Summary

A Danish husband visiting America observes and comments on a variety of cultural oddities, from pets in strollers to excessive tipping expectations, reflecting on the stark contrasts in wealth and societal norms between America and Denmark.

Abstract

The article recounts the peculiar experiences of a Danish man in America, as seen through his eyes. He encounters a range of cultural differences, such as the juxtaposition of homelessness with luxury Teslas, the trend of pets in strollers, the expectation of high tips for basic services, the prioritization of drive-throughs over dine-in service, a preoccupation with mattress quality, and an intense focus on credit scores. These observations lead him to conclude that America is a land of extremes, with some practices seeming absurd or indicative of deeper societal issues, such as wealth disparity and an overemphasis on debt and consumerism.

Opinions

The husband views the coexistence of extreme wealth and poverty in America as a stark contrast to Denmark's more even wealth distribution.
He finds the practice of walking dogs and cats in strollers to be an unnecessary indulgence, suggesting that Americans might be bored or overly attached to their pets.
He is critical of the high tip expectations in America, questioning why service workers are not better compensated by their employers.
The preference for car-based service at restaurants over indoor dining is seen as emblematic of American convenience culture and possibly contributing to health issues like obesity.
The husband is bemused by the American obsession with mattresses, wondering how Europeans manage to sleep without the same focus on sleep technology.
He perceives the intense focus on credit scores in America as a reflection of a society where debt is normal and necessary to maintain order, contrasting with Denmark's trust-based system.
Despite the criticisms, he acknowledges that these cultural quirks are part of what makes America unique and intriguing.

7 Weird Things My Danish Husband Saw in America This Week

Dogs in strollers and sleep numbers, among other oddities

My Danish husband never ceases to amuse me with his observations of America and its strange ways. As we walk and talk, he shares his thoughts on this weird country of others, making me both laugh and think.

Here are a few weird and funny things he noticed this week in the country that never stops giving.

1. Teslas and the homeless

Walking the Downtown of our local Santa Monica, CA, the other day my husband noticed that there were exactly three Teslas and three homeless people standing at one large intersection.

“What a country of contrasts!” he exclaimed.

In my husband’s home country of Denmark, wealth is distributed more or less evenly, and very few people are too rich or too poor. Showing off is looked down upon, so while there is wealth, it’s much more subtle than in America. And homelessness is very rare.

Yet here in West Los Angeles, we’re daily witnesses to both extreme poverty and extreme richness.

“Something went really wrong here,” my husband concluded.

2. Dogs in strollers

Later that day, we saw a woman walking her dog in the stroller — something we see so often that I don’t even notice it anymore. Yet this time my husband spoke up.

“Are Americans really that bored?” he wondered.

Since we’re tied to a stroller with a baby in it, my husband finds it truly mind-blowing that someone would choose to go around with a stroller when they don’t have to.

Dogs in strollers are also not something you don’t see often in Europe.

“Poor dogs. This can’t be what nature has intended for them. No wonder so many of them here are crazy,” my husband concluded.

Indeed, have we mistaken our dogs for babies, or do we need something to do in life?

3. Cats in strollers

If dogs in strollers weren’t bad enough, my sweet (and very American) friend sent me a picture of herself walking her cat in the stroller this week. I had to show it to my husband.

“I rest my case,” he concluded.

“Some Americans are officially bored out of their minds,” my husband laughed.

I’m not sure if stroller walks are actually good for cats, but their owners could certainly use some out-of-the-house time.

4. 40% tips

At the register in our local coffee shop, my husband tried to pay for his coffee when the dreadful screen popped up and asked him how much he wanted to tip: 20, 30, or 40 percent.

He chose none and told me he would never return.

“Is anyone actually crazy enough to be tipping 40% for their takeaway coffee?” he asked me under his breath.

Honestly, why do we value our service workers so little in America that we rely on customers to provide them with decent compensation?

5. Cars instead of tables

We were very hungry and very cold the other day when we drove up to a Panda Express all the way in the desert. We hurried in with a cranky baby hoping for some Orange Chicken, only to find out that the location was “understaffed” and closed.

Closed for eating in, as it turned out. Four employees manned the drive-through but couldn’t be bothered to let us in.

As we watched a line of cars circle the building, we were faced with a dilemma: to eat in our car, which is disgusting, or to suck it up, buckle the crying baby back in, and continue our search for food. We did just that.

“Only in America, would a restaurant choose to serve people in cars over people at the tables,” my husband complained.

“Surely, it wouldn’t kill those people to leave their cars and walk a few feet,” he continued.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Walking those few extra steps might be a cure for obesity we so badly need.

6. Mattress obsession

“What is it with Americans and their mattresses?” my husband asked me the other day when we passed a Sit’n’Sleep store, followed by a Sleepy’s within a few blocks from each other.

He had the point.

Everywhere you turn, you see mattress commercials, stores, ads, you name it.

“How do us Europeans ever get any sleep?” my husband wondered.

On our recent hotel trip, we watched a TV commercial for a Sleep Number store. My husband couldn’t believe it.

“They spend more time reinventing mattresses in this country than fixing unemployment,” he laughed.

If only it was funny.

7. Credit score obsession

During the same commercial break, my husband learned a piece of very bad news — one-third of Americans have a low credit score.

“They make it sound like a third of Americans have the plague!” he laughed.

Indeed, we take our credit score very seriously which to a Dane, is a mystery.

In Denmark, one of the most trustworthy societies on Earth, credit scores don’t exist (though they do have a debt reporting system). Instead, they rely on proof of employment, as well as the fact that most Danes wouldn’t be caught dead breaking the rules.

“It seems like being in debt is a norm in America, so you need those credit scores to keep the country from spiraling into chaos,” my husband continued.

He then sighed:

“But with micro-loans becoming popular in Denmark, especially among young people, we might be heading in the same direction.”

As my husband quickly learned, it’s possible to find both plenty of joy and plenty of ridiculousness in the U.S.