Boy you’re certainly right about un-moderated comment sections. The really sad part is that, based on how often the posters at CPHPOST complain about having their comments rejected, it is in fact a moderated forum. I can only imagine what doesn’t get through.

I think working for a Danish company could go either way. It might have reduced the dissonance, but it might also have made the dissonance seem overwhelming, depending of course on the company.

But a big factor here is romantic status. There’s no question in my mind that it was easier for me to make friends and “integrate” because I moved here alone. My experience would likely have been quite different if I’d move here with a girlfriend.

You’ve captured some of what I felt during my expat experience. I think that, for me, working for a (very) American company caused a huge level of dissonance with my expat experience. American companies embody both the best and worst aspects of the U.S., and these traits become more exaggerated when you try to operate in very American ways in a foreign country. As a result, I don’t feel I had a true expat experience. If/when I do it again, it would ideally not be in the employ of a huge American corporation.