What Are You Doing in Denmark?

What do Elvis Presley, Harry Potter, and McDonald’s all have in common? They’ve all taken legal swings at Denmark. In this episode, Brooke brings Derek and Mike three wild tales of copyright lawsuits that landed in Danish courtrooms - from a replica Graceland in Jutland to a magical festival that had to lose a little Hogwarts to survive. Plus, a hot dog vendor who went toe-to-toe with a global fas...

Denmark had an eventful week, and we’re breaking it all down! Brooke dives into the surprising but very Danish reason a popular band replaced their lead singer. Derek explores how Denmark is tackling rising groundwater caused by climate change. And Conrad shares a heartwarming (and extremely Danish) birthday tradition that caught him off guard. Plus, we’re joined by friend of the show and your oth...

In this episode, Derek, Brooke, and Conrad help a listener who’s considering a move by breaking down what she and her family should explore beyond the tourist hotspots. What will make the visit feel authentic and what everyday realities might surprise you? Joining the conversation is Adrian MacKinder, writer, comedian, and friend of the show who made the leap to Denmark himself. Together, we share...

In this episode, Brooke, Conrad, and Derek are joined by friend of the show, Adrian MacKinder to discuss the week's news in Denmark. You'll hear a discussion on America's egg shortage and why the US asked Denmark to buy surplus egg shipments. This leads into a debate on the merit of Danes organizing a boycott of American goods - is it a shortsighted, a solution for change, or virtue signaling? In...

In this episode, we explore the difficulties of learning Danish through a listener message. Mei from Taiwan, and part of the WAYDID community, shares her frustrating experience learning Danish and being quizzed and mocked by Danish acquaintances on her progress. We discuss the demotivating forces that can plague foreigners learning Danish and the ways in which Danes are knowingly or unknowingly ma...

In this episode, Derek sits down with Nathalie Goldstein , CEO of MyExpatTaxes and an IRS Enrolled Agent, to break down everything Americans living abroad need to know about filing their U.S. taxes. Whether you're in Denmark, Austria, or anywhere else in the world, Uncle Sam still wants his cut—and ignoring it isn’t an option. You'll find out: 💰 Do you actually have to file? (Spoiler: Probably.)...

This week​, Annie, Briana, and Derek discuss the science behind friendship and how living in close proximity to good friends impacts your mental and physical health. ​According to numerous multi-generational studies​, it's even ​the key to a longer life. ​W​hat does this mean for those of us who move to ​a​ new country and live ​a​way from our closest friends? As you may imagine, it can have a pro...

This week, Derek, Brooke, and Mike break down the most interesting headlines in Denmark. You'll learn why the Danish National Police are looking for an alternative to being on X aka Twitter and the beloved Dane that Elon Musk started a twitter fight with because his misinformation was corrected. On a lighter note, we discuss some of the recent zoo escapes in Denmark including the most recent zebra...

In this episode, Derek, Conrad, and Brooke welcome back our resident royal expert, Anna Marie, for another fascinating look at Danish royalty. She kicks things off by quizzing us on some of Denmark’s most intriguing kings and queens before diving into the life and legacy of King Christian IX. How did a king from a relatively small nation manage to shape several European monarchies for generations?...

This week, Mike Walsh rejoins Derek on the podcast to talk about the news in Denmark. You'll hear about the fallout of Ryanair's decision to pull out of two Danish airports over new taxes. In better news, you'll hear the best and worst fastelvansboller experiences including Mike's review of Burger King's 2024 attempt at a fastelavnsboller burger and which upcoming guest Derek joined for a sweet tr...

This week Derek, Annie, and Briana team up to discuss some of the headlines from around Denmark including recent polling from Greenland and some scary reports of bomb threats in Danish schools. You'll hear a discussion on the future of automobiles in Copenhagen, the history of pedestrianized streets in the city centre and Annie's hot take on what you should do with your car. Finally, the panel dis...

This week Derek is joined by Anders Morgenstierne, who has returned to WAYDID to discuss an obscure war from Danish history. Most Danes don't even know about this war - and that's because for most of history, no one in Denmark realized that it happened. During the period, Copenhagen was attacked twice and most of the Danish navy was destroyed. Despite all of that, for this particular war - which l...

Derek, Brooke, and Conrad chime in on a recent viral post that claims Danes are overly defensive when it comes to your views on Denmark. The post of focus points out that Danish people are known to ask internationals living in Denmark what they think of their Danish lives, but aren't prepared to hear anything but a glowing review of the country. Even the most mild critiques are meant with deflecti...

Have you ever heard the story of how Denmark could have had all the North Sea Oil reserves that Norway enjoys, if it wasn't for a sloppy negotiation by a drunken Danish diplomat? It's been recounted to Derek many times, ironically by intoxicated Danes who have a good laugh at their tipsy foreign policy - but how true is this story? Jeff Bond sits down to hear the real history behind this often-rep...

This week, we delve into a heated debate that's capturing attention across the nation: Should Denmark vet the democratic values of citizenship applicants through personal interviews? We explore the unprecedented case where three applicants were summoned for interviews based on their past social media posts, raising questions about legal principles, fairness, and human rights. All foreigners in the...

This week, Brooke, Conrad, and Derek are joined by Anna Marie, host of the On Royals Podcast, for a chat about a monumental year for Denmark’s royal family! From Queen Margrethe II’s historic abdication on New Year's Eve to the coronation of King Frederik X in January, we dive into the highs and the lows of this transformative first year with Frederik on the throne. Conrad helps us understand how...

This week Steven Feraru is back with Annie, Brooke, Conrad, and Derek to discuss the culture shocks and fun new experiences that internationals encounter during the Danish Christmas season. You'll learn about the things that surprised us the most when we dove into our first Christmas in Denmark, how to navigate your own Jul traditions, and why we think Denmark takes an inclusive approach to Christ...

This week, we're talking about the news and you'll hear about the shockingly high number of Danish librarians reporting anti-social behavior at work. Derek is joined by Jefferson Bond and Adrian Mackinder to dig deep into the problems faced when visiting some of Denmark's institutions of knowledge sharing. You'll learn what could 2025 laws could change how you get around Denmark and where Jeff can...

In this festive and fascinating episode, Adrian Mackinder will unravel 12 pre-Christian traditions and Norse influences that shaped our understanding of Christmas today. From the wild celebrations of Yule to the symbolism of evergreen trees and the mythological roots of Santa’s sleigh, Adrian explains how ancient festivals and Norse mythology found their way into modern holiday customs. Along with...

In this episode we're catching you up on the news around Denmark. Conrad Molden explains why members of Danish Parliament are wearing headsets and takes us into Christiansborg Slot. Ye, he visited Danish Parliament this week at the invitation of a member of Folketinget. Comedian, Anders Morgenstierne, joins the discussion with stories of his time reporting from Christianborg while working for Go'...

Denmark struggles to retain internationals, with 64% leaving within five years and only 28% of international graduates staying post-graduation. In this episode, Brooke Black, Conrad Molden, and Derek Hartman dive into why so many expats leave Denmark, the cultural and systemic barriers they face, and what it means for Denmark’s aging population and economy. This episode explores how the €7 billion...

This week you're getting the news in Denmark for week 47 with a full house and Steven Feraru at the table. We get to know Steven with a hilarious story of a doctor's visit gone wrong, Derek fills us in on the King of the Netherlands work visit to Denmark, Conrad explains the new skat previews. Brooke explains the new painting at Christianborg that's a dose of female empowerment and it's inspired A...

In this episode of What Are You Doing in Denmark , Derek Hartman sits down with Kriti Prajapati, a comedian from India who’s making waves in the Danish comedy scene. Since moving to Denmark in 2017, Kriti has co-produced Almost Danes , a hit comedy show that humorously tackles the quirks of Danish culture through the eyes of an international. Kriti shares her journey from engineering to comedy, sh...

We are breaking down all the weeks news and not mentioning the US Election at all! Conrad has a technology report about a Danish super computer that nobody really understands and Brooke has updates that influencers and marketing teams in Denmark need to be aware of, all from a little issue with Lily in Copenhagen. Derek has some important information for people are are biking or using the toilets...

Derek is joined by comedian and actor, Jeff Bond to talk about the history of Halloween and how it's taken shape in Denmark and around the world. Throughout the discussion, Jeff decides what Halloween creature he would hire as an assistant and he assigns Derek a gangster name. You'll learn about the origins of the spooky holiday and what the future of Halloween means for Fastelavn. Derek weighs-in...