7 shadows of Denmark.

I wrote about the good sides of Denmark, that it is the country you can easily enjoy living in. But there has to be “but”. So what is not so good here?

1. Sham happiness.
   Are Danes really the happiest nation in Europe? According to some research, they are. But those research main questions are satisfaction with education, healthcare, social benefits. Those are really good here. Danes don’t need to worry. However, if we want to measure their inner sense of happiness, it won’t be so great, I guess. Otherwise, why would they use so many anti-depressants? Or maybe they are happy because they are on them?

   

2. Sham openness.
   In the beginning, you might have the impression that they are very open to the world and other people. After some time you discover the opposite. Yes, they are polite, yes, they will talk about the weather with a neighbor. But that’s it. They won’t ask about your family life, they won’t invite you to the house. Uninvited visits are unwelcome. After almost 5 years I do not have Danish friends.
3. The weather.
   Clouds, rain, wind. No sun, no vitamin D. Depression through at least half of a year. And I love sun and light, and when you can just take a child and a dog and go out without wearing 3 layers of clothes. And in Denmark, it is wise to have a sweater, jacket, raincoat or maybe even rain shoes. Umbrella is not that good idea because of the wind. Surely, it’s not always that bad. Maybe there wasn’t summer this year but the previous year it was even hot here. I remember I took a summer collection of dresses out of the wardrobe. The day lasts around 20 hours during summer what makes falling asleep quite difficult. But in autumn and winter, lack of sun is really noticeable.

   

4. Information.
   Or rather lack of it. It begins the moment you arrive and try to get your CPR number. All your friends will advise you differently because they applied for it different ways. You will expect to find answers at the municipal office but it is also not that easy. As in many other offices, you will be told things depends on the day and the person. I don’t know if they don’t have the answers and they are too lazy to search for it or maybe they are sure they are right. But it happens that they aren’t and for those mistakes, it is you who will pay.
5. Flatness.
   Danish landscape is flat and smooth. The highest peak is hardly 170,86m. There are beautiful places, and I will write another time about them, but I love mountains and altitude. And there is simply no mountains here.

   

6. Shops.
   Denmark is a rich country but you won’t notice it in many supermarkets. There is no choice of products. Maybe it makes shopping faster cause you won’t dwell on which ketchup is better, but then you stand in the line to the cashier and waste minutes you saved on the ketchup shelf. Well, you can always use the time in the queue to double check what you’ve bought. Maybe some carrots went already bad or maybe those cherry tomatoes rest on a soft moldy pillow.
7. Housing market.
   I wrote once about apartment hunting in Denmark. It is a disaster. There is always somebody looking for a flat or a room. You will hear stories about unbelievably high deposits or problems with getting them back. I think you can only feel safe when you buy an apartment or when you get one from the municipality. I live in a local number 7. And it’s been only 4,5 years.