In March this year, The Copenhagen Post did a survey asking our users various questions including if it’s hard to make new Danish friends.
A large majority of the more than 225 respondents either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that it was.
Since we conducted the survey the editorial team have spoken to numerous internationals asking them how they made Danish friends.
Some have succeeded. Others find it difficult to get under the skin of the Danes. And others don’t have the feeling they have any close Danish friends.
A question of culture
In recent weeks The Copenhagen Post, have dug into the question of culture. A new report concludes that Danish culture needs to evolve for global talent to contribute significantly to the Danish economy.
At the hearing healthcare giant Demant and the tech company IBM the management teams are aware of the cultural and social barriers that often become very visible when internationals join a Danish company.
As Thomas Kovsted, the CEO of IBM Denmark, says about the Danes: “We’re super social in the office, but when we go home we check out socially.”
A glance in the mirror
All these things made me reflect on my own social life. I see myself as an open-minded individual, but the bare bones of my life might suggest otherwise – or at least seen from a newcomer’s point of view.
I live in Østerbro, a 20-minute drive from the town of Birkerød where I grew up. I went to school with most of my closest friends.
I was one of the few from my group of friends at upper-secondary school who left the Copenhagen area to study. I went to Aarhus – just three hours away from the capital – but returned to Copenhagen as soon as I could, even though I really enjoyed living in Jutland.
I graduated from the Danish School of Journalism in 2008. The number of people I met during my years as a student or employee who I consider close friends, including my wife, is closer to five than ten.
The same is true of the number of times my colleagues and I have gathered outside working hours with partners joining in the fun.
More aware
Does that mean I’m not as open-minded as I tend to believe? Does my history make me a part of the problem (if it is a problem)? And if it is, what should we do about it? The truth is that I don’t really know.
I do, however, think we can all be more aware that settling in this country can be hard.
On the other hand, newcomers can also take the first step. I think it would be pretty cool to receive an invitation from a colleague from another culture.
Best regards,
Uffe Jørgensen Odde
Editor-in-Chief
