I'm from a small town in Sweden but have lived in Stockholm for the past 20 years. There is a huge difference in how people are in the countryside compared to how people are in Stockholm. People are friendlier in the countryside but more skeptical. In Stockholm, people are much more open to new impressions and ideas but more closed off towards people in general.

You're such a likable person!

The really important thing to remember is that people usually have someplace to be when they're out and about on the streets, so they're kind of zoned in on that. The second thing is Swedish people have a huge respect for personal space and privacy. I think a lot of Swedish people are actually grateful to the US way of being socializing because they tend to break the ice first. Just make sure you catch them at an opportune moment and not when they're going home from work or whatever, and you might find they open up a lot easier. A park, for instance, could be a decent place to get some small talk.

Awesome, that you visited sweden and Denmark 🎉. As a Dane it's always interesting listening to people who visited my country - getting their perspective. Everything is bigger in volume in America - drinks as well 😁 Thank you for sharing 🤗

Lol at the fast walkers, I haven´t thought of that. With regards to talking to strangers, It can be a bit hard to break the ice over here (Sweden), but once you do, most of us are nice people. I think it´s easier to connect with people when they´re not going to work/school, picking up their kids etc. So if you go to a bar, a restaurant area, to some activity or an event, then people are more in the mood to socialise with strangers.

Thank you for enjoying denmark , im 59 and own 3 bicycles but dont own a car , dont need one , dont forget come back to denmark soon

I'm happy you had the opportunity to travel to Sweden and Denmark.

Remember: we Europeans are just as foreign as you are as soon as we leave our tiny home countries! And that happens very easily, one wrong turn is enough and you find yourself in another country, hehe. But we all learnt English at school (with more or less success). So next time you're here, don't be so intimidated to speak to people! You're the best English speaker in town - that's why we're rather intimidated by you!

Glad you had a good trip and got lucky with the weather for most part! Shame you missed summer sulstice though because I am sure that would have been an experience. :)

Also I think it's a lot different when you are in a tourist/vacation mode, you're walking that street for the first time, looking at the view. The locals often are headed for work, going back from their lunch break or picking up the kids from preschool. Sometimes we're strolling for fun but many are walking as a means of transportation. If you live or work in the inner city or go there shopping, a car is just trouble. Difficult to find parking and expensive. Also people try to catch some free exercise. But there is also a higher level of stress in Stockholm than in smaller cities. If your regular commute is 1 h you don't want to miss your train and make it 1 h 20 so you walk the escalators and get some leg-exercise at the same time.

It's very interesting to listen to your reflections of my city of Stockholm. The Old Town is really old and beautiful. Glad you liked it! 😊 Many buildings are from the 1600 but the town was founded in 1252.

About the car thing in Sweden. We have different laws. If you as a pedestrian cross the road and you get hit by a car it is always the drivers fault. Also if you are standing at a pedrestian crossing that has no light but only the sign it is always the pedestrian that have the precedence and why cars stop if you are standing there to get over. Obviously you make sure they see you and not just run out infront of a car because you can. I made less people dying to cars so i belive it is a good thing.

First of all thank you for the video. You are a really nice person. I hope you will visit scandanavia again. Sweden, Norway or Denmark just ask for help. You will get all the help you need and more. In Scandinavia you have to take the first step, because we are very reserved people, and we dont automatically reach out for people like you having problems. You have to take the first step

Many Swedes, especially from southern Sweden, come to work in Copenhagen. Especially after the bridge connection had been established. 🙂

You really covered up your jet lag very well! Hostels are not the safest places so others may have been wary, or it may have been the migrant issue! Yes, the lack of speeding and inpatient drivers would have been strange compared to the US! Everything's bigger in Texas, what a far different experience! No free refills in Australia either, and juice or smoothies are more popular! I'm glad you took in and appreciated the history! Walking and bikes everywhere, same in Australia! Great to hear your reflections! 🙋

You won't hear people using the horn much in nordic countries ever, because it is illegal to do so in almost all the situations you experience it everywhere else. So we don't, there is of course also absolutely no right on red, and pedestrians always have the right of way unless signaled or signed differently.

'All the walking made me sleepy!' - sorry, this made me laugh out loud! 🤣 probably true though 👍 'I didn't see any body looking bummy like me' - no Scandis & Euros dress well, outside of the house; regardless of whether they are going to work, shopping or a dentists appointment Glad you had a fun vacation, though 😊 hello from Denmark 🌸

How can it be a culture shock that people talk other language than english in other countries ?

However, it may be good to know that there is a fine of 500 Danish kroner if you go against a red light in Denmark.

You can legally cross the street as a pedestrian with a red light in Sweden, you just have to let any cars pass first.

When you were in Sweden and you passed a lot of boats, if you had looked carefully some boats were actually overnight boats. They never leave the quay, but these are there to spend the night in. Then when it comes to such Sweden, everyone is well dressed wherever they go, if only to go down and buy bread for breakfast. Regarding Stockholm and going fast, Stockholmers are strict. If you ride the subway and are going to take an escalator up, you should stand on the left so that people can pass by on your right. The stress causes most Stockholmers to have heart attacks in Sweden, Stockholmers are the ones who go into the wall as we in Sweden call it, they are overstressed and cannot unwind. You have been to Stockholm and experienced how stressful they are, come to my city Kiruna, which is Sweden's northernmost city. Here would see that we don't stress, but we take our time to go where we are going and don't stress, no idea trying to tell a Kirunabo to hurry up. You would only get the answer: Take it easy, we have plenty of time.

In Denmark you will at some places get free refills of soda, typically at KFC and Burger King. I think McDonalds nation wide stopped years ago.

VERY interesting, Thank you!

You dont mess around with (on) the bike lanes in Copenhagen. That'll be dangerous. But when all if you Americans commute in your fast cars, we commute on our bikes. We don't do that for pleaeure or leisure in Copenhagen especially in the busy hours weekdays on mornings and afternoons.

Its intresting hearing your reactions to Sweden seeing forward of hearing morr

But you don't have to tip. 🙂

You missed midsommar

Many bathrooms in private apartments in Copenhagen are tiny, too 🤗

I have been watched this channel for some month now... and I still find it quite entertaining..

There's no jaywalking law in Sweden. We can cross a street/road (and look left-right-left before crossing).

on the language part... its a no brainer that when you talk amoungst yourself and you both speak the native language... of cause you aren't going to start in English just for the passing by tourists sake... especially if its a talk that doesn't need to be shared... but beyond that around 80 or % of Danes (and Swedes as well i guess) speak, if not communical English, fluent English if asked for directions or the like (and most people wont start being a guide to "some damn tourist" unless we get paid to do so (one way or another)). Nordic generally dont do small talk unless its between friends... we tend to narrow into few, but good friends. And we rarely stray away from that (culture dependent of cause).

Why would there even be small/medium/large drink options if you could get 3 refills anyway. :D "Hey miss, I wan't a refill on my burger please".

Next time, don't be afraid to talk to people. Swedes are a bit shy but they may still enjoy talking if you take the initiative. And with some alcohol things can loosen up a lot.

When I moved to Stockholm I reacted to how fast ppl walked, but now I'm one of them. In the rest of Sweden people walk normal pace

In most Swedish restaurants the only beverage with free refill is tapwater... We have tried for years to minimize sugar intakes, so sometimes there's a fee for refills of sodas with sugar.

I hear English in Stockholm every day. You can strike up a conversation here anytime with anyone, no problem. I often point people in the right direction, or take a photo for them. Yesterday a guy needed help finding a church and I helped him with that.

You do not pay for the ice, so you could get 2 cubes, then drink a bit, and go get a free ice "refill".

I take the S-train between the suburbs and midtown Copenhagen 3 times a week I'd say that there's a 70% chance of hearing a conversation that's not in Danish, and a 50% chance to hear English. But of course, this is greater Copenhagen, there's a lot of internationals either working or studying. Denmark does require internationals to learn some Danish to get permanent residence, but we've got English university degrees and many companies that either source or export abroad has English as corporate language, meaning all documentation is done in English. So it easily becomes the casual language between colleagues even while commuting. If you go to smaller towns without a lot of international connections, you'll hear it less in everyday life, but if you dare to ask people in English most aged 8+ would be able to have a conversation with you. And the further westsouthwest you go, people also get better at German. Because neighbours are sometimes tourists.

It's NOT illegal to cross the road in Sweden unless it's a highway. The crossings are for extra security but you can cross where you like at your own risk.

Yes, cars are really obligated and expected to stop at crossings and respect pedestrians. You don't need to feel like prey animal crossing the street (at least in the proper place and time). It's not like the cars own the street like you can feel in some countries. Car drivers behiver more polite and mature in Sweden but some of the bike riders ab are more "me me me". Probably a minority but the aggressive ones make themselves noticed. (One young woman passed me so fast and closely that her bike got stuck in my cross-body bag and she fell. And when I like "sorry, how did it go, are you all right?" she scolded me, but I was just walking slowly and predictably and she drove by super close and fast. But I guess she got a shock from "the accident" -no injuries luckily :) )

Smaller Elevators probably means the building is 50 years OR older. Think by law they need to be large enough for an ambulance bed (whattever they're called), obviously those older buildings are exempt. :)

I was bor and raised in Copenhagen. I now live in Greve and I love it. More nature an slower pace

Love your content keep up the good work

How nice to hear man, love that u had a good time, here is a stat from Denmark: the most dengerus thing in trafik is the bikes😅, they coses more accidents then enything els. So Yep u have to know wher to walk 😊😊. I love that u whent to older places and saw som nice old archigature for as u sayed ,the US is prety new and dont have that, but are so moden, eg we done have eny skyskrepers. So at last, we hope to see u again soon, U are always welcome.

Walking fast... From my own experience it's a Stockholm thing. And remember, while you where walking around looking at things.. they didn't need to explore, they had a goal to go from point A to B.

You may have noticed the general size difference between Americans and Scandinavians, and that is why we don't offer a refill. Also the much smaller size of a meal in a restaurant compared with the US. In Copenhagen we hardly have any tall buildings and it is officially planned to be like this. Also You can't even register a Tesla Cybertruck in Denmark as it is too wide and weighs too much, and you would need a Commercial Truck Licence to be allowed to drive one!

Hostel in Sweden are small to keep the price down and often in old buildings where you can't change much in the structure. So they're not made for elevators from the beginning and it had to be squeezed in were there is room for it. If you cash up you can get big hotel rooms but then you might have to cut the trup very short 😂

We Swedes can be very reserved against strangers, both turists and OTHER Swedes.. But If you break through the wall, you got a friend för life.

You actually quite often get free refills for one drink: Coffee. Not Espresso, cafe latte or anything fancy, but many restaurants and cafés have free refills of that classic black Swedish drip coffee. Just walk up to the jug and pour some more of it in your cup.

The no free refill thing must be VERY confusing to an American

I laughed when you told. You went towards red. Most people in Sweden go towards red. it is admittedly illegal to run against red. But there is no provision on criminal liability for pedestrians who run a red light. Even if a person goes against a red signal - and thereby does something illegal, this person cannot therefore be punished for it. 😂

In Stockholm people stress very much in smaller towns the climate is usually calmer

I have seen recent photos of streets in Brooklyn, NY, with old town Stockholm style, cobble stones.

The reason why europeans are more fit: walks :)

I remember when I was a child and they started with Free Refill at the burger restaurants and we went with my mom to eat. Instead or ordering 4 full meals she ordered burgers and fries alone.. she didnt eat (allergies) and then one small soda -because the refill were free. We joked about how she destroyed the thing in Sweden because of that... some weeks later the free refill were taken away and to this day I blame her for it 😅

I'm a Swede who found some "Gamla Stan buildings" in the US! Well, sort of. San Juan in Puert Rico (=USA) has an old town with many buildings looking like the Sthlm ones, only brighter colours like blue and pink. Maybe brighter sunlight is good for brighter colours? In Stockholm it's more terracotta themed, pinkish, brown, orange & yellow.

About the time difference, you don't need to count hours. I think all smartphones today can display time for several different time zones simultaneously.

🤞🏾👀💙

next time u come here come up to us in the north its a huge difference from the southern sweden

It seems to me that you only went to Denmark as a flight hub to Sweden and that you ended up regretting not spending more time in Denmark, so will you be going back to Denmark?

Jaywalking is not legal in Sweden, but it's not punished by the law, but if you do jaywalk and get hit, the driver won't loose their licence. Getting hit by a car for jaywalking is punishment enough, but even jaywalkers get free healthcare, only admin fee's apply. Denmark has much better markings for bikes than Sweden, because they planned them, in Sweden the bikelanes are usually just an afterthough, we have some extra space, let's add a bikelane for a block or two, and then it vanishes. About the small elevators and bathroom, that is a big city thing, every square meter is expensive in the big cities, but yes elevators usually just take 6-8 people or 800-1000Kg, but the safety weight is 8-fold by law, so can load it up to 6,4-8 tonnes. Elevators in hospitals are usually much larger so they can fit the hospital beds.

After all, it's like Europeans who go to New York.

❤-it..

People are civilized in Scandinavia.

Yeah, toilets and showers are mostly combined here

we dont small take.. the smaller the town the less small take you will find,. everyone will hear you if you have someting to say but there has to be meat on the bone,.. my best friend and i never really talked and we still don't talk sometimes. best friend ever... jante law (Janteloven)

Just one comment, walking fast is a Stockholm thing, I’m born here and even though I’m retired and most of the time is in no hurry I walk fast. Always. And when I was a small kid my mom walked as fast so I just had to keep up 😁

You are back already! Why not stay a few weeks.

Walking in the bike lanes in Europe is getting in the way of people commuting to work. They will be very annoyed if people loiter around and make them slow down. Its comperable to how you would react to people slow cruising in the fast lane. Don´t do it! And yes, we usually don´t fill our cups full of ice because we actually want something to drink for the money we payed. I usually don´t take ice at all, the drink itself is chilled enough. And having 2-3 softdrinks with a meal is absolutely crazy.

In Scandinavia, it is not illegal to walk on red lights , if there are no cars araound. You can not get a fee or punishment for doing it 🙂 On the other hand it is offcourse verry different for vehicules

CPH (Copenhagen Airport) announces in Danish and English. Even Denmark and Sweden are differentiere from each other. Next time, maybe try some local food instead of burgers and pizza. 10 kr. = 10 Kroner (currency). We are all "alien" abroad the border.

immigration has changed sweden for good, many are thinking about escaping to the north or leaving

Maybe I should make a video..: Cycling Capitals. A B C Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen

Didn’t you meet up with your followers?

Helsingborg wee talk :)

So you visited SE & DK all by yourself with no family? (that's ok!) Where did ya stay in Stockholm?

Did you only eat American junk food ??😮 sad if you didn’t try any traditional food.

Australia.. twice as far, half the culture shocks.

We prefer ur drinks with less ice since we have to pay for them and no free refills, so we want our moneys worth of the drink of our choice.

Its against the law to go against red light but there is no punishment for it. You can go against red light but if you cause any accident then you will be punished. weird but true. =)

in sweden if people act crazy on the road where im from its 99% of the time an immigrant that dont use the turn signals Never where i used to live

18:10 Just visit the Netherlands.

The law against jaywalking is gone, now we can cross on our own responsibility. We used to have law against walking against red light. Now we do it with our own responsibility and common sense. My hometown has just turned 400 yrs so that one alone is older than USA. You guys are babies compared to other cultures,

You missed Norway. Take only Norway next time you are velkommen.

You cant use Stockholm as standard. Its something strange with thiem 😁. You should visit a city with 25-50k pop. Thats more The standard how sweden is.

Time difference around the globe is GEOGRAPHY, not culture. English is generally understood and spoken well in Sweden and Denmark - English English is, of course, most natural in Europe, common TV US-English no problem. So you don't need to bother about the language of the country you visit. But if you come with a very specific local version/dialect of English... Small-talk about a specific US-thing like base-ball? Why not a Scandinavian/European thing like handball? Would you step into a car-lane to get a selfie? When you get in the way of a bicyclist, real serious harm to the cyclist and minor injuries to you are most likely. I hope I'm not too nasty. Just trying to provoke you to see things from other angles and wider perspectives.

elevator and refill, did you see as many "fat" people that you see in the US? just wondering ;)

Was in America. Don’t get it . Nobody spoke Swedish.

Walking towards a red light in Sweden is forbidden, but the punishment for it has been removed, in most cases.. I guess they realized that it is idiotic to stand still at a red light even though it is completely clear to go. If you think about it. You do not have the right to run over a person with your car. It's probably the same in the US. but in Sweden the responsibility lies with the driver. if you don't more or less run in front of a driver when the light is red.

Is it really a crime in USA to jaywalk?

You went without the wife?

Now you are back in the land of the free, please tell everybody about the Scandinavian Socialistic Hellhole, and tell them we drive around in old rusty Soviet cars and only eat bread, since we can't afford otherwise. When you see your friends and relatives with tears in their eyes, you suggest they put a few $$'s into the Gofund me scheme you have made, to ease living in Scandinavia. 50-50 between you and me. 🤑💰💸😉

Step onto the bike lane in Copenhagen, and you WILL get killed! We have Kamikaze bikers around here! Before they hop into their bikes they go "Tenno heika BANZAIIII!", and then throw themselves into the traffic! ^^ I Drive busses in the Copenhagen area, and I once had a North American couple in my bus. We had a bit of conversation before they got off at the City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen), and I remember warning them of the bikes because they WILL kill you! The man stepped off the bus onto the bike lane ... Aaaaand was almost knocked over by a bike! ^^

Remember in Sweden jaywalking is a grey law, maybe illegal, but you can't get fined either. So even the police jaywalks If you travel a lot ice cubes are a safety hazard. They can give you a bad stomach

I stopped watching this after the first two "culture shocks." How could he be shocked by a different time zone? Doesn't everyone know that there is more than one time zone? And how can it be a culture shock that different countries have different languages? Did he expect English to be the main language in European countries?

Those were really cheap places you stayed. Haven't stayed in such places. They are for really poor people. What do you use ice in your soda for? Isn't it better to take soda and a bottle of water separately, after all, the soda tastes nothing if it is diluted with water and then you have to cool it down at the same time, it seems like some disgusting thing to drink that is neither water nor soda. In Stockholm's Old Town, most of the houses are built in the 17th and 18th centuries, with parts from the 15th century. The oldest building is the Storkyrkan from 1306. To compare with the fact that the United States did not exist until 1776. It is not allowed to walk on the cycle track. You could be fined for it.

98 % og all pepol in denmark and sweeden speak english