Last Week in Denmark

Failing Danish Classes, Dental Costs, December Stress: LWID S4E19

• Season 4 • Episode 19

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 Language Lessons, Teeth, and Tired Families in Denmark. Denmark is ending the year under pressure. In this season finale, Katie and Kalpita, internationals living in Denmark, look at why adult Danish language classes are failing learners, how a proposed free dental check is fueling inequality, and why children say December leaves parents stressed and distracted.  From integration and healthcare costs to family life and expectations, the conversation links national debates to what everyday life in Denmark actually feels like. 

Topics: 

(01:36) Danish Classes

(12:44) Danish Dental Care Costs

(21:18) Danish December Stress for kids and parents

(30:59) Last Week in Denmark Season 4 Round up

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Katie: 

Welcome to the final episode of season four of the last week in Denmark. This is Katie and I'm with the wonderful Kalpita for our final episode of this season. Can you believe it's the final episode of the season, Kalpita?

Kalpita:B

I know. It's already the end of the year. I still remember sitting in January talking about all kinds of trade wars and, yeah, crisis management and Donald Trump, of.

Katie: 

All people, Donald Trump. We actually haven't had a session or an episode on him in a little maybe. I just haven't been paying attention. I'm just like, let's talk about the Cinnamon poll. Yay.

Kalpita:B

No, thank God we're not talking about him. Although he keeps himself very, very relevant in the news. I just absolutely do not like talking about him at the podcast. I will talk about cinnamon polls every episode if I have to, but not him.

Katie: 

Though. I have very good news for you today because the three topics that we have have absolutely nothing to do with Donald Trump.

Kalpita:B

Perfect.

Katie: 

Firstly, we're going to be talking about a new government report that says Danish classes for adults, for internationals, need a revision on how they can be made better. They need a major overhaul. And where do you start? What do you do? There's a proposal for a free dental check plan, and this is sparking a big debate, which is surprising. No, maybe not so surprising when we get into the details. And then a survey has found that kids are saying that parents are too busy in December, which I'm not that surprised at, but we're going to dig into that today. So let's start from the beginning with the Danish classes. You've done Danish classes, have you, since you came to Denmark?

Kalpita:B

I did Danish classes. I passed my PD3 and then I did a very bad job of continuing my Danish language practice. But I was lucky to be working in a Danish workplace and have a Danish husband. So I didn't completely lose touch with my language skills, but I think I could have done better in school.

Katie: 

Okay, so this is it.

Kalpita:B

Not because I was a bad student.

Katie: 

Sorry. Very important to say. Come on. No, no one was suggesting that. So I suppose this is a new government report that says Danish classes for Adult International need a major overhaul because the system is too fragmented and confusing. Agreed. Different rules, funding models and providers make it hard for learners to progress smoothly and the quality varies wildly throughout the country. So they basically set up a working group to have a look. What are the current challenges of the Danish language education offerings and what is the plan to fix them? Does that resonate with you? And your experience with the Danish classes that it's kind of a bit all over the place and you don't know what's going on. What do you think?

Kalpita:B

Yeah, absolutely. I think it's also very much based on how many students pass and they get paid based on how many students are pushed forward. So I can totally testify towards that. Old schools, at least the ones I went to, and I went to about three schools where I felt that they were just trying to push students more and more towards a passing grade. They did keep some behind because they were too scared that they were not going to be able to make it. But there was largely a focus on getting people to pass the exams, no matter whether they could actually use the language, whether it was writing, reading or speaking. At some point, the course totally ignored the reading bit and there was more focus on speaking and the writing, which I didn't appreciate at all. There are so many avenues and aspects about going through a Danish education that is not confidence building or vocabulary building. It's very, very clinical. I think I do know people who are really, really clever and, you know, put in the hard work, but, you know, it's. It's not benefiting people. Once school is over, nobody's going out and using the language. Has. Has your experience been different?

Katie: 

Yeah, mine is kind of varied. So coming from Ireland, so we are not good at languages as a country. You either have people who are amazing and they spend like their career and their life will kind of revolve around the fact that they speak this extra language or they don't speak an extra language at all, which is ridiculous because we all have to learn Irish from age 4 to age 18 and we have to pass an exam in Irish to be able to go to college. And then at some point they also introduced. I don't know if it's still there. I'm old. But when I was in college, you had to pass an exam in another language. So it could be French or German or Spanish or whatever, but unless you had that, your choice in colleges was very, very limited, or you could only do science. So I did French as an extra. And I can't speak any French. I can't speak any Irish. I have more Danish than both. So when I first got here, it was the most positive language learning experience I'd ever had. Because I think in Ireland they do genuinely just don't know how to teach a language. And I think with Irish it's because not that many people speak it, so you don't have that many options. And no one's really taught very well, so they're kind of making it up as you go. But it's even in French. There was a lot of learning verbs and learning. Just learning things and not actually understanding how to speak instead of sentences. So when I came here and I did module one, and it was very, very practical. Like, I feel like module one is very. This is how you fill out a form. This is how you go to Siri and you make your way through Danish and you tell them your phone number and you tell them your email address and all these kind of things that do make sense. And obviously learning the numbers is very important to be able to get your order at McDonald's. So really, really practical thing from the get go.

Kalpita:B

Very important.

Katie: 

And then. But once it kind of. Then module two was okay, but it was module three where they. They only look at writing and reading. Maybe there's a listening one as well. But then I got to module four and I was just like, I have no idea what's going on. I also have a slight complaint, which I'm not sure I'm allowed to say, because as a native English speaker, you go in and you do that initial meeting and they kind of go like, okay, have you ever learned a language before? And I'm like, well, kind of, but not really. And they're like, no, no, no, that absolutely helps. But then you go in and they start using words like genitive and present perfect. And I've never learned what that is. I've always just done it. So I would go home and I would be looking up things like present perfect in English to then work back to be like, what did we just do in Danish? Like what? I did not understand the exercise we were doing, so it really just stopped working for me. And then I also just found it so hard after a full day of working to then go do two hours of Danish. And it really depended on the people you were with as well. So, like, how engaged were they? How much Danish did they have? But also, if they had a very difficult accent or if my Danish was just particularly terrible that day, were we actually getting anything out of it? It felt very much as well that they were just throwing exercises at us and you could ask questions, but if you weren't good enough, it was like, why? Why would I ask questions? Like, I don't know.

Kalpita:B

I think you. You had a better experience than I did. Because my experience was not practical at all. I did not have the experience of how to make a phone call to Siri and How do I announce my phone number or my email address or anything like that? Instead, I. I learned about very random things that I would never use in my everyday life. For example, talking about sustainability. I mean, who am I going to sit and have that conversation with in Danish? That too. I understand the aim with the language learning is to prepare people for the job market. But then the job market doesn't ask you to have a whole discussion on sustainability. Or what is my opinion about privatization of healthcare in Denmark. That's not the conversation I'm going to have if I was to have a conversation about at an interview or in my workplace. It's daily life. How was your weekend? Did you see the match? Or what are you going to do over the weekend? Or did you see this particular thing happening in Denmark or are you reading the news or whatever? Something like that. And I don't find myself having learned that at Danish school. That was my exposure to people being social in Denmark and realizing that holy moly, people talk personal stuff and it's almost no holds bar. And that became a bit awkward. Culture shock. Ish. Because I would never talk about my boyfriend or my husband or my mother in law to people I don't know.

Katie: 

Yeah, that was weird to be like, these are the problems I have at home. And you're like, I don't know this person. I don't want this.

Kalpita:B

Yeah, exactly. But that's the kind of thing I would have hoped that I learned in Danish lessons. You know, how do I have a actual conversation and not a conversation that requires me to talk about sustainability, but just daily life, you know, I did this, I did that, or I took a walk or look how everything is expensive or this is my favorite chocolate or you know, something like that, which I didn't feel supported by the, by the education that we got in Danish language. Which also makes me feel a bit handicapped when I am trying to have a conversation with people. Maybe someone randomly, you know, I did a kind act and gave somebody my seat and that person was kind back and said thank you. And then they made a offhand statement about something which I don't catch, I don't understand. And then I stand there looking like a fool, just smiling at them and feeling embarrassed. But you know, that's, that's the point in time when I want to use my Danish language and you know, be able to have some kind of banter. And that's the way you integrate, I think. And that's a very, very Danish thing, that banter. When you get that opportunity is so, so essential. That's where, that's where you connect with people. And I think it also helps build trust. So go back and revise this education.

Katie: 

I do think you raised like a really, really important point that they really need to kind of think what do we want people to get out of this like classroom experience? Because I feel like as well, let's say I walk out of that class tomorrow and I'm able to be Danish and I'm amazing. I'm not getting a job in Danish. Like I won't speak the Danish that I need to get a job where I speak in Danish. So I think the working group needs to really figure out what do we want people to get from these courses. Because like that if I walk out and I'm fluent in Danish, I'm not going to get hired for a Danish job. I will still be working an English speaking job. So, okay, it's good to know work language I guess in Danish. But like really I'm going to be in an English speaking company but say like my partner's family, they don't speak a lot of English. I too would love to be able to talk to them on a personal level and be able to understand what they're talking, talking about as well. So is it integration and talking with Danish people and being part of culture or is it strictly work focus? And at the moment I think like you're saying it's very work, very functional focused and not about actually getting to know people at all. So I mean, I'm glad they're looking at it. But when a government's spending money on classes, do we think they're going to move away from kind of this capitalist idea of how do we get more people into work right away? I don't know, but at least they've identified there's a problem.

Kalpita:B

Yeah, and that's great. I think the other thing that also needs to be given attention is how long people get in the Danish classes. You know, it's just a quick in and out and then after that you have zero exposure to the language. Also, many people do work in English workplaces if they have a job, especially when they come newly to Denmark. And those who don't are also struggling because I mean, it's not everybody that gets to work in a corporate or in a workplace that mainly speaks English. People do cleaning jobs, kitchen jobs. That's where most people also get to learn their Danish because that's where you will find a Danish boss and they will only communicate with you in Danish. So it is also a priority of how long you want students to be in the course and what do they get out of it. Irrespective of whether it's to prepare you for the job market or for social integration or whatever that is. Those goals need to be set and revised and looked into as well. I'm very glad that this. This thing is happening. Let's see, maybe next season five we talk about how the course has been improved.

Katie: 

Yes, I would love that. But I think we can all agree that it can be improved. And hopefully, even if it just improves a slight amount, it will be worth it. Like 1% improvement will be much better, per usual.

Kalpita:B

I think they should talk to the students, ask them what they want, and take feedback from them, and then make improvements.

Katie: 

Why aren't we in charge of everything, Kalbita?

Kalpita:B

I mean.

Katie: 

Well, maybe you should be in charge and I'll just cheerlead.

Kalpita:B

We can have our own ministry and you can be the minister and I'll be the assistant who does all the work.

Katie: 

Yeah, I'll just be much louder. But anyway, we'll move on to our second topic of the day, which is a proposal for a free dental check plan. So there's a bit of a debate going on about this. The government wants to give every adult a yearly dentist a free dentist appointment so that you can get your cleaning and check that everything's okay. And the hope is that more people will catch problems early without worrying about the cost. So when you hear it like that, you're like, cool, what's the big deal? What's the problem? But the debate is that clinics say it could get young adults back in the chair, but warn the plan may actually widen inequality because money is taken from treatment subsidies to fund universal checkups. So those with serious dental issues could end up paying more, while healthier residents get a discount by getting a free checkup. So seems to be a bit divided on whether this is a good thing or not. What do you think and how do you feel about the dentist?

Kalpita:B

Well, I have no problem with the dentist. I'm very brave like that.

Katie: 

No, I hate the dentist. I'm sorry if there's any dentist listeners, but it's very scary and I hate it.

Kalpita:B

I don't see the point of this whole thing. If I cannot pay a dentist visit, then I don't go to a dentist. And that's what's happening right now. But at the same time, a dentist visit is not the problem that people are facing. The problem is that they need to visit a dentist. Only when their dental health is in dire crisis. So if that's the case, then you land up paying no matter what. So it's irrespective of whether you do a dentist visit or not. That's just counterproductive for me. I don't think it's the dentist fees that is a problem. It's the dentist treatment fees that is the problem. I hope that's a distinction that they understand and do something about it. That I would rather have subsidiaries to take out my wisdom tooth, get my teeth cleaned or fill up a cavity instead of having the fear of visiting a dentist. I mean, it's 500k, a thousand kona max, depending on where you're going. But what is a big bummer is that I'm paying 5,000 kona for just a basic treatment for my teeth. That money. I don't have 500. I don't mind paying the dentist. I would actually be happy to pay a dentist that money because then I know I'm getting some kind of preventive health care. But I'm curious. Why are you scared of a dentist?

Katie: 

Oh, my God, it's so scary. Like you were saying, like, of course I'll go to the dentist. I'm like, yeah, but I don't want to. What if they get mad at me? I don't know where this comes from. I am an adult. I know I function and I have a job and I'm very responsible in lots of ways. But I am afraid that the dentist will yell at me and tell me that my teeth are bad, which they're not. I've never. I have like, two or three cavities. I've had one wisdom tooth out. I have no, like, traumatic episodes with the dentist. But I am so afraid to go, and I don't want to go. So that's. But would this fix anything for me? No, it's. You're right in the sense that it's like the thing that's stopping me from going is the fear. It's not the 500 kroner. I do get where they're coming from in the sense that if I'm a student, then I'm not going to go, because 500 kronor, that goes a long way when you're a student, particularly if you're buying, like, Bacardi Breezers and Shakers in, you know, like, that's. That's a lot. Whereas, you know, and then you kind of get in the habit and then you like, oh, I don't need to go. And then your Problems get worse and then Suddenly instead of one cavity, it's 10 cavities. Yeah. Or instead of, you know, a wisdom tooth, like, I got a wisdom tooth taken out preventatively. I was so worried. I was like, I. What's going to happen to my face? I work, I'm a customer. I have a customer facing job. So I'm always on camera. So I was like, oh, am I going to be able to talk to people? What am I going to do? I was fine. I went to work. The next day was completely fine. But it was because they were like, oh, this could cause a problem. So we're going to take it out. Whereas if you wait until your wisdom tooth is pushing on a nerve or it's growing into your other teeth, that's obviously going to be much more painful. So I do see there's an element of if you come in early, they will catch these problems, your teeth will be clean. So there's going to be less escalation of these issues when they do go wrong. But I agree with you, if you then go to the dentist and they're like, Great, give us 7,000 kroner to be able to eat food for the next six months, then it kind of just all falls apart right away. And then if it's also being taken from treatment subsidies so that people who do have very serious dental issues are now getting less money towards those treatments, then you're like, oh, no one's really going to win with this in the long term. I also feel like big teeth is a thing. I think they know how to fix this problem in our mouths. And just the whole dentist dentistry is a way to keep getting money. Like, oh, no, you have to come to us to get a proper clean. But then, like, we need to use them over a very long time of 70 years, they're gonna degrade. So, like, the problems are just gonna keep getting worse. And I don't. This is not a big enough thing that they're trying to do to fix these issues, in my opinion.

Kalpita:B

Yeah.

Katie: 

And the dentist is scary.

Kalpita:B

I totally agree. I think they are. They're missing the point. Just like so many other things, they are missing the point. There was a report, actually that a lot of young people are ignoring their dental health and that is causing young people even more serious health problems, especially related to infection and things like that and pain and. And just not living a very healthy life. It does not help that we are a nation that drinks a lot of sodas and we are big on candy and that's Irrespective of age, but especially the youth. And we are a big alcohol and cigarette smoking country as well. Snooze has also become a very, very popular thing, which is to do with really, really bad dental health. And that's not improving. So maybe that's something to look at as well than pushing people to go and see a dentist. There are many underlying problems as well, and I totally agree. The only thing I agree with paying for dental treatments is if you're getting anything cosmetic.

Katie: 

That's true.

Kalpita:B

One must absolutely pay for any cosmetic treatments regarding dental health. But otherwise, like you said, we are people and everybody is going to have deteriorating dental health. And that should be accounted for irrespective of age and where you come from and what kind of dental health you have. And maybe make it more fun so people like you feel more comfortable going to see the dentist.

Katie: 

Yeah, it can make it more fun. Yeah. I don't know why it doesn't. Why it's so scary. It doesn't have to be this way. Why is there a big light? Why is it shining in my eyes and my face? I know they need to see my teeth, but I. I don't know. There has to be a better way, in my opinion.

Kalpita:B

What would make it better? Do you think there should be a rave or there be.

Katie: 

I don't know that would. I do not belong in a rave. Absolutely not. No. I know this is stupid, but I wish I could go in and be like, I'm very scared. And they'd be like, it's okay. Don't worry about it. That's all I need. I just need to be sure no one's going to be mad at me.

Kalpita:B

Hey, but you're not the only one. It is very, very common for people to have fear of being at the dentist. I know so many people who have the same fear as you do. And it is actually a study that shows that there are many, many people that are scared of the dentist. And it's very normal. So don't feel alone.

Katie: 

Yeah, that's nice. Thank you. I do. My dentist is very good. The one that I go to in Aarhus. I think I did tell them as well. They have. When you, like, sign up, they're like, is there anything we should know? And one of them is fear of the dentist. And I put that in and then they were very nice.

Kalpita:B

I wish my doctor asked me. I have a fear of syringes, but it's not like I faint or anything like that. It's not something like I just get really, really, really nervous. I, I don't, I don't have good words to say about how I, how I feel in my mind.

Katie: 

Someone's chasing you around a room with a syringe. That's what I'm p picturing in my head. But I hope that's not.

Kalpita:B

That has been a true story when I was a young one. So that's not funny. Is legit. So every time I have to go to the doctor, I'm getting vaccinated. I have to tell them, okay, this is, I don't need to sit down, I don't need to lie down. I'm fine like that. But once you poke me, I'm probably going to scream or I'm going to start crying or something. I'll do my best not to move. So I always have my husband with me these days because even if I'm.

Katie: 

An adult, it's hard being an adult.

Kalpita:B

It is.

Katie: 

I don't think that should be. I think I'm an adult. I'm sensitive. Everyone should be nice to me. Children have it very easy. Everyone can be mean to them. They have a lifetime to get better. It's. I personally as an adult, I have to get up early. I have to make my own food. I can't cope. Everyone has to be very nice.

Kalpita:B

And you have to pay taxes, Katie. That right?

Katie: 

What is that about?

Kalpita:B

Yeah, but kids don't have it easy this holiday season, do they?

Katie: 

No. So that's moving on to the final news item for our final episode. Kelpie, as I mentioned that it's the final episode. So this is a survey that was done with kids and it found that children believe that their parents are too busy in December. So this is more than one in four children. Notice how stressed adults get during the festive rush with cooking, school events, gifts, family work, deadlines and trying to make everything perfect. So the result of the study is basically for experts to warn that the overload is killing the cozy moments for families that we normally associate with Christmas or that we see in these Hallmark movies. Are you surprised to hear that?

Kalpita:B

Not at all. I fully 1000% relate to it. I have a very, very enthusiastic, loving, hyggeasing mother in law and she will do everything in her physical, emotional capacity to make sure Christmas is the best time for everybody in the family. Bless her heart. But we have had conversations over, okay, you are getting stressed out. You know, let us help. We will do something. Maybe you should just take it easy this year. But she's also working at the same time There has to be a good dinner as well, which we're very, very grateful for. Of course there are presents, the Christmas tree needs to come up, Christmas film needs to be watched or Yule Kellena, depending what the mood is for the evening. And there is a family Yule focus as well, plus her own personal commitments because of course she has a life and I do relate a lot to the kids. I mean we are not kids. But then she does a lot for the household during Christmas time and we try and contribute as well but it is a stressful time. It is. There is so much going on during the month of December. December. You need to get all your presents in time. You need to make sure the Christmas tree is bought, it is decked up, the house is tidy, everything. I think most people start preparing November onwards, especially if you're doing everything at home like the pickles and all kinds of baking snacks and everything. So it's, it's, it's a big deal.

Katie: 

But I do relate huge amount of work.

Kalpita:B

Yeah, sorry. I also relate to that from, from a Diwali perspective because that's what we do in India as well. The whole day end, entire household is cleaned up, like every nook and cranny is tidied up, washed, brushed if needed. Everything's sort of taken stock off, things are thrown, new things are brought, shopping is done, lots and lots of snacks are made. It's like a three, four day affair. So it is very relatable the stress and the hard work. But then it's good times.

Katie: 

Yeah. I think what is good about this study because I kind of looked at it at first and I was like, well no, duh, everyone's super busy. And then I think that's something else that really adds to the stress. It's you need to get all these groceries, you need to get the trees, you need to get the presents. But there's also so many people everywhere in the way all doing the same thing because everybody has to have hygge, everybody has to have ewelskuhe and gluck and everybody has to do it in like the four main places within the city. So it's like extra crazy to try and get anything done. But what is nice about this is kind of going, oh, the kids are noticing because you do get swept up in the Christmas magic. Like oh, we need to go to sailing rooftop and we need to see the lights and we need to see, you know, when are they going to light up everything in the main street and oh, we have to Go and see Santa or anything like that. And then you don't think about, oh, I'm dragging my child through a sea of people, a sea of very stressed people who are trying to get presents. There's stuff everywhere. It's a sensory overload as well. Like, there's a lot of new smells, a lot of new lights, a lot of people, a lot of noise. And then you're dragging them around to kind of get this perfect Christmas without actually really spending time together. And I think it's interesting, I noticed this year, not for Christmas, but I feel like New Year's is kind of the same in the sense that it has these, like, expectations, like, oh, it's such a big day and we have to do something because it's going to be New Year's Eve. But I think everybody I know is spending New Year's Eve alone, like, with either just with one or two friends or within their couple, because they're like, I don't want to see anybody. It's been too busy. I don't want to do it anymore. And it is. I often feel overwhelmed in December, as well as an international, because I'm leaving on the 20th to go for Christmas. So, like, everything that does normally have to fit in before the 24th, which I don't know where that mentality came from. We are all hopefully going to be alive on the other side of Christmas. But when everyone's like, oh, we all have to meet each other, I have even less time to fit everybody in. So I do completely. See, Christmas has become so stressy and so consumerist and having that, like, cozy moment to just sit inside and be like, ah, it's cold and I don't have to go outside and I'm going to have hot chocolate and I'm going to watch a terrible movie like the Jingle Bell Heist, and I'm going to have a great time. We just are getting less and less of those moments. And I really. While I think the survey is a bit. Did we really need to do a survey? I like that it's highlighting. Children can see what's happening and they don't love it. Like, they're experiencing it as something negative like stress in their parents.

Kalpita:C

Guess what?

Katie: 

You have the power to help us bring home a Discover Pods award this year.

Kalpita:B

And it's as easy as casting a quick wot.

Kalpita:C

We're thrilled to announce that we've been nominated in two categories, the news category.

Katie: 

And the Best Podcast of the year.

Kalpita:B

Voting runs from December 1st to December 21st. And you can find the voting link right in our show notes.

Katie: 

Winners are announced on January 8th and we'd be so grateful for your support.

Kalpita:B

Thank you for being such an amazing part of the last week in Denmark universe. I do kinda see the point, but then it's also, you know, I think parents do feel the pressure of making it fun and making an experience of what Christmas can be should be. Because now is the time. Kids are only going to be kids now and at some point they're going to be adults and they're going to be like, okay, we never did any of that or we never went out to the terrace and saw the lights or go to a Christmas Christmas market or binge Ablescue and you know, oh, my mom. Do you remember that one time my mom got drunk and glue. Or you know, because that is, that is a memory as well. You know, you look back and you. You laugh about it or you feel that you actually got something out of. Out of the festival. Unlike someone like me who doesn't want to engage. I don't give a about going to Christmas markets or shopping for Christmas things. I would rather have stuff that family members don't want anymore because, you know, it's, it's. It's a generational thing. I'm more into cozy stuff like that. And I don't make appointments during this time because I want to focus. Actually, this is the only month in the whole year that I focus only on family. And I specifically make appointments only with family. And anything else that comes beyond that is is a no for me. Maybe I catch up for a coffee or something like that, but I don't do you strange. You'll focus. There's space for work, you'll focus and there's space for family. Yule focus. Otherwise there is no Christmas lunches. There's only. I love sitting back at home and putting my feet up in the sofa and do absolutely nothing. I'll stay in the dark in the ceiling. But I'm not going out.

Katie: 

Oh, interesting. Do you like Christmas movies?

Kalpita:B

I do, but I have never watched Jingle Bell Heights. Thank God it's not great.

Katie: 

The twist is. Yeah, it was like, oh, this is the best one on Netflix. But I think that just tells you that all the other ones are terrible. Except the Princess Switch trilogy. I stick with that until I die. It's Vanessa Hudgens twice. And then in the second one, she's British as well, is the third. It's a good, It's a good time, I feel.

Kalpita:B

I mean, love actually makes up for Everything for me. I mean, I will watch all kinds of terrible films. Sometimes I'll watch something that's not Christmassy just to get out of the mood and, you know, come back into Christmas spirit. And then everything ends with love, actually. Because for some reason that's become a tradition. Tradition for us as well. Plus we like to bring that English bit into the family since we have half an issue. So that's always pleasant. But we do. In fact, I think most Danish families do Christmas songs and we, we play Christmas music in the house for the last two weeks of Christmas when the Christmas tree is up or you know, when we're cooking and trying to make a good, good time out of, out of the weekend without stressing about, oh, now we have to do this and we have to bake that. But then to be fair, my mother in law does most of the stressful work, so bless her.

Katie: 

You're just along for the ride. That's okay. That's what Christmas is all about.

Kalpita:B

Yeah, exactly. I, I really, really wish that changes for kids though. I really, really wish that parents are less stressful about things. I mean, it's all about prioritizing her commitments, isn't it? So.

Katie: 

Yeah, but I like your idea that kind of just slowing down and going, this is a time for family and that's. And whatever I have to do for work because look, we all have to do it at some point. But taking more control over your holiday season. I really like that idea. I'm gonna pretend that I'm gonna do it, but I'm very unreliable. So check in with me next year and see if I'm still.

Kalpita:B

We probably will be doing the final episode next year, so.

Katie: 

Yeah, because we're the favorites.

Kalpita:B

Yes.

Katie: 

But speaking of the final episode. Wow, what a season. Can you believe we've hit the end of season four?

Kalpita:B

I mean, it's incredible. It's. It's wild to think that we've done so many episodes and we've had so many diverse conversations. Have you been hosting with everybody in the team?

Katie: 

Not Dom yet. She's the only one I haven't. But I think we have like the second episode next season.

Kalpita:B

Ooh, nice. I think I'm doing the. Doing the first episode next season or the third episode.

Katie: 

I hope you are. No one better for the job?

Kalpita:B

I think so. Let's see who's the cool one with me. Is it you? No, I think it's Fion. Well, well, I started off the year with Fion. So. Shall we go up to the roundup?

Katie: 

Yes, I think so. So I suppose looking back, like you said, I can't believe how much we covered on the last week in Denmark this year. Denmark threw everything at us, I think from the get go. It was super intense with political shakeups, cinnamon covered birthdays, drone scares, sugar taxes, welfare debates, Rat season. Didn't love that one personally. And we were right there with our international community every week trying to make sense of it all as fellow internationals living here. And honestly, I'm incredibly proud of what our whole team pulled off. The co host, but also the secret magic team behind the scenes that makes everything happen while we're here talking nonstop. Always talking.

Kalpita:B

Absolutely. We dug into some really big stuff and did not hold back the season. We broke down some of Denmark's most defining moments. Among many, the huge police expansion that we discussed in the last episode, financial plans as well, and political appointments, and the big, big fiasco after the elections as well. There were debates about citizenship tests, voting rights, integration. I mean we ended the National Integration Council and there was a big conversation about that. Catch the episode with me and Fion. And there were also proposals to deport international. Also the third world nurses fiasco that happened. There were decisions in the defense and hybrid attacks that were made. And Denmark wanted to stand in a very, very tense world enough to show distrust in the U.S. according to recent news. And of course every tax cut and election season promise was spoken about. We tried to make these heavy topics human, funny and relatable because they do impact our daily lives.

Katie: 

And yes, we talked about money a lot, because how could we not? This year brought wage increases, cost of living spikes, tax traps, rental crackdowns, SME funding, the auristed bailouts, and the novo stocks and food prices that still hurt to look at. If your wallet felt it. We covered it.

Kalpita:B

We also took on Denmark's wellbeing crisis. Together we explored declining wellbeing scores, obesity crisis, mental health programs in schools, quotas for non EU nurses, or the lack thereof. Mark's alcohol free shift, assisted dying debates. That's another episode that's very, very interesting. All these episodes often sparked some of our most honest conversations.

Katie: 

We also can't forget that there were the cultural shifts from the national phone ban in schools to the decline of dinner parties and the rise of cheaper buses. We explored how Danish life is changing and what that means for internationals trying to find their place here.

Kalpita:B

And of course we had fun. We always have fun, because living in Denmark is nothing if not surprising. This season gave us cinnamon throwing birthdays, Alpok's actual cinnamon pole rat season survival strategies, zoo debates. Can you imagine donating your pets to feed zoo animals? And of course, voting for Denmark's national fish Fion's favorite conversation. These were the moments that made us laugh the most. And honestly, the moments I'll remember from.

Katie: 

And then there were the weeks that just felt wild, like something out of a weird movie. Like the drone scares, shutting down multiple airports, the porn addiction stats that none of us were prepared for. Every time Denmark blinked, we jumped in.

Kalpita:B

So yeah, season four was huge. And sharing it with you, our dear listeners, made it even better. I think it's fair to say every host, Fion, Goldar, Dome Narcissist Katie and myself brought our own perspective, humor and lived experience to help make sense of this weird little country we all call home. If you missed an episode, seriously, go back and listen to them. There's so much in there. The important, the inspiring, the unexpected, and the downright strange. Thank you for being with us so this season. And here's to even more stories, more laughs, and more very Danish surprises next year.

Katie: 

School School.

Kalpita:C

Did you know that the Last Week in Denmark newsletter is available in eight languages? Hey there, this is Fion from the Last Week in Denmark podcasts, and every week you guys are tuning in to hear me and my fellow co hosts talk about the top news of the week in English. But let's be real, we're all internationals, so not only are you speaking English every day, you're probably also speaking a bit of Danish, but you've probably also got your own native language as well, like the multilingual master you are. So why not treat yourself to the luxury of being able to read Danish news each week in your own native language? So head on over to language lastweekdk.substack.com that's last weekdk.substock.com and sign up for our newsletter, delivered to you every single Sunday.



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LWID

Host
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Kalpita Bhosale

Guest
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Katie Burns

Guest