Moving to the U.S. from Denmark: What I Learned About Language, Culture, and Myself

Earlier this year, I moved to the United States from Denmark to follow my wife’s job. It’s been an amazing experience, eye-opening, rewarding, and at times, deeply confusing. As the founder of Talkio, I’ve always felt connected to the challenges our users face. Many are people who’ve moved abroad, learning a new language and trying to fit into a new culture. But living that story myself has brought a whole new level of empathy.

In this article I will share a few tips and how I go about daily live in Maryland.

The “How Are You?” Trap

One of the first cultural puzzles I ran into was what to do when someone says, “How are you?” In Denmark, that’s a real question and you answer it sincerely. In the U.S., it’s more of a greeting, a social reflex. The tricky part is not knowing if the other person expects an answer or not. So I found a workaround: I say it first. That way, I’m in control of the situation, and the ambiguity becomes theirs to solve. It’s a small shift, but it saves me from the awkward mental scramble of deciding how personal to get.

The Real Cost Is a Guessing Game

Another surprise was how much guesswork is involved in knowing what things actually cost. In Denmark, the price tag is the final price. Here, tax and tipping are added afterward, often catching you off guard. To keep things simple, I developed a mental rule: at restaurants, I add about 20% to the listed price to cover both tax and tip. At shops or grocery stores, I just add 5% for sales tax. It’s not exact, but it helps me avoid surprises at checkout or when the bill comes.

Making Sense of American Measurements

One of the more quietly frustrating parts of moving has been adjusting to the U.S. measurement system. Temperature, weight, distance, volume, almost nothing uses the same units I grew up with. To avoid constantly checking conversion apps, I invented a mental cheat sheet. It’s not precise, but it gets me close enough to feel grounded.

For temperature, I subtract 30 from the Fahrenheit number and divide by 2. So 70°F becomes about 20°C, which is enough to know if I need a jacket.

For weight, I divide pounds by two. Ten pounds? That’s roughly 5 kilos.

For distance, I use 3 feet to a meter and 1.5 kilometers for a mile.

For volume, I go with 1 gallon equals about 4 liters.

These rough conversions are my own creation, and they’ve helped me build a kind of intuitive understanding. I’m still figuring out rules for inches and ounces, they’re still mysterious. But over time, these strange units start to make more sense. The more I encounter them in real-life situations, the more natural they feel.

When English Isn’t Quite Enough

I’ve spoken English for years – it’s my second language – but there are moments when even that feels inadequate. Going to the doctor, for instance, introduced a whole new layer of complexity. Medical vocabulary, unfamiliar brand names, and a healthcare system structured completely differently from Denmark’s all made it overwhelming. Some medications that are prescription-only in Denmark are sold over the counter here. Understanding insurance coverage was its own mini project.

Talkio has turned out to be super helpful in these moments. Before appointments, I rehearse conversations with the Talkio AI tutor. Practicing ahead of time helps me feel less anxious and more in control when it really mattered.

Culture Shock and Self-Reflection

Living in the U.S. has shown me things about American culture I never noticed as a visitor. But more importantly, it’s given me perspective on my own. I’ve become more aware of how Danish systems, behaviors, and assumptions shape how I see the world.

For anyone starting over in a new place, I’ll say this: it’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. And when it comes to language and communication, tools like Talkio can help ease the transition – not just by teaching new words, but by giving you the confidence to use them in real life.

Best wishes,

Theis Froehlich