Eoin O’Sullivan is an improv comedian and freelance audio producer from Ireland. He is part of the Coping in Copenhagen podcast team, which launched in 2019 and has been available at cphpost.dk since 2020, and has been living in Denmark for five years. We asked Eoin (pronounced Owen) about what he likes about living in Copenhagen.
I settled in Denmark because … I wanted a change of scenery and Denmark sounded like an interesting idea.
If you asked me if it was love at first sight … I would say I knew it was something. I don’t know if it was love at first sight, but I knew it was something special straightaway.
My favourite thing about living in Copenhagen is … when it’s hot, you’re never far from the water. We’re always close to some place to jump in.
And my favourite observation about Danes is … the mutual respect you see on a day-to-day basis.
Here in Denmark, I never get used to … having a drunk conversation with a Dane and then pretending not to know them the next day.
Jeg kan tale … Danske at level two through Duolingo. That’s about as far as I can go with Danish.
On an integration scale of 1 to 10 I would say I’m … a five. I think I’m a five anywhere I go because while I am part of society, I also have an individual identity, and I’m never 100 percent in. I have friends who are into the Danish style of living and it is interesting to me as well, but only some parts. I’m comfortable with or without it, even though I have enough understanding of Danish culture because I am a curious person, but I still do not completely relate to it.
I have more international friends in my social circle because … it’s easier to make international friends. There’s a mutual thing we have: the camaraderie of being a non-Dane living in Denmark. But I’d like to have more Danish friends, and I am working on it.
I think the best way of making Danish friends is … to work with them, go to school with them, or have a hobby with them. If you share the same interests, there’s a good chance you’ll start chatting.
If I should recommend something to a visitor to Copenhagen … then I would tell them to avoid the city centre near Strøget, go to Reffen during the summer and, if it’s not sunny, grab a beer in Nørrebro.
If I could choose three food and drink venues, they would be … Jaguar Bodega on a Friday night – it’s an iconic bodega. Det Lille Apotek for Danish food – it’s really nice. And Lygten Kro for beer and German food.
The best places to visit on a budget are … well, it’s ridiculous. Have a bigger budget if you’re coming to Copenhagen. That’s my answer. Oh! Those bazaars are always good for cheap fruit and vegetables. But still have a bigger budget.
The three words that I think best describe Copenhagen are … big little town.
Following a recent surge in interest, Eoin is hopeful that awareness of the Coping in Copenhagen podcasts about life in Denmark and Copenhagen will continue to increase, and that people will also realise there’s a wonderful array of English comedy and theatre in Denmark that can be enjoyed by Danes and internationals equally. He is next scheduled to perform on Wednesday May 3 from 19:00-20:30 at Lygten Station and on Friday 5 May from 20:00-22:00 at LiteraturHaus.
