10 things that stand out when you go to Denmark

When you move to a different country you'll always see things that are different from the things you're used to. The same applies to Denmark. Below you'll find an overview of 10 things that I noticed during my first weeks, with a picture at the bottom of each paragraph.

1. Cyclists use a stopping signal
WHY?? In the Netherlands we indicate a left or right turn by extending our arm in that particular direction. In Denmark they do it too, but they also put up an arm, while bending your elbow in a 90 degrees angle. This indicates that you're slowing down. By the time I calculated the angle of my elbow, I'm already standing still.

http://cycleguide.dk/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/proper-signals1.png


2. Shops have plastic bags without handles
Not all, but a lot of stores do this. Okay, I understand how this would help the environment, since you don't need a machine to punch two holes in the bag, but how am I going to carry my stuff home?

http://imgur.com/obnPe72


3. Fruit is priced per piece
We'll stick to Danish stores for now. Why would you price an apple, pear or banana per piece, rather than basing the price on their weight? Every time I go, they only have these tiny bananas. Bastards.

http://www.contemporarynomad.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/mini-bananas-1.jpg


4. Bathrooms are extremely small
Ever seen a "Copenhagen bathroom"? Maybe you have visited one before when you went to the toilet. Maybe you didn't notice that you can also take a shower in there.

http://www.kayak.com.au/rimg/himg/95/ab/10/ean-279295-2388463_42_b-image.jpg?width=502&height=669


5. Walls are freshly painted every time a new tenant moves in
Some local politician came up with this. Because this bureaucratic rule does not allow any exceptions, the walls are even painted when somebody else takes over my apartment after just 3 months.

http://img01.deviantart.net/1dc0/i/2009/326/2/9/white_painting_wall_by_lothar1410.jpg


6. The metro is driverless
No driver? The first time I was surprised when I entered the metro. However, this means that you can sit in the front and watch the endless railroad tracks. Who doesn't like that?

http://www.finmeccanica.com/documents/10437/1147672/original_copenhagen_2_back.jpg


7. No movie break in the cinema
Apparently this is the same in many countries. In the Netherlands it's common to have a break halfway the movie, while in Denmark they show the full movie without a break. When am I supposed to get popcorn if I'm not hungry when the movie starts? First world problems...

http://emmaseetcafe.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Cinema.jpg


8. Haircuts cause budget cuts
What do you pay for a haircut at home? Try to double it, then you'll approach the Danish price. If you're lucky, you can get a male haircut for 200 crowns (about 27 euro). On average it will be between 250 and 350 (33 - 47 euro). I think I'll take a hairdresser course to save some money.

http://previews.123rf.com/images/madmaxer/madmaxer1008/madmaxer100800143/7629474-3d-illustration-of-scissors-cutting-dollar-banknote-Stock-Illustration.jpg


9. Large soft drink sizes
Try ordering a medium coke in a restaurant, cinema or wherever you are. It's quite likely you won't receive a medium-sized glass. Instructions: 'small' means medium, 'medium' means large, 'large' means American, i.e. instant heart attack.

http://ethicsalarms.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/michael-bloomberg-soda-ban.jpg


10. Unisex toilets
This characterizes the dominant value of equality in Danish society. If men and women are considered equal, why would they need separate toilets? Well, some men pee everywhere except in the toilet, while one woman can cause a 10 minutes waiting line...

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/p/d/f/f_bremer_sch_9404.jpg