Travel-writer Caroline Sølver on culture shock and relationships.

Caroline Sølver talks culture-shock, love, and travel. Image: Caroline Sølver

“Our culture is a great part of who we are. The environment we live in and the values we are exposed to since we are in the womb really build our personality and define the kind of person we will get to be in the future.

Radically changing the country we live in or moving to a completely different place compared to what we are used to is one of the greatest shocks someone can experience.

Most of us have experienced culture shock at least once in our lives. Copenhagen-born traveler and blogger Caroline Sølver is no stranger to cultural shocks: “I was lucky enough to have parents who took me traveling around the world from when I was a baby. I think that made me sort of immune to culture shocks, because I was used to exploring other cultures from a young age. However, being in a relationship with a Colombian-American from NYC, myself being Danish from Copenhagen, I experience cultural differences almost every day through our relationship.

We’ve been together for almost six years, so we’ve come a long way. It was tougher in the beginning! But I remember the outraged look on his face, the first time we ever ate burgers, and I grabbed a fork and knife to eat the burger with. I told him that that’s how Danes eat their burgers if it’s at a restaurant. Since then, he’s won, and I now eat burgers with my hands”.

Photos: Caroline Sølver

“I drink my coffee with oat milk, ride my bike anywhere I can (#truedane), knit to wind down, and read books to fall asleep”

25 year old Caroline was born and raised in Copenhagen. “I hold Copenhagen dear to my heart, but see myself as a world citizen with an affinity for travel. When I was 18 years old, I moved to Berlin, where I ended up living for three years. In Berlin, I met my boyfriend who’s a real New Yorker, which led me to his hometown, where we opened a Danish/Colombian cafe in Brooklyn. Now, living between Copenhagen, Berlin, and NYC, I run my own lifestyle blog, publish hip travel guides and work as a freelance context expert. […] I drink my coffee with oat milk, ride my bike anywhere I can (#truedane), knit to wind down, and read books to fall asleep.” – she says.

On silverstories.dk you will find lots of hip travel guides – not only about Berlin, NYC, and Copenhagen but around the whole world. You will also find personal anecdotes and lifestyle inspiration with the goal of living your best life!

She is also the author of a hip travel guide about Berlin (in Danish only, but her first guide in English is coming soon). Her approach is to go beyond the traditional guidebooks and include hidden gems and cool spots that you won’t find in the other guides.