American paranoia?

cicerone imposter:
Yeah I've heard that a lot of Americans never get to leave their country and there's nothing wrong with that.
Of course everyone wants what's best for their family and that's the way it should be.

About the "Making fun of other people" I don't really think that's the case to be honest with you. There's nothing negative in what we're saying and everyone knows that.
It's more like if one of your friends see you doing something stupid and then says "You're an idiot! Haha". You would probably both just laugh at it or maybe you would reply with some witty comment.

I guess it also depends on people's kind of humour. If you know people are joking, you won't get upset as easily.
I don't see myself as intolerant at all though. Quite the opposite. I like diversity.
It's not like I don't want to talk to Norwegians, Swedes, Dutch, French etc. It's all in good fun and if it upset someone I would stop of course. Not trying to hurt anyones feelings here.
It's not just a Danish thing though... The Swedes and Norwegians always make fun of the way we talk in Denmark. We have always had this Scandinavian teasing going on. Our languages are very similar but Danish sounds like we have something stuck in our throats apparently.

I'm a big fan of computer games and I have played a lot of them in my life. Usually I have been in US clans/squads/teams when playing but also in some Euro ones. Never been in a Danish one. I actually like foreigners more than Danish people most of the time. Hehe

Yeah, but if you *were* to say you're from Denmark, most Americans wouldn't know if that meant you were from Europe, or Southeast Asia, or maybe Canada...we ain't too hot with the geography over here...

Cyphercat:
Haha I've noticed that a couple of times on the internet. Someone thought Denmark was the capital of Holland and another guy said "Denmark? That's in Canada, right?"

If people don't know where Denmark is, they should just ask me. Hehe I don't judge them as being stupid just cause they don't know where I live. There's no way in hell I could ever name all your states either. If people mention them, I will probably recognize the name and will know it's a state in USA but I can't remember that many myself.

There's no shame in admitting you don't know everything.

In case anyone doesn't know and cares... Denmark is located just north of Germany, East of UK, South of Norway and West/South West of Sweden.

I'm sure, many Americans know at least: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark - but I wonder, what would happen when asking them: "En gang til for prins Knud" :wink: :wink:

Americans are proud, self-righteous and cocky and now we are in the position were we have been fooled and exploited by our own government. In our 200 years or so we have held pride that we have not been like others. Now we find ourselves in the position where we voted for the death of thousand upon thousands for all the wrong reasons.

We are in the state of bewilderment.

Hehe Walter.

"One more time for prince Knud."


Well there are some things you Americans may know from Denmark...

Lego (And Legoland)

Carlsberg and Tuborg Beer

Morten Andersen (NFL kicker)

The little Mermaid (In Copenhagen)

Hitman series (computer games if you're into those things)

Aqua - I'm a Barbie girl! ()

Niels Bohr (Danish physicist... If that's your interest)

Hamlet takes place here.

Bang & Olufsen (B&O... Audio, Tv, speakers etc. Expensive but sweet.)

Mærsk (Or Maersk. Largest container ship operator and supply vessel operator in the world. They also have airplanes etc.)


There's probably more but I have a horrible memory. Hehe

Europe is laughing at us.

We have Tom Paine.

And cowboys!

"Tre øl" - that's what I always will remember as a Danish sentence

Had been with the navy in Aalborg, and was out with two friends, ages ago.

We went in a pub and ordered a beer each. After some time, we were .... well, even the weaker (than German) Danish beer "gets results" after a couple of hours.

One friend went aboard, the two of us looked around the place ... for a toilet. Which we searched in the nearby department store.
But not speaking Danish we couldn't find it.
Returned to the pu, ordered - we didn't know more than one snetence in Danish, see above - three beer.
Went out again.
Looked for a toilet.
Didn't find one, since we didn't speak Danish.
Walked back to the pub.
Ordered ... ... ...

Amigo:
No need to feel guilty though. Only idiots would hold the American population personally responsible for the action of the gov.

If Americans come to Denmark I really doubt anyone would treat them any different than we treat all other tourists. Sometimes I get the feeling that a lot of Americans make this "shield" around themselves cause they expect everyone to hate them. That "shield" can be mistaken for arrogance though so it would be better to drop it completely. I bet your travels around Europe would be a lot more pleasant if you did.

The whole "I'm proud to be an American!" thing isn't really needed. Of course you're proud to be American. Hehe and I'm proud to be a Dane but I don't carry a banner saying that.
If you go to France and act all patriotic all the time and say "I'm proud to be an American!", you might as well just say "I'm glad I'm not French!"

There's nothing wrong with being proud of where you live but there's just no need to keep repeating it everywhere. Just go enjoy your vacation instead.

Amigo:
No idea who's laughing at you... We may laugh at Bush quite often but who doesn't?



Walter Hinteler:
Haha nice story. You guys must have been pretty drunk though cause Toilet in Danish is... Wait for it... *drumroll*... Toilet.
A normal beer in Denmark is 4.6%... Not sure what a German beer is to be honest. If it takes too long to get drunk, we do have vodka, gin, tequila etc. too though.

"Tre øl." is an important sentence to remember.

We voted for Bush and we are supposed to be the model democracy for the rest of the world.

Tom Paine world wide.

Are we going through adolescents?

Amigo:
You said it yourself though.. "now we are in the position were we have been fooled and exploited by our own government."
How should you know they would fool you?

About being the model democracy... Are you guys supposed to be that? Why? Stop trying to be perfect. Hehe no one is and no one ever will be. Not like the world falls a part because USA makes a mistake. We will still be here after your next election.

We don't need a model democracy to be able to figure out how to vote and democracy isn't a race. How would you compare the different democracies in the world anyway? The US model works, the Danish one works, the Dutch one works, the German one works... And so on.

American arrogance.

Amigo:
Why are you so hard on yourself and your fellow Americans?
Think you need to go to Europe and see for yourself... It sounds like you dislike USA more than anyone I have ever talked to before.

I was a very invovled activist. I was in the street protesting the 2004 election and so on and so on. I have no more respect for Americans.

Somehow I believe we will be able to get by, even without what you call respect.

Amigo:
I see. That's your choice... I still don't think the European countries share that lack of respect though.
If it's that bad, why don't you go to Canada or Europe or something then? :wink:

Or to Germany or Denmark - especially, since both countries will be connected in future by a bridge over the Femern Bælt/Fehmarn Belt :wink:

Hehe Walter.
Well Germany and Denmark wouldn't be bad choices for an American actually. Never heard of Americans being treated badly in Denmark and I've heard quite a few Americans who like Germany.

Well I do remember one night flight, during some vary bad weather in the North Sea, being diverted from an aircraft carrier operating there because of an aircraft hydraulic system failure to the Danish Airbase at Alborg. I had very little fuel left and the approach, with no flaps, in the fog & low ceilings was a challenge. The Danish (I assume) air controller was marvelously calm, authoritative and proficient. "If you do exactly as I say, you will get down OK" - was the attitude he exuded. It worked out as he demanded, and I spent a couple of good days there waiting for the aircraft to get repaired. I recall some pleasant evenings - and standing on the tables singing in the beer halls & taverns with a bunch of happy Danes.