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The Scandi Shift

The Scandi Shift

By: Meg Christiansen & Selena Wintersø
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The Scandi Shift: Two expat mamas, one epic adventure, and a treasure trove of tales!


Join Meg and Selena as they dish out The Scandi Shift — a cheeky, raw guide to cracking the code of life in Denmark. Dive into the expat experience that no relocation brochure dares to reveal!


Every episode, we unravel the unexpected, the delightful, and the “Wait… is this for real?” moments of moving abroad, parenting, working, and making connections in Copenhagen. From tackling the Danish school system to braving the long Scandinavian winters, navigating quirky customs, forging friendships, savoring the local cuisine, and just plain surviving. Consider us your crash-test dummies.


We’re here for practical tips, hygge vibes, and our honest take on hitting the reset button as expat parents in Denmark.


Tune in every other week for funny, honest conversations about expat life, family, culture, and starting over abroad.


Velkommen to The Scandi Shift!



© 2026 The Scandi Shift
Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Episode 14: Finding Your Village in Denmark: Making Friends, Belonging & Starting Over Abroad
    Jun 24 2026

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    Moving abroad isn't just about finding a new home.

    It's about rebuilding a life.

    In this episode of The Scandi Shift, Meg and Selena explore what it really means to find your village after moving to Denmark. Not just making friends, but building the people, routines, communities, and support systems that make a place start to feel like home.

    Inspired by conversations from their first Across the Table dinner, they reflect on the surprising reality that women from different countries, backgrounds, and stages of life were all searching for something similar: deeper connection and a sense of belonging.

    We talk about:

    • Why making friends and building a village are not the same thing
    • The invisible support systems you don't realize you have until they're gone
    • How motherhood changes what community means
    • Why making friends as an adult can feel suspiciously like dating
    • The challenge of breaking into established social circles
    • How school, daycare, work, volunteering, and community groups can become connection points
    • The difference between networking and genuine belonging
    • Why villages don't magically appear — they're built

    Whether you've recently moved to Denmark, are considering relocating abroad, or simply feel like you're rebuilding your community in a new phase of life, this episode is a reminder that meaningful connection takes time — and that you're probably not as alone as you think.

    Because sometimes a village isn't one perfect group of friends.

    Sometimes it's a collection of people, places, and relationships that slowly become home.

    Expat life Denmark, moving to Denmark, making friends abroad, finding community, building a village, motherhood abroad, living in Copenhagen, belonging in Denmark, international life, women living abroad.

    🎧 New episodes every other week — follow to stay updated!
    📩 Email: TheScandiShift@gmail.com

    📍 Instagram: @TheScandiShift
    ⭐️ Please rate + review — it helps other expats find the show!

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    33 mins
  • Episode 13: Why Does Everyone in Denmark Have a Summer House?!
    Jun 10 2026

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    In this episode of The Scandi Shift, Meg and Selena dive into one of Denmark's most iconic summer traditions: the mysterious summer house.

    The moment the weather turns sunny, it feels like half of Denmark disappears. Plans get declined. Cities empty out. Friends head "up north." And if you're new to Denmark, you're left wondering:

    Where is everyone going? And how does everyone seem to have a summer house?

    From classic Danish summer houses along the coast to the highly coveted kolonihave garden communities hidden throughout Copenhagen, Meg and Selena explore the culture, traditions, and realities behind Denmark's obsession with escaping to nature.

    We talk about:

    • Why summer houses are such a big part of Danish culture
    • What a Danish summer house is actually like
    • The surprising rules around owning one
    • The secret world of Copenhagen's kolonihaver
    • Why so many Danes disappear on sunny weekends
    • The appeal of having a home away from home
    • Whether summer house life is really as idyllic as it looks
    • The hidden costs, maintenance, and realities nobody talks about

    Whether you're an expat trying to understand Danish culture or simply dreaming of your own Scandinavian getaway, this episode explores one of the most uniquely Danish parts of summer life.

    Danish summer houses, living in Denmark, expat life Denmark, Danish culture, Copenhagen life, kolonihave, Scandinavian lifestyle, moving to Denmark, life in Copenhagen, Danish summer traditions.

    🎧 New episodes every other week — follow to stay updated!
    📩 Email: TheScandiShift@gmail.com

    📍 Instagram: @TheScandiShift
    ⭐️ Please rate + review — it helps other expats find the show!

    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • Episode 12: What We Miss and Don't Miss Most After Moving to Denmark
    May 27 2026

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    In this episode of The Scandi Shift, Meg and Selena unpack the surprising reality of missing home after moving abroad — including the things they expected to miss, the things that blindsided them completely, and the parts of their old lives they strangely don’t miss anymore.

    From Trader Joe’s peanut butter and Yorkshire Tea to Sunday roasts, spontaneous dinners with friends, beach walks in San Francisco, and the emotional shift that comes with raising kids far from family, this episode dives into the weirdly specific things that suddenly matter when you build a new life in another country.

    We talk about:

    • The things we thought we’d desperately miss before moving abroad
    • Why some losses feel bigger after having kids
    • Missing old routines without wanting your old life back
    • The emotional difference between moving cities vs moving countries
    • Food, grocery stores, Amazon, and oddly specific comfort items
    • Why spontaneity changes so much in Denmark
    • The surprising upside of not understanding everyone around you
    • Summer energy, bike culture, and the things Denmark does better than expected

    This episode is funny, nostalgic, honest, and deeply relatable for anyone who has ever moved abroad and realized that the things you miss most are rarely the things you expected.

    Because sometimes you don’t miss “home.”
    You miss a version of yourself that existed there.

    Living abroad, expat life Denmark, moving to Denmark, culture shock Denmark, things expats miss, life in Copenhagen, living overseas, expat motherhood, starting over abroad.

    🎧 New episodes every other week — follow to stay updated!
    📩 Email: TheScandiShift@gmail.com

    📍 Instagram: @TheScandiShift
    ⭐️ Please rate + review — it helps other expats find the show!

    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
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