ATTENTION: This is an automated transcript for this episode of “People I Know Show”. It has not been edited or reviewed. It will have some mistakes and sometimes be unclear.
0:00
In Denmark, apparently they’re they’re very good at taking big restrictions and the people follow them. So it was not a question for people who had to work from home.
0:30
This is People I Know Show. I’m Curt Carstensen Episode 70. And this will be a little bit different. Tibor Majzik is my guest. He is someone that I met up with on my trip to Europe in February. I caught up with him in Denmark. And that conversation will be the second two thirds of the podcast today. As Tibor is a Hungarian man Living in Denmark, I met him in Australia. And we’ll get it all that in the conversation. But because of the global pandemic that we’re dealing with, I thought it would be best to catch up with him for an update on what’s happening in Denmark today. So we had the conversation just a couple days ago through zoom. And of course, you can watch all this on the People I Know Show YouTube channel. As the numbers keep on changing as I’m recording this, the United States now has more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than any country in the world. And Denmark comes in at 24th on that list, Denmark is a much smaller country and the government is run also much differently and those are topics of the conversation. The way things are run there, the way the society works is much of the reason that Tibor ended up living there and is making a life there. I loved traveling to Denmark the people I met were very kind, its a beautiful country, at least the part that I was able to see and certainly advise you to someday visit. If you haven’t already, be sure to go to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, any or all of them and search for People I Know Show or click the links here in the show notes to follow or like those pages. And it’s best if on your podcast playing app, you hit subscribe. So all the new episodes keep coming your way. For the time being. I’ll keep putting an episode out every Friday and update you on that if that happens to change. Now to my conversations with Tibor Majzik.
2:50
Episode 70 of People I Know Show Tibor Majzik joining me from Denmark. Tibor we had a conversation about a month ago when I was visiting. And that’s going to follow this conversation. But it’s such a global issue going on the pandemic of COVID-19. Tibor. Hello. And I want to know what is happening with this in Denmark, how does it change your life?
3:14
Hi, Curt. It’s nice to see you again. And yes, it’s it’s interesting that was it a month ago when you were here and it still felt so distant. All this situation was happening in China. And now it’s here. And it’s also there in us as I follow the news. So it’s it’s quite interesting how it suddenly affects all the people all around the world. And there’s one positive thing about it that it’s connecting us all. So it’s, but other than that, I cannot it’s it’s pretty bad. The situation so it’s to change our lives a bit.
3:53
And I do recall as around the time I was there, or shortly thereafter, there was like a global Shipping thing for your company and then and not very long that they no longer were letting you come into work. So So I haven’t gotten to work now for about a week and it’s gonna go for longer. When’s the last time that you stepped foot into your office building?
4:17
That was actually two weeks ago. Exactly. So a month ago, we had like a global travel ban. So he canceled all our business. And we were not so happy about it. But we were not expecting that in such a short time that we will have also the the restrictions we have now and yeah, we have to work from home. We have home offices and they still run the operation and the factories in some countries are open but yeah, they they prepare for the worst.
4:48
Do you get a sense of how long that the minimum plan is for this to be before things get back to normal? Do they do they even put out dates for you?
4:58
Yes, it was. It’s a student. weeks ago when the Danish government announced that we should work from home. And then most of the Danish companies have followed the suggestions and yeah, they sent home everyone who can work from home. And, yeah, just two days ago, they prolonged it until the surface of April. So it’s gonna be at least five weeks in total could be even more, they preparing for more as well. So it’s first they had the two weeks period. And now they prolonged it. So
5:38
And what about the cases there? The numbers the testing is so different, I think in many different country, how good of a job do you think Denmark is doing with cases and really tracking it and are people people dying at a rate higher or less than other places? See?
5:57
Yes, it’s it’s very interesting, this virus I think it’s a huge social test to see how different societies are reacting for such such issue. And yeah, I’m not sure what was true what we heard from China, but it’s definitely more dangerous than what people expected. And we saw it immediately when it arrives to Italy. And then I’m always wondering if those countries which are still wondering, oh, it’s not going to hit us. And for some magical reasons, we will not have the same impact, like they have it in Italy. And they just should leave just normally, those countries will be wrong and it’s so easy to bet against them. It’s, it’s it’s for for my understanding, it’s it’s, it’s inevitable. And in Denmark, apparently they’re they’re very good at taking big restrictions, and the people follow them. So it was not a question for People who had to work from home and and yet the companies immediately made the decision and they were not hesitating and but also it has a huge financial support from the state. So what I also follow the news and they have the economically prepare for it as well and they will provide a huge financial help for the people who will lose the jobs and and they try to help the companies as much as possible so they can keep the people in their employment and yeah, and the other hand what they do in healthcare, they really try to prepare for it as much as possible. And I think at the moment, we have thousand 500 people approximately, maybe around 20 people dead. So it’s not as severe as anything. But I think it’s also because people really follow To suggestions and they don’t do unnecessary trips, so to say.
8:07
So, from what you’re saying Denmark seem quite prepared to make the adjustments during this time to to kind of minimize how bad it might get and of course it’s not over we’ll still see how it goes. And that that’ll go as we get into the rest of the conversation. Following this, the conversation we had about a month ago. Talk about some aspects of Denmark in that way. But I’m also curious as we get into the other conversation with Hungary being where you’re from talking with your family back home, what do you know what’s been happening there and and how prepared they are in Hungary for the coronavirus?
8:47
Yeah, that’s also also interesting that I think it’s a lot of both in the society about the trust that in Denmark, people trust each other and they know if they have to make this restrictions then it’s, it’s for the better good for the common good for each other. And they understand that. Of course, they’re always people who are skeptical and they try to find the backdoor and try to Yeah, I can still do that and that and
9:21
but
9:24
yeah, in Denmark I think they better to follow these restrictions in Hungary. It’s also the healthcare is different. So the health care, it’s much developed in Denmark than in Hungary. And that’s something I guess also the government is aware of that if they will have this pandemic hitting hard in Hungary, it will be it could be as as dramatic as an attorney, or even worse. So they have to do everything to prevent it. And unfortunately, not everyone under sense that so I hear it from my family, it’s also difficult for them to they didn’t understand why my so that they think I’m panicking. I’m not panicking, I’m saying that you have to be very, very cautious in this situation. And Yep. It’s what they hear from or what I’ve also seen on social media there are different kinds of people, some people still saying that it’s made by the CIA to destroy the Chinese economy, but now it’s hitting us so like, it’s there are always these people who have no sense so unfortunate. And they don’t want to follow this, this restrictions because it’s they don’t know. They don’t understand.
10:53
Yeah, the people that come up with the conspiracy theories of why it’s happening. You know, I suppose that some people point in history, it’s possible someone would create some virus that would do this. But regardless if that’s happening now or not, it’s still happening. And no matter the origin, it’s going to have the same effect that we’re seeing in some of these countries that have experienced it earlier than, than ours. I know the United States, the total number of cases is quickly approaching more than any other country in the world and our government is because of the leadership or lack thereof at the top is in putting us in position. The worst of any country in the world and it shouldn’t have to be, but that’s a whole nother conversation. But I do like to get the perspectives of different different people throughout the world and you have the the perspective of Denmark and Hungary from from the Europe background.
11:47
We have people who have done this then on the top and on the bottom, as well as above that this virus is not picking the poor or the rich. It’s hitting everyone and it really should stores how the community works as a whole. So it’s, it’s, as I mentioned, I think it’s a huge
12:08
society test.
12:11
It is and it’s recording this on Wednesday. And Prince Charles tests upon Oh, and he’s in his 70s. And who knows what’s gonna happen with that, or anyone that gets it, but it’s more and more people that we’ve heard over know or people, a relative of husband of a relative of mine that has a two and I don’t know where that’s going. It’s really it’s scary and the more more the longer it goes, the more people we’re going to be aware of that. They get it unless our countries do a better job. It seems like Denmark’s doing pretty good. And the United States, not so good.
12:48
Yeah. It’s also fewer people, so it’s easier to as I’ve also seen it that in in one of the few cases when having a dictatorship is could actually happen quick and do the drastical restrictions that’s necessary that like they did in China. But in the other and also if you have many people who have to discuss it with and lots of people to align with, and everyday is counting. And yeah, it’s it’s, it’s a it’s a it’s very, very hard. Yeah.
13:31
A few people, it’s easier.
13:33
In the US it’s very, very difficult than as I see it. It’s so diverse,
13:40
a lot of bureaucracy and it doesn’t go as quickly I think as as we would like. And the other thing you mentioned is the fewer people population in Denmark, that there’s a lot of as when we were there a lot of empty space and a lot of the country same within the United States where there’s there’s towns and there’s a lot of road and roads and trees. But for people living in the the more sparse part of the country, it’s not hitting us as quickly. But we look at New York City, we look at Los Angeles, Seattle, some some of these cities that were hit first. So if you’re living in close quarters with other people coming in contact with a lot of people on a daily basis,
14:19
but then the How about Tokyo, and Hong Kong, and all those very populated Asian cities, it’s as big as New York. Still, it seems that they could control the virus, they’re
14:37
doing a better job, it seems for sure. And I know that with some of the Epidemics back maybe 15 years ago, they had to deal with it worse then, and I think they’re more prepared for one now and we, this country didn’t seem like we’re prepared at all somehow, like we never knew it. It’s even in this current situation
14:58
for people is strange to wear a mask. It’s something that Asians do. And in Western cultures, it’s it’s not. Not basic. No, even now when it’s it’s it’s catastrophic. Of course, now we’re running out from masks, but it’s also, if it would have been more normal for people to vary it in the normal flu season, then the countries would have bigger stocks as well.
15:29
And I will not be surprised if we see more of that in western countries following this if you know, once we get the supply a mass
15:36
back to a point where people can do that
15:38
could be lots of people could be saved in a test from normal diseases, or we sort of say regular fluids if people will be more cautious for each other. And so it’s also lots of learning from this for everyone. So yeah, and this virus will be over I think lots not that soon as my people hope for it but we’ll get over it the interesting part is the the what’s gonna come after
16:18
because
16:21
it will hit hit the economy it’s already hitting it so it’s
16:26
it’s not so good.
16:27
Definitely well the world is changing from this and it just it’s amazing kind of how fast this is going as we chatted about a month ago and so much has happened since then.
16:38
It’s it’s just interesting when I was following the the US News that they’re big gun manufacturers like Tesla and General Motors and Ford that they should produce like ventilation machines now right and medical equipments something that They change the production so they can support the healthcare with equipment.
17:05
I know Ford is starting to do that for sure. Yes,
17:07
maybe it’s over exaggerating, but I think the last time when they change the production companies like that was in the Second World War. But now we’re fighting against something that we cannot see.
17:20
So it’s a strange time Tibor. I thought when I was in your heart in the home that I can see I can recognize here as we’re watching on the video,
17:27
huh? Yes, yes. No, it’s uh, yeah, we had to rearrange it a bit. It’s a bit messy. But now we have the dining table and yeah, one side of the dining table is is my homomorphism The other side is you kiss language school. In the middle we have the restaurant so that’s
17:49
that’s how we split the split the dining table.
17:52
home offices around the world are adapting our homes are adapting to become a home office and and yeah, yes. You’re making the best of your situation.
18:02
Yeah, we are. We are very very lucky here because we live Yeah, one minute from a forest. I think it’s like five kilometer long so it’s it’s a big forest so and there’s no people there so we can go running we can go for walking but now it’s starting to be a bit boring because repeat mache walked over all the streets in Guangzhou. So yeah, we’re not we don’t have a car unfortunately so and we don’t want to use the train so it’s a bit limited at least we’re still luckier than the people who live in the big cities like oh, who’s just around 200,000 people so it’s a huge city and they have to stay at home and they shouldn’t go to the street and as I as I know there’s still no curfew but people don’t go out. So it’s it looks very empty. The city.
19:02
These are images from around the world and some of these places that always have a ton of vehicles or a ton of people and they’re just they’re empty.
19:10
I’m really curious about India, when I saw the news yesterday that they look down 1.3 billion people. Like, how Yeah, like, and you see that’s the measurement that other countries do. And, and a bit very about us when I see like what the discussion is about, and then you can hear the expert who knows better than everyone else about the coronavirus. So it’s it’s interesting.
19:42
Well, I imagine a month from now if we chat again a lot. A lot of different things will be happening but this is well we’ll take it from this conversation to the one from a month ago because I really appreciate it learning about about you and Denmark and I hope the people that won’t mind The taking this in can really get a good global perspective not only in the coronavirus, but also just life in Europe. That is not it’s very different from here in the United States. And I think your perspective and what you’ve done. It’s also here it’s it’s also now you can clearly see the differences between the European countries as well as the cultures and how they are they react for these situations. It really emphasizes the differences. And I thought, for example, that Norway, Sweden and Denmark is the same. And when I hear the news that in Sweden, they don’t take it seriously at all. In right in Denmark, they have much more severe restrictions. And now in Sweden, they get in trouble. So it’s no big surprise, but I thought that they somewhat aligned with the
20:50
decisions and mentality and not really, we are
20:54
in the middle of an experiment, that this is
20:57
lots of lots of things PhD students who write research about this and there’s something for people who write the history books as well. So,
21:07
yeah, Tibor, thank you for recording this little opening here for this podcast episode because I think it really brings a nice global sense of what’s going on. Thanks again keyboard. Thank you very much and I hope I could
21:21
contribute to it and help people to have a better understanding what’s happening in the world. And it was a great time again, chatting with you.
21:31
Kurt Carson’s in here for People I Know Show and I’m with keyboard music. Tell me where we’re at right now and why you might hear
21:39
the angle? euro. Yes, Denmark. Yes. It’s in Denmark. It’s I’m not saying in the middle of nowhere. It’s a quite cozy place. Not so many people only thousand as far as I know. I’m very base. It’s 16,000 because of the huge company we have in, in this town. And yes, you and I remember In Australia in 2018, two years
22:05
about two years ago, in February 2020, and it was Yes, yes, February 2018.
22:11
It was great. Arif, you’ve been on a trip together. Yes. You George and Jacob. Yes. I remember.
22:20
Yes. There was what? A tour of 1520 people and we were the only four men
22:27
guys. Yes. And that was put together with crazy Americans. Yes, I was traveling alone. And I was thrown together you guys and that’s how we met them and get in contact and then yeah, you recently texted me that you plan to come to Europe? I
22:43
think I reached out thinking about my podcast and talking to different people I’ve met through different reasons. Yes. And I reached out to car and talked about that. But then when I didn’t know where you were living,
22:55
yeah, cuz you’re not from here. Yeah, no, I’m not. I’m origin from Hungary. From Hungary? Yes, yes, yes. And yeah, I live in Denmark. Now luckily together with my wife, who is also not from Denmark, but she’s also not from Hungary there. So actually, she’s from Japan and we met in Australia. So it’s my life a little bit around the world. Luckily, so it’s, but yeah, here I am in this peaceful little town called the pronoun with you meeting. After two years. It’s Yeah, the verb is small. That’s always my experience. So it’s always nice to meet people after some time away. Seemed like Yeah. In places I could never imagine. So
23:44
that’s one of the reasons that when I knew you’re here, then Denmark, I’m going to Sweden tomorrow. Yes. And I thought Denmark is close to Sweden. Yeah, bro to Stockholm. Not necessarily.
23:59
Yes, getting hear
24:00
from Crete, south of Greece now wasn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. But knowing that we’re going to Sweden that that if I’m ever going to come visit you this seems to be the time to visit you.
24:10
Yeah, it’s it’s relatively close to Sweden so it’s but it’s not typical touristic.
24:21
No, it was not.
24:24
I didn’t, I didn’t get the sensation that anyone would have expected that a couple of American guys would be wandering around roofs on the road or not.
24:33
Or we have a lot of visitors from around the world, but they’re all business is okay. So it’s, they’re not here for the Ethiopian.
24:42
But maybe if maybe you share this experience, Zoo traveled several places. But when I meet someone while traveling then to connect with I’d like to see them again. It’s not
24:53
it’s not just Okay, I’ll see
24:54
you once have a good life. It’s if I can see you once every so many years. A couple more times. happens in my life and make that happen. I want to do. Cool. Yes, yes,
25:03
definitely. That’s also what I’m trying to do when I’m traveling. Also, when I was in Australia for student, Nixon exchange semester in Sydney for half a year, but before that, I had another exchange semester in South Korea for half a year. And I met two Australian guys. And I was like, I felt like yeah, I mean, Australia, I won’t be closer to them again, like, I cannot be closer than this. So I will visit them. But apparently close is a bit different in Australia. So one of them was living in Newcastle. So that was two and a half hour train ride from Sydney to the north. Another friend he was living in Melbourne, so that’s two hours flight. Yeah, so that’s, that’s also different clauses. Did you see them when and I met with them and apparently it turned out that they haven’t seen each other since in Korea, we hang out with Together, but then I visited my friend in Melbourne. Then the other friend was also planning to visit the Melbourne and he just called me by the name Oh say Melbourne and then the three of us met in a Korea restaurant. So that was quite the reunion. So yeah, the bird is smaller than think.
26:19
If you’re motivated to get somewhere and seeing people yes, you can do it. You have to have some amount of extra money, usually, but not always. Sometimes it can be pretty affordable.
26:29
Yes, it’s also it’s about the preferences of what people think it gives value to their life and what what brings them for. So yeah, I believe in traveling that’s that’s nice.
26:42
And I’m usually motivated by when I go somewhere to things it’s I want to go somewhere new. And somebody somebody that I want to see could see usually brings it together. I I want to come to Denmark this trip if you weren’t living there, but I’ve never been to Denmark and I wanted one To go to Denmark, it’s a cool place to be. It’s
27:03
especially when you go places that you are not planning to, then you can always see something human and experience something new and learn from them. So if you want to go somewhere abroad, because you’ve heard about it, so you have something, some knowledge already on the plane. So I think that what it is, is there’s a lot of surprises. You know, I think, in the last two, two and a half days, spent here, probably seen some, some new things
27:33
with my whole life when I heard Denmark ever since I’ve heard of Denmark in Copenhagen. So I thought I would go to Copenhagen, but we didn’t just try to do a lot of things and a couple of weeks. We didn’t get results anytime to go to Copenhagen. And you mentioned the city near you, or it was my second right. It was the second largest city in Denmark. I had never heard of it until just a few weeks ago. When when you told me about it, and today Brad who’s traveling with me We spent the day at Horace and I it’s a great city. It’s very clean a lot of interesting things. We had our first Danish meals because for the last couple nights you and then it’s your wife Yuki have cooked you a Hungarian goulash? Yes, we had like the most glorious plate of sushi this evening that you see made and we had one chance to have a Danish meal Really? Yeah, it’s
28:30
Yeah. I’m not complaining about the Danish food. But again, it’s Denmark. It’s not famous food. But there are some good meals that try and it’s nice. So
28:45
and I know this story, but I want you to share it again. How am I is a Hungarian guy in Denmark and then in Australia for long enough that we cross paths there and now you began a life here with your wife, who’s not from here in Denmark. Explain why this happens for someone like you.
29:09
Yeah, it’s all began. So I had my high school in Hungary when I was officially 18 and then apply for universities in Hungary, and I could get into the highest positions. They’re very nice programs. But they had some changes in the education system, and it was something about that. If you cannot complete your education, because it’s by the way, it’s free in Hungary, but if you cannot complete it, then you have to pay back the tuition fee. And I was a bit unsure like yeah, I have good grades and and I could I could get into any program in the country, but what if something happens? Why What happens if studying cannot fail the school and have this insecurity, it’s something that I was a bit skeptical of, of is if it’s the right thing to do. So then I started to look around and my friend came to me and she was in Denmark already for a year. Then she said, Yeah, by the way, in Denmark, the education is completely free. For every EU citizen, there is no contract that you have to sign. If you cannot complete it, then you have to pay like anything. And it’s in English. It’s like, okay, is it true? It’s like, how does this work? And she also said, if you can find some student job, then you can have more than enough to finance yourself. So you’re completely independent from your parents. And yeah, it’s only when you you can you can make it
30:51
so when you first explain this, like I knew that Denmark is one of the countries where you can get a lot of things for free like that. We don’t Getting United States like education and health care. But the fact that you were from just another country in Europe in you could take advantage of the same thing. You just go there and you get it.
31:11
Yes, yes. So here’s just is it that was very surprising for me as well. So, yes, but I was like, Okay, I have nothing to lose because it’s free. And if what happens, I lose a year and then a comic tangled and start again. But anyway, let’s give it a shot and see how it’s in Denmark. And by the way, before that, I never been abroad. I never really met foreigners. I never had this experience. It was not really a case in my family that we could travel abroad. So it was something that I was really, really interested in about and then dreamt about. And then Okay, let’s try it. Let’s see. I mentioned to my parents they were supporting me. They were not sure what’s going to happen. I wasn’t sure either. I know approval time doing. But I found myself for not on a plane for a very first time flying to Denmark moving to Denmark and Yep, I started. So the life here and it wasn’t easy in the beginning that was that was quite difficult. But I also learned here that if you want something and you vote for it, you can you can achieve it. So it’s
32:26
as though so you did this for the first year. And you mentioned just a few minutes ago that tried a year eventually. So after a year, what how did that kind of shift your life and what you were thinking about it?
32:40
Yes, so so the university or actually college I was studying for my bachelor It was not recognized like on international rankings and, and in Hungary was like, yeah, people looking at the ranking of universities and so they immediately noticed is that it’s a complete A different way of educating and very practical very, very engaging for students. And the teachers are very direct. We have a very friendly relationship with our teachers and, and it was so, so much fun to study and I really enjoyed the years in Hungary I was mentally preparing for that Okay, I have to go through the university and it’s gonna be tough mentally, like, lots of stress and I hear Yeah, it’s sometimes ruins people’s life in Hungary was fun. I really enjoyed it. And because I enjoyed it, I could do more and achieve more and I was always a miracle luck miracle because I just couldn’t believe like every time I could get better and better opportunities and like I just started to fill my couriers is really ramping. And nothing expected during already during the university, and then you get this feedback from the environment that it works. If you if you work for it, it will it will get better, as sometimes it gets worse a bit. But then it gets back whether 10 times. So don’t be afraid you can just try you have to be brave and go for it. And that’s how I came up across it. I found a nice internship, nice a Danish company. And I found out about the support to study in South Korea for half a year as an exchange student. I was like, Yeah, let’s go for it. Like why not? And then I was not expecting because I heard that it’s difficult to get in and there are students who have higher chance to get the position but I got it. Okay, now let’s go. See what happens and then this shock of, of throwing myself something completely new Once again when I arrived to South Korea, but then I went through that. Okay, it’s possible
35:06
you can you were done that from Hungary to look down, and then you went forward and worked or going for things
35:11
I went to Korea it works. It’s It was so simple. So until when I finished my bachelor, I continued right away with a master’s degree. And it was not even Actually, it was so easy to go those really like, yeah, it’s you just apply if you get it, just go for it, it works. So and then you should you should seize these opportunities. And yeah, it was very, very, very nice experience when I can go this way. It was completely different when I was in Asia. And
35:48
yeah, I really, really enjoyed the time being down under there. So you’ve had these experiences now and you’re settling into living here. What does your family when you talk about? Your family they were supportive initially or you know about the age what they think and what they say about settling down about Yeah, but the life you’ve taken on since
36:08
leaving, I would send the weirdo in the family. So it’s not not coming not even among my friends it’s not, not not come on to some of them live abroad for a short years for some temporary verb but not not to decide, okay. Have a have a life completely abroad and and kind of live internationally rather than then locally. So and and after all this experiences it’s, I would say it’s still not much there still plenty of places to visit and experience. But I found out fun than most relaxing and the most safest place to live. Even though the language barriers that we face here as internationals because the Danish language is quite difficult but 93% of the Danish people speak
37:10
English so you can speak to everyone in English mostly yes they still Danish just they speak they speak it amongst themselves but when you don’t speak it big if
37:19
you like to be part of the society yeah then you should speak some Spanish so you can open up some some doors so that’s that’s important.
37:28
I want to talk more about Denmark but first with with Hungary I mentioned your family and you’ve been the the weird one in the family. You know, in the United States, we we hear about a lot of like the major Western Europe countries and some of them maybe more in economically important Asian countries and other part but hungry in other countries in Eastern Europe, unless something really bad is going on there. We don’t hear anything about it. So tell me what someone some random guy like me from that estates that’s not yet been too hungry? What are what should I know about it? What’s going on there?
38:09
I would say
38:11
if I would generally explain the situation Europe had this thing called the Soviet Union. And it’s it was running for some some years. And it pretty much resolved it’s 30 years of gap between eastern US Europe. And it’s just something that people trying to catch up with. One thing about economically and the industry, but also socially, to get that feeling of get that get those skills of living in a democracy, then mark is a democratic for think I always have to memorize this date, but I think more than hundred 50 years or something like that hunger, officially democracy since 19. 89 so they have quite an advantage. And if you look at the rates, how many people go for elections? You know, voting it’s Yeah, it’s almost everyone. So they really feel they really know how to play democracy sending good citizen here. And you can see that it’s, it works. But in Hungary I still, that was one of the reason I could see that when they change these things in education and prevent the protests, but it didn’t matter at all. He would say that, yeah, some people don’t agree even not not all of my friends, but they don’t agree with the political situation at home. So and that was the motivation to try out something Yeah, something you have and I realized that the life is can be so much more
39:58
to say
40:01
I can I can achieve my dreams here. And it’s only based on myself as hungry, I feel like I’m dependent on others, I have to be a friend of someone
40:14
who knows someone to know the right people.
40:15
Networking is important everywhere. But I can see the limits. If you don’t have the network or you are not the relative of some then it could be could be a barrier. So and also that I’m interested in engineering that’s that’s my professionalism. And pretty much all the developments. What I’m more interested about are happening investor and investor countries, more developed countries. So I seen more interesting challenges and from professional things there. But also the life Stop here. It’s it’s completely different than angry and it’s very, very family oriented. And they say, say it is a nice place to live. And I know in Hungary it will be nice as well in 30 years, but 30
41:15
years from now here Who knows? Yes,
41:16
yes, exactly. So that’s that’s always a it’s always getting better here so as I see
41:25
it even Denmark in the United States unless you’re really seeking it out you don’t know a ton about Denmark. I don’t think people do above me we know that it’s the Scandinavian countries like really liberal with this with the social programs. And I know we’ve talked a little bit about that. Our time here so far. What What would you then say to someone that’s never been here? What What have you adapted to and really recognize about the people from here that stands out to you that you think is fairly unique to Denmark. They are happy
42:00
Happy, truly happy not because they have huge cars as a discussed car is a special topic here because it’s extremely expensive. But then the other end they really can find the time for themselves and for their family. And here, it’s obvious that family is much more important job. So they can really live and not not live to work, but do the work. Of course they enjoy the work as well. At least the ones who can find the profession. Yeah, right. But it’s Yeah, they can. They can be themselves in a way. So they don’t have to do something because otherwise they will the system will let them go down and they will end up on the street or
42:54
something. Do you were talking earlier tonight about stress like Recognize that no one honk their horn like at all? Is your driving this and I kind of always realized that the people that are unhappy or stressed out that are more likely to honk their horn in different places. Do you know do you like recognize anyone at your workplace? or anywhere else come across that seem stressed out around here? Is there Danish people? It’s not,
43:20
it’s not accepted. Sometimes if you have like short deadlines, I can feel that short short. But not not constant stress. That’s, that’s very seriously considered here. So if let’s say in a company, if you report is a stressful environment, and HR will look into that and and, yeah, it’s not it’s not good for everyone, especially in Denmark, they have a lots of innovation and development. You can innovate if you’re stressed. The creativity comes when you have a relaxed mind and you don’t have negative thoughts or other thoughts that that would close this is creativity. So I think it could be also it maybe in my situation in that, that specific area, but But in general, the people are much less stressed handed than ever.
44:17
And you are you telling a story about what seemed like a really open door policy within this company of 20,000 people you can
44:27
Yeah, the CEO has an open door and you can if you really want to talk with him, you can have a talk with him and, and you can in our department, like the director can easily talk with the cleaner lady, it’s, it’s okay. It’s, there’s, it’s a very, very flipped society. There’s, there’s no titles. So some of my colleagues, I didn’t even know that they have a PhD. But apparently they have if I checked their LinkedIn profile that I can see they have a PhD or if they make an international presentation and they noticed Some countries that title is important. Then they put their work with other Danish colleagues. It’s Yeah, and everyone just call each other on the first name. Also with the university, the professors just first name directly. We call each other and.
45:18
And it’s the openness and
45:22
it’s very important. And one. I think one of the main aspects of society here is that, meanwhile, it’s in Hungary, you have to earn the trust. In Denmark, you can lose the trust. And based on this, you can achieve a lot of things.
45:37
So everyone endures with a very trusting mind. Yes, and some they don’t know they’ve never seen before. Never work with trusting them initially.
45:45
And yes, yes, I was. It first of the social there are no fences. I can see that there’s a house with a garden. There’s no fence. There’s no big like military dogs with the chain on it. Something to protect the property. And you can see all the garden equipments like, and bicycle and everything.
46:07
Is there crime here?
46:09
Sometimes, but not by Danish people. And that’s a relatively new thing that Yeah. Some people yeah, I’m not saying they don’t leave the mindset at home, but they say doesn’t he’s the he’s the way to steal things. Because the Danish people, they trust the people to trust each other. So why to spend I don’t know how many millions of crowns on fences. Very simple like that. Just don’t steal from the other than you don’t need a fence. Right.
46:44
But yeah, if you’re already in gangs, take advantage of
46:48
it. If your needs are met, you’re less likely to need the steel things.
46:54
Would you say so? You’re coming from Eastern European country,
46:59
they say Central but central case
47:02
in principle, everything that belongs to the Soviet Union that is the
47:06
euro. So, in the US mentioned some of the games maybe from the people that aren’t from here, you get any sense of, of a racism or prejudice against people that aren’t Danish living here.
47:21
I don’t feel it directly. I think they’re very open to foreigners. And there is of course, a national park and they always complain about foreigners, but in a place for most of Danish people are friendly towards foreigners and you don’t experience any racism. So it’s, at least I haven’t experienced, of course, sometimes you tend to think that of course, they give advantages to Danish people. I certainly felt it when I was applying for scholarships in Burma, Danish classmates would get Yeah, five times more than me. They’re great. Not five times better than mine. So, but that’s how it is. It’s I accepted and so, but we don’t have like any insults or any attacks or anything and never never really experienced. There are some districts in the bigger towns in Copenhagen and in offices, but I just hear things I don’t I never went there. And of course I’m not planning to go there but the here is about problem it’s second third generation. Me immigrants. So the yeah the kids of the immigrants and refugees that they can’t really find their place in Denmark in a way that they born in Denmark, they speak Danish but their culture is different because of the family and then they make gangs and in trouble so But then again, it’s not. It’s not accepted to discriminate here. It’s completely unacceptable. So
49:08
as you mentioned earlier, and I’ve spent the last couple days getting to know your wife, she’s she’s not from here, but together. She’s from Japan. And as you met in Australia, but you said you met me before you met her. Yes.
49:23
Things are moving quickly. You’re married here, but you’re planning to make your life here at least for a while. Yes,
49:29
yes, yes. Even though in the beginning, she was a bit uncertain, like a Japanese also a developed country. And you can get good job and there are lots of job possibilities, probably for me as well in engineering that’s more international. But I really wanted her to experience that. Yeah, it’s difficult because we have to learn the language. But if you get to see the life here, and by life, I mean, the news story Have a job and see how’s the work relation? And it’s it makes a huge difference. It’s something that it’s very, very difficult to, to, to live without this. Yeah. That there is no unnecessary here and in Japan as well, like it’s very known about unhappy work culture and very male dominated society and the here and all the bad aspects of that. And now since she has started an internship, she could see more. How is it actually working in Denmark? And so far good. So now she can more she can she can also imagine like, yes, this is a place to have a family and settle down and yeah, we have to learn the language. That’s the it’s nothing comes for free even it sounds like everything is free in that light but you have to put that forth into it so to really fit in to excel here that you need to be a part of it. Yes, this is
51:14
what I think is interesting one of many things interesting because you met in Australia and your common language is English so you’re speaking English to me and to Brad’s has remained here that’s that’s normal because you’re speaking English in the home all the time.
51:31
Yes, I have made occasions in English and my profession everything is in English. I have many international colleagues and for me it’s more natural even though sometimes I have difficulties with native speakers. They have some expressions that I cannot understand or some some jokes sometimes it’s difficult to capture. But it’s, it’s it’s working for us when we met with the UK for First time she was in Australia to learn English in Japan there are very limited possibilities to practice the language. And when I met with her then then I noticed Yeah, she’s like have some language because what I could see what’s behind so the person within that that’s why we are married and living together and yet the language will come. It’s I was not variable that they knew also for myself, because when I came here then I had difficulties with the language but as soon as I was pushed into the situation, then I had to learn with the Danish language with an English English language English as well. I had difficult hearing in here, because the same way in Hungary they don’t have it’s not common that we can practice the language. So if you learn theoretically, you know that’s, that’s not the way you use the language. And yes, her friends are all shocked. Now, we can have fun discussions. And yes, it’s, it’s not not an issue. It’s something that like, yeah, it’s easy to it’s not a big challenge and then the same with Danish. It’s difficult, but we will overcome that it’s not, not something we should be very, very difficult and
53:21
we just have to be patient. It’s all about patience.
53:26
When I speak to you in English, I don’t notice much like Australian vernacular or British terms or necessarily American. Do you relate more to any of them in America or to any anyone from anywhere?
53:44
I had a lot of Eastern European classmates in high school. I thought that someone said that Russian accent but I don’t know it’s difficult to tell but I never really listened to my voice and And it could be, but certainly, with people who also learn the language, we have to have similar vocabulary. So and then I meet with native speakers who come from, yeah, the whole, much, much, much bigger vocabulary they can. They can talk nicely and it’s nice to talk with those people because I can learn some phrases from them as well. So it’s, it’s nice.
54:31
It’s funny because when I met you in Australia, it’s difficult or it was difficult for me to go to Australia. Some people in Australia have really thick Australian accents and it’s hard for me to even Was it difficult for you in that country?
54:45
Not really beat Australian. I think for me, it’s the British English that’s the most difficult Scottish or that can be also. So that’s that’s more difficult than American Australian Britishness, yeah, most of the time. It’s also okay. So, but then, yeah, of course, then there are these nations, which has not native English speakers in there and it’s difficult. I had difficulties with the Japanese English as well. But the more time we spend together, then I can hear it easily. And I notice that sometimes other people less, it’s more difficult to understand the UK, but I can understand just because I’m more used to that accent. Or the same when I was living in Australia, Vietnamese woman, it was very difficult to understand. But the more time we spent together then then I could better hear I started to understand which sounds she pronounces differently. Yeah. And then I could immediately convert those sounds and then I could get the meaning because It’s a pattern, it’s always the same way they, they bend the language of it. So that’s the accent. So it comes with practice the same way I was in South Korea. In the beginning, I was like, What are they talking about? What took some time and then I could I could understand them famous. So
56:22
it’s getting late here as a recording of a long day. So I want to get to my final two segments and do one every episode. And the first one is my personal growth segment. And we talked about some ways that you tried some different things and really take advantage of opportunities. Is there something else from your life, that you’ve really been working on improving and found that that it’s important for you to be working on yourself in this way and really trying to improve yourself?
56:52
Hmm. I don’t know it’s usually I’m just going with the flow or recently as As I just got married with my wife now have more other priorities in life and more concerned about being a better husband and these things. So it’s new, new challenges for me as Valentino’s academic and also still the carrier that’s, that’s an ongoing thing. But
57:21
I suppose for many years, it was just you worrying about you and now Yes, yes. Usually,
57:27
it was it was never like someone told me what to do. I always talked with people and I got inspired from them. And then I set a goal. I never it’s not it was not like that. I always achieved the goals but it gives a direction. And for me, it’s always important to have haven’t set a goal and have a direction. I have different goals for the next few years and then the next five years, but to give get some some direction and even if you don’t succeed said
58:02
we get forward Yeah. But
58:07
I don’t know what what what as far as improving in focusing on myself and others,
58:15
but i think that’s that’s a good one to really grow as someone that can’t be totally independent now that has an interdependence here
58:25
yes
58:28
it has also the advantage and disadvantage so for all these journals I have in my life I always had this feeling would be nice to share if it’s someone and I’ve been going through a lot of phases in my life is during this journeys and how is missing the partner in those those those triggers and now finally have the partner so it’s I found the right one all these journeys ended up in the right person so it’s it’s it’s good So, but that’s that’s the, maybe it also reflects that the good things for the good things, we have to go and search, it’s not that they sit and they will come to us so. So it’s you have to take the step. And then during these journeys to really find out what what makes you happy and what you should prioritize in your life. So sometimes people tend to follow others. It’s like, meeting with others, and then just go on now with my wife go together. So
59:47
share some knowledge, but then take your own step forward.
59:50
Your thinking, learn from each other. So there’s always had some inspiring people I can I can name a few really made an impact. On my own life and
1:00:03
and
1:00:05
yeah, those The reason why I met with those people is because of the journeys I took because of the previous person. So whenever I chose the next next direction, I ended the meeting with someone who could have a talk. And maybe it completely changed my course. So it’s
1:00:32
it’s always going forward, that’s the most important.
1:00:36
My final segment, I call it the being wrong segment, but it’s really about changing your mind. So I want if you can come up with a story to share, where you’ve had a big change in your mind is the way you do things the way you think about things where you recognize that the old version, the old t bar, however many years ago, weeks, months or years ago, that version of you To see if you weren’t doing it right. And then you came to realize that the way you do things now is better. It’s worth sharing because maybe someone else can learn from it. What’s the story you would share?
1:01:10
Yes, there was thinking, just maybe because it came to me that my mind is, then when you travel and meet with people, then you start to know more and more people. But in the other end, I was trying to also stay in touch with old friends. And sometimes it’s very difficult and sometimes just have to let people go. Because you grow in one direction they grow in other direction. And and it’s not always healthy to, to push yourself back to an old, old version, the version who you were when you were together with those people instead of growing and becoming a new, new deeper and and find people who, who you really be yourself instead of pushing yourself back to the
1:02:16
status, that means you’re suggesting that you would be wrong to, to pretend to you are someone that used to be so you can converse with someone that you used to find maybe more important in
1:02:28
your life at a previous time. Yes, it comes back to the values like what you find important then, let’s say before I started to travel that was for me, like those problems that I had that time and those
1:02:49
things that
1:02:51
sharpness is, so that was very back then.
1:02:56
Some of my old friends are still variable, those Those things that when I look at it, it’s nothing. It’s like it’s so easy to solve that problem. It’s not they don’t and sometimes it’s not not good to to try to stay in that environment. So you have to let them go and then just grow and life will bring in new new people and and I can feel yourself
1:03:34
well I’m pleased that I’m one of the people that once met you forced to share Kevin with us in the forest but we were assigned in the same cabin got to really get to know you. They had some cool experiences we we watched the baby sea turtles hatching come out. Yes, I have a photo of you like holding one of them and then I got to take one down to the ocean that day. And when I told the story of me scuba diving To get the Great Barrier Reef, I told it with George, my first podcast episode with George. It was I started to go and then like I panicked and gave up. It was George and you. I think I mentioned your name in that conversation with him that went and had the experience and that’s on video, George was wearing the GoPro. But then I later went down and got the experience as well. And I didn’t give off but I felt like giving up the day when you were there. You’re part of all these big some really cool memories for me.
1:04:28
That was that was a very memorable moment in my life. Some people yeah, if they do scuba diving for many, many times, but if you do it for a first time, and I never did that before that was not horrifying, but I had my pauses going up so so that was very, very, very nice. And that was again a time in Australia and I felt like I can’t do anything. It’s this is this life should bring for me this new experience. This isn’t and that was really nice nice nice time to meet you sir.
1:05:07
Say yes to an opportunity going for it. The other memory that just came to me was we were not we were on the island of the big old coral that dies and becomes an island and was Island birds and they’re just the thing they were there were so many that they I think what happened they would all be pooping and they poop on another one and they get so much and then that one would die because it had too much couponer to fly but then that’s what like made the trees grow it was crazy. We got to walk around in this thing is kind of weird kind of stinky, but also a neat place to understand this is how an ecosystem works it that’s that’s again a place that that was had honestly moments. That was in Australia that six months was like a dream. But
1:05:57
yes, that’s kind of my Not my fear, but I don’t want this called experiences just to be a dreamer. I like to do the next year more dreams more dreams. So not not not have it as something I remember back then. We’re doing this um, yeah, 10 years ago, 10 years ago.
1:06:25
I would like to
1:06:26
give a dislike to the new oil. You’ve got the globe over there, you put in the nails and obviously, you’re wearing the University of Sydney. Or if you didn’t have that, you went to Matt, you went to met your wife. So Brad, Brad wouldn’t be here either.
1:06:40
Yeah, it’s a small world. And I’m really, really happy that you visited me and I’m flattered that you you came to me for to visit me in Denmark. So that’s that’s,
1:06:51
I know.
1:06:53
I’ve never been here. I’m happy to be here. Happy to see you. Again. Happy to meet your wife. This has been really neat experience. Thank you for having this conversation with me.
1:07:01
Thank you very much for coming and visiting us here.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai