Have a good one

Words are one thing for a foreign to misunderstand to be mate and not to be made for instance, another thing is expressions. “Have a good one” people say over here. To me that sounds like in Denmark when we say goodbye/see you have a nice evening blab bla.
So I had an appointment with a friend of mine yesterday evening. We talked together almost all day and I told him that it might be a little late because of my homework, and then I asked him if that was okay or if it would be too late because then we could find another day. His answer was “it is fine, have a good one”.
I thought he meant “it’s fine, see you another day, goodbye have a good evening” and then I just went right to bed after my homework was done. The day after he was pissed. He told me he had been waiting all evening for me and I never showed up. After a while I understood that what he meant the day before was “it’s ok, see you later” and that in this case the “have a good one” was more like “have fun or have a good evening and see you later.”
Being polite is apparently different from country to country, especially when it comes to expressions. This example is maybe not the best but I think you get the point.

To be mate and not to be made.

I find it funny the way that people can have conversations and misunderstand everything and sometimes without knowing it.
Yesterday I was going to my friends’ house (he is American). We talked about his’ work on a boat and then he showed me a picture and say “this is where I was mate”. I thought he said “made” and start laughing and said: “Wow funny! tell me the story… guess your parents had fun”.. He just looked at me as if I was a retard and then I said again “yeah I mean if you were made on this boat, I guess your parents are wild animals”… Then he really looked strange at me and explained to me that this was where he was a captain and that had absolutely nothing to do with his parents being wild animals… I just went “aaaah yeah, sorry about that”… that was so embarrassing! Language can sometimes cause some strange situations!

Danish vs. American culture - bus ride

So here I am in Seattle – loving it! Well before going here I really had an idea that Americans are self-conscious and arrogant (sorry). I had never been in the US before and therefore I was really excited about everything.

I have only had few American friends before coming here, and they seemed a bit precocious.
So my impression of Americans was more or less what I have seen in the television and experienced with these two American guys.

Let me just say, I was positively surprised when I first got here

In general Americans seems so open, positive and helpful. Just few days ago I was taking the bus and ended up in the wrong place. The area was dark, cold and the streets were empty just like a ghost town or something. I asked the bus driver for directions since I had no idea where I was.
Instead of just telling me where I was, this bus driver said “a girl should not walk in this area alone”, then he turned around the bus (it was empty except for him and me) drove back to another bus stop further up the street, to make sure I would get on the bus and return safely (and with a bus going the right direction).
If I had been in the same situation in Denmark the bus driver would maybe take some time explaining me were to take the bus from to go back, and maybe even point it out. But never turn around the bus, and follow me in to the next bus to be sure I would return safely.
This is not because all Danish bus drivers are cold-hearted, but in Denmark I guess we just expect adults to take care of themselves.
I think this is a very positive culture shock - so different from Denmark!

Hi,

My name is Mette and I am a Danish exchange student for a quarter at South Seattle Community College with Marketing Management as my major. In Denmark I have two brothers – both older than me, and they both have kids. I will stay in US until January and then return to Denmark for my internship as a marketing/sales assistant for half a year. When my education is finish I will try to find a job as a marketing assistant dealing with marketing, sales and advertisement, both to earn money and then of course to try and use my marketing skills in real life – so this is more or less what I will be doing for the next five years.

In the coming blogs I will write about the cultural differences that I am experiencing as Danish girl coming to Seattle… Just the little things in my everyday life like taking the bus and going to clubs but also things like how different rules and regulations are over here in comparison to the Danish system. For instance the differences in the taxes and how many other things like age limits driving cars and drinking alcohol are so very different over here.
I think it is funny to get a different cultural perspective on things I hope you do to and that you will find my blogs interesting.







If you want to get a hold on me my e-mail is: mette.normark@hotmail.com