Parisian Yohanna Gozlan discovers the unique Danish recipe for happiness on her stay in Copenhagen.
On 10th September 2013, the last survey appeared from the World Happiness Report showing the best country to live in. Unsurprising for me, the winner is Denmark! But here is the paradox: the Danish Government make the citizens pay huge taxes, Danish winters are extremely cold, long and dark, and yet despite all this the Danish people are happy
After living in Denmark for six months thanks to an exchange program, I can guarantee that the atmosphere in Denmark is unique. My first feeling was that I felt totally in safe, even as a girl walking alone at 1am! In the cozy capital Copenhagen (København in Danish), you can find someone biking that will help you with anything you need at any time of the day. And that’s an amazing feeling, because the Danish are deeply happy to help you and would do everything possible to resolve your problem.
Also, what surprised me there is that everything can be resolved and everything has a solution. The Danish love to take their time and enjoy every single moment. Even being at school is a moment of happiness: a place where you meet others and are never alone.
Denmark is an egalitarian, open-minded society. Elsewhere in the world you wouldn’t wait for a green man to cross the street at 1am if there were no cars… but not in Denmark! Everyone respects the rules even at 1am on deserted streets! Another unusual site is all the cyclists biking in a single file even during winter. Biking and doing sports is an important value for Nordic locals. I remember one day I was at home while it was snowing hard outside - the temperature was around minus 5 - but through the window I could see elderly people jogging (slowly) down the road! It was something I’d never seen in Paris, that’s for sure!
The entrance of Christiana, an hippie place to visit.
When I say that Danish people are open-minded, I mean that in Copenhagen you can find an incredible diverse range of fashion styles: from the Hippies in Christiana, to the goths dressed in black, to more classically dressed topped with red or green hair! No one will stare at you - even the wildest outfit will be ignored by locals who just keep walking. Everyone can express themselves in Copenhagen, and that freedom is something special.
In Denmark, recycling is a given: if you return your bottle to the supermarket, you will be given money. As a consequence, you will not find any trash on the streets, as everyone follows the rules. That’s why there are so many people on bicycles - they are trying not to use cars so much and be Eco-friendly! The results are impressive: in Copenhagen, you feel so healthy without so much traffic polluting the air like other capital cities.
The cosy Nyhavn ,is lined by brightly colored townhouses built with wood, bricks, and plaster. The oldest house, at No. 9, dates from 1661.
A walk in a Danish beach.
The next ingredient in the Danish happiness recipe is the variety landscapes around you: valles, lakes and forests in some parts, while elsewhere you’ll find gorgeous Fjords and beaches. In fact, Denmark is a combination of the Jutland peninsula, surrounded at the by Nordic Sea and to the east by the Baltic sea. Copenhagen is a great example of the country’s diversity, as it alone is full of contrast Nyhavn place is composite of colored houses but also of elegant coffee, mixed with trendy coffee. Same in Gronnegade, a shopping area with luxurious spots but vintage-style clothes in some boutiques.
A moment of happiness ,in a festival on may 2013.
To be happy in Denmark means be satisfied with the minimum. The Danish do not need something huge to be happy - they just enjoy the basic things. As the sociologist Peter Gundelach said, “If the Danish are the happiest people in the world, it just because they expect less than others.” That is perhaps the key to happiness. In Danish, we called it the “Hygge”, which means well-being. In Denmark the Hygge is also possible thanks to the Danish not working a lot: only 33 hours per week. This influences the amount of time that you can spend with your family, which brings most of us a great deal of happiness and fulfillment.
From my experience of Denmark, I came to understand that the Nordic people have a unique mentality, which is for me is by far the best and most peaceful that I have ever experienced.
Experience a dose of Nordic happiness for yourself while living like a local on a home exchange.
Photos by Yohanna Gozlan.
