is more pronounced in generally happy and prosperous places, as people compare their situation to others. You will feel sadder if everyone around you seems happy, compared to when everyone's life sucks equally.
19:15 To put it briefly: high taxes make people happy. The countries with the highest taxes have the highest values when it comes to happiness. Of course, only if you do something useful with the taxes you collect, right USA? The top countries of the World Happiness Report 2021 1. Finland 2. Iceland 3. Denmark 4. Switzerland
High taxes makes every single individual safe and secure. Taxes pay healthcare, police, millitary, and educational facilities, religious churches and similar, and several other things. As a matter of fact, the average Dane have more money to spend after all costs for this, insurance and other necessities have been paid as explained by an American family that has moved to Denmark (Travilling young - I think their UA-cam channel are named). Janteloven is based on the fact that we are all created equal. We all have the same opportunities to develop in life - as a single individual. Of course, those born of rich parents ultimately have some other and perhaps more options, but they should not think they are anything special, just because they happen to be born of rich parents. Boiled down to the essentials, a child of a poor person can be both wiser and more skilled than a child of rich parents, which is why the Danish school model is without a doubt better than the American one, because in Denmark everyone has the same education - Bering in the public school or whether your parents at some point send you to private school / boarding school. The teaching is the same. If you send your child to privat-/boarding school, an amount corresponding to what it is calculated for it costs to have the child go to a municipal school, with partial payment for the after-school. Thus, only a small difference has to be paid. so in general we have a principle, "the money follows the child", which allows parents to freely choose the solution they think is best for their child, without having to bear the entire bill themselves. That means, that the public school looses an amount of money (in fact they don't) and the privat-/boarding school gets the money instead. The parents only have to pay the difference, if any. And even here, you have the opportunity to And even here you have the opportunity to apply for extra economic help. This is also paid over the tax. The extra help you get if your child has extra needs, is disabled or similar. So Denmark try to make education equally accessible to everyone, regardless of your parents' income and wealth.
@@ShaneshaS, what you fail to understand is that by paying the taxes we do everyone is covered when it comes to health care, education, maternity leave, pensions etc etc. This means that an individual doesn’t have to pay out of pocket for education or health care. You won’t be ruined and lose everything as it frequently happens to people in the US - the only Western country which does not offer its citizens any form of comprehensive health care or socialized medicine - if you have to go to hospital for a much needed operation. We do pay for drugs, but even here drugs are subsidized by the government. Recently there have been stories in the US about how people suffering with diabetes one can’t afford to buy insulin needed to keep them alive and how their health care providers - if they have any - refuse to cover the cost of the insulin that drug companies in the US charge exorbitant amounts. I’ve heard of people driving to Canada to get their medicine as it is cheaper in Canada. So people who have no money or health care cut their doses to save on their medicine with fatal consequences. It’s heartbreaking to read about as it is a completely barbaric way to treat people who really need help. This would be unthinkable in Denmark. The diabetic person would receive all the medicine they need either free of charge or at a very low cost depending on their financial situation.
It’s funny you bring noma op because he’s my uncle, and I have only tried he burgers they MADE because I was not that old, but it’s funny because the best restaurants you find are you’re grandparents house and som restaurants from other countries Btw ants are delicious they taste like oranges😁🍊
The US expats Travellin Young have made a brilliantly simple video about our tax system vs. the US system. You should definitely check it out. To be fair they've made some great and sometimes funny videos about our IT systems, schools, alcohol etc. but the tax video rules. 😄👍
I totally agree check out Traveling Young they so realistic when comparing US and Denmark especially the Tax explanation. Oh and yes I am a dane 75 so it's not only the young one's that speaks and writes English. Come and check out the country.
There are speakers through all of Denmark, but it’s both for disasters, war or dangerous gas in the air. It’s just “get inside and close the windows” alarm, and there’s a annual day where they test it to make sure it works. All over Denmark it goes off.
The thing about the sandwich. While he probably bought it in the most expensive part of Denmark (central Copenhagen) and Denmark is expensive, Danish smørrebrød is half or more of a meal. It's no ordinary sandwich.
I've had a $15 burger in New York and it was abominable - so greasy (yet the meat was dry like a hockey puck!) and the bun was falling apart. No effing fries were included in the price either.
Hi from Denmark 😊 I’m born in 1972 and when I was a kid the sirens were tested every week, Wednesday at 12 am. Now a days it’s only once a year, so we’re not as frightened of the Germans as we used to be I guess 😅😊
9:50 Dane here! I terms of taxes I think we get amazing rewards. Free school and university, financial student support from the age 18 (the amount of money depends on whether you live at home, parent's income, distance from education etc.) free healthcare (now also free therapy for people age 18-25!), and more. I think the reward is actually bigger than the price we pay, and takes away a lot of burdens:)
NOMA no thanks (crazy ideas), tax is ok because we have a free hospital, doctor, schools. when young people go to high school when they are 16-18 years old it is free and they can get a kind of "salary" so they can live in student housing near their school. It's ok to be talented and make money (LEGO, Novo, Carsberg beer...) but just remember that we all helped (paid taxes) when you were young and went to school - that's the essence of "Janteloven" We are here on earth together, let's take care of each other. we love our country like americans love the usa but we don't claim to be better than others let's learn from each other and take care of each other. Take care of the weak, the strong will manage.
16:00 They test these sirens once a year with the sound on, but they are tested every night without sound. They are used in case of incoming air raids, but can also be used in case of emergencies. And they are everywhere all across the country. If you live in a city you'll be able to hear at least 4 of them echoing around you. They have different types of sounds they play and they all mean something different. They have them for air raids/bombs, gas, go inside, close windows and so forth. They went off in my city one day after a chemical fire in the harbor, a ship salvage yard ignited some crude oil by accident, and the fumes drifted into the city and covered the streets.
Before 1994 they were tested every Wednesday at noon with sound on. In elementary school it was always lunch recess at noon, so we were always outside playing during the siren test. We were used to it, but it was a bit foreboding when you thought about the reason for it, and about the stories you heard from your parents and grandparents about WWII. Luckily I never heard them being used for a real emergency.
@@Einyen I remember hearing them being tested every wednesday at 12.00 back in the day. If the Germans were smart. They would invade us on a wednesday during the air siren test... :-)
@@Einyen Just an addition: Yes, I also remember the weekly test every Wednesday at noon. The old sirens sounded different from what we hear in the video. In 1993/94 or so, all the sirens were replaced with new ones, that didn't need to be tested (with sound) that often. And as @alphadexxa mentioned, the new ones can make different sounds. When they are tested yearly, the final sound played means "danger is over", or something like that.
@@Einyen yes and my grandmother who's from Serbia, she literally shat and pissed her pant first time she heard it. She witness the bombing of Belgrade doing ww2. And lost numerous family members, to but it frankly her whole family was wiped out except from her and her mom. She visit us often intil the start of the Balkan Civil War, sadly she had the "pleasure" of seeing the bombing of Belgrade in 1999 to. She was a tuff old lady, but very traumatized. I alway think of her when the sirens goes off.
It's actually insane to us, that the US don't have free health care and education, because we see it as a basic right. Denmark is one of the least corrupted nations, and the danish people have quite a lot of trust in our government. Even though our prime minister right now are in huge problems, people still listen to her.
Not only as a basic right, but part of crucial infrastructure, which makes it bad for business and society in general, if it doesn't work. Which makes it seem twice as insane, if someone really want to claim to be best.
And now, two years later, alot of people around me seems to be waking up to the stupidity of our government during the plandemic. Never listen to the globalist fools again.
Minimum wage in denmark is 18 dollar, and after tax you would have arround 11 dollar for yourself Minimum wage in USA is 7 dollar and then you have to pay tax, and health ensurance. Conclusion is that high tax doesnt matter at all, we have 2-3 times as much money avaiable AND free schools and healthcare on top. We even get paid to educate ouself - yes we get paid :) Your getting manipulated to think we are poor or dont have any money for ourselves. Mindblowing nobody talk about that
The annual emergency drill is always at noon on the first Wednesday of May. I remember it as being a big deal, when I was i kid, because the alarm was on the school grounds. So it was really loud. Now it's just really funny to look at all the confused tourists when it happens. I know, I'm a monster mwuahaha!
For about the first 13 years of my life, they used to sound the sirens every single Wednesday at noon. So now I get kind of nostalgic for a couple of minutes that one Wednesday a year.
The worst part is that although i know its going to happen every year at the same time, it always gets me "Oh... its that time of the year huh?" of cause it doesnt help that im a bit of an insomniac and getting roused from sleep by screaming loudspeakers.
:-) about 80 pct of our population in Denmark support our taxes - abt 40 pct taxes on average. They support the funding of free health care, free education (even pay to the university student), 12 months maternaty leave, 5-6 weeks holidays, many religious holidays aside, homeless one way than another good help. Our military (which has fought side by side with american troops since abt 20 years). A good reason that we're content and not worrying too much :-)
16:13 yes, we have war sirens, basically we have a drill once a year where they test the sirens and our phone alerts, it's just a siren that alerts us for example if war starts, or if there's a fire in a major city, or if there's a tornado or such!
Dane here. Did anyone mention the great work/life balance? We have alot of time for family and leisure time for hobbies/sport ect. We have 5 weeks fully paid holidays. Some have 6 weeks. Alot of Danes enjoy travelling to other countries.
I love how this is a video about you reacting to Denmark but you are completely stunned by a picture of Sørvágsvatn in the Faroe Islands. Mind you, I'm native to the Faroes so I'm not shocked by that fact. :D Anyway, scale, that waterfall you see at 4:06 to the left? That's about 30 m (~ 100 ft). In fact, the lake is so deep that its bottom is below sea level. 8:11 Volcanoes and ice ages. You know, the usual. Faroes in a nutshell composition wise. And with a guide, that hike is perfectly safe. Janteloven does have a major drawback: It can very easily oppress the individual. Sure, being communal is important, but if someone has a special gift, that person should be encouraged. Janteloven would usually require that person to conform to the social norm. This is why I will probably never look at Janteloven positively.
The sirens are tested on the first Wednesday in May each year. And no, we are not worried about the Germans attacking hehe. For example, if there is a fire in your area that produces toxic fumes, the sirens in that specific area will be turned on, so people know they need to stay indoors, close windows and doors, and turn on the radio / TV, for news.
Trust is at the front and center of the Danish society, we trust in our politicians to make the right choices for us, we trust in our economy, we trust in our fellow danes, to the point where we leave our babies sleeping peacefully outside of coffee houses while we enjoy a chat with friends. Paying our taxes are a part of this trust system. I am 39 years old, at the age of 34 I decided to change my career path and go back to university, I am now 39 and many steps closer to my dream of becoming a clinical psychologist, studying in Norway, everything paid for with tax money, I even get paid around 700 dollars a month just to be able to manage school. The freedom that Denmark and the nordic model has allowed me to have in my youth I want to repay by finishing my studies and start paying my taxes to the society, so another person can benefit from a system that is designed to catch you when you fall, and get you back on your feet again. we do pay a high tax, but it includes everything like safe roads, medical bills, medicine (at least most of the cost), school and we even get paid to have children. Denmark is no utopia, but I have travelled a lot and lived abroad for several years, and I can easily say that I am proud and very lucky to be born half danish and in Denmark.
The taxes are worth every øre we pay. From the year before first grade and to your candidate at university is paid. If your child has special needs, this is paid. From 18 until you're done, we even pay young people to study, and there is such a thing as "study apartments", where people under education can live cheaper than other places. From the first ambulance trip, to the MR-scan, to the around a month I've spent in hospitals, my epilepsy diagnosis has cost me nothing. The young man has a little trouble finding the right sounds for the letters. The silent H is simple. Words like "how", "when", "why" ect. start with hv. Æ, Ø, Å actually isn't that difficult, and the sounds are used all the time in English. Æ is the vocal sound in "set", Ø you use in "search" and Å in "know". We have a proud sibling relationship with Sweden. We're the only ones allowed to joke about them or beat them in sport. A lot of the wars have actually been about owning Norway, which is a very young country. For most of recorded history, Norway was Danish. No average Dane eat like on Noma, but go try "smørrebrød" somewhere in the small streats of København. But if you eat or drink in Nyhavn, it's your own fault if you spend a fortune. And remember: We don't all have to have the same, but everyone should have enough.
I'm not from Denmark, but I think it's an awesome country! The majority of people bike rather than use vehicles, the citizens of Denmark are very environmental conscious and they have Hygge everyone enjoys. I try to live the Hygge way as best I can. In Copenhagen, they have these dropoff things (don't know what they're called) along the sidewalks where people can leave their unwanted items, mostly books, and others can take whatever they want for free.
@@blob1820 yeah! Copenhagen used to at one point only be “havn” aka harbor, then it became a point for sell and trade and fishing! And later got it’s name from that iirc! And later became the ‘new’ capital too :DD
Hey Jim. Sure you are not of Scandinavian descent? Loved your reaction to Barbie. He’s pretty funny, and his pronunciation is really good. (And no don’t try to learn Danish, it’s about as hard as Chinese). As for the spectacular landscapes: you’d have to visit the Faroe Islands for that. As for the Jantelov, it’s also applicable in the Viking sense: We are all in the same boat. I.e. We have to get along, and part of that is not self-aggrandising. Our government isn’t perfect, but they are reasonably honest. And the security of knowing you won’t starve, get evicted, or be unable to pay hospital bills if you loose your ob, or have to pay for your children’s education up to and including university: those taxes are worth it!
13:02 ants are acidic and kinda pop a little when chewing them. pretty well tasting once you get over the mental image of eating literal ants lol EDIT: 16:23 also, yeah, they test them every year on a specified time and date. ive only ever heard them used once other than that, when some factory or something caught on fire and the smoke was toxic so they used the sirens to alert everyone to get inside and close all windows and doors
16:14 the alarm goes off the first Wednesday of May every year and since I have a birthday in the first week of may it has happened many times on my birthday
@@JimGames if you loose you job you get payed to, and while studying you get cheaper apartments (study apartments) you get payed for studying so you can consentrate on study insteed of working. You get money from the state to help raise your children, you get free healthcare, and if recomended by a doctor free spyciatrist and other stuff the list is long
And we get payed more, so if you compared the amount in an avarage amarican family VS danish, we have the same amount of money after tax. Sorry if i miss spelled, but Hope you understand 😅
@@leonoraillum1334 Not to mention our payed leave from jobs if we have children, which is quite a long leave considering even amongst other european countries and that goes for both genders. It's excellent in many ways, or work days are shorter too, people seem to be in general more content, and the sense of equality, not just in idea, but people actually having access to things like Universal healthcare, a right to a equal great education as your neighbor (despite what income household you might come from). There's a number of great things that come with it, in my opinion as a dane too. I like knowing, that we have some kind of job security incase people get homeless aswell, list goes on. But ofcourse, I can't speak for the other side of the coin, despite having travelled a great deal. I think America is great in alot of ways, so are most if not all other countries, so this is not a comparison. Just speaking as a dane. Great video by the way Jim, really enjoyed it and your imput. Always welcome here, cheers. :)
So I'm a bit late to the game here as I just found your video but you asked about the taxes. I just moved to Denmark and at first I thought the taxes would be unbearable but you get SO much in the way of social care that it just makes sense. Free schooling, support if you lose your job, healthcare, your kids even get paid an income if they attend university. It's awesome.
I feel great. Because of the high taxing I’m atm able to have my own apartment, be a full time university student (only had to pay for books) and afford food, clothes, pay bills etc. I don’t have a job, atm as the state pays me SU for being a student, which is enough to live off of while I study. And I can go do the doctors or hospital if needed with no worries as we have free healthcare. I sometimes forget how privileged that is, but I’m truly thankful. So when I get out of school, im ready for work and pay all the taxes that are needed for any other youths’ future
in denmark we have free healthcare free schooling free university free housing for the homeless which is payed by the taxes but the wages are alot higher so most people are really well off and have plenty of money
The first time I heard about Janteloven was in an interview with Alexander Skarsgard who is from Sweden. Maybe you want to react to it, because he describes it very well. It was at Stephen Colbert and is called "Alexander Skarsgard is too Swedish to be cocky." 😄
I’m danish and yeah they test the air raid sirens every year. They are also used for generalized emergencies. I believe our tax rates are from roughly 33% (low taxes for people with lower income) to 55% (maximum taxes, for wealthier people). We get free (paid with taxes) schooling, doctor and hospital shenanigans, you can get approved for free psychiatry and more. If you cannot work you’ll still receive money and help and there’s different ways they help you get back into the job market or help you get something else or similar going. It basically creates security for most situations and help to get through them. Janteloven, you’re not better than the crowd, is not really spoken of much anymore from what I’m aware of. While parts of it tells you that we serve all the same, parts also says you’re not special in anyway and you’re not to believe that you are anything. I think the taxes are amazing. We also get paid more, so fast food workers can actually live, as an example. So, you don’t tip people here. So, people getting paid more allows them to pay taxes which means they don’t go into debt from college, which means they can chase dreams regardless of financial status, etc.
About the sirens. Once a year!? Ok, when I was a child in the 60’-70’ it was ONCE A WEEK! Try to imagine that. But I often loved to watch the dogs howling together with the sirens 🤣
I totally loved your reactions to my homecountry the Faroe Islands - you should go check it out, its different from Denmark. ;) I live in Denmark and I dont mind paying taxes since healthcare and education is free.
The Great Belt bridge (Storebæltsbroen) was the tallest when it opened more than two decades ago. Now the record has been overtaking by a bunch of especially Chinese bridges pushing it far down the list. It is 254 metres (833 ft) tall making it much taller than the tallest natural point in Denmark.
Thanks for the video. I am writing to you from Denmark , so you will also get my answers to the questions :-) Treasure: We pay approx. 38% in tax, but there are deductions (where you deduct driving, loans etc.), Moms (where you pay 20% tax when you buy an item) and top tax (where you pay more tax on the last money you earn, if you earn a lot). Most people I know are super happy with the trade off between tax and free healthcare, schools, education, roads, police, military, aged care, kontanthjælp (which is financial help for the unemployed) etc. It's a huge bonus not having to worry about it . Personally, I would like us to raise taxes and drop deductions, Moms and top tax, and get more money for education, elderly care and health systems. + dentists are not part of the tax, which would be nice if it were. But I can understand that the freedom of not paying tax must also be nicer if you are healthy, etc. Food: I politely say no thanks to Noma food - nope, most of us are very "boring" (meat and potatoes) when it comes to food, but some in the big cities (Aarhus and København (Copenhagen)) are quite wild and eat "everything". Janteloven: it's totally hard to listen to Americans sometimes because I´m grown up with a "you shouldn't think you're anything" - but it can also be quite exhausting, and we're sometimes a little too good at beating ourselves in the head . But yes, all Danes know the janteloven. Depression/ happiness: It is dark for half the year - and this gives many people what we call "winter depression". But generally with the "happiest people", it is based on surveys where you ask, among other things, what people worry about. Danes typically do not worry about losing their job, getting sick, etc. like in other countries, such as The United States, where it can ruin one's economy. But you don't always become happy for that reason, and the whole idea that you "have no reason to be unhappy" can still be incredibly hard. Many Danes are sick, get stressed, have fertility problems, or economic difficulties in not achieving the dreams they have, such as own residence. And we are really good at complaining about everything and nothing. So it's pretty much a joke here that we are some of the happiest people in the world. Sirens: Yes, we test the air alarms every spring and most people don't care about them, but some kids get quite scared. But we only joke about fear of the Germans, because we have been at war with them for more years than we have had peace, but we love Germans today, especially German tourists who flock to our beaches and who are typically very polite. Nature: In relation to nature, we do not have much wild nature, with the possibility of walking. There is agricultural land over much of Denmark and it is not polite to enter other people's land. You are also only allowed to pitch a tent must places - and most Danes I know honestly think the Danish nature is boring - so we flee the country as soon as we have a holiday (when possible). If you haven't seen white sandy beaches or seen flat fields as far as the eye can see, it is still very beautiful. But all in all, if you see it every day it's just boring 😉 Plus it rains quite a lot in Denmark, and most of us don't look like photo models in the rain. But as we say "There is no such thing as bad weather - only bad clothing" 😊 Again, thanks for the video. I hope you have a blessed day or night 🥰
Danish girl here. About the tax thing, i think its so worth it because you never have to worry if you have to go to the doctor or stuff like that. Fun fact school is free up until you turn 18 then you get paid by the goverment to study, not very much but enough to live on. its based on like your parents income if you live at home or nit and stuff like that.
Greetings from Denmark. :) The story about the Law of Jante is a bit funny and sad at the same time. As far as I was told, Aksel Sandemose was a writer. He was also a mean drunk and the more he drank, the more mean he would get. Getting fed up with his behavior, his parents put together these 10 lines, all of them ending with "when you're drunk." Aksel removed the last part and used the rest in his novel about the small town of Jante, where it was impossible to be anonymous, because everybody knew everybody. The 10 lines goes like this: 1. You're not to think you are anything special. (when you're drunk.) 2. You're not to think you are as good as we are. 3. You're not to think you are smarter than we are. 4. You're not to imagine yourself better than we are. 5. You're not to think you know more than we do. 6. You're not to think you are more important than we are. 7. You're not to think you are good at anything. 8. You're not to laugh at us. 9. You're not to think anyone cares about you. 10. You're not to think you can teach us anything.
Yes, the taxes are so high because it goes into paying for things like education, healthcare, etc,. so it's technically free because we've already paid through the taxes.
Sweden her, it's next on your list I hope 😉 As said we are pretty good at English. Personally, 95% of books I read in English. If I have subtitles on, they are in English too. If I have them in Swedish since I still hear and understand what they say I don't always agree whit the translation. And a lot of jokes, puns and proverbs just don't translate so they make sense.
16:13 Its a annual thing where we test the sirens to see if they still work incase of Nature disasters, Other disasters and war. and its not incase of war againts germany its just war or air raids in general. Saying hi from denmark here :3
The drill of the sirene isn't really scary since we know what's going on. Linking it to the Germans and world War is mostly a joke. I've heard it in real use only once and it was because of some toxic smoke in the area so to let us know we should stay indoors and close up until it was cleared. Also we rarely have natural disasters 😊
The bridge was as far as i remember the longest hang bridge at completion and currently 3rd longest. Sirens are tested every year and as an addition to it it expanded into smartphones also
You get money to go to school in Denmark and social stuff is free. Everyone is happy to pay 50% tax, or 60% for high income. It's pretty hard to completely fail here. No one understands Icelandic, it's the old Norse language.
@@hrxify So are you voting for the political parties that want to increase taxes? Political parties don't use this as one of their key points, probably because higher taxes isn't what the people want to hear. I'm from Denmark as well and I pay 38% in tax. I'm not HAPPY paying 38% in tax. I'm FINE with paying it. I ACCEPT it. But I'd rather pay less tax - to have more control of my own money. Because I can name several things I would not pay taxes to, but do.
Norway, Sweden and Denmark are all pretty expensive in terms of living costs. Certainly compared to the UK any way. Sailed under the great belt bridge and it’s a pretty impressive structure
Hi! Öresundsbron (the bridge in the picture) is in total 15,9 km long, the span on the swedish side is the longest bridge of this type in the world with both railroad and automotive road.
The Great Belt Bridge is the connection between Funen and Zealand. The bridge is 18km long and consists of a low bridge, high bridge and a tunnel that goes under the high bridge to the trains. The bridge opened for train passage in 1997 and for car passage in 1998.
The air siren thing is part of disaster warning system. You are supposed to close door and windows and turn on TV or Radio. They are sometimes used for disasters such as chemical fires, where the smoke can be poisonous (we do have a lot pharmaceutical plants, that can develop poisonous gasses). But yearh, they are air raid sirens. Huge towers of mechanical speakers. There aren't really any natural disasters here, only some very windy days and a few floods in Jutland, however they don't use the air sirens for that. Taxes suck, but we do get free health care (except dentist) and education (even university, people are actually paid to go, however selection of courses are more restricted than in the US). Unemployment benefits is free but somewhat low, so people usually have an insurance type deal called an "A-kasse", where you get somewhat reasonable amount of money for up to 2 year (it takes 2 years to build that up again). Denmark is expensive, very, so be prepared for that. But the beach is free and people do enjoy the open water. We do care a lot about the environment here, especially the sea, as it is also important for our fishing industry. You will find a lot of sailor culture here embedded in to the mainstream culture. All in all it is good to live here, but Americans may find it hard to understand. Danes are direct, when we speak, and a Dane will tell you exactly what is wrong, and will not pack it in for a soft blow (better to tell the truth, than let people deceive themselves). Likewise the humor is at times very dark. It is a country that is very different in it's social standards. There is no classes, but this is also something achieved with this social code somewhat similar to "Janteloven." Friendship does take some time to earn, which can be hard for foreigners, however the tip is to join sport clubs and other social activities to meet new people. Gun laws are a bit overexaggerated here as most people really don't care for having a gun (low crimes, issues with keeping the gun safe from kids and getting an approved locker is often really not worth the hassle). However firearms knowledge is usually somewhat high, as many people have served in the military (draft). Hunting is also a popular sport, so an increasing amount of people own firearms (mostly shotguns and bolt action rifles). There is a lot of Inter Scandinavian teasing, that is not meant to be taken serious. Our true national concern is Russia and Canada. As that involves the large Arctic area that we have responsibility for, because of Greenland being autonomous part of the kingdom of Denmark. Denmark supplies military protection.
the great belt bridge connection is 11.18 miles long, and was for some years the world largest suspension bridge with a span of 1.009 miles between the 2 "towers" and till this day, it's still the biggest in europe, and 3rd largest in the world only beaten by the japanese Akashi Kaikyo bridge and the chinese Xihoumen bridge.. the bridge is connected by a small island called "sprogø" directly translated to english meaning "languageisland" and another fun fact is, that sprogø was from 1923-1961 a place where "morally defect" women would be placed, (the bridge work started in 1988 and lasted till 1998) so back then they would be sailed out there :)
Seems like everything has been commented on but fun video 👍 oh I would like to say tho, about our happiness, I dont think we're the happiest country but just the most content, just a thought from another video that made sense for me at the time.
It's often said that we pay half our wages in taxes. What's rarely mentioned is that our income after taxes is almost as high as in most other countries - but we've paid for healthcare, school etc. - while people in those other countries haven't. It's not like we get everything for free, but we do get a lot for our taxes, and most people can travel abroad on holidays - we have five weeks of "mandatory" vacation, another week is optional, so it's not like the system bleeds us dry of money.
Hi Im from Denmark here. Love your reaction. Here is some answers to some of your questions. The Nordman fur christmastree, is kinda pricy when compaired to other treesorts, pricing for a nordman fur at the local treefarm where i live, cost from $30 to $40 depending on size of the tree. Tho the prices can vary and change from dealer to dealer. But if u want the Nordman fur, you pay more than the other sorts. The law of jante, is not only danish but nordic, so Sweeden, Norway, Iceland, Faeroisland ect. also have it in their mindset. Its not something we talk about on daily basis, but something we are learned by the way of life. here is the direct translation of the law of jante "Don't think you're anything." "Don't think you're as much as us." "Don't think you're smarter than us." "Don't think you're better than us." "Don't think you know more than us." "Don't think you're more than us." "Don't think you're good at anything." "Don't laugh at us." "Don't think anyone cares about you." "Don't think you can teach us anything." Hygge is also a thing we have in the nordic areas and not only Denmark, but Danish people may be using the word more than others :D Hygge can be many things, but to describe it the best way, is having a comfy/ good time enjoing time with either friends, family, your significant other, or even alone. For some hygge can be just be watching a movie with a blanket and a pillow, where u tug yourself in and just relax. It can be a sunset at the beach looking over the water where u have a great relaxing feeling. A party or just some family time where you enjoy the company. So hygge is not a thing, its a feeling of manythings combined. The taxes here in Denmark is high, but honestly i would not give it away for anything. I would even pay more if we got more like free public transport and dental care. So i am happy to pay the amount of taxes we pay. The siren alarm is very real, May 4th every year the sirens are tested in case of an emergency or attack on our country. Its been like that after WWII. So indeed they are real and they are loud. But its kinda the same as tornado warnings in Miami ect. Even some countries have siren drills more often than we do. 2 bonus facts: 1: Denmark and Sweeden is considered the 2 nations in the world with most wars against eachother, but some say its not. 2: In the year 1658 the water between Denmark and Sweeden froze, and the ice was thick enough to walk all the way across. So Sweedish military walked over the ice and captured some of the Danish areas and islands. Then the danish king made a law that some say still exist today. The law said, if a Sweedish person ever cross the frozen water by foot, all Danes can leagaly beat the sweedish with a stick. but its not being enforced
Being a Dane, we do pay a high tax rate, but this also makes sure that all have equal access to a range of benefits. Apologies for a long description of the Danish system. I’ve tried to narrow it down to narrow it down. Especially the last two sections might interest especially the US citizen. Denmark's tax system is known for being progressive, meaning the more you earn, the higher percentage you pay in taxes. Personal Income Tax: This is the largest source of tax revenue and includes both base tax and top tax. The base tax is a fixed percentage, while the top tax is only paid on incomes above a certain threshold. Labor Market Contribution: Everyone who is employed pays a labor market contribution of 8% of their salary income. VAT: Value-added tax (VAT) is a tax on goods and services, typically set at 25%. Property Tax: Property tax consists of land tax and property value tax. The land tax has been increasing since the mid-1990s. Corporate Tax: Companies pay corporate tax on their profits. This tax is an important source of revenue for the state. Pension Yield Tax: This tax is levied on the returns from pension savings. In Denmark, citizens receive a range of important services and benefits for their tax payments. Healthcare: Access to free healthcare, including doctor visits, hospital treatments, and emergency medical services. This ensures that all citizens can receive necessary treatment without worrying about costs. Education: Free education from primary school to university. This also includes financial support for students in the form of the State Educational Grant (SU), which helps cover living expenses during studies. Social Benefits: A comprehensive social safety net, including unemployment benefits, child benefits, pensions, and other forms of financial support for those in need. Infrastructure: Maintenance and development of public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, public transport, and municipal facilities. This contributes to a high quality of life and efficient transportation. Culture and Leisure: Support for cultural institutions such as museums, libraries, theaters, and sports facilities. This ensures that everyone has access to cultural and recreational activities. Environmental Protection: Investments in environmental protection and sustainability initiatives, which help preserve nature and reduce pollution. Public Safety: Funding for police, fire services, and the judiciary, ensuring citizens' safety and justice. These services and benefits are part of the Danish welfare model, which aims to create a society with a high quality of life and social justice. Denmark also has a comprehensive parental leave system that ensures parents can take time off work to care for their newborn children. Parents are entitled to extensive parental leave benefits, ensuring they can take time off work to care for their newborn children. Mothers are entitled to 4 weeks of maternity leave before the birth and 14 weeks of maternity leave after the birth. Fathers are entitled to 2 weeks of paternity leave within the first 14 weeks after the birth. After the initial 14 weeks, parents can share up to 32 weeks of parental leave between them. This flexibility allows families to tailor the leave to their specific needs. During maternity and parental leave, parents can receive parental leave benefits, which are financial support from the state. The amount depends on the parents income and employment situation. Denmark also has a well-developed vacation system that ensures workers can take time off and receive paid leave. Employees earn the right to paid vacation during a vacation year. They earn 2.08 days of paid vacation for each month of employment. If you receive full or partial salary during your parental leave, you earn the right to vacation with full pay the following year. If you change jobs before the next vacation period, you can take vacation with vacation pay. These systems ensure that Danish citizens have the opportunity to care for their families and get the necessary rest, contributing to a high quality of life and a good work-life balance.
16:20 yes its an annual thing... they are tested every first Wednesday of May and they are sort of a mix between warnings about local catastrophes or in case of invasion (each electronically controlled broadcasting tower can be controlled so its a localized thing or a countrywide thing). Since they are digital they can be "tested" without sound which is done more often than the annual sounds on test.
16:07 We actually had the ‘alarm test’ thing today! (Idk what it’s called in English) we have that every year the first Wednesday of May, and I think it’s just to make sure it works everywhere in the country in case of an emergency 🤷🏼♀️
The average mountain height is 300 m above sea level. Slættaratindur (882 m) is the highest mountain. Cape Enniberg on Viðoy (754 m) is the largest promontory in the world. There is no place with more than 5 km to the nearest coast. Sørvágsvatn or Leitisvatn is, with its 3.56 km², the Faroe Islands' largest lake and is located on the southern part of Vágar between Miðvágur and Sørvágur. The lake is 32 meters above sea level, but from a certain angle it looks as if it is a hundred meters above sea level, as the cliff between the lake and the sea is 100 meters high.
Fun fact: The bridge connecting Fyn and Sjælland is the 3rd longest bridge, 2nd longest suspension bridge. If it had upended before math the same year it officially upened it could have had the tittle (maybe only for a short time) worlds longest bridge.
16:18 they test it every year, at the same date and time. :) the new thing is now we have both the sirens and we get an alert on our phones, just like you see in the movies :)
The taxes are not that bad. We pay about 50% but we have free schools, universities etc and we have free health care. A social safety net if we loose our job. The roads are well maintained and there's great public transport that just works, etc. The taxes are not a problem - we get *so* much back.
our airraid sirens are still only tested annually now, they are the same sirens as your Tornado Warning sirens. we just dont have Tornados here, but we do have ZEH GERMANZ XD :p they were tested every single Wednesday at 12am when we grew up in the 1980's :)
Dane here: The taxes are high, but totally worth it. Free healthcare, free school and a safety net if you're fired and so on. In general it means more equality. That farm house you mentioned by the sea is actually a beach house, or as we say "sommerhus" summerhouse. And the ant food from Noma looks kinda sus. I've never tasted any of that food, and I don't intend to(also it's so expensive there). Glad that you like "Janteloven", it means a lot to us. Of course it's okay to be happy about something that you have accomplished and tell people about is, as long as you don't brag about it, and think that you are above everyone else. That anti-depression pill could be because of the long winters and because we have great healthcare system and the medicine costs less because of the higher taxes. So yeah the annual testing of the sirenes is true. The only problem about this is that if you live in the country, and the wind direction is not right, it's mostly impossible to hear. I suppose they would send out cars with sirenes if there was an actual problem. The sirenes are for cases like if someone dropped an atomic bomb or something like that. We don't really have that many natural disasters in Denmark. All the kids thinks it's so cool to hear them. I Love Norway, and I definitely think you should consider visiting Denmark!
I am from Denmark 🇩🇰
You can get Christmas trees from approximately 16 $, if you cut them yourself (together with the kids and family, drinking hot chocolate, coffee and " Gløgg" (hot red wine with spice)) - or you can buy the trees from approximately 25$ in the cities - for those poor souls that don't like getting some fresh air in the forest, together with the kids. By the way - Santa Claus is living in Greenland - not in Finland, as those poor Fins believe (home country of Nightwish!!) 😉
We are also very much into fighting polution, creating green energy, and often considered to be front-runners in those matters. As others have mentioned, free schools, hospitals and a social security network, that prevents homelessness (unless you choose it yourself) - but our taxes...
If you put everything together including the taxes on things you buy, we are around 90% give or take...
Cars are like 3 times the price from factory and gasoline 1,8$ pr liter..
And yes we all speak and write fluid english and most people also german (we learn it as standard in scool, like swedish and norwegian).
In general we are polite and likes to help other people ( for free and fun and friendship, even if we don't know people first..)
And we have stright ruling about weapons - so Denmark are a pretty safe country to live in.
We are in general nice people, that as a rule sees the best in people as a starting point - and if we were wrong - well we are pretty big and have Viking blood in our vains...
And we like to party. We are mostly compared with people from the other Nordic countries - or the Aussies!!
You sound awesome! Thanks for taking the time to share all that info with me.
I totally agree, Aussies are so easy to like! I’m Norwegian though, maybe it’s a Scandinavian thing to like Aussies 😊
@Jouni Guess he got to have an address in Finland to avoid Danish taxes 💸. By the way..don’t you pay a hell of a lot of money in taxes in Finland too?
@Jouni 🤣 This has to be the most wholesome disagreement ever!
I live in Copenhagen without a car, no way i'm trying to drag a fucking christmas tree all the way through the city from a forest. I'll just pay the 25$ thank you.
The taxes are DEFINITELY worth it if you ask me. It helps make sure everyone is taken care of, and that we have already paid for any education, healthcare, senior care, and financial help during times of unemployment that we, and everyone around us, might need.
They deffintetly is! 🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰
Yeah it is, but it is also on the other hand kinda controversial
My dad always complains about how we pay taxes to the queen-
@@Emxtional_ well, if you are against the monarchy I guess that is as close to a fair complaint as you can get. Unless the majority wants to get rid of that it probably won't change, but I get that that is frustrating for the minority. I never enjoy when the majority overrule what I would like or want, so I get it. But I guess not even a democracy will ever be able to make everyone happy all the time...
I agree, the taxes are 100% worth it.
Things to add:
Denmark is the least corrupt country in the world.
Storebæltsbroen (the bridge that connects Fyn and Sjælland 2:40) used to be longest bridge (the free stretch between two pylons/pillars) in the world, but now currently ranks as #5. Today we are, together with Germany, constructing the longest sunked tunnel in the world, connecting Lolland (the island south of Sjælland) with Germany with a length of 18 km.
In addition to the siren towers, sirens have (after this video came out) been added to all smartphones. So no matter if your phone is muted, it will send you a warning sound and message. The sirens can be used locally, for natural disasters and for example if a truck transporting dangerous gases gets in an accident and the air gets toxic.
Some DK tax stats and fees that often are glanced over in "cultural overview" vidoes:
As a base, a person in Denmark is allowed to earn roughly 6.5k USD tax free per year. This is usually to cover part time jobs that students might have and small hobbyist side business income etc.
What you earn above 6.5k USD is taxed at 37% - up to 78k USD.
The income that exceeds 78k USD is taxed at 53%.
So lets say you earn 100k USD total per year. The first 6.5k are tax free. The next 71.5k are taxed at 37%, and the remaining 12k are taxed at 53%
Now, these are only the surface numbers. To counteract the taxation, there are a whole host of deductions you may apply for. One such deduction can be travel cost, if you live more than 24km (15 miles) then you can refund the cost of travel at a rate of 30 cent per km travelled per day.
You can deduct other costs associated with your work depending on the field and type of employment, and the amount of savings is really just up to how much research you do about your deduction opportunities.
For some of this tax money, we get free health care for everyone. We get not just free, but paid education from high school to university degrees (pay increases if the student does not live with their parents), we get a frequently renovated road network with no road taxes (except a few bridges). We also get free financial support for people without a job (your conditions are far better if you have a university degree). You get free access to resources that help you to find a job while your unemployment is paid to cover basic daily needs etc.
And recently during Covid a lot of businesses received financial aid from the tax reserves which meant that the hardship overall was far less punishing compared to many other countries during the hardest lockdown periods.
What we do also have, is high VAT (typically 25% on common goods end services).
Typically, eating out is very expensive compared to many other places, and as a result the quality is often regarded far higher than quantity, as people rarely frequent restaurants and cafes on a daily basis, so the few times they do, the quality of the experience is regarded highly.
Also for people visiting, notice that Taxi prices are astronomical. And for people intending to stay for longer, car prices have an incredibly high registry fee, generally around 180% on top of the car's base value. Looking at a good bicycle deal or public transport is advisable if you live in/near a bigger city :D
I'm from Denmark, and at the age of 25 I was allowed to retire, never having worked (but a lot of attempts) due to mental illness and diagnosis. I'm convinced in any other country outside of scandinavia, I would be dead or homeless living on the streets getting there.
Because of the high taxes, people like me with severe mental illness are taken care of. We have full access to healthcare, schooling and eduation - everyone here does.
I feel so safe and cared for, knowing the people around me are taking care of me indirectly and the government helping me directly to navigate life. I feel cared for by my country and neighbours, it feels very very safe and comforting.
I feel the same way. I’m not severely mentally ill but have been unable to work/go to school for about 7 years now because of anxiety (agoraphobia), have been in treatment.
I am, like you, convinced I’d either be dead or homeless by now if it hadn’t been for our welfare system payed by taxes. I feel very safe here in Denmark and the high taxes is definitely a huge part of what allows me to feel this way.
Another reason why high tax is okay - we take care of each other and what happend to you, could happen to anyone of us
Im from Danmark too lol😅
im from danmark
He missed all our holidays we have fastelavn wich is put a fake cat and some candy in a barrel and let kids in costumes hit it with a bat( comes from putting actual black cats in barrels because the were believed to be witches cats) store bede dag (for English speaking people that is big prayer dag) were bakers work hard the day before cause you not allowed to work cause you gotta pray so we can eat hveder(wheats) ( white buns with cardamom(note the danish government has gotten rid of store bededag so people actually have to work). Sankt hans(Saint hans) were we make a fake witch out of wood and straw and burn it on a big bonfire ( again used to be really wiches a long time ago but has turned into bonfire night for every one who wants to participate ) Easter Sunday second Easter dag third Easter day. Summer holiday children get six weeks and adults as much as their job let's them.
Fall break 1 week.
Halloween.
Mortens aften(mortens night)
Eat duck basicly thanksgiving without the giving or the thanks.
Sankt Lucia (Saint lucia) singing with live candles with the lights off.
Christmas 24th present same day and new year these are not al in order and I might have forgotten some if length isent specified its one day also we used to be very Christian (lots still are) witch is were a lot of the extra holidays come from
Re: Sirens - when I was still in kindergarden back in the '60, the sirens were tested every Wednesday at noon. When the sirens began it was a sign for all us children to start running in circles and whatnot on the outside playground screaming our lungs out. It was just tradition :)
I'm danish and i pay my tax happily. I think what we get for our tax money is worth the high tax. Free healthcare, paid sick leave, childcare, free education et.c.
And I think what we pay more in tax, compared to a US citizen, is roughly what a US citizen spends on health insurance, savings for education and so on.
Don't forget this fact. In the United States we save all our lives to support ourselves when we get old and to pay off our homes. Then when you do get cancer or have a heart attack or something you lose all your savings. Insurance here is a joke and dictates what treatments are covered. Hospitals, doctors, and politicians get all of our money eventually. This is not a lie!
lige mine or
I saw an American family living in Denmark doing the math - and it turns out, it actually is cheaper 'the Danish way'. They have one child, and no serious health issues.
7:32 its not a farm house, its a Summerhouse on Danish, or a cottage, or a house No. 2 is used for week end and holiday stays.
Remember Vitamin D is ranked in that area of depression medicin. It is just for lack of the Sun in the Winther. Thanks for this video. Greetings from Denmark 👋🇩🇰
Not only lack of the D vitamins during winter but we have a very high pressure on young people during education. Too many future choices to be made and we are raised up to show responsablity to society! Many has depression cause of that and it has become a common illness in Denmark.
@@Moonytoon1979no offense but no? We have one of the best functioning phsycological help systems in the World? And the choice thing isnt that Big a thing we have to decide between what kinda School we Want when we are 16
Der er også behov for D vitamin om sommeren 😭
Hi i’m from denmark
@@adrix_wastaken2196 It might be one of the best, but that does not mean it's good.
im from denark, and i have biked over the great belt bridge. it was so amazeing like you could feel the smallest ammount of wind in your hair
The Noma thing was an experimental dish, taken out of context and not why they are the best restaurant. We are a meat and gravy kind of country :)
Noma was just named the best restaurant in the world again (and Geranium, another Danish, at 2nd).
BRUN SOVS OG KARTOFLER!
@@kenetha123 hell yeah brother
@@kenetha123 Det' noget der rykker :D
The antsd are not any ants. These taste like lemon
I'm from Denmark and have lived for almost a decade in Norway too attending Norwegian schools (they're also pretty darned good btw), and honestly the taxes are so worth it. You don't have to worry about going to the doctor if you're ill or for just a check-up. If you have children, you don't need to worry about how to pay for childcare when you go back to work, while it's not free, the amount you pay is based on your income, so it becomes affordable. And as someone who comes from a big family, (5 siblings), it was a godsend to my parents that it didn't cost an arm and a leg to send us to kindergarden, or have us in after school programmes (SFO) and youth club when we got older. Which are brilliant, I remember my years in these after school programmes fondly and have so many good memories from back then. And a huge part of why I work in an SFO myself today. My older sisters who are both US citizens because their dad is from the US, have lived in both countries and they much preferred the Danish schools and the system here, while not perfect, the public schools are relatively good and you can go to University (college) without needing to fork out a fortune on tuition, whilst getting a really good education, you can get money from the state while studying, which is a huge help, because you don't need to work a lot to be able to afford living (unless you live in Copenhagen, that's expensive). Which truly makes education an available option to everyone. I genuinely feel incredibly lucky and privileged that I was born and raised in Denmark. It's meant that I've had so many opportunities that many of my American friends simply didn't, and I definately reccomend visiting on holiday! Copenhagen is great, but personally, being from the capitol, I really reccomend going to Bornholm, it's absolutely gorgeous there or taking trips out to see some of our national parks like Stevns Klint and Møns Klint, both incredibly beautiful places to see!
To answer your question to Danes - Most of us do not mind paying high taxes, and yes we have completely free healthcare. We also have social security for unemployed and not only do we have free education we get payed during education so we can focus on that rather then struggling with a part time job out of necessity.
@@JamesRelok This is arguing semantics, you should be able to read from what i wrote, that of cause i mean "payed by taxes" when i say "free" given the context. That being said there is an argument to be made that in fact it would be considered "free" in a sense. If a person is not able to work and therefore not paying taxes, they will still receive the healthcare and it would be free for them. Now you could argue that someone else is paying for it and therefore is is not free, but in that sense the word "free" is misused more often then not.
@@JamesRelok taxes in 2022 is 52.07%(personal income) and 42%(positive net capital income)
@@JamesRelok That's just wrong on both statements. And you know the meaning of "free". Nothing in life is free a toddler knows that. We are specifically discussing whether there is an upfront financial burden related to health care and education or not. And there is not. So in the context that everyone above the age of 5 understands, these government provided services are "free". Also they are free in the sense that you don't actively have to have paid any taxes in order to make use of them, nor are you ever put in debt over your use of the freely provided health care and education. You can grow up while getting paid to study, have no medical bills, then decide to move to another country for work and never pay a single coin in Danish tax. You are legally free to do this if you so please, so yes even by technicality the services are free.
Onto the second statement of "taxes are 45%" - which is also wrong. Every Danish resident is allowed to earn up to 46.000 DKK (roughly 6.500 USD) tax free per year. What you earn from 6.5k USD up to 78k USD is taxed at 37%. Whatever you may earn above that income bracket is taxed at 53% (also called "Top skat", or "Peak tax".
So in short summary, yes the mentioned services are free, and no taxes are not 45%. We haven't even included any of the deductions that are widely available to pretty much everyone.
@@JamesRelok You're still wrong on both accounts and the numbers you throw out are not realistic nor do they account for any real-life complexity.
I should rather ask you this. Do you want every form of security paid through a single party with no middle men, and no scalping, and no reliance on your personal life performance?
The cost overall end up being equal, but with the single-managing-system in Denmark you simply get more for that cost when examined across an average citizen. Is what it is.
@@JamesRelok ? How much experience do you have with the different tax brackets? Enlighten me please. Also what is your experience with living in the US and the costs of living and basic security?
Dane here, the sirens dont bother that much because we're used to it since it sounds the same day (wich is the first wednesday in may at 12), and yes we have speakers all throughout denmark so we can hear it basically whereever we are
Hi 👋
I'm a faroese Dear- ARMY living in Denmark 🇩🇰 😂
Yes, high taxes, but most of us don't mind since we get all the benefits of free healthcare, school, university and so on.
I'm so happy that he included Faroe Islands, since most people tend to forget about my homeland.
👋
I'm happy to see a Faroese, being happy about living in Denmark.
@@masselfur Do you know some who are not?
Hej Alice. Jeg bor i Odense og tænker tit på både på færøerne og grønland og er glad for vi har fælledskabet sammen.Jeg tænker vi er stærkere sammen når vi nu er så små
Omg, Alice! Tjekkede lige din kanal... BTS og Sotus?! YES!!! 🤜🤛
Thy-ARMY, på 45 her
💜Borahae💜
hospitals and school is free and yea you get lots of help there and the beaches are amazing but the weather can be from snow a little to full sun to rain to 3 meters snow to thunder😂
2:31 I have used that bridge several times and it is actually quite impressive. There's spots where you can't see any land. The first time I was there driving with my girldfriend at 6 am with no one else in sight, it was just us on the bridge, no land in sight and a beautifull sunrise.
I was at the top of the bridge. It was an amazing sight.
There are actually basically no natural disasters in denmark. No tornadoes or earthquakes, no tsunamis, the worst you’ll get is flooding or storms probably as it rains on average every other day.
15:05 Quick note on the comment he makes about antidepressants, I think the data is highly connected to our healthcare systems, since things like depression are found and treated at a much higher rate.
and vitamin d is classified as an antidepressant. People who are from most other countries get plenty of vitamin d from the sun but people from the north needs to take it .
That's definitely part of it. It also seems plausible that depression is more pronounced in generally happy and prosperous places, as people compare their situation to others. You will feel sadder if everyone around you seems happy, compared to when everyone's life sucks equally.
@@albinjohnsson2511 That's very true actually
As a dane. Yes we have High tax but that means free healthcare, you get paid to go ti School
19:15 To put it briefly: high taxes make people happy. The countries with the highest taxes have the highest values when it comes to happiness.
Of course, only if you do something useful with the taxes you collect, right USA?
The top countries of the World Happiness Report 2021
1. Finland
2. Iceland
3. Denmark
4. Switzerland
So it’s not free😂
High taxes makes every single individual safe and secure. Taxes pay healthcare, police, millitary, and educational facilities, religious churches and similar, and several other things.
As a matter of fact, the average Dane have more money to spend after all costs for this, insurance and other necessities have been paid as explained by an American family that has moved to Denmark (Travilling young - I think their UA-cam channel are named).
Janteloven is based on the fact that we are all created equal. We all have the same opportunities to develop in life - as a single individual. Of course, those born of rich parents ultimately have some other and perhaps more options, but they should not think they are anything special, just because they happen to be born of rich parents. Boiled down to the essentials, a child of a poor person can be both wiser and more skilled than a child of rich parents, which is why the Danish school model is without a doubt better than the American one, because in Denmark everyone has the same education - Bering in the public school or whether your parents at some point send you to private school / boarding school. The teaching is the same. If you send your child to privat-/boarding school, an amount corresponding to what it is calculated for it costs to have the child go to a municipal school, with partial payment for the after-school. Thus, only a small difference has to be paid. so in general we have a principle, "the money follows the child", which allows parents to freely choose the solution they think is best for their child, without having to bear the entire bill themselves. That means, that the public school looses an amount of money (in fact they don't) and the privat-/boarding school gets the money instead. The parents only have to pay the difference, if any. And even here, you have the opportunity to And even here you have the opportunity to apply for extra economic help. This is also paid over the tax. The extra help you get if your child has extra needs, is disabled or similar. So Denmark try to make education equally accessible to everyone, regardless of your parents' income and wealth.
@@ShaneshaS, what you fail to understand is that by paying the taxes we do everyone is covered when it comes to health care, education, maternity leave, pensions etc etc. This means that an individual doesn’t have to pay out of pocket for education or health care. You won’t be ruined and lose everything as it frequently happens to people in the US - the only Western country which does not offer its citizens any form of comprehensive health care or socialized medicine - if you have to go to hospital for a much needed operation. We do pay for drugs, but even here drugs are subsidized by the government.
Recently there have been stories in the US about how people suffering with diabetes one can’t afford to buy insulin needed to keep them alive and how their health care providers - if they have any - refuse to cover the cost of the insulin that drug companies in the US charge exorbitant amounts. I’ve heard of people driving to Canada to get their medicine as it is cheaper in Canada.
So people who have no money or health care cut their doses to save on their medicine with fatal consequences. It’s heartbreaking to read about as it is a completely barbaric way to treat people who really need help. This would be unthinkable in Denmark. The diabetic person would receive all the medicine they need either free of charge or at a very low cost depending on their financial situation.
It’s funny you bring noma op because he’s my uncle, and I have only tried he burgers they MADE because I was not that old, but it’s funny because the best restaurants you find are you’re grandparents house and som restaurants from other countries
Btw ants are delicious they taste like oranges😁🍊
The US expats Travellin Young have made a brilliantly simple video about our tax system vs. the US system. You should definitely check it out.
To be fair they've made some great and sometimes funny videos about our IT systems, schools, alcohol etc. but the tax video rules. 😄👍
@Jim Games This
I totally agree check out Traveling Young they so realistic when comparing US and Denmark especially the Tax explanation. Oh and yes I am a dane 75 so it's not only the young one's that speaks and writes English. Come and check out the country.
There are speakers through all of Denmark, but it’s both for disasters, war or dangerous gas in the air. It’s just “get inside and close the windows” alarm, and there’s a annual day where they test it to make sure it works. All over Denmark it goes off.
The thing about the sandwich. While he probably bought it in the most expensive part of Denmark (central Copenhagen) and Denmark is expensive, Danish smørrebrød is half or more of a meal. It's no ordinary sandwich.
I've had a $15 burger in New York and it was abominable - so greasy (yet the meat was dry like a hockey puck!) and the bun was falling apart. No effing fries were included in the price either.
Hi from Denmark 😊
I’m born in 1972 and when I was a kid the sirens were tested every week, Wednesday at 12 am. Now a days it’s only once a year, so we’re not as frightened of the Germans as we used to be I guess 😅😊
9:50 Dane here! I terms of taxes I think we get amazing rewards. Free school and university, financial student support from the age 18 (the amount of money depends on whether you live at home, parent's income, distance from education etc.) free healthcare (now also free therapy for people age 18-25!), and more. I think the reward is actually bigger than the price we pay, and takes away a lot of burdens:)
NOMA no thanks (crazy ideas), tax is ok because we have a free hospital, doctor, schools. when young people go to high school when they are 16-18 years old it is free and they can get a kind of "salary" so they can live in student housing near their school. It's ok to be talented and make money (LEGO, Novo, Carsberg beer...) but just remember that we all helped (paid taxes) when you were young and went to school - that's the essence of "Janteloven" We are here on earth together, let's take care of each other. we love our country like americans love the usa but we don't claim to be better than others let's learn from each other and take care of each other. Take care of the weak, the strong will manage.
16:00 They test these sirens once a year with the sound on, but they are tested every night without sound. They are used in case of incoming air raids, but can also be used in case of emergencies. And they are everywhere all across the country. If you live in a city you'll be able to hear at least 4 of them echoing around you.
They have different types of sounds they play and they all mean something different. They have them for air raids/bombs, gas, go inside, close windows and so forth.
They went off in my city one day after a chemical fire in the harbor, a ship salvage yard ignited some crude oil by accident, and the fumes drifted into the city and covered the streets.
Before 1994 they were tested every Wednesday at noon with sound on.
In elementary school it was always lunch recess at noon, so we were always outside playing during the siren test. We were used to it, but it was a bit foreboding when you thought about the reason for it, and about the stories you heard from your parents and grandparents about WWII. Luckily I never heard them being used for a real emergency.
@@Einyen I remember hearing them being tested every wednesday at 12.00 back in the day. If the Germans were smart. They would invade us on a wednesday during the air siren test... :-)
We never really feared a German invasion (after ww2, that is) but during the cold war the threat from Russia felt very real. And it does again now...
@@Einyen Just an addition: Yes, I also remember the weekly test every Wednesday at noon. The old sirens sounded different from what we hear in the video.
In 1993/94 or so, all the sirens were replaced with new ones, that didn't need to be tested (with sound) that often. And as @alphadexxa mentioned, the new ones can make different sounds. When they are tested yearly, the final sound played means "danger is over", or something like that.
@@Einyen yes and my grandmother who's from Serbia, she literally shat and pissed her pant first time she heard it. She witness the bombing of Belgrade doing ww2. And lost numerous family members, to but it frankly her whole family was wiped out except from her and her mom. She visit us often intil the start of the Balkan Civil War, sadly she had the "pleasure" of seeing the bombing of Belgrade in 1999 to. She was a tuff old lady, but very traumatized. I alway think of her when the sirens goes off.
16:10 yes it's for natural disaster war and stuff like that
It's actually insane to us, that the US don't have free health care and education, because we see it as a basic right. Denmark is one of the least corrupted nations, and the danish people have quite a lot of trust in our government. Even though our prime minister right now are in huge problems, people still listen to her.
Not only as a basic right, but part of crucial infrastructure, which makes it bad for business and society in general, if it doesn't work. Which makes it seem twice as insane, if someone really want to claim to be best.
*THE* least corrupt
And now, two years later, alot of people around me seems to be waking up to the stupidity of our government during the plandemic. Never listen to the globalist fools again.
Minimum wage in denmark is 18 dollar, and after tax you would have arround 11 dollar for yourself
Minimum wage in USA is 7 dollar and then you have to pay tax, and health ensurance.
Conclusion is that high tax doesnt matter at all, we have 2-3 times as much money avaiable AND free schools and healthcare on top.
We even get paid to educate ouself - yes we get paid :)
Your getting manipulated to think we are poor or dont have any money for ourselves.
Mindblowing nobody talk about that
The annual emergency drill is always at noon on the first Wednesday of May. I remember it as being a big deal, when I was i kid, because the alarm was on the school grounds. So it was really loud.
Now it's just really funny to look at all the confused tourists when it happens. I know, I'm a monster mwuahaha!
For about the first 13 years of my life, they used to sound the sirens every single Wednesday at noon. So now I get kind of nostalgic for a couple of minutes that one Wednesday a year.
In Sweden we have an emergency drill the first monday of every third month.
The worst part is that although i know its going to happen every year at the same time, it always gets me "Oh... its that time of the year huh?" of cause it doesnt help that im a bit of an insomniac and getting roused from sleep by screaming loudspeakers.
At 11:35 He misspelled København :)
:-) about 80 pct of our population in Denmark support our taxes - abt 40 pct taxes on average. They support the funding of free health care, free education (even pay to the university student), 12 months maternaty leave, 5-6 weeks holidays, many religious holidays aside, homeless one way than another good help. Our military (which has fought side by side with american troops since abt 20 years).
A good reason that we're content and not worrying too much :-)
16:13 yes, we have war sirens, basically we have a drill once a year where they test the sirens and our phone alerts, it's just a siren that alerts us for example if war starts, or if there's a fire in a major city, or if there's a tornado or such!
Dane here. Did anyone mention the great work/life balance? We have alot of time for family and leisure time for hobbies/sport ect. We have 5 weeks fully paid holidays. Some have 6 weeks. Alot of Danes enjoy travelling to other countries.
Not to mention heathcare and cost of education and people are quibbling over $ of a sandwich.
I love how this is a video about you reacting to Denmark but you are completely stunned by a picture of Sørvágsvatn in the Faroe Islands. Mind you, I'm native to the Faroes so I'm not shocked by that fact. :D Anyway, scale, that waterfall you see at 4:06 to the left? That's about 30 m (~ 100 ft). In fact, the lake is so deep that its bottom is below sea level.
8:11 Volcanoes and ice ages. You know, the usual. Faroes in a nutshell composition wise. And with a guide, that hike is perfectly safe.
Janteloven does have a major drawback: It can very easily oppress the individual. Sure, being communal is important, but if someone has a special gift, that person should be encouraged. Janteloven would usually require that person to conform to the social norm. This is why I will probably never look at Janteloven positively.
The sirens are tested on the first Wednesday in May each year.
And no, we are not worried about the Germans attacking hehe.
For example, if there is a fire in your area that produces toxic fumes, the sirens in that specific area will be turned on, so people know they need to stay indoors, close windows and doors, and turn on the radio / TV, for news.
Hey, i am from Northern Germany we have the same thing in the smaller villages where the sirens are tested every saturday at 12 am
Same for France except there the sirens go off at midday on the first Wednesday of every month.
Trust is at the front and center of the Danish society, we trust in our politicians to make the right choices for us, we trust in our economy, we trust in our fellow danes, to the point where we leave our babies sleeping peacefully outside of coffee houses while we enjoy a chat with friends. Paying our taxes are a part of this trust system. I am 39 years old, at the age of 34 I decided to change my career path and go back to university, I am now 39 and many steps closer to my dream of becoming a clinical psychologist, studying in Norway, everything paid for with tax money, I even get paid around 700 dollars a month just to be able to manage school. The freedom that Denmark and the nordic model has allowed me to have in my youth I want to repay by finishing my studies and start paying my taxes to the society, so another person can benefit from a system that is designed to catch you when you fall, and get you back on your feet again.
we do pay a high tax, but it includes everything like safe roads, medical bills, medicine (at least most of the cost), school and we even get paid to have children. Denmark is no utopia, but I have travelled a lot and lived abroad for several years, and I can easily say that I am proud and very lucky to be born half danish and in Denmark.
The taxes are worth every øre we pay.
From the year before first grade and to your candidate at university is paid. If your child has special needs, this is paid. From 18 until you're done, we even pay young people to study, and there is such a thing as "study apartments", where people under education can live cheaper than other places.
From the first ambulance trip, to the MR-scan, to the around a month I've spent in hospitals, my epilepsy diagnosis has cost me nothing.
The young man has a little trouble finding the right sounds for the letters.
The silent H is simple. Words like "how", "when", "why" ect. start with hv.
Æ, Ø, Å actually isn't that difficult, and the sounds are used all the time in English. Æ is the vocal sound in "set", Ø you use in "search" and Å in "know".
We have a proud sibling relationship with Sweden. We're the only ones allowed to joke about them or beat them in sport. A lot of the wars have actually been about owning Norway, which is a very young country. For most of recorded history, Norway was Danish.
No average Dane eat like on Noma, but go try "smørrebrød" somewhere in the small streats of København. But if you eat or drink in Nyhavn, it's your own fault if you spend a fortune.
And remember: We don't all have to have the same, but everyone should have enough.
I'm not from Denmark, but I think it's an awesome country! The majority of people bike rather than use vehicles, the citizens of Denmark are very environmental conscious and they have Hygge everyone enjoys. I try to live the Hygge way as best I can. In Copenhagen, they have these dropoff things (don't know what they're called) along the sidewalks where people can leave their unwanted items, mostly books, and others can take whatever they want for free.
Guess I should go to Copenhagen more
Also something I find funny is that a more literal translation of København would be buy a harbor xD
@@blob1820 yeah! Copenhagen used to at one point only be “havn” aka harbor, then it became a point for sell and trade and fishing! And later got it’s name from that iirc! And later became the ‘new’ capital too :DD
The reason of the alarms: i belive its once a year they test the sirens (if theres war the sirens go off) to make sure they work
Hey Jim. Sure you are not of Scandinavian descent? Loved your reaction to Barbie. He’s pretty funny, and his pronunciation is really good. (And no don’t try to learn Danish, it’s about as hard as Chinese). As for the spectacular landscapes: you’d have to visit the Faroe Islands for that.
As for the Jantelov, it’s also applicable in the Viking sense: We are all in the same boat. I.e. We have to get along, and part of that is not self-aggrandising. Our government isn’t perfect, but they are reasonably honest. And the security of knowing you won’t starve, get evicted, or be unable to pay hospital bills if you loose your ob, or have to pay for your children’s education up to and including university: those taxes are worth it!
Thanks for your kind words. Greetings from Denmark.
13:02 ants are acidic and kinda pop a little when chewing them. pretty well tasting once you get over the mental image of eating literal ants lol
EDIT: 16:23 also, yeah, they test them every year on a specified time and date. ive only ever heard them used once other than that, when some factory or something caught on fire and the smoke was toxic so they used the sirens to alert everyone to get inside and close all windows and doors
16:14 the alarm goes off the first Wednesday of May every year and since I have a birthday in the first week of may it has happened many times on my birthday
we have tax payed "Free" Schools, helthcare, universities, ( if you are 18 years or older and are studying you get payed to study.
Wow here inthe US if you want an education expect to be very poor for 4 years then be in debt for another 10 years...
@@JimGames if you loose you job you get payed to, and while studying you get cheaper apartments (study apartments) you get payed for studying so you can consentrate on study insteed of working. You get money from the state to help raise your children, you get free healthcare, and if recomended by a doctor free spyciatrist and other stuff the list is long
And we get payed more, so if you compared the amount in an avarage amarican family VS danish, we have the same amount of money after tax. Sorry if i miss spelled, but Hope you understand 😅
And we dont eat ants 😂
@@leonoraillum1334 Not to mention our payed leave from jobs if we have children, which is quite a long leave considering even amongst other european countries and that goes for both genders. It's excellent in many ways, or work days are shorter too, people seem to be in general more content, and the sense of equality, not just in idea, but people actually having access to things like Universal healthcare, a right to a equal great education as your neighbor (despite what income household you might come from). There's a number of great things that come with it, in my opinion as a dane too. I like knowing, that we have some kind of job security incase people get homeless aswell, list goes on.
But ofcourse, I can't speak for the other side of the coin, despite having travelled a great deal. I think America is great in alot of ways, so are most if not all other countries, so this is not a comparison. Just speaking as a dane. Great video by the way Jim, really enjoyed it and your imput. Always welcome here, cheers. :)
So I'm a bit late to the game here as I just found your video but you asked about the taxes. I just moved to Denmark and at first I thought the taxes would be unbearable but you get SO much in the way of social care that it just makes sense.
Free schooling, support if you lose your job, healthcare, your kids even get paid an income if they attend university. It's awesome.
I feel great. Because of the high taxing I’m atm able to have my own apartment, be a full time university student (only had to pay for books) and afford food, clothes, pay bills etc. I don’t have a job, atm as the state pays me SU for being a student, which is enough to live off of while I study. And I can go do the doctors or hospital if needed with no worries as we have free healthcare. I sometimes forget how privileged that is, but I’m truly thankful. So when I get out of school, im ready for work and pay all the taxes that are needed for any other youths’ future
in denmark we have free healthcare free schooling free university free housing for the homeless which is payed by the taxes but the wages are alot higher so most people are really well off and have plenty of money
The first time I heard about Janteloven was in an interview with Alexander Skarsgard who is from Sweden. Maybe you want to react to it, because he describes it very well. It was at Stephen Colbert and is called "Alexander Skarsgard is too Swedish to be cocky." 😄
Janteloven is not very common anymore. Danish mentality have changed for the better on that point.
100kr if The tree is under 2 meters
200 kr if over
I’m danish and yeah they test the air raid sirens every year. They are also used for generalized emergencies.
I believe our tax rates are from roughly 33% (low taxes for people with lower income) to 55% (maximum taxes, for wealthier people).
We get free (paid with taxes) schooling, doctor and hospital shenanigans, you can get approved for free psychiatry and more. If you cannot work you’ll still receive money and help and there’s different ways they help you get back into the job market or help you get something else or similar going. It basically creates security for most situations and help to get through them.
Janteloven, you’re not better than the crowd, is not really spoken of much anymore from what I’m aware of. While parts of it tells you that we serve all the same, parts also says you’re not special in anyway and you’re not to believe that you are anything.
I think the taxes are amazing. We also get paid more, so fast food workers can actually live, as an example. So, you don’t tip people here. So, people getting paid more allows them to pay taxes which means they don’t go into debt from college, which means they can chase dreams regardless of financial status, etc.
A hard word to pronounce in Denmark is ødelægge Økonomiske Ødegaard
About the sirens. Once a year!? Ok, when I was a child in the 60’-70’ it was ONCE A WEEK! Try to imagine that. But I often loved to watch the dogs howling together with the sirens 🤣
😂😂 Præcis. Hver onsdag kl. 12.00👍
I totally loved your reactions to my homecountry the Faroe Islands - you should go check it out, its different from Denmark. ;)
I live in Denmark and I dont mind paying taxes since healthcare and education is free.
The Great Belt bridge (Storebæltsbroen) was the tallest when it opened more than two decades ago. Now the record has been overtaking by a bunch of especially Chinese bridges pushing it far down the list. It is 254 metres (833 ft) tall making it much taller than the tallest natural point in Denmark.
I believe it is the 5th longest bridge in the world, if I am not mistaken
You mean tallest manmade point, right?
Thanks for the video. I am writing to you from Denmark , so you will also get my answers to the questions :-)
Treasure:
We pay approx. 38% in tax, but there are deductions (where you deduct driving, loans etc.), Moms (where you pay 20% tax when you buy an item) and top tax (where you pay more tax on the last money you earn, if you earn a lot).
Most people I know are super happy with the trade off between tax and free healthcare, schools, education, roads, police, military, aged care, kontanthjælp (which is financial help for the unemployed) etc. It's a huge bonus not having to worry about it . Personally, I would like us to raise taxes and drop deductions, Moms and top tax, and get more money for education, elderly care and health systems. + dentists are not part of the tax, which would be nice if it were. But I can understand that the freedom of not paying tax must also be nicer if you are healthy, etc.
Food:
I politely say no thanks to Noma food - nope, most of us are very "boring" (meat and potatoes) when it comes to food, but some in the big cities (Aarhus and København (Copenhagen)) are quite wild and eat "everything".
Janteloven: it's totally hard to listen to Americans sometimes because I´m grown up with a "you shouldn't think you're anything" - but it can also be quite exhausting, and we're sometimes a little too good at beating ourselves in the head . But yes, all Danes know the janteloven.
Depression/ happiness: It is dark for half the year - and this gives many people what we call "winter depression". But generally with the "happiest people", it is based on surveys where you ask, among other things, what people worry about. Danes typically do not worry about losing their job, getting sick, etc. like in other countries, such as The United States, where it can ruin one's economy. But you don't always become happy for that reason, and the whole idea that you "have no reason to be unhappy" can still be incredibly hard. Many Danes are sick, get stressed, have fertility problems, or economic difficulties in not achieving the dreams they have, such as own residence. And we are really good at complaining about everything and nothing. So it's pretty much a joke here that we are some of the happiest people in the world.
Sirens:
Yes, we test the air alarms every spring and most people don't care about them, but some kids get quite scared. But we only joke about fear of the Germans, because we have been at war with them for more years than we have had peace, but we love Germans today, especially German tourists who flock to our beaches and who are typically very polite.
Nature:
In relation to nature, we do not have much wild nature, with the possibility of walking. There is agricultural land over much of Denmark and it is not polite to enter other people's land. You are also only allowed to pitch a tent must places - and most Danes I know honestly think the Danish nature is boring - so we flee the country as soon as we have a holiday (when possible). If you haven't seen white sandy beaches or seen flat fields as far as the eye can see, it is still very beautiful. But all in all, if you see it every day it's just boring 😉 Plus it rains quite a lot in Denmark, and most of us don't look like photo models in the rain. But as we say "There is no such thing as bad weather - only bad clothing" 😊
Again, thanks for the video. I hope you have a blessed day or night 🥰
Danish girl here.
About the tax thing, i think its so worth it because you never have to worry if you have to go to the doctor or stuff like that.
Fun fact school is free up until you turn 18 then you get paid by the goverment to study, not very much but enough to live on. its based on like your parents income if you live at home or nit and stuff like that.
Greetings from Denmark. :) The story about the Law of Jante is a bit funny and sad at the same time. As far as I was told, Aksel Sandemose was a writer. He was also a mean drunk and the more he drank, the more mean he would get. Getting fed up with his behavior, his parents put together these 10 lines, all of them ending with "when you're drunk." Aksel removed the last part and used the rest in his novel about the small town of Jante, where it was impossible to be anonymous, because everybody knew everybody. The 10 lines goes like this:
1. You're not to think you are anything special. (when you're drunk.)
2. You're not to think you are as good as we are.
3. You're not to think you are smarter than we are.
4. You're not to imagine yourself better than we are.
5. You're not to think you know more than we do.
6. You're not to think you are more important than we are.
7. You're not to think you are good at anything.
8. You're not to laugh at us.
9. You're not to think anyone cares about you.
10. You're not to think you can teach us anything.
Yes, the taxes are so high because it goes into paying for things like education, healthcare, etc,. so it's technically free because we've already paid through the taxes.
100kr if The tree is under 2 meters
200 kr if over
kr is the danish currency and its worth about 6.4 American dollars
1 usd is approx. 6.4 dkk (now 6.8 dkk), not the other way around
Sweden her, it's next on your list I hope 😉
As said we are pretty good at English. Personally, 95% of books I read in English. If I have subtitles on, they are in English too. If I have them in Swedish since I still hear and understand what they say I don't always agree whit the translation. And a lot of jokes, puns and proverbs just don't translate so they make sense.
De kör i bokstavsordning, så Sverige lär dröja. Me de är på Spanien i nästa avsnitt, så snart blir det Sverige
16:13 Its a annual thing where we test the sirens to see if they still work incase of Nature disasters, Other disasters and war. and its not incase of war againts germany its just war or air raids in general. Saying hi from denmark here :3
The drill of the sirene isn't really scary since we know what's going on. Linking it to the Germans and world War is mostly a joke. I've heard it in real use only once and it was because of some toxic smoke in the area so to let us know we should stay indoors and close up until it was cleared.
Also we rarely have natural disasters 😊
The bridge was as far as i remember the longest hang bridge at completion and currently 3rd longest.
Sirens are tested every year and as an addition to it it expanded into smartphones also
Norwegian here- just wanted to say that I have yet to meet an angry or grumpy Dane. Those guys always seem happy, no matter what.
Skål!
🍻
😊👍
Thats only because you are Norwegian, our rich little brother! We don't act like that with everyone
Tak (Thank you) 😊
@@tomknudsen8784 Spot on Tom 🙂 Can´t be angry at norwegians - they are just too nice.
In Denmark Germany is called Tyskland and Im from Denmark Im 75% Danish and 25% Swedish
You get money to go to school in Denmark and social stuff is free. Everyone is happy to pay 50% tax, or 60% for high income. It's pretty hard to completely fail here. No one understands Icelandic, it's the old Norse language.
I really doubt people are happy to pay 50% in tax.
@@baden271 It's only around 90% of the Danish population that are content with the high tax pressure. The last 10% are anti social pricks...
@@baden271 we are😊
@@hrxify So are you voting for the political parties that want to increase taxes? Political parties don't use this as one of their key points, probably because higher taxes isn't what the people want to hear.
I'm from Denmark as well and I pay 38% in tax. I'm not HAPPY paying 38% in tax. I'm FINE with paying it. I ACCEPT it. But I'd rather pay less tax - to have more control of my own money. Because I can name several things I would not pay taxes to, but do.
they test the sirenes in case of invasion in it self. im from Denmark :) like your videos btw ;)
I am from Denmark and I don’t know that many people that would ever eat ants or other insects.
the great belt bridge (store-bælts-broen) were the longest bridge for a couple of months before some chinese one came.
Norway, Sweden and Denmark are all pretty expensive in terms of living costs. Certainly compared to the UK any way. Sailed under the great belt bridge and it’s a pretty impressive structure
Not compared to London. 😀
Hi! Öresundsbron (the bridge in the picture) is in total 15,9 km long, the span on the swedish side is the longest bridge of this type in the world with both railroad and automotive road.
The Great Belt Bridge is the connection between Funen and Zealand. The bridge is 18km long and consists of a low bridge, high bridge and a tunnel that goes under the high bridge to the trains. The bridge opened for train passage in 1997 and for car passage in 1998.
16:13 yeah i Can confirm. The first wednesday of May every year they test out all of the countrys sirens
Being Faroese, your reaction to the Faroe Islands makes me feel proud - thanks buddy
Behind the iconic building "The Opera" from Sidney, Australien - is also made by the Danish worldwide architect Jørn Utzon
The air siren thing is part of disaster warning system. You are supposed to close door and windows and turn on TV or Radio. They are sometimes used for disasters such as chemical fires, where the smoke can be poisonous (we do have a lot pharmaceutical plants, that can develop poisonous gasses). But yearh, they are air raid sirens. Huge towers of mechanical speakers. There aren't really any natural disasters here, only some very windy days and a few floods in Jutland, however they don't use the air sirens for that.
Taxes suck, but we do get free health care (except dentist) and education (even university, people are actually paid to go, however selection of courses are more restricted than in the US). Unemployment benefits is free but somewhat low, so people usually have an insurance type deal called an "A-kasse", where you get somewhat reasonable amount of money for up to 2 year (it takes 2 years to build that up again).
Denmark is expensive, very, so be prepared for that. But the beach is free and people do enjoy the open water. We do care a lot about the environment here, especially the sea, as it is also important for our fishing industry. You will find a lot of sailor culture here embedded in to the mainstream culture.
All in all it is good to live here, but Americans may find it hard to understand. Danes are direct, when we speak, and a Dane will tell you exactly what is wrong, and will not pack it in for a soft blow (better to tell the truth, than let people deceive themselves). Likewise the humor is at times very dark. It is a country that is very different in it's social standards. There is no classes, but this is also something achieved with this social code somewhat similar to "Janteloven." Friendship does take some time to earn, which can be hard for foreigners, however the tip is to join sport clubs and other social activities to meet new people.
Gun laws are a bit overexaggerated here as most people really don't care for having a gun (low crimes, issues with keeping the gun safe from kids and getting an approved locker is often really not worth the hassle). However firearms knowledge is usually somewhat high, as many people have served in the military (draft). Hunting is also a popular sport, so an increasing amount of people own firearms (mostly shotguns and bolt action rifles).
There is a lot of Inter Scandinavian teasing, that is not meant to be taken serious. Our true national concern is Russia and Canada. As that involves the large Arctic area that we have responsibility for, because of Greenland being autonomous part of the kingdom of Denmark. Denmark supplies military protection.
I am from Denmark and in my school there is one of those air sirens so yes I have heard them and it's kinda fun.
13:00 there is a years wait at least to get a table, the prices starts around $560
the great belt bridge connection is 11.18 miles long, and was for some years the world largest suspension bridge with a span of 1.009 miles between the 2 "towers" and till this day, it's still the biggest in europe, and 3rd largest in the world only beaten by the japanese Akashi Kaikyo bridge and the chinese Xihoumen bridge.. the bridge is connected by a small island called "sprogø" directly translated to english meaning "languageisland" and another fun fact is, that sprogø was from 1923-1961 a place where "morally defect" women would be placed, (the bridge work started in 1988 and lasted till 1998) so back then they would be sailed out there :)
Seems like everything has been commented on but fun video 👍 oh I would like to say tho, about our happiness, I dont think we're the happiest country but just the most content, just a thought from another video that made sense for me at the time.
It's often said that we pay half our wages in taxes. What's rarely mentioned is that our income after taxes is almost as high as in most other countries - but we've paid for healthcare, school etc. - while people in those other countries haven't.
It's not like we get everything for free, but we do get a lot for our taxes, and most people can travel abroad on holidays - we have five weeks of "mandatory" vacation, another week is optional, so it's not like the system bleeds us dry of money.
Hi Im from Denmark here. Love your reaction.
Here is some answers to some of your questions.
The Nordman fur christmastree, is kinda pricy when compaired to other treesorts, pricing for a nordman fur at the local treefarm where i live, cost from $30 to $40 depending on size of the tree.
Tho the prices can vary and change from dealer to dealer. But if u want the Nordman fur, you pay more than the other sorts.
The law of jante, is not only danish but nordic, so Sweeden, Norway, Iceland, Faeroisland ect. also have it in their mindset. Its not something we talk about on daily basis, but something we are learned by the way of life.
here is the direct translation of the law of jante
"Don't think you're anything."
"Don't think you're as much as us."
"Don't think you're smarter than us."
"Don't think you're better than us."
"Don't think you know more than us."
"Don't think you're more than us."
"Don't think you're good at anything."
"Don't laugh at us."
"Don't think anyone cares about you."
"Don't think you can teach us anything."
Hygge is also a thing we have in the nordic areas and not only Denmark, but Danish people may be using the word more than others :D
Hygge can be many things, but to describe it the best way, is having a comfy/ good time enjoing time with either friends, family, your significant other, or even alone. For some hygge can be just be watching a movie with a blanket and a pillow, where u tug yourself in and just relax. It can be a sunset at the beach looking over the water where u have a great relaxing feeling. A party or just some family time where you enjoy the company. So hygge is not a thing, its a feeling of manythings combined.
The taxes here in Denmark is high, but honestly i would not give it away for anything. I would even pay more if we got more like free public transport and dental care. So i am happy to pay the amount of taxes we pay.
The siren alarm is very real, May 4th every year the sirens are tested in case of an emergency or attack on our country. Its been like that after WWII. So indeed they are real and they are loud. But its kinda the same as tornado warnings in Miami ect. Even some countries have siren drills more often than we do.
2 bonus facts:
1: Denmark and Sweeden is considered the 2 nations in the world with most wars against eachother, but some say its not.
2: In the year 1658 the water between Denmark and Sweeden froze, and the ice was thick enough to walk all the way across. So Sweedish military walked over the ice and captured some of the Danish areas and islands. Then the danish king made a law that some say still exist today. The law said, if a Sweedish person ever cross the frozen water by foot, all Danes can leagaly beat the sweedish with a stick. but its not being enforced
im from denmark and i love the country and love your video
Being a Dane, we do pay a high tax rate, but this also makes sure that all have equal access to a range of benefits.
Apologies for a long description of the Danish system. I’ve tried to narrow it down to narrow it down. Especially the last two sections might interest especially the US citizen.
Denmark's tax system is known for being progressive, meaning the more you earn, the higher percentage you pay in taxes.
Personal Income Tax: This is the largest source of tax revenue and includes both base tax and top tax. The base tax is a fixed percentage, while the top tax is only paid on incomes above a certain threshold.
Labor Market Contribution: Everyone who is employed pays a labor market contribution of 8% of their salary income.
VAT: Value-added tax (VAT) is a tax on goods and services, typically set at 25%.
Property Tax: Property tax consists of land tax and property value tax. The land tax has been increasing since the mid-1990s.
Corporate Tax: Companies pay corporate tax on their profits. This tax is an important source of revenue for the state.
Pension Yield Tax: This tax is levied on the returns from pension savings.
In Denmark, citizens receive a range of important services and benefits for their tax payments.
Healthcare: Access to free healthcare, including doctor visits, hospital treatments, and emergency medical services. This ensures that all citizens can receive necessary treatment without worrying about costs.
Education: Free education from primary school to university. This also includes financial support for students in the form of the State Educational Grant (SU), which helps cover living expenses during studies.
Social Benefits: A comprehensive social safety net, including unemployment benefits, child benefits, pensions, and other forms of financial support for those in need.
Infrastructure: Maintenance and development of public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, public transport, and municipal facilities. This contributes to a high quality of life and efficient transportation.
Culture and Leisure: Support for cultural institutions such as museums, libraries, theaters, and sports facilities. This ensures that everyone has access to cultural and recreational activities.
Environmental Protection: Investments in environmental protection and sustainability initiatives, which help preserve nature and reduce pollution.
Public Safety: Funding for police, fire services, and the judiciary, ensuring citizens' safety and justice.
These services and benefits are part of the Danish welfare model, which aims to create a society with a high quality of life and social justice.
Denmark also has a comprehensive parental leave system that ensures parents can take time off work to care for their newborn children.
Parents are entitled to extensive parental leave benefits, ensuring they can take time off work to care for their newborn children. Mothers are entitled to 4 weeks of maternity leave before the birth and 14 weeks of maternity leave after the birth. Fathers are entitled to 2 weeks of paternity leave within the first 14 weeks after the birth.
After the initial 14 weeks, parents can share up to 32 weeks of parental leave between them. This flexibility allows families to tailor the leave to their specific needs. During maternity and parental leave, parents can receive parental leave benefits, which are financial support from the state. The amount depends on the parents income and employment situation.
Denmark also has a well-developed vacation system that ensures workers can take time off and receive paid leave.
Employees earn the right to paid vacation during a vacation year. They earn 2.08 days of paid vacation for each month of employment.
If you receive full or partial salary during your parental leave, you earn the right to vacation with full pay the following year. If you change jobs before the next vacation period, you can take vacation with vacation pay.
These systems ensure that Danish citizens have the opportunity to care for their families and get the necessary rest, contributing to a high quality of life and a good work-life balance.
We buy a Christmas tree in Greenland from Denmark for about USD 36. Sailed all the way up to Nuuk Greenland.
16:20 yes its an annual thing... they are tested every first Wednesday of May and they are sort of a mix between warnings about local catastrophes or in case of invasion (each electronically controlled broadcasting tower can be controlled so its a localized thing or a countrywide thing). Since they are digital they can be "tested" without sound which is done more often than the annual sounds on test.
16:13 yes me and my classmates forgot about it and we were all jump scared. We have a siren near our school so it is extremely loud
16:07 We actually had the ‘alarm test’ thing today! (Idk what it’s called in English) we have that every year the first Wednesday of May, and I think it’s just to make sure it works everywhere in the country in case of an emergency 🤷🏼♀️
9:47 yes we have free Schools and free healthcare and we can rent a book in the library for free
The average mountain height is 300 m above sea level. Slættaratindur (882 m) is the highest mountain. Cape Enniberg on Viðoy (754 m) is the largest promontory in the world. There is no place with more than 5 km to the nearest coast.
Sørvágsvatn or Leitisvatn is, with its 3.56 km², the Faroe Islands' largest lake and is located on the southern part of Vágar between Miðvágur and Sørvágur. The lake is 32 meters above sea level, but from a certain angle it looks as if it is a hundred meters above sea level, as the cliff between the lake and the sea is 100 meters high.
Fun fact:
The bridge connecting Fyn and Sjælland is the 3rd longest bridge, 2nd longest suspension bridge. If it had upended before math the same year it officially upened it could have had the tittle (maybe only for a short time) worlds longest bridge.
16:18 they test it every year, at the same date and time. :) the new thing is now we have both the sirens and we get an alert on our phones, just like you see in the movies :)
2:30 it is a pretty long bridge
The taxes are not that bad. We pay about 50% but we have free schools, universities etc and we have free health care. A social safety net if we loose our job. The roads are well maintained and there's great public transport that just works, etc. The taxes are not a problem - we get *so* much back.
our airraid sirens are still only tested annually now, they are the same sirens as your Tornado Warning sirens. we just dont have Tornados here, but we do have ZEH GERMANZ XD :p they were tested every single Wednesday at 12am when we grew up in the 1980's :)
Dane here:
The taxes are high, but totally worth it. Free healthcare, free school and a safety net if you're fired and so on. In general it means more equality.
That farm house you mentioned by the sea is actually a beach house, or as we say "sommerhus" summerhouse.
And the ant food from Noma looks kinda sus. I've never tasted any of that food, and I don't intend to(also it's so expensive there).
Glad that you like "Janteloven", it means a lot to us. Of course it's okay to be happy about something that you have accomplished and tell people about is, as long as you don't brag about it, and think that you are above everyone else.
That anti-depression pill could be because of the long winters and because we have great healthcare system and the medicine costs less because of the higher taxes.
So yeah the annual testing of the sirenes is true. The only problem about this is that if you live in the country, and the wind direction is not right, it's mostly impossible to hear. I suppose they would send out cars with sirenes if there was an actual problem. The sirenes are for cases like if someone dropped an atomic bomb or something like that. We don't really have that many natural disasters in Denmark. All the kids thinks it's so cool to hear them.
I Love Norway, and I definitely think you should consider visiting Denmark!
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