Denmark added 25% VAT to gym memberships and personal training, and it’s already changing the fitness landscape. In this episode of What Are You Doing in Denmark, Derek and Annie sit down with personal trainer and educator Mikkel Valgreen to unpack what’s happening, why it’s happening, and who’s most affected.

The change stems from an EU classification that defines fitness services as “commercial” rather than healthcare. That means higher prices for gym memberships, personal training, and classes while taxes on things like sugar and alcohol are being reduced.

We break down:

• Why the VAT was introduced
• How gyms and trainers are responding
• Who is exempt (and who isn’t)
• The political debate around whether fitness should count as healthcare
• What it means for Denmark’s long-term public health

Plus, Mikkel shares practical advice for actually sticking to your fitness goals in 2026 without burning out by the end of February.

If you live in Denmark, work in fitness, or just care about how policy affects your daily life, this episode is for you.

Mikkel Valgreen (guest):

https://www.mikkelvalgreenpt.dk/

https://www.instagram.com/valgreen_pt

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: hello@robe-trotting.com

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

https://www.facebook.com/RobeTrotting/

🎧 #VoteHome podcast: https://pod.link/1742152076

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denmark’s Highest Point Isn’t the Point. Denmark doesn’t have mountains, but it’s residents do have opinions about hills. Strong ones. Derek and Conrad are here to unpack why a modest hill called Himmelbjerg became one of Denmark’s most famous landmarks, even though it’s not the country’s highest point. Along the way, they explore how definitions, measurements, and perspective shape what we think is true and why a flat country spends so much time debating elevation. The story reveals more than geography. It offers a window into Danish humor, identity, and the quiet art of not taking yourself too seriously.

Derek Hartman:

https://www.instagram.com/derekhartmandk

https://youtube.com/c/robetrotting

https://tiktok.com/@derekhartmandk

www.facebook.com/robetrotting

Conrad Molden:

https://instagram.com/conradmoldencomedy

https://youtube.com/c/conradmolden

https://tiktok.com/@conradmolden

https://facebook.com/conradmolden

https://www.conradmolden.dk

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: hello@robe-trotting.com

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

https://www.facebook.com/RobeTrotting/

🎧 #VoteHome podcast: https://pod.link/1742152076

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re in Denmark in February, you’ll probably notice children in costumes, wooden barrels being hit with bats, and an alarming number of cream-filled buns in every bakery window. That’s Fastelavn, one of Denmark’s most beloved and confusing traditions.

In this episode of What Are You Doing in Denmark, Derek and Brooke break down what Fastelavn actually is, where it comes from, and what you should expect as an international living in Denmark. From its roots as the Northern European version of Carnival, to historic Fastelavn processions, children singing for treats, and the very strange tradition of “hitting the cat out of the barrel,” we explain how this holiday evolved and why it still matters today.

We also talk about Fastelavn songs, costumes, and most importantly fastelavnsboller, the cream-filled buns that quietly turn February into Denmark’s sweetest month.

Whether you’re new to Denmark or just wondering why everyone suddenly cares so much about pastries, this episode will help Fastelavn make a little more sense.

Derek Hartman:

https://www.instagram.com/derekhartmandk

https://youtube.com/c/robetrotting

https://tiktok.com/@derekhartmandk

www.facebook.com/robetrotting

Brooke Black:

https://instagram.com/brookeblackjust

https://www.tiktok.com/@brookeblackjust

Referenced:

Check out Ilana Buhl for fastelavnsboller content

https://www.instagram.com/the_lykke_charm

https://www.tiktok.com/@the_lykke_charm

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: hello@robe-trotting.com

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

https://www.facebook.com/RobeTrotting/

🎧 #VoteHome podcast: https://pod.link/1742152076

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does hunting work in Denmark and how can a country with strict gun laws also have a strong hunting culture?

In this episode of What Are You Doing in Denmark, Derek and Brooke sit down with David Carsten Pedersen, author, founder of Always Hunting, and host of the Danish podcast Jagt Radio, to unpack what hunting really means in Denmark for those looking in from the outside.

Together, they explore how Danish hunting culture grew out of land ownership and farming traditions, why gun ownership in Denmark is treated as a privilege rather than a right, and how extensive education, testing, and safety requirements shape the way Danes think about firearms. David explains the rituals, ethics, and community-driven nature of hunting in Denmark, as well as how respect for animals, food, and shared responsibility are central to the tradition.

The conversation also looks at why hunting has become more accepted in Danish society in recent years, how Danes generally view hunters and guns today, and what internationals, especially those from the U.S., often misunderstand about Danish gun laws, gun violence, and trust in public institutions.

This episode offers internationals living in Denmark a deeper understanding of Danish gun culture, hunting ethics, and the broader values around safety, education, and social trust that shape life in Denmark.

David Carsten Pedersen (guest):

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alwayshunting.dk

David's podcast: https://www.instagram.com/jagtradio/

Hunting License Course: https://alwayshunting.dk/

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: hello@robe-trotting.com

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

https://www.facebook.com/RobeTrotting/

🎧 #VoteHome podcast: https://pod.link/1742152076

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denmark is changing. Here’s what matters. Derek and Brooke highlight what’s changing in Denmark in 2026 and why it matters, with the goal of helping you feel more grounded in your adopted home. No matter if top-top SKAT is in your future or not, these changes shape daily life in ways that are worth understanding. This conversation connects the dots between everyday costs, small policy shifts, and the rhythms of living in Denmark long term. Some changes show up quickly, like prices or routines. Others are easier to miss but still influence daily life. Together, they offer context, perspective, and a sense of where things are heading.

Derek Hartman:

https://www.instagram.com/derekhartmandk

https://youtube.com/c/robetrotting

https://tiktok.com/@derekhartmandk

www.facebook.com/robetrotting

Brooke Black:

https://instagram.com/brookeblackjust

https://www.tiktok.com/@brookeblackjust

New rules on medicine:

https://laegemiddelstyrelsen.dk/da/nyheder/2025/nye-regler-for-privatpersoners-indfoersel-af-medicin-til-danmark-fra-1-januar-2026/

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: hello@robe-trotting.com

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

https://www.facebook.com/RobeTrotting/

🎧 #VoteHome podcast: https://pod.link/1742152076

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Living in Denmark doesn’t usually change you overnight; it sneaks up on you and quietly rewires your brain. Derek and Mike share listener responses and their own “wait, when did I start doing that?” moments as they talk through the small cultural shifts that stick over time. The conversation wanders through everyday life, work, and unspoken social rules that slowly reshape how internationals move through the world. By the end, there’s a good chance you’ll recognize a few of these changes in yourself and realize Denmark’s been working on you too.

Derek Hartman:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derekhartmandk

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/robetrotting

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@derekhartmandk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robetrotting

Mike Walsh:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillymike999

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: hello@robe-trotting.com

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

https://www.facebook.com/RobeTrotting/

🎧 #VoteHome podcast: https://pod.link/1742152076

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What should you expect from your first New Year’s Eve in Denmark? Couch-jumping? Royal speeches? Fireworks that feel slightly… unregulated?

In this end-of-year episode, Derek and Conrad break down Danish New Year traditions from the perspective of internationals who’ve learned them the hard (and funny) way. From watching the King’s speech at 6 pm and playing speech bingo, to the cult classic Dinner for One, jumping into the new year at midnight, and surviving Denmark’s famously intense fireworks, this episode is your practical (and humorous) guide to doing New Year’s “the Danish way.”

They also share personal New Year routines, cozy dinner-party culture, parenting hacks to fake midnight for small kids, and a few classic cultural misunderstandings, including what happens when you accidentally perform comedy at the wrong julefrokost.

Whether this is your first New Year in Denmark or your tenth, this episode will help you feel a little less like the odd one out and maybe even a bit more Danish.

Happy New Year, or as we say in Denmark, Godt nytår! 🎆

Derek Hartman:

https://www.instagram.com/derekhartmandk

https://youtube.com/c/robetrotting

https://tiktok.com/@derekhartmandk

www.facebook.com/robetrotting

Conrad Molden:

https://instagram.com/conradmoldencomedy

https://youtube.com/c/conradmolden

https://tiktok.com/@conradmolden

https://facebook.com/conradmolden

https://www.conradmolden.dk

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCSH6KqKooZmSx1GJu9CWZYjX8esjl2F

📢 Send your questions and/or comments.

voice: https://www.speakpipe.com/waydid

email: hello@robe-trotting.com

👉 Remember to tell your friends about the podcast.

👀 More living in Denmark tips:

https://instagram.com/waydidpod

https://www.facebook.com/RobeTrotting/

🎧 #VoteHome podcast: https://pod.link/1742152076

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.