In America size is all that matters

It’s funny how we in Europe think of America as a country where everything is bigger. Then you come to America and the Americans think of Texas as the state where everything is bigger. If that’s true, I want to go to Texas. Because how is that possible?!?! I spend my first weeks in American constantly taking pictures of huge cars, huge buildings, huge people.
I’ve been to a lot of big European cities – London, Barcelona, Rome, Copenhagen - but I’ve never seen building that size-wise were remotely close to the skyscrapers of New York or Chicago. It’s really impressive. Even a city like St. Louis that is not considered a major city in American terms has buildings taller than any European cities I’ve been to.

But I don’t want to focus on buildings. The cars in America are what really impress me. Every American that is not a flaming liberal owns a SUV, truck or at least a minivan. What I don’t get is what Americans need these gigantic cars for. If you have two kids in America, you have to have a minivan, there’s really no other option. When I was 14, I had three younger siblings and my dad really had a hard time finding a car that would fit us all, he never came close to buying a minivan. So we ended up with this Mazda station car (which I destroyed five years later) that had an extra seat in the back facing backwards. It was always funny to see people waving to us when passing us on the highway because one of my younger brothers had been waving to them (not so funny a couple of years later when they learned to flip the bird).

Anyway my point is that in Denmark people who own a SUV, truck or minivan are usually some kind of craftsman or work for a towing or bus company. In America everybody from lawyers to teenage girls drive SUVs. I don’t think they need a lot of room for briefcases or make up. I have a hard time making sense of it. But it scares me to see a 16 year-old girl driving a SUV while texting her friends about the cute guy she almost made out with last night. SUVs and 5 feet nothing teenage girls simply don’t mix if you ask me. I suggest a law concerning this phenomenon.

I guess this is just another area where Europeans and Americans are really different. The differences were made really clear to me when I stayed in Tennessee for a couple of days earlier this year. I talked with a really nice cap driver. He had just been to London and was really surprised that the cars were so small. I tried to explain that it doesn’t really make sense to own a huge and not very fuel efficient SUV when you live in a city with 12 million people and parking is a bitch. I don’t know if he bought my argument or just thought of me as a crazy foreigner, probably the latter.

It’s not that I don’t like big trucks. I actually think they are very cool, which make me wonder if Denmark would be packed with SUVs, had we just had the same low gas prices as in America. But when you pay 8 dollar per gallon it just makes sense to have a car that runs 50 miles per gallon.

Another successful drunk drive by…

My previous posts have been written from a humorous perspective. And I will try to make this post as funny as I can, but it’s hard because this topic is pretty serious and I really hope that the Americans who read it will take it to heart.

Drunk driving. What the hell is up with that?! Before I came to the states I’d never been in a car with a drunk driver (not to my knowledge anyway) over here people drive drunk more than sober it seems
The cultural differences on this matter are as huge as the ocean that separates us. The difference is made very obvious by the commercials concerning the topic. In Denmark the campaigns concerning drunk driving are always about the risk of killing innocent people. In the states they are about the risk of getting caught. There’s this dumb commercial where these drivers get pulled over. When they open their window beer starts pouring out and a voice says: You will get caught! Yeah maybe, but what if I don’t? Does it make it all right for me to risk the lives of the people in the car and on the streets?
Drunk driving is just not something you do in Denmark. In the states it’s just not something you get caught doing, but even if you do the punishment for doing so is like a slap on the wrist.

My first experience with Americans and drunk driving was shortly after I arrived in the states. I visited an American friend and right away we got in to our old habit of playing all kinds of drinking games. After an hour we were about to run out of beer. I was panicking because this was really a fun party and nobody was able to drive to the store and pick up some more alcohol. Well that’s what I thought anyway. Shortly after a dude gets up and walks out of the door. He’s going to get some more beer my friend tells me. Realizing that he is going to drive my two Danish friends and me try to stop him, but it seems like a very normal thing for the rest of the party, and who are we as foreigners to change their habits (also we really wanted beer so we didn’t argue as much as we should have).

I thought this was just one crazy guy (who is actually one of the coolest Americans I’ve met and I know he’s probably reading this, so I’m sorry dude), but when I came to Columbia, I realized that drunk driving is a way of life. People do it all the time. A couple of times I’ve been in the car myself. One time after a tailgate, which I believe to be one of the main reasons for drunk driving. Here’s an idea. Leave your car at the parking lot and go get it tomorrow – that’s what we do in Denmark. I don’t think Americans have ever or would ever consider this because that would mean that they had to walk somewhere either to catch a cab or walk all the way home.

Another difference. When somebody in the beginning of an American party says: "All right I’ll be the designated driver tonight." That just means: "I wont have more than 10 beers." In Denmark it means: "I wont touch alcohol period."
Because the real problem isn’t the laws, tailgating or American’s fear of walking. It’s the attitude. In Denmark drunk driving is looked down on. If you do it, you are considered a big loser. In the states people just laugh at it and think you’re cool. I’ve been in a car where the driver ended the trip by raising his arms in victory saying: "Another drunk drive by xxxxx." Well I was in the car and I didn’t stop him, so I’m no better than the rest. But when I return to Denmark, I will be Danish again and I will take his car keys or sit on him before I let him drive.

By the way I haven’t even told the worst drunk driving stories, but you all know who you are.

Football vs. Soccer – not even a contest

This blog post has been on its way for a long time. Actually since before I left Denmark. This is my opportunity to talk about this without having 15 drunken guys screaming at me that I’m a retard. And I will take that opportunity.

So hear is what I have to say about football vs. soccer. In Denmark (and Europe) soccer is the big sport (we call it football. But just so there’s no confusion European football will be called soccer in this post and American football will be called football – I know that my Danish friends is swearing at me right now…). Anyway soccer is the big sport in Denmark and football is a very small sport. Around 3500 Danes play football, whereas there are 313.000 registered soccer players in Denmark. Soccer is shown all the time on television it’s the sport you grow up playing. So you would think that I am a soccer fanatic. Wrong! I love football. It’s my number one sport. This obviously doesn’t go well with my soccer nerdy friends and we often get in to discussions about the two sports.
And yes guys it is strange that it’s called football when the players rarely use their feet. And yes the constant commercial breaks are annoying. But I really don’t care what it’s called. They can call it “throw run and catch ball” for all I care and the breaks are perfect for taking a piss, making nachos or getting more beers.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate soccer, I just prefer football. I would rather watch a preseason NFL game or a high school football game than watch the Champions League Final in soccer. And here is why.
Bottom line: Soccer is boring!

- But Peter you don’t get the beauty of soccer.

I’ve played soccer since I was five (or though you can’t tell) and I’ve been to my share of pro soccer games. And 9 out of 10 times this are what happen: You sit in the stands, usually freezing (because it’s in Denmark). After two hours of defensive playing and a couple of missed scoring chances you get up and leave. Usually the scoreboard says 0 – 0 or maybe 1 – 0 or if you’re really lucky more than one goal has been scored.

- But Peter it’s not about how many goals that are being scored. It’s about the game, the passes, the tactics, and the details.

My point exactly. In no sport are the details of the game and the beauty of tactics more obvious than it is in football. I love that there is such a thing as a playbook in football, I love that the coaches have so big influence on the game that it can actually be won from the sideline.

The beautiful details are in every play of a football game. There are hard hits, interceptions, fumbles, sacks, busted plays that turn in to touchdowns, huge kickoff returns, trick plays. Whereas, I can sit through an entire soccer game without witnessing an impressive play. It all comes down to action. There’s simply more action in a football game. I bet that every one of my soccer nerdy friends would convert if they took the time to learn the tactics and rules of the game.

For more information on why I prefer football se my post about tailgating and hooligan culture in Europe.


P.S. Another thing that really annoys me about soccer are the players. They are the biggest girls both on and of the field. They cry and complain to the ref if somebody touches them. And of the field they are so god damn boring. They always say the same thing, and are so afraid of criticizing the coach or their teammates that they will say positive things about even if they just got their ass kicked. In football the coaches, team owners and PR guys definitely try to control the players, but they can’t. Everyday multiple football players are fined for talking smack about team mates, the coach, the referees and so on. I love that!

A lesson in Denmark

I know that I come from a small country but I’ve had it with people who don’t know where Denmark is and if it’s even a country. So here’s a short lesson in Denmark:
Yes, Denmark is a country. It’s located in the Northern part of Europe in Scandinavia, which also include Norway and Sweden. But these countries aren’t the same country they are three different countries. So Denmark isn’t a city in Sweden nor is it a part of London. Nor are Danes the same as Dutch people. The Dutch are from Holland also known as the Netherlands and Danes are from Denmark. So no, I don’t wear wooden shoes, I don’t smoke pot every day and I don’t live in a windmill – that is all the Dutch!!!

Another thing. Some Americans seem to think that the names they use for European countries or cities are the same names used by the natives. Well they’re not. For example Americans call the Danish capital Copenhagen, when in fact its real name is København. Also Denmark's

real name is Danmark. If we go south Germany is in fact Deutchland and Munich is München. Just so you know.

One more thing that really aggravates me is other nationalities taking credit for Danish inventions. During my stay in the states I’ve been confronted with Norwegians, who took credit for Carlsberg – a Danish beer. Germans who took credit for frikadeller – a Danish type of meatball and

Americans who took credit for Lego.

Here’s a list of things, inventions, brands and persons that are Danish:
- Carlsberg and Tuborg
- Frikadeller
- Morten Andersen - The kicker that holds the record for most points in the NFL
- Lego

- Niels Bohr – The physicist who is partly responsible for the discovery of the atomic model

- The Muhammad drawings

- Hans Christian Andersen - The author who wrote The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Snow Queen and many other fairytales

- Bang & Olufsen
- Viggo Mortensen - The actor in Lord of the Rings, A History of Violence and Appaloosa (is part Danish)

- Vikings (no not the purple girls from Minnesota)
- Jørn Utzon – The architect that created Sydney Opera House.
- The speaker
- Aqua – The terrible band with the song “Barbie Girl” (the female singer is from Norway)

- Skype
- Lars Ulrich - The drummer in Metallica

And by the way the pastry called “Danish” is not Danish, you can’t buy those things in Denmark.

Guns, canons and deer behind concrete walls

When we foreigners think of America one thing instantly comes to mind. Guns! The liberal gun laws of the states, is one thing that is very different from Denmark. The only people I know back home who own guns are hunters. Over here everybody own a gun if not more.
Early in my stay I was driving with a new American friend and we started talking about this. I told him I’d never held a handgun before. Two seconds later I had one in my hands. He had it in his truck at any time.
In Denmark guns are kept locked away behind a steal door and Americans keep their guns in their glove compartment... alrighty...

Later I had another discussion with another American. He told me that he owned a couple of guns. I asked if he was a hunter. He was not. My obvious question: “So why do you need guns?” The answer: “To protect myself if I get robed” All right I don’t believe in killing anybody not even if they are going to take my empty wallet. But instead of going in to that part of the discussion I asked what kind of guns he owned. “I have a sniper riffle. It’s so cool, it’s can shoot through a bulletproof west”.

Hold on one second. How the h… is that going to help you against an assault.
“Oh excuse me Mr. burglar but could you run 1000 yards away you’re way too close for my scope… no no you can keep your bullet proof west on.”
You’re not in the army and you’re not a member of a swat team. Then why do you need a sniper riffle that can shoot through a city block?

Anyway I’m still a guy and obviously I asked my friends if they would take me shooting some day. So a couple of weeks ago while my girlfriend was visiting they took us shooting. Now if there’s one thing Americans know, and Danes definitely don’t know it’s guns. So they instructed us (and were very good at it, I might add).
These guys owned more guns than the Danish army and soon we were firing away like Bonnie and Clyde.
We started with the small guns and worked our way up. A couple of hours later they brought out the big gun – a 50 caliber. This gun was huge!!! I watched when they shot it and I was terrified. But my girlfriend was watching so I didn’t have a choice… I had to shoot it. My hands were shaking when I was handed the gun. As I sat down with it I did a silent prayer and then pulled the trigger. The kick felt like being run over by a medium size train.
Still in a state of chock I ask the owner of this canon what he intends to use it for.
“I only bought it to stop cars coming up my driveway.” Yes I laughed too, but guess what, he wasn’t joking. Apparently he thinks that America will experience a revolution soon… Well if the revolution comes, I know which driveway to stay away from.

The second amendment of the Constitutions, which gives the American people the right to arm themselves, says:
“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”.
Now my English isn’t perfect especially not when it comes to this old stuff. But judging from my experience so far, I guess what it means is:
“Buy all the guns you can afford – the bigger the better!!!”

I admit it, I think it’s fun to shoot. I think what really annoys me is that Americans always have an explanation for why they need these huge guns. In case of a revolution or if I get assaulted or for hunting whales in Missouri or maybe a deer hides behind a concrete wall… or maybe you just like things that go BOOM…