relocation guide (spring 2012)

HOW TO MEET THE

DANES

NAVIGATING DANISH AISLES

SPRING 2012

RELOCATIONGUIDE

FOREIGN & PREGNANT IN

DENMARK

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Relocati on Guide - Spring 2012

POSTBOX

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Chiefexecutive:Jesper Nymark

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how to meet the

danes

navigating danish aisles

spring 2012

relocationguide

foreign & pregnant in

denmark

I N T E R N A T I O N A L S C H O O LØsterbro

As your child grows

We grow with them at Østerbro International School, where the individual comes first. Our primary aim is to identify and appreciate the unique potential of each pupil and develop it to the full in a caring, comfortable and

happy environment. Pupils receive an excellent, well-rounded education from dedicated and well-qualified teachers, developing qualities which will equip them to face life’s challenges with self-belief and optimism.

Østerbro International School • Præstøgade 17 • 2100 Copenhagen Ø • Tel.: +45 70 20 63 68 • Website: www.oeis.dk • E-mail: [email protected]

The key to a successful, stress-free relocati on, ac-

cording to Copenhagen Relocati ons, a company

specialising in helping expats and corporate

employees relocate to Denmark, is to start preparing

early. The more you can get done before leaving home,

the easier things will be when you actually arrive in

your new country.

An example of this is to fi le the necessary residency

and work permits in advance, meaning that when you

arrive you can hit the ground running – there’s so many

bett er ways to spend the fi rst few weeks following your

arrival than waiti ng in line at the immigrati on offi ce.

Once you’ve obtained your residency or work permit,

you can register with the Nati onal Register of Per-

sons, folkeregister in Danish. Everyone who intends on

staying in Denmark for longer than three months (six

months for those from other Nordic or EU countries)

is required to register at the Nati onal Registrati on Of-

fi ce in the municipality (kommune) where they will be

living.

Registering will give you your vital CPR number, which

is not only your key to becoming a legal member of so-

ciety but is also necessary for such things as opening a

bank account, receiving your salary, registering with a

doctor and enrolling in school or day-care insti tuti ons.

Once you have your CPR number you will also be cov-

ered by public health insurance. The key to this service

is your litt le yellow card, one of the most important

things you’ll receive in Denmark. The public health

insurance is fi nanced by your taxes and designed to

ensure that everyone has equal and free access to

health services. It’s important to deal with this quickly,

as some newcomers may have to wait up to six weeks

before they become eligible for the insurance.

Free schooling is available for every child from the age

of seven in Denmark, and while all families with chil-

dren aged six to 16 will automati cally receive informa-

ti on on schools and educati on when they register with

the Nati onal Register, Copenhagen Relocati ons recom-

mends making contact with the internati onal schools

and day-care insti tuti ons before the physical relocati on

itself, since many schools have waiti ng lists. The sooner

they are made aware of the arrival, the bett er.

Copenhagen Relocati ons also advise signing your child

up to more than one school to really ensure there’s

a place waiti ng for them, and also to allow for more

fl exibility when looking for a house. The school year in

Denmark starts as early as the beginning of August and

ends in the middle of June, though students are gener-

ally admitt ed at the ti me they arrive in the municipality.

One seemingly inconsequenti al, yet vital part of the

relocati on process is the ability to keep an open mind.

Things in Denmark are diff erent from where you come

from and the more you compare things to home all the

ti me the more you can miss out on what Denmark has

to off er. Life in Denmark is unique in so many ways, and

getti ng sett led in quickly and maintaining a good atti -

tude through the process can be the start of an enjoy-

able experience in the ‘happiest’ country on earth.

getting settled ...packing up everything for a fresh start in a new country is a challenging prospect even for seasoned expats: but by preparing first, as well as seeking help from those experienced in the practice, the big move doesn’t have to be an ordeal By Jimmy Fyfe

3

Bike Archetypes

4

Relocation Guide - Spring 2012

two-wheeled trAffic – without the trAumA

Given the number of cycling paths crisscrossing the city, the

general flatness of the landscape and the relatively mild

climate, it’s no wonder cycling is the national means of

transport.

Joining fellow cyclists in the city bustle is absolutely recommended

when relocating to Copenhagen. Idyllic as it may look, however,

the country’s bicycle lanes are not for the fainthearted, and new-

comers should get acquainted with the basic rules – written and

unwritten – before venturing outside on two wheels. Here are a

few tips:

1. Helmet Even though use of helmets is optional, head injuries,

which comprise half of the serious injuries that occur to cyclists,

can be prevented by helmets. Helmets come in all sorts of shapes

and sizes. To find a helmet approved by European standards,

look for the label reading EN 1078.

2. Signal Remember to indicate your intentions to turn or stop in

the traffic. Others should be able to anticipate your movements

from your indications. Turning is signalled by extending the arm

horizontally in the direction you intend to turn. Raising the arm

vertically signals you are about to stop.

3. Wait Don’t always maintain your right of way if the situation

looks dangerous. As a cyclist, you are vulnerable and often the

victim should an accident take place.

4. Lorries Keep behind lorries and buses as a general rule. Most

accidents happen at crossroads. Lorries making a right-turn are

known to be a hazard, especially to cyclists. If you are beside or

behind a lorry and can’t see its mirrors, the driver can’t see you.

5. Lights Bicycle lights should be used from sunset to sunrise and

in bad weather. Lights must be mounted to the bike and should

be able to be seen clearly, from the sides as well, from a distance

of 300 metres. Rear lights should be red and may blink, if the

blinking speed is more than 120 blinks per minute. Headlights

should be yellow or white, possibly with a bluish tint. Whereas

white lights should blink at least 120 times per minute, yellow

lights should not blink.

6.Alcohol If under the influence of alcohol, take a taxi or push

your bike. Should you meet the police while drinking and biking,

you can be fined.

the unhinged parent The back wheel child-seat conspicuous in the absence of junior should send alarm bells ringing among the most confident of cyclists. These young parents are known for their lethal pedalling and God help anyone who gets in their way.

the green jersey cyclist This cunning fox knows the location and timing of every red light in the city, so don’t be surprised when the middle-aged buffer who you passed three blocks earlier comes tearing past you at the speed of light to make it through a junction you gave up on ten seconds ago, often raising his hands in jubilation.

the multi-tasker Chatting with friends, text messaging, read-ing the newspaper while driving no-handed, looking at mem-bers of the opposite sex, plotting future world domination.

the deputy Self-appointed arbiters who are always there to tick you off should you dare to err from the unofficial rule book, which they frequently break themselves.

the scooter polluter Sometimes traveling faster than the legal limit of 45km per hour, these noisy maniacs can be heard a long ways off. Pull to the right if you hear one coming, lest you be-come the subject of an angry honk.

Itisn’tjustthenewcomersthatirritateregularbikecommuters,

thereareplentyofothercommutertypesthatmakecyclinga

paininthesaddleforthemajorityofriders.

welcome to the city where the majority of the population uses a two-wheeled vehicle for transportation By Kamilla Stoffregen

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5

The Danish authoriti es have recently improved the visibility and clarity of the procedures that need to be followed when moving here. To help you along, here is a guide to point you in the right directi on. But as procedures vary depending on your situati on, it’s always best to check with the relevant authoriti es.

so how does it work?

step 1 – residence/work permitsif you are an eu citizenIf you plan to stay in Denmark more than three months, you must apply for a certi fi cate of regis-trati on before those three months expire. Be pre-pared for it to take a couple of weeks.

The applicati on must be submitt ed in person to the Regional State Administrati on (RSA) where you live. Check with the Statsforvaltning which RSA you belong to and whether you need to make

an appointment fi rst. The State Administrati on of-fi ce for Copenhagen is located at:Borups Alle 177, 2400 Cph NV (7256 7000)EU residence opening hours: Mon-Wed, Fri09:00-12:00; Thu 13:00 - 16:00.

Remember to bring your passport and one pass-port photo. You will also need to bring documen-tati on proving the reasons for your stay, e.g.:

• Proof of employment: employment contract if you have one. Must be signed and max 1 month old or bring employer’s declarati on (Appendix A of the applicati on form)• Proof of suffi cient means: documentati on showing means of fi nancing your stay, e.g. bank account statement in your own name and max 14 days old.• Students: documentati on for (eligible) educati onal programme. For non-EU family members of EU citi zens, check the requirements with the Statsforvaltning fi rst. Once citi zens of EU or EFTA countries are issued a residence permit, they do not need a separate work permit (arbejdesti lladelse).

if you are not an eu citizenIf you aren’t an EU citi zen, check with the Dan-ish Immigrati on Service (www.nyidanmark.dk) regarding visa requirements, residence and work permit regulati ons, as these vary. Much will de-pend on your profession as to what type of resi-dence permit (opholdsbevis) is issued. If you are being expatriated, your company or a relocati on agency will off er the best advice. If you are in Denmark as a tourist and wish to apply for a resi-dence permit, you need to go to:The Danish Immigrati on Service (Udlændingesty-relsen), Ryesgade 53, 2100 Cph Ø.

step 2 – your yellow cArd – cpr numBerThis card is the Danish equivalent of a Social Security number or ID card and is the key to ac-cessing almost everything in Denmark. First and foremost, it’s your personal health insurance card and enti tles you to doctor’s visits and emergency treatment under the Danish state healthcare sys-tem. You will also need this number when you deal with public authoriti es, open a bank account, set up uti liti es, take a language course or enrol your child in school, for the tax offi ce, oft en to get a job, and even to use the library.

Once you have your residence permit, you need to visit the Citi zen Service Centre (Borgerservice-center) in your local authority (kommune) in per-son to register with them. Bring your residence permit, photo ID, and marriage or birth cer-ti fi cates for your children, if applicable. You also need a fi xed home address (a hotel or business address won’t suffi ce). A proof of your address – i.e. rental lease, contract or lett er from your land-lord. At the same ti me as registering for your CPR number, you will also be asked to choose a GP (general practi ti oner or doctor).

In Copenhagen you register at the Citi zen Service Center, Nyropsgade 1, 1602 Cph V, open Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00. You will get a CPR number right away, except in peak seasons Jan/Feb and Sep-tember and your health insurance card will ar-rive within two weeks. Be aware that you have to put your last name on the mailbox or menti on your landlord’s name in order to receive it. It is a personal lett er and is only delivered to persons menti oned on the mail box. Otherwise it will be returned and destroyed without noti ce. It’s worth noti ng that state health insurance does not cover the cost of medicine, dental treatments and some special treatments such as physiotherapy.

step 3 – tAxThe third step, once you’ve received your CPR number, is to register with the tax offi ce (SKAT) for your tax card (skatt ekort). This is vital if you are working. You will need to provide details of your annual income and an assessment of your tax liability. If your employer does not have your tax card, you will automati cally be taxed in the region of 55-60 percent, which can be reclaimed but may leave you a litt le short of cash. Check www.skat.dk for more informati on. The central tax offi ce in Copenhagen is at: Sluseholmen 8B, 2450 Cph S (7222 1818) opening hours: Mon 10:00-16:00, Tue-Fri 10:00-14:00.

new to denmarkwww.nyidanmark.dkBefore you arrive, check the New to Denmark portal - the offi cial Danish Immigrati on Service website for foreigners and immigrati on. The site is in Danish and English, has secti ons in other lan-guages, and is especially useful for fi nding infor-mati on on visa requirements, work permits and entry rules for students and au pairs.

www.icitizen.dkGet help with the paperwork and get good advice on what it’s like to live and work in Denmark. All relevant authoriti es under one roof. A public serv-ice for foreign employees, job seekers and Danish companies. Nyropsgade 1, 1602 Cph V. Opening hours: Wed 13:00-17:00, Thu 11:00-15:00; (3366 6606). The service also has a walk-in centre in central Copenhagen, open Wed-Thurs only.

www.statsforvaltning.dkClick on In ‘English’ and then in the left margin marked, ‘EU residence’. The Regional State Ad-ministrati on’s website has informati on on what to do, where to go and what you need to bring with you to apply for a Certi fi cate of Registrati on or residence permit (registreringsbevis).

navigating the rules, regulations and red tape in an unknown land can be a minefield. figuring out what documentation you require and in which order you need to get it in may send you rushing for the first flight home By Celia thaysen

the little yellow cArd


6

dRAgØRdragørisapicturesque,quaintfishingvillageontheislandofAm-

agerneartheairport,andoutofthehustleandbustleofthecity

centre.

Type: Middle-class village

Ideallysuitedfor: Families with young children

Postaldistrict: 2791 Dragør

Housing: Terraced houses and detached villas

Rentprices: 7,000-16,000kr

Topculturalpick: Dragør Harbour

copenhagen and its suburbs has a variety of neigh-

bourhoods and outlying towns, each with their own

distinctive characteristics. choosing which one is right

for you and your family depends on your own needs

and wishes – as well as on how much you’re prepared

to spend

choosing wHeRe to LIVe

(leisure and fi shing)

distancefromtheCityCentre:less than 30 minutes

Similarareasnearby: Tårnby, Islands Brygge

FRedeRIkSBeRgActually itsownmunicipalityalthoughitseemsmore likeadis-

trictofCopenhagen,Frederiksberg isamodernmetropoliswith

numerousparks,leisureandculturalfacilities,cafésandshopping

areasconnectedtocentralCopenhagenbythemetro

Type: Middle-class metropolis

Ideallysuitedfor: Everyone, in parti cular creati ve types,

students and families

Postaldistricts: 1800-1998 (Frederiksberg C), 2000 (Frederiksberg)

Housing: A full range of apartments, terraced houses,

villa-apartments and detached houses


Universities: Copenhagen Business School, University of

Copenhagen Faculty of Life Sciences

InternationalSchools: No internati onal schools, but Johannessko-

len is one of the best private schools in Denmark

Topculturalpicks: Copenhagen Zoo, Forum (exhibiti on and

concert centre)

Shopping: Gammel Kongevej, Godthåbsvej, Falkoner Alle and

Frederiksberg Centre

WheretofindInternationalProducts: SuperBest

distancefromtheCityCentre: 10-15 minutes

SimilarAreasnearby: Valby

ØSTeRBROOneof the largest Copenhagendistricts, residentialØsterbro is

ringedtothewestbySortedamLakeandhasplentyofcafes,res-

taurants,takeawaysandshops.Itoffersavarietyoflivingoptions,

fromcityapartmentsininnerØsterbrotolargehousesintheem-

bassydistrict.

Type: Urban

Ideallysuitedfor: Couples and families

Postaldistrict: 2100 København Ø

Housing: Apartments and houses of all sizes


Topculturalpicks:Parken stadium, the Lakes and Fælledparken

Shopping: Østerbrogade, Øster Farimagsgade and Nordre

Frihavnsgade


SimilarAreasnearby: The Inner City, Hellerup, Nørrebro

CHRISTIAnSHAVnWithitspicturesquecanalsandprettypaintedhouses,Christian-

shavnwas created in thedutch style in the1600s. Thesedays,

thisupmarketneighbourhoodisoneofCopenhagen’smostdesir-

abledistricts,connectedtothecentrebymetroandknownforits

trendycafesandupscalerestaurants.

Type: Glamorous metropolis

Ideallysuitedfor:Young people without children

Postaldistrict: 1400-1441 København K

Housing: Apartments


Topculturalpicks:Freetown of Christi ania

dining: Noma (top rated restaurant), Era Ora (gourmet Italian)

Shopping: Amager Centre


SimilarAreasnearby: Islands Brygge, Sundby

ØReSTAdØrestadisCopenhagen’snewestneighbourhood,anexcitingarea

on the islandofAmagerconnected to thecitycentrebymetro

andclose toboth theairportandtheØresundBridge.Theuni-

versitycampushasbroughtyoungpeopletotheareaindroves,

while exciting architectural projects offer attractive, affordable

housingtofamilies.

Type:Modern student campus

Ideallysuitedfor:Families with children, young couples, students

Postaldistrict:2300 København S

Housing: Apartments


Topculturalpicks: The Concert House (Koncerthuset) in DR-Byen

Shopping: Field’s


SimilarAreasnearby: Tårnby, Islands Brygge

HeLLeRUPSmartsuburbHelleruphasaflourishingexpatcommunity,thanks

tothemanyembassiesandinternationalschoolsinthearea.Oth-

erattractions includeupscale shops, cafesandanearbybeach.

Housingrangesfrompalatialearly20thcenturyvillastonewhar-

bour-frontapartmentdevelopments.

Type: Wealthy suburbia

Ideallysuitedfor: Families with school-age children

Postaldistrict: 2900 Hellerup

Housing: Everything from modern apartments and self-contained

fl ats to palati al villas


InternationalSchools: Copenhagen Internati onal School,

Bernadott eskolen, Rygaards Internati onal School

Topculturalpick:The Experimentarium (science museum)

Shopping: Strandvejen, Water Front Shopping Centre

WheretofindInternationalProducts: SuperBest


SimilarAreasnearby: Gentoft e, Charlott enlund, Klampenborg

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nature.

Sascha Eichendorff was an easy sell. He knew that the fourth-fl oor apartment in downtown

Aarhus was the one he wanted as soon as he laid eyes on it. But before German-born

Eichendorff , a student at Aarhus University, could move in, he was given a contract so intri-

cate that even a PhD student in medical biochemistry like himself was confused. Everything about

the apartment was spelled out in the agreement, right down to the aluminium tube connecti ng

the sink to the dishwasher and the type of soap to use on the fl oors.

“It was like a recipe,” Eichendorff says of the soap instructi ons. “It said I could use ammonia, but

only up to a very specifi c percentage. It was bizarre.” Equally surprising to Eichendorff was how

much he would have to pay: before moving in he had to hand over not only a deposit of three

months’ rent but an additi onal three months’ prepaid rent as well as his fi rst month’s rent.

Strange as the contract seemed to Eichendorff , such details are commonplace in the Danish hous-

ing market. For while it is indeed possible for foreigners like Eichendorff to both buy and rent

housing, there are a number of rules worth knowing fi rst. According to Peter Høyer, the managing

director of Scandia, a housing fi rm founded in Copenhagen in 1993, Eichendorff ’s heft y deposit

is nothing unusual. In fact, there are Danish laws – found in the detailed (25,000 word) Rent Act

(Lejeloven) in Danish – requiring tenants to pay at least three months’ rent up-front.

“In the US and some places in the Far East and Middle East,” he says, “you can rent out apart-ments the same way you rent out a hotel room. That can be great for the tenant, but the person who owns the property is exposed. So the law protects owners in case the tenants don’t follow the rules.” Another disti nguishing characteristi c of the Danish housing market is the length of the lease. In the US, Høyer says, it is not unusual for a tenant to sign a one-year lease and then extend it indefi nitely. But in Denmark, the durati on of a lease is pre-determined and rigid – you can’t simply extend or terminate a lease at your convenience. “Here, that’s illegal,” he says. “You have a fi xed ti me. So the idea that you make a year-by-year contract isn’t something that’s done in Denmark, and that may surprise some people.” Foreigners might also be surprised by the myriad taxes levied against buyers. Søren Jespersen, a broker for EDC, a nati onal chain of estate agents, says the tax structure set up around buying a home or apartment can be dizzying. According to Jespersen, a buyer must pay the state 0.06 percent of the price of the house, in additi on to a fl at fee. And that’s just for the right to buy – it’s separate from the actual cost of a property. There are also taxes based on the value of the land (grundværdi) and the value of the building itself (ejendomsvurdering).

“This can add up,” Jespersen says. “If you bought a fl at for fi ve million kroner, then you’re paying a lot of money just for the right to buy your fl at, before you even get into the actual cost.”

And should someone need a mortgage, Jespersen says they must pay the state 1.5 percent of the amount of the loan. “The state actually earns a lot of money when people buy and sell houses in Denmark,” Jespersen says. “A lot of Danes don’t even know that. And this can be a lot of money if you’re loaning four or fi ve million kroner.” While taxes represent a big diff erence between renti ng and buying a house – according to Høyer, no taxes are levied against renters – buyers and renters alike might want to consider is getti ng outside help. Høyer says that renters should hire an agent to avoid confusion and surprises, and Jespersen’s advice goes a step further: get a lawyer. This assistance isn’t necessary for everyone. Eichendorff , for one, was able to wade through his hous-ing agreement without any real problems. Sti ll, he double-checks that soap recipe whenever he

cleans his fl oors.

homeworkBefore buying or renting a home, a quick study session may be in order By David Vranicar

“i basically paid seven rents when i moved in,” he says. “that’s pretty intense.”

7

Finding your way around complex renti ng rules can be an adventure

8


You can’t help but be wowed by it. Whether it’s longed for or a total shock, the mo-ment a woman finds out she’s pregnant is

not one she’ll forget in a hurry.

However, feelings of wonder are often swiftly fol-lowed by a wave of anxiety about relationship, ca-reer and last but not least, the fact that this baby will have to come out. For a woman who finds herself pregnant far away from home, without the support of family and friends, these feelings of anxiety can become overwhelming.

For Hanne Ebbesen, it was her own experiences of giving birth away from her native Denmark, in Scotland and Norway, that led her to start her company Copenhagen Maternity Care and now handles seven births a year as well as giving ante-natal classes geared to expat couples.

“I had my first kid in Scotland and I had this hor-rible need to have some company, anyone who would take my hand and say: ‘Pregnancy is nor-mal’. I needed someone who would come with me to the hospital and to the doctor. As a preg-nant expat with a husband working 12 hours a day you can get so lonely. This loneliness doesn’t

sit well with giving birth, you can’t relax, you don’t feel comfortable and you don’t feel ready to give birth. That’s why I became a doula.”

‘Doula’ is a Greek word meaning a woman who cares for other women. Nowadays it has come to refer to an experienced woman who helps a couple through the experience of pregnancy and birth.

The pregnant foreigner’s journey begins with her doctor, however the bulk of the care is deliv-ered by teams of community midwives, based in health centres rather than at the doctor’s surgery. You are allocated a midwifery team according to where you live and you may not always see the same midwife at each appointment.

This is not dissimilar to many European countries but to our North American sisters it can come as a bit of a shock.

For Ashley Denhup, who hails from Pennsylvania, her second birth at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen six months ago was very different from her first in the US.

“My first pregnancy was very straightforward and, being a healthy 27-year-old woman, my sec-ond pregnancy was really laid back. It was a bit of a shock that I was only seen by a doctor two or three times and it was a primary care doctor. In my first pregnancy I was seen every other week by an obstetrician.

“With my first birth, in the US, they convinced me to have an epidural, so I never felt labour, I couldn’t even feel my legs. Here in Denmark by the time I got to asking for an epidural they told me I was past that stage. I ended up having my baby naturally which was the most empowering and awesome thing and it would never have hap-pened in the States, I would have been given an epidural, I would never have pushed the baby out myself. That was one thing that was really great about being in Denmark.”

While Denhup faired well without an epidural, others might be less gung-ho at the prospect. Eb-besen is quick to point out that you don’t get, if you don’t ask.

“A woman must pronounce her needs,” she said. “It’s perfectly allowed in Denmark to say – I need more backup, you just have to make your voice heard. “

Irish nurse Maria Byrge, who has given birth twice at Hvidovre Hospital, also advises women to ban-ish shyness and ask for what they need.

“In the hospital you need to be proactive and ask for help, whether it’s a cup of tea or painkillers or help with breast feeding, they don’t come in ask-ing if you want anything every five minutes. You need to press that buzzer when you need some-thing, but when you do they’re there.

“The system here overall is very good. It’s very simple and basic but it really works. You don’t see the midwives very often but their knowledge and experience is superb and I also found them to be very caring. They all spoke great English as well.”

Although both Byrge’s pregnancies and births were uncomplicated, the pain of the first birth made her fearful in the lead up to the second.

“I was lucky to meet up with Hanne through the AWC (American Women’s Club) ‘Stork Club’ and she was a great help and inspiration with my sec-ond birth. My first birth was fine but more pain-ful than I had imagined and with the second birth coming up I was frightened. She was very gener-

ous with her advice and encouragement. Every-thing she told me helped me in labour.”

AWC and Ladies International Group København both have bumps and babies groups that Byrge said were “much better than googling”, adding, “don’t worry that there are no doctors involved, it’s actually an advantage. Natural is the way to go and it’s best for mother and baby.”

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in denmark and holding a pregnancy test with two lines? here’s what you can expect the next nine months to be like By Stephanie Brickman

You’re a foreigner, You’re pregnant!

whAt do you do?

Factfile|You’repregnant.Whatnext?

• Contact your GP for confirmation of

pregnancy and to be registered as pregnant.

You will be given handheld notes, known as

a ‘vandrejournal’.

• Read up on what you can and can’t eat,

drink and do. “What to expect when you’re

expecting” by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon

Mazel is widely accepted as an authoritative

source of information.

• Don’t expect to have any appointments

until around 13 weeks unless you experi

ence bleeding, pain or other worrying

symptoms.

• At around 13 weeks you will have your first

midwife appointment, scan and tests that

assess your baby’s risk of abnormalities.

• Amniocentesis testing (an invasive test that

identifies genetic abnormalities) is not

given as standard in Denmark, it is discussed

on a case by case basis.

• Between 18 and 20 weeks you will have a

foetal abnormality scan, an extremely

thorough check of your baby’s development

that can also reveal whether you’re carrying

a boy or a girl, if you wish to know.

• Rigshospitalet has an informative website

and antenatal classes, both in English.

• Elective caesarians are possible in the

Danish system, but you may have to present

a fairly forceful argument as to why you

want one.

Usefullinkswww.copenhagenmaternitycare.dkwww.rigshospitalet.dk/RHenglish/Menu

Hanne Ebbesen knows what it takes to make pregnant woman – and their newborns – feel at ease

For language school CLAVIS, technologyandcustomerservicearepartofagood(school)day’sworkBy Jessica O’Sullivan

When integrating to a new country

one of the most important, and

tricky, things to master is lan-

guage. Danish in particular has a scary repu-

tation amongst foreigners for being a tongue

twister of a language, yet, with the right

teaching, the path to fluency doesn’t have to

be so hard. For most foreigners, getting past

the language barrier includes going to a lan-

guage school.

With over 25 years experience in teaching

Danish as a second and foreign language,

CLAVIS prides itself on going above and be-

yond language training, according to depart-

ment head Jacob Madsen.

“Wedon’tjustspecialiseinlanguage

teachingbutalsointerculturalmatters.”

CLAVIS seeks to meet the needs of its growing

clientele of foreign professionals and interna-

tional students, by providing services such as

spouse events, mentorships, flexible timeta-

bling, online learning and worksite teaching.

Worksite teaching and customized courses

and materials are two of CLAVIS’s unique of-

ferings. “Our teachers go out to businesses

and provide the courses on location in the stu-

dent’s everyday setting – what better way for

our teachers to actually know what students

and their companies need.”

“Weputalotofvalueinmaking

ourowncoursematerials,bothashard

copiesandinadigitalformatandconstantly

aimtocaterspecificallytoourstudents’

needsregardingrelevance,

accessibilityandflexibility.”

With conveniently placed locations already in

Greve, Roskilde and Copenhagen, CLAVIS is set

to open a brand new facility in Lyngby in June.

The new Lyngby centre, like all of CLAVIS’s

other centres, will be designed to provide

students with a lively and interactive atmos-

phere.

Among the facilities which CLAVIS has worked

into its teaching are digital language labs

that enable students to work intensively with

pronunciation and spoken language, smart

boards in classrooms, and wireless networks

in all common areas.

Apart from state-of-the-art facilities, CLAVIS

also provides opportunities for students to

network and socialise with Danes. Madsen

explains that as part of the new Lyngby set-

up they will also be running regular intercul-

tural workshops, where students and Danes

can meet to discuss topics, in Danish, such as

adapting to a new workplace culture.

“There is going to be a real push towards cre-

ating an international atmosphere in Lyngby

through its ‘City of Knowledge and Urban Cre-

ativity 2020’ strategy and we believe we have

a role to play there,” he said.

CLAVIS offers a broad range of targeted Danish

courses that can be organised according to the

needs of the individual, company or council,

and CLAVIS counsellors are always available to

answer any questions.

leArning dAnish – it’s ABout more thAn just the lAnguAge

Roskilde University in Denmark -A different experience

•50% courses and 50% project work

•Collaboration in groups

•Unique learning style

•Interdisciplinarity

•Close to Copenhagenruc.dk/international


9

Department head Madsen, offering companies and their employees what they need

10


One of the first things people notice when

visiting Copenhagen is just how easy

it is to get by without any Danish skills

whatsoever, especially if you are only planning on

living here for a short period of time. What’s the

point, then, in bothering to learn the language?

Do you need to be able to communicate fluently,

or is it simply a matter of understanding and ex-

pressing the basics?

Three members of the expat community shared

their views with The Copenhagen Post on the im-

portance of and reasons for learning Danish. Al-

though all three have taken it upon themselves to

learn the language, each has their own intentions

and strategies.

Franklin, 23, a Portuguese artist and ballet dancer,

was living in Denmark ‘on and off’ for three years

before he decided to move here permanently and

start learning the language. During his early stays,

Franklin was able to pick up quite a bit of Dan-

ish by communicating with Danes on a daily basis,

watching TV and using a dictionary.

However, he stresses that by far the most use-

ful experience was to attend a Danish language

school, where an interactive class and a teacher

to guide him through the process offered far

more than he could have achieved alone. Despite

having managed fine with his English skills, for

Franklin, speaking Danish is a way of communi-

cating your respect towards the culture, as well

as gaining respect from Danes who, “know that

their language is not an easy one for a non-Dane

to learn”.

Sharon, 39 from Israel, has lived in Copenhagen

as a stay-at-home mom with her Danish husband

for nearly two decades without speaking Danish.

Instead of trying to integrate into Danish society,

Sharon has chosen to be a part of the internation-

al community, sending both of her children, now

aged 14 and 18, to Copenhagen International

School. She is perfectly capable of speaking Dan-

ish, but chooses not to.

“When I first got to Denmark, I just couldn’t wait

to get out of here,” she said. “Taking the step to

learn Danish, for me, would have meant that I

was accepting life in Denmark. I didn’t want to be

stuck here. And if I was going to move anyway,

why bother learning how to speak a language

that only five million people understand?”

She didn’t move, however, and has no intention

of ever leaving. Or as she explains: “I changed my

mind, and decided to embrace the language.”

She attended six hours of private lessons at Ber-

litz to acquire the basic skills required for com-

municating in Danish. However, whenever she

tried to put her Danish to practice, most people

simply responded in English. So she thought, ‘why

bother?’ Sharon also points out that she feels like

a different person when she speaks Danish.

“I can’t be myself, because I am not comfortable...

I don’t speak Danish because I don’t need to.”

By contrast, Kirsten, 45, an American stay-at-

home mother with two teenage children, opted

to send her children to a Danish school. Like Fran-

klin, Kirsten felt learning Danish was a sign of re-

spect for the Danish culture. Learning Danish, she

said, allowed her to, “gain a good understanding

of where I was”.

She adds that she didn’t need to learn Danish, as

Danes were always polite and spoke English to

her. However, at some point, they would, “turn

away and speak Danish” to a person next to her,

making her feel socially handicapped, as she was

no longer able to participate in the conversation.

Not wanting to be a ‘social burden,’ as she put it,

she started to see learning the language as the

only way for her to truly assimilate into Danish

society.

She began learning Danish through the course

provider AOF, but although the classes provided a

fun and free opportunity for her to meet ‘people

of different ages and social groups with a com-

mon interest in learning Danish’, she felt that her

progress was too slow, and that she needed to

take part in smaller, more intensive classes tai-

lored to her level of understanding.

Kirsten switched to intensive classes at KISS four

times a week; it took six months for Kirsten to be-

come fluent in Danish. Nevertheless, Kirsten finds

it, “difficult to explain thing’s from the heart”

when speaking Danish, and is grateful that she

can always switch into English to be understood

when she really needs to.

tAilor your own dAnish course

three newcomers to denmark offer three quite different approaches to the language By Dominique Barir Jensen

dAnish clAsses in the copenhAgen AreA

AOF – www.aof.dk

Ballerup Sprogcenter –

www.ballerupsprogcenter.dk

Berlitz – www.berlitz.dk

Business Language Services (BLS) –

www.bls.dk

Clavis – www.clavis.org

IA Sprog – www.iasprog.dk

Københavns Intensive SprogSkole (KiSS) –

www.kiss.dk

Københavns Sprogcenter –

kbh-sprogcenter.dk

Sprogcenter Hellerup –

www.sprogcenterhellerup.dk

Studieskolen – www.studieskolen.dk

Virksomhedsskolen –

www.virksomhedsskolen.com/en

VoksenUddannelsescenter Frederiksberg –

www.vuf.nu

franklin was able to pick up

quite a bit of danish by

communicating with danes on

a daily basis, watching tV

and using a dictionary.

Learn Danish!

Ballerup Sprogcenter +45 4477 2626 www.ballerupsprogcenter.dk

day and evening classes

e-learning combined with classes

focus on pronunciation


For any family coming to Denmark, the educati on of their children is of paramount importance. Safe and welcoming Copenhagen is a great place to have a young family, with a child-friendly culture and some excellent schools.

Some expats decide to send their children to the local Danish school. Educati on is compulsory for all children in Denmark from the year they turn seven up unti l the age of 16, and the Danish system is considered one of the best in the world, with parti cular focus on social skills and confi dence.

Many families opt to place younger children into a Danish preschool insti tuti on before moving them to an internati onal environment when they are of school age. Preschool opti ons are divided into vuggestuer (up to age 3), børnehaver (3 to 6 years) and then the fi nal børnehaveklasse, located in primary schools and catering for that fi nal year before a child enters primary educati on.

Roughly a third of preschool educati on is privately run, and there are various internati onal choices in the Greater Copenhagen area.

The term folkeskole covers the enti re period of compulsory educati on, and is not divided into sepa-rate primary and secondary secti ons as most newcomers might expect. The vast majority of students att end the municipal folkeskole and there are some that have both Danish and internati onal secti ons. At the discreti on of the school principal, children who require it are off ered training in Danish as a second language; those who have att ended preschool in this country are unlikely to need it.

Finally, there is what is known as ungdomsuddannelse, or youth educati on. This is not mandatory, and is normally att ended by those between the ages of 15 and 20 for a period of two to four years. The most common route is through gymnasium in preparati on for a programme of higher educati on, but many also choose a vocati onal school.

Although the Danish system can be a good fi t for many people, Copenhagen does have many interna-ti onal opti ons. The Copenhagen Internati onal School in Hellerup off ers the full Internati onal Bacca-laureate programme, while Nørre Gymnasium and Herlufsholm (the country’s only boarding school) provide the Diploma programme. Other schools, such as Rygaards Skole and Bernadott eskolen, have both Danish and internati onal secti ons up to the age of 16. Copenhagen even boasts a Lycée Francais in Frederiksberg as well as a German school.

With such a range of choices, any expat parent can be sure that they will fi nd an insti tuti on that will suit their child’s needs.

danish education is amongst the best there is, but there are plenty of interna-tional choices, too By Catherine Gordon

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school

11

Graduati ng gymnasium students celebrate their moment in the sun

12

For many expats relocating to Denmark, the

move has been arranged by their company

and a job is here waiting for them, ready to

be stepped into immediately. Their spouses, how-

ever, may have to go that extra mile to find work.

networking is keyAccording to Anette Pilmark of Spousecare, a

company specialising in helping the spouses of

foreign workers living here develop their social

network and find work, the most important thing

when looking for work is being aware that most

jobs out there aren’t advertised. Denmark is a

country dependent on professional networking

and who you know is just as important as what

you know. Online networking can often be just

as important, and social networking sites such as

LinkedIn are also valuable tools to be utilised.

mAke sure your cV is up to scrAtchWhile your CV might have looked impressive

back home, it could still be rejected here if the

qualifications and experience isn’t understood

by Danes. Pilmark is quick to remind jobseekers

to adjust their resumes to fit the Danish norm,

and to be aware too that most job applications

require a cover letter as well as the CV itself.

For non-native English speakers, it is important

to document you have professional English skills,

while those with a degree or qualification in a

language not recognised in Denmark should look

up the Danish Agency for International Education

(en.iu.dk/recognition), which makes free assess-

ments of different diplomas.

plAy to your strengths And mAke the most of opportunitiesAccording to Mette Steffensen from Supporting

People, an expat employee support and integra-

tion guidance company, the small size of Den-

mark combined with its high number of qualified

workers means that all publicly advertised jobs

receive a high volume of applicants. Because of

this, Steffensen stresses that when you do get a

chance you need to be prepared and make the

most of the opportunity.

As well as reiterating the need to apply in the way

that Danish employers are accustomed to, Stef-

fensen also stresses the importance of showing

that you are willing and able to work in a different

environment from one you’re used to and to tar-

get yourself specifically to the role you are after.

use the tools on hAndYou are not the first foreigner to search for a job in

Denmark and you won’t be the last, and as such,

there is plenty of support out there, both private

and public. As well as the various private com-

panies who work with spouses of foreign hired

workers, there are also more general courses run

by the municipality.

At Første Job i Danmark (First Job in Denmark

– www.forstejob.dk) a six-week course (held in

Danish) as well as an intensive two-day course

in English offer a basic overview of how the job-

hunting game works here and is designed to get

independent foreigners living in Denmark into the labour market.

stArting your own BusinessRegistering a company in Denmark is much eas-

ier than you might think – making starting your

own business not only an attractive option, but

a viable one as well. All EU citizens are permitted

to establish a self-owned business in Denmark

and the municipal Copenhagen Business Centre

(Københavns Erhvervscenter) offers all the practi-

cal advice you need, with free seminars and an-

swers to questions that you might not even know

to ask. With consultants from a variety of cultural

and professional backgrounds, they can help for-

mulate business plans and offer information on

essentials like bookkeeping and budgeting.

While job-hunting in Denmark can seem challeng-

ing, learning how the job hunting game works,

thinking outside the box and focusing on your

skills, strengths and unique talents opens up op-

tions available for those eager to find success.

your partner was offered a position in denmark – but you’ve yet to find one. here are some expert tips for finding jobs for spouses By Jimmy Fyfe


joBs for spouses

tips for finding work from those thAt hAVe succeeded:

SusanAvery: Give away some of your time for free. Often volunteering some of your time to begin

with can get you a foot in the door and lead to paid work and a full time job in the end.

John Francis: Get out and about in the community. To find a job here it’s all about networking, so

you need to meet people to enlarge your social network. Things like joining sports clubs or meet-

up groups are a great way to start, and if you have a Danish partner, get to know their friends and

colleagues.

PeterWills:When it comes to the Danish language, a little goes a long way. You don’t need to be

fluent in the language, but just trying to speak a little shows that you are open-minded and eager

to learn and that can make a lasting impression on would-be employers.

CarolineCain,reflexologist: There’s no business if nobody knows you exist. Word of mouth is the

most effective form of marketing, so get yourself out there and tell everybody what you do.

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Onelocal languageschoolgoesaboveandbeyond to give you the tools youneed tosucceedBy Tom Schad

Adjusting to life in Copenhagen can be

hard for many reasons, but learning Dan-

ish is at the top of the list. Native English

speakers lament that nothing is spoken like it is

read, random letters are sometimes left silent

and pronouncing the vowels makes you sound

like you’ve got a sore throat. Despite all that, it

is a language that can be picked up quickly and

painlessly; all it takes is the right environment,

methods and staff to lead the way.

Københavns Sprogcenter gives students these

tools. Nestled in the old meatpacking district of Vesterbro, the school spans two large buildings and boasts a newly renovated computer lab, language lab, library and cafeteria. A surprise perhaps to those who imagine language schools consisting of nothing more than a few rundown classrooms, this language centre has taken extra steps to modernise its space and add a level of comfort to the often uncomfortable experience of learning a new language.

Newcomers are interviewed by one of the school’s five counsellors and placed into courses less than

a month later. They are then immersed in Dan-

ish from day one by Københavns Sprogcenter’s

renowned faculty, which includes more than 10

authors of Danish language textbooks. Teachers

understand exactly what their students are going

through and can help them navigate textbooks

that, in many cases, they wrote themselves.

“They’renotonly[goodteachers],but

they’reprofessionalsintheirfield,”

departmentmanagerJulieHenriques

explains.“Thisalsomeansthattheteachers

whohaven’twrittentextbooksareworking

withtheauthors,sotheyunderstandandare

constantlylearningaswell.”

Københavns Sprogcenter aims to help newcom-

ers pass the Danish language test required by

immigration laws, but it also understands that

there’s more to a language than that.

“We look at it in a broader sense – what do you

need to do with the language? Why do you need

to make it your own?” Henriques elaborates. “It’s

not just about passing the test; it’s about how to

live - how to buy a pack of cigarettes, how to ask

someone out on a date - that’s not on the test.”

To achieve this understanding, the school offers

both fulltime day courses and night classes that

give students flexibility to work around their own

schedules. Those who want an intensive learn-

ing experience can find it here, but so can those

with other jobs or schoolwork who can only fit

in a couple of nights a week. Traditional lectures

and in-class activities are supplemented with

practice in the language lab, where students can

pronounce words into a microphone and receive

individual critiques from staff. Priority is placed

on active learning (speaking and writing) rather

than passive learning (reading and listening).

Above all else, Københavns Sprogcenter has cre-

ated an environment where people from around

the world can work to overcome a similar chal-

lenge. With 1,400 students currently enrolled

from over 90 countries, the language centre pro-

vides expats with a group of people who can un-

derstand their situation.

“It’sawholenewnetwork,”Henriquessays.

“Reallystrongfriendshipsaremadein

classes,crossingreligious,political,socialor

whateverborderstheylivewithnormally.”

Danish will always be a tough language to grasp,

but the resources at Københavns Sprogcenter can

make this process both quicker and easier. With

a comfortable environment and informed facul-

ty, you can finally join the real Copenhagen and

discover what’s so special about that so-called

“throat disease.”

Say “Hej” to tHe DaniSH Language

13


Y ou could be forgiven for assuming that

supermarkets had become fairly gener-

ic the world over.

Despite globalisation however, Denmark still

has its little quirks when it comes to making

the weekly shopping trip. Here’s our practical

guide to navigating the different supermar-

kets, making sure you come home with exactly

what you wrote on your list.

The service in Danish supermarkets may come

as a shock to people from other countries, es-

pecially the US, where additional services like

bag packing come as standard. Not only will

you be packing up your own groceries here in

Denmark, you’ll be bringing your own bag as

well – or paying for one; here, the environ-

ment is considered to be worth a little cus-

tomer inconvenience.

More perplexing can be the checkout queues.

Even larger supermarkets generally limit open

check-outs to two or three at a time. The long-

standing policy of asking for another checkout

to be opened when more than five people are

queuing has long been a topic for the nation’s

comedians and social commentators.

The real fun of shopping in a Danish super-

market though surely starts with your weekly

bargains.

Unless you have ordered a ‘no advertising’

sticker for your post box, you’ll soon be see-

ing a pile of catalogues and adverts from local

supermarkets appearing in there every week-

end. Trawling through these tilbudsaviser is

part of every thrifty housewife’s weekly rou-

tine – we kid you not! Great savings can be

made by knowing which shop has 10 kroner

off Ariel detergent this week, or who has the

best three-for-two deals on juice cartons, with

changing weekly offers on everything from

frozen chickens to nappies.

Discount chains like Netto and Fakta make

shopping even more interesting by offering

spot items available only while stocks last –

meaning you can throw in some Brio toys or

replica Royal Copenhagen porcelain into the

trolley alongside your tins of tomatoes or

dishwasher tablets.

BUdgeTORFAnCY?Supermarkets here can roughly be split into

two groups, the budget supermarket chains

(Netto, Fakta, Rema 1000, Bilka, etc) and the

more upmarket ones (Irma, Brugsen, Føtex).

Virtually all the supermarkets in Denmark are

owned by two larger concerns: Dansk Super-

marked, a concern within the AP Moller group

(Føtex, Netto, Bilka) and Coop Danmark (Dag-

li’/Super Brugsen, Fakta, Irma and Kvickly).

The exceptions are Spar/SuperBest, which op-

erate on a franchise basis, German firm Aldi,

Austrian Lidl and Norwegian Rema 1000.

FIndIngWHATYOUneedWhile all supermarkets place products in wild-

ly different places around the shop, you can

expect to find most things you need (as well

as some things you don’t). Those looking for

non-Danish food items (anything from Mexi-

can tortillas to eastern European ajvar) will

find them generally all clumped together in

one category, while certain foods, like the no-

toriously ‘banned’ Marmite, Birds Eye custard

powder and ready made vegetarian meals, are

absent entirely from the supermarket shelves.

Remember to shop early on Saturday; most

supermarkets are open from 9am to 7pm/8pm

Monday to Friday, from 8am until 4pm/6pm

on Saturday and only open on Sundays on

the first and last Sundays of the month. Most

branches of Fakta are open from 8am until

9pm seven days a week, while some branches

of Netto now open from 8am until 8pm and

until 6pm on Saturdays.

THemAInSUPeRmARkeTSnetto: Denmark’s best-loved discount su-

permarket, known for its cheap and cheerful

bright yellow branding and Scottie dog logo,

has come a long way since it first opened in

1981. With no frills service and a hunt finding

what you’re looking for on the often cluttered

shelves, Netto is the best place to pick up a

bargain. In Copenhagen, the smaller branches

of 7-Eleven-like døgnNetto offer ready meals

and stay open until 10pm seven days a week.

Fakta: Coop’s competitor to Netto, Fakta

upped the competition recently to offer a

cheap range of organic products as well as

extended opening times. One quirk of Fakta

shopping is throwing your money down a chute

as you would on a bus, having the change spat

back out at you from the same machine – an

initiative intended to spot would-be robbers.

Brugsen/kvickly: Denmark’s own Coop chain

is the country’s oldest convenience store, trac-

ing its origins right back to 1866. Dagli’ Brug-

sen is your typical village store while the larger

Super Brugsen shops offer a greater range and

service. The associated Kvickly chain offers a

greater range of clothing, hardware, toys and

non-food items. All these stores provide a

joint Coop membership: accumulate redeem-

able points by scanning your membership card

at checkout.

Irma: Also part of the Coop, Irma is Denmark’s

most upscale supermarket chain, on a par with

Waitrose in the UK. A little pricier than other

supermarkets, a trip to Irma offers free-range

meat cuts and a good range of health foods

and frozen vegetarian products. In Copenha-

gen, smaller IrmaCity stores provide ready

meals until 9pm.

Føtex: Started in the 1960s as a pioneering

store offering groceries and clothing under

one roof (the name is a contraction of Føde-

varer and Tekstiler) after an inspirational trip

to the US by its founder, Herman Salling. Føtex

provides everything from clothing and foot-

wear, fruit, vegetables and fresh meat to elec-

trical items.

Bilka: The IKEA of supermarkets, you can find

pretty much anything while trawling through the vast showrooms of a Bilka store. There are less than 20 Bilka stores in the entire country – nearest to Copenhagen are the branches in the Field’s shopping centre and Hundige south of Copenhagen – but if you couldn’t care less about salubrious surroundings you could eas-ily come home with a three piece suite along

with your grocery shopping.

SuperBest: This once-humble chain of inde-

pendent grocers bought out upscale rival ISO

in 2007 and, like Irma, prides itself on offering

fresh products of high quality, with inhouse

delis and meat counters. Some stores, like the

one in Hellerup, offer a good range of import-

ed English and American products.

A supermArket to suit eVery tAste!BaffledbyBilka?Confusedbykvickly?Here’showtofindyourwayaroundthenarrowaislesofthevariousdanishsupermarketchainsBy Jane Graham

direct to your door – but only if you can navigate in danish

newcomers accustomed to online groceryshoppingwillneedtogivethemselvesacrashcourse in grocerydanish if theydon’twantto find themselves standing in real worldqueuesagain

Despite the speed with which Denmark as a nation caught on to the internet, buying your groceries online remains

less widespread here than in many other coun-tries. And of the firms that do provide such a service – many of the supermarkets offering a physical as well as virtual shopping experi-ence – only a handful have chosen to provide English versions of their websites. We can only hope that online grocers like nemlig.com, ret-nemt.dk, Sartorvet and the organic Økovejen wake up to the potential of translating their service into English in the near future; in the meantime, here’s thelowdown on those online grocers that do have English pages.

IrmatorvetWhile not the only super market to offer on-line shopping (SuperBest and Coop also pro-vide an online service) the virtual branch of upscale Irma, Irmatorvet is the only one cur-rently translating its service into English (al-though currently only the sales conditions and order instructions are available in English). With a special focus on fair trade and organic products, Irma’s range includes free-range meat, organic milk and cheese and fresh veg-etables, all available with the click of a mouse.www.irmatorvet.dk

AarstiderneOrganic fruit and vegetable crates delivered directly to your door since 1999. The company also offers fish and meat crates and recently expanded its line to include “meal crates”, containing all the ingredients for at least two or three meals. Aarstiderne is Danish for ‘the seasons’ and the variety of fruit and veg con-tained in the box changes according to season. Check out the firm’s inspiring English blog, www.soiltostove.com, or head directly to the main site. www.aarstiderne.com

AbigailsBritish/American food shop Abigails in central Copenhagen also now has a small, but select online shop. Those craving a Rolo bar or a steak and kidney pie need hunt no further: pe-culiarly English products like Oxo Cubes, cus-tard cream biscuits, Atora suet and Weetabix are all available without the excessive postal charges inflicted when you order from over-seas. www.nks.dk

14

I wonder where they hide the Marmite


not everyone enjoys living in the expatriate bubble when abroad. While many revel in

the camaraderie of the diplomatic din-ner circuit where the high turnover of consular staff ensures plenty of fresh faces, sipping G&Ts in hotel lounges surrounded by the same people you thought you’d left behind when you

accepted a posting overseas is not eve-ryone’s cup of tea.

And while those stationed in Mogad-ishu or Baghdad can be forgiven for hid-ing in barricaded compounds away for security reasons, those on European postings have no excuses for avoiding mingling with the natives – especially

By Peter Stanners

How to meet tHedAnes

in a country like Denmark, where the prohibitively high cost of running a car offers a financial imperative for trading the motor for a cosy ride on the bus. For those who genuinely want to re-turn from their posting having made some Danish friends, how do you go about it? First things first, you need to learn the language. A word of warning, though: this is not as easy as it might seem. While on paper it’s a simple language with basic grammar and a relatively small vocabulary, speaking it is an entirely different jar of pickled herring, and mastering the deep mon-otone and throaty rasp requires years of practice.

Thankfully, you don’t actually need to speak it (although a little goes a long way). Most Danes speak English and once you begin to understand Danish, it’s easy to interject into conversations in English. While some find it difficult to handle a conversation spoken simul-taneously in two languages, I’ve found the majority of Danes cope well with the arrangement.

Should you be questioned on your unwillingness to speak Danish, simply answer that if they understand English well, and you understand Danish well but have trouble speaking it, then it’s in the best interest of good conversa-tion that you adopt this arrangement.

But before you set out to make some

Danish friends, it’s worth taking some

time to consider how to approach and

understand them. Far too many a for-

eigner has encountered the Dane on

their home turf and come away feel-

ing hurt and dejected. At first glance,

the Danes are a removed and arrogant

bunch. Queuing is not always strictly

adhered to, small talk on public trans-

port is frowned upon and the teenager

at the till is not necessarily going to

suggest you have a nice day.

And that’s just the way it is. So resist

the urge to be offended, Danes just see

the world differently. In public, they

are frank and no-nonsense and expect

each other to be brimming with self-

esteem: being determined or arrogant

in Copenhagen is seen as an attractive

quality, not a self-obsessed one. The

essential premise is, if you don’t be-

lieve in yourself, who will?

So now that you can navigate in pub-

lic without getting the hump because

the bus driver didn’t smile at you, how

do you go about making some friends?

Networking comes more naturally to

some than to others, but don’t spoil it

at the start by being choosy – accept

invitations to anything and everything,

because you don’t know who you’ll

meet next. What you need is an ‘in’;

someone to invite you into the bowels

of their society.

This is important because in Danish

society bonding is conducted behind

closed doors with their nearest and

dearest. From the Christian Confirma-

tion of their 13-year-olds and truck-

ride graduation celebrations to their

many Christmas and Easter dinners,

they jump on any opportunity to cel-

ebrate and fly their flag. But while they

embrace community and celebration

as a means to reinforce social bonds,

intimacy is key and invitations to out-

siders are hard-won.

It’s worth the effort: volunteer and in-

troduce yourself, find out where the

parties are held and start showing up.

After a while, you’ll start getting invited

along to other events. And from then,

it just snowballs – who knows, you may

end up an honorary Dane.

No culture is perfect, and not everyone

will find the Danish culture as embrac-

ing as I have. I find the Danes fiercely

loyal and incredibly generous. I don’t

need the superficial kindness of stran-

gers, just good friends who will invite

me along to great parties. Perhaps I

just got lucky. But you’ll never know if

you don’t try.

15

Looking to break down that barrier? A little Danish goes a long way

Do you speak Danish?

Falstersvej 3-5 • 2000 Frederiksberg • Phone 3815 8500 • www.vuf.nu

VoksenUddannelsescenter Frederiksberg

Regardless of your educational background and native language, VUF off ers intensive Danish courses for well educated foreigners.

Sign up now!

Contact our counsellors by phone 3815 8521 or read more about Danish for Foreigners at www.vuf.nu


Reparati ons are underway for Østerbro In-

ternati onal School to bring in the Interna-

ti onal Baccalaureate curriculum aft er the

summer holidays.

In additi on to being named a successful candidate

for the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) last

month, the school has also applied to introduce

the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) in the near

future.

Principal Nedzat Asanovski said a signifi cant

number of the school’s 200 students went to IB

schools in the past and are used to the challeng-

ing work load.

“Therearemanyparentswhochosetosend

theirchildrentothisschoolbecausewe

wereplanningtogettheIB.”

Grade 8 students Emma Jarlbæk and Casper Mad-

sen both formerly att ended IB schools abroad

and are eager to resume the MYP programme –

geared towards students aged between 11 and

16 – next semester.

“My parents said it would be a good thing if we

conti nued with the IB and now I realise it does

open up more opportuniti es for us to go to uni-

versiti es around the world,” Jarlbæk said.She found the IB programme more demanding and felt it gave students the capacity to develop themselves, while Madsen said the curriculum helped students become more criti cal and refl ec-ti ve.

“InSwitzerland,Ihadtothinkalot,uselogicandwritereviewsafterevery

projectsoIcouldimproveforthenextone.”

The school has recently hired an experienced IB MYP coordinator to run training workshops and

help the teachers adapt to the new syllabus.

Teacher Elizabeth Toran, who has been appointed

as the PYP coordinator, said: “the teachers must

teach the children to think for themselves”.

She says the IB encourages students to become

well-balanced, internati onally-minded citi zens.

Østerbro Internati onal School hopes to receive

full IB MYP accreditati on by 2013.

østerBro school spring cleAns its curriculumØsterbroInternationalSchooltointroduceIBprogrammenextsemesterBy Elise Beacom

16

Two hands up if you like Østerbro!

Thinking for themselves - but about what?

i ii

CONTACT US: [email protected] | WWW.THECHILDRENSFAIR.EVENTBRITE.COM

Denmark’s only English-language newspaper

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17

Religious tolerance is a part of the nati onal consti tuti on and

other religions are embraced in this country. Those looking

to make connecti ons within their own religious communi-

ty should check out the list below: in Copenhagen alone, a broad

range of denominati ons and ecumenical organisati ons hold Sunday

worship in English, the Jewish Shabbat on Saturday, Friday prayers

for Muslims and temple services for Buddhists and Hindus.

st Albans Anglican churchChurchillparken 11, 1263 Cph K; Services: Sun, Wed 10:30;

Vestry Tel: 3311 8518; www.st-albans.dk

St Albans is the only Anglican church in Denmark and off ers services

in the Anglican/Episcopalian traditi on. During the week, the church

holds Holy Communion on Wednesday mornings as well as various

lectures on faith and theology. The 1885, grey stone church is spec-

tacularly non-Danish in style and shape. Oft en referred to simply as,

“the English church,” the congregati on is actually made up of more

than 20 nati onaliti es. A part of the Church of England´s Diocese in

Europe under bishop Reverend Dr Geoff rey Rowell, St Albans is a

member of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

copenhagen christian centreKøbenhavns KulturCentre, Drejervej 11-21, 2400 Cph NV; Sunday

service 13:30, last Sunday of the month at 10:30; Tel: 3531 0010;

www.copenhagenchristi ancenter.dk

Although this Christi an organisati on doesn’t meet in a church, the

range of nati onaliti es and enthusiasm of its members more than

make up for the lack of a traditi onal bell tower. As well as multi -

nati onal services, the group hosts weekly prayer meeti ngs, bible

discussion groups and children’s acti viti es. The centre’s extensive

website off ers detailed informati on about all of the events and

services as well as video and audio recordings of past sermons and

contemporary Christi an music. On the last Sunday of the month,

the centre hosts an extended service with their Spanish, Filipino,

Danish and English congregati on, starti ng at 10:30.

sakramentskirkenNørrebrogade 27, 2200 Kbh N; Mass in English Wednesday 17:00,

Sunday 18:00; Tel 3313 3762; www.sakramentskirken.dk

Copenhagen’s Catholic church is located in the centre of Nørrebro,

not far from Dronning Louises Bro Bridge. The church holds mass

two ti mes a week in English, as well as a regular service in French

(Sundays at 11:15) and in Danish. The church is the centre of Co-

penhagen’s vibrant Catholic community, and regular events include

weekly yoga classes in English.

Vor frue kirkePræstøvej 29, 4700 Næstved; Services Sunday 10:00; Tel 5572

0985; www.vorfrueskole.dk

In additi on to its regular Sunday prayer, the Catholic church in

Næstved south of Copenhagen holds a mass every third Sunday fol-

lowed by a Polish mass at 11:30.

international church of copenhagenServices held at St Andreas Church, Gothersgade 148, 1123 Cph K;

Sunday Worship 11:30; Parsonage: ICC Church House; Gjørlingsvej

10, 2900 Hellerup; Tel: 3962 4785; www.internati onalchurch.dk

The Internati onal Church of Copenhagen is an ecumenical ministry

open to various Christi an faiths, holding services following the tra-

diti ons of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America while work-

ing together with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark.

During the week, the Church’s prayer and bible study meeti ngs are

held in the suburb of Hellerup at the organisati on’s Church House,

which also functi ons as their parsonage for the pastor and his fam-

ily. On Sundays, a Bible study session begins at 10:15 at St Andreas

Church, with the worship service following at 11:30. A nursery is

available for children during the service.

copenhagen community churchNørre Farimagsgade 45, 1364 Cph K; Sunday service 11:00; Tel:

5155 5376; www.ccchurch.dk

The Copenhagen Community Church is a multi -faith organisati on

meeti ng in the centre of town for a service followed by presenta-

ti ons from church leaders and readings from church members, in

an informal atmosphere popular with students and tourists. The

church describes itself as a local ecumenical fellowship with a

friendly style of prayer open to contributi ons from the congrega-

ti on. The church is a member of New Fronti ers, an internati onal

group of around 700 churches with a modern approach to faith.

plAces to worship

Whiledanesarenotavisiblyreligious

nation, the state church is an integral

partofnational society.Theevangeli-

calLutheranChurchor ‘Folkekirken’ is

theofficialreligionofdenmark,receiv-

ing tax subsidies fromevery taxpayer

(shouldyouwishtooptoutofthis,you

will need to speak to the tax office);

andwhilemostdanesarenotregular

churchgoers,moststillseethemselves

as Christians and observe traditions

likeChristeningsandConfirmations.

18


living churchFemagervej 39, 2650 Hvidovre; Sunday service 12:00; Tel: 3296

4193; www.levendekirke.dk/en

The Church of the Living God follows the style of worship popu-

lar at the beginning of Christi anity and the ti me of the Apostles.

The Living Church aims to conti nue the work of the Apostle Paul,

with enthusiasti c all-night prayer meeti ngs and a variety of charita-

ble ventures to raise money for children in Calcutt a as well as the

homeless in Denmark. On Sundays, prayer meeti ngs begin at 11:45

- everyone is welcome to att end either in silent or audible prayer –

while the worship service begins at 12:00 and is a lively aff air, with

contemporary gospel songs and plenty of clapping and dancing.

copenhagen synagogueKrystalgade 12, 1172 Cph K; Shabbat, Saturday 09:00; Tel: 3312

8868; www.mosaiske.dk/english

Copenhagen’s oldest synagogue and headquarters of the Jewish

Community in Denmark was built in 1833 in a classical style with

moti fs inspired by Ancient Egypti an art. Currently the building is un-

dergoing a major renovati on and is only open for services on Satur-

day mornings from around 09:00 to 12:00. Both Jews and Genti les

are welcome to visit the building, but need to have photo identi fi ca-

ti on and cannot bring large bags due to security concerns.

shir hatzafonDag Hammarskjölds Allé 30, 2100 Cph Ø (services only);Shabbat,

Saturday 10:00; Tel: 2370 9757; www.shirhatzafon.dk

The Progressive Jewish community in Denmark, Shir Hatzafon

holds regular Shabbat services every Saturday in rented meeti ng

rooms not far from Østerport Stati on. The group also holds weekly

study groups and celebrates the holidays with traditi onal foods and

prayers. Led by guest rabbis, Shabbat is followed by Kiddush and a

pot-luck lunch where guests are asked to bring a dish.

the islamic society in copenhagen (islamiske trossamfund i danmark)www.wakf.com

Although the fi rst purpose-built mosque, the ‘Grand Mosque of

Copenhagen’, has been approved by city planners to be built in Am-

ager, unti l it is completed most muslims in Copenhagen conti nue to

worship at a number of culture centres and meeti ng rooms around

the city. Those who can read Arabic or Danish can fi nd more infor-

mati on about places of worship at the society’s website.

nusrat djahan moskéEriksminde Allé 2, 2650 Hvidovre, Friday prayer 13:30;

Tel: 3675 7869; alislamdk.org (danish website)

Northern Europe’s fi rst mosque was designed by the Muslim engi-

neer John Zachariassen, completed in 1967 and named aft er the

wife of the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement acti ve in Denmark

since 1956. Its copper dome has fi ve pillars, and was initi ally cov-

ered with blue mosaic ti les. Friday prayers take place each week at

13:30, but anyone may visit the mosque by appointment.

Buddhistisk centre københavnSvanemøllevej 56; 2100 Cph Ø; Tel: 3929 2711;

www.buddha-kbh.dk

The centre follows the Diamond Way of Tibetan Buddhism (Karma

Kagyu) and off ers classes on meditati on, guidance and religion:

events held in English are marked on the organisati on’s calendar.

The centre was founded in Copenhagen in 1972 by a Danish couple

who had received their instructi on in Tibet and then returned to

Denmark.

lieu Quan templeLangagervej 54, 2500 Valby; Meeti ngs Saturday 12:00;

Tel: 4352 0812

This temple is a centre of worship and celebrati on for Buddhists

following Vietnamese religious traditi ons. Saturdays services gen-

erally att ract between 30 and 100 people. In additi on to a kitchen,

several classrooms and a meditati on hall, there is room in the tem-

ple for overnight guests such as ordained monks. The Vietnamese

Buddhist Associati on also sponsors language classes in the temple

for children and adults.

iskcon - international society for krishna consciousnessHare Krishna Temple, Skjulhøj Allé 44, 2720 Vanløse; Services Sun-

day 15:00; Tel: 4828 6446; www.harekrishna.dk

The Hare Krishna school and headquarters of ISKCON in Denmark

are located in Vanløse. Each Sunday, the group’s temple holds a veg-

etarian feast from 15:00-18:00, while there is a daily programme of

classes, lectures and prayers (early mornings and evenings).


19

International Citizen ServiceGet help with the paperwork and get good advice on what it’s like to live and work in Denmark. All relevant authorities under one roof. A public service for foreign employees, students, job seekers and Danish companies

CopenhagenNyropsgade 1DK-1602 Cph. [email protected]: +45 33 66 66 06

Office hoursWed. 1 pm - 5 pmThurs. 11 am - 3 pm

Get off to a good startin Denmark

Foreigners expecti ng to fi nd Denmark fi lled with tall, rough guys with long beards and light-coloured hair blowing in the brisk Nordic wind probably don’t add envisage their imagined

brawny Viking holding a small piece of bread in his muscle-bound hands, tenderly decorated with slices of cucumber, neatly-shaped radish and herbs sprinkled precisely on top: but the richly embel-lished smørrebrød (literally, ‘butt ered bread’) belongs to Denmark no less than the image of the tough Viking.

Smørrebrød is the biggest export hit in Danish cuisine. “Everything you can imagine can be put on smørrebrød: meats, fi sh, paste...” ex-plains Charlott e Noer, a Danish cookbook author. “The most popu-lar version is served with leverpostej, a rather roughly minced liver sausage pate.”

Noer, who now lives in Bremen, Germany, learned to cook in a tra-diti onal restaurant a few steps from Copenhagen’s historic Nyhavn.

And when the Danish love for their patented sandwich meets their equally enthusiasti c drinking behaviour, smørrebrød-parti es occur.

“Aft er every bite of smørrebrød you have to drink a shot of Aquavit. This is how we create a reason to toast each other all the ti me,” laughs Trina Hahnemann about some of her fellow countrymen’s customs. The Copenhagen-based chef runs a catering service that can list members of parliament among its customers.

Of course, the eati ng habits of the Danes are not limited to open-faced sandwiches. Aft er a peti te aft ernoon snack with a sickly-sweet Danish pastry wienerbrød, the descendents of the Vikings fi re up their stoves to whip up a hearty meal – preferably including potatoes, possibly the most important ingredient in Danish cuisine. Served with fried plaice and parsley sauce, the earthy vegetable scrubs up well.

Another classic of Danish cooking is biksemad, or ‘chunks of food’, a sort of Danish equivalent of bubble-and-squeak.

“Biksemad is actually a left over-dish,” says Noer. “Whatever is kept from the Sunday roast is minced, fried with onions and then eaten with fried potatoes, beetroot and eggs on a slice of rye bread.”Around Christmas ti me, or even two months earlier, Danes really start to blossom; especially in the kitchen, with hygge meals of comfort food cooked to boost the anti cipati on for the Christmas feast itself.

During the holiday season, the aromati c smell of glögg steams from the cooking pots – spicy wine with raisins and almond pieces pick-led in rum. The drink is generally served with æbleskiver: “Directly translated that means apple slices,” Noer explains. “But this pastry neither includes apples nor does it come in the shape of slices, but in small balls.

On Christmas Eve, the table top bends under the weight of pork, beef or duck roast, caramelised potatoes and red cabbage. “The month of December is all about eati ng,” Hahnemann says.

But other holidays also bring delicacies to light. Great Prayer Day spoils the Danish palate with warm, cardamom-fl avoured rolls called hveder. And around Midsummer, the new potato season be-gins. For dessert, the sweet tooth is treated to the tongue-twisti ng, rødgrød med fl øde, a red fruit jelly served with whipped cream and topped with fresh strawberries.

In contrast to numerous other countries, Demark is not divided by culinary boundaries.

“Diff erences in eati ng habits can be found more between genera-ti ons than between regions,” says Hahnemann. Or, between other Scandinavian countries: “Denmark is more modern than Sweden or Norway, especially in the rural areas,” she states.

where to eAtWhile much of the att enti on in recent years has been cast on the restaurants making up Copenhagen’s constellati on of Michelin stars, the city is also home to scores of places to eat that suit all budgets and occasions.

Although it’s hard to narrow down the broad selecti on of restau-rants to just a few favourites, we’ve selected six places we fi nd our-selves recommending to friends and family, or where we ourselves head when we’re looking for a special night out or a quick bite to eat.

expensiVeReinwald’sFarvergade 15, Cph K; open Mon-Sat 14:00-24:00 (kitchen closes at 22:00); 3391 8280; www.reinwalds.dk; three-course menu 350kr, mains 195-275krServing lunch and dinner, a director’s-script length of choices con-fronts you at Reinwald’s, with a who’s who of classic French and French-inspired Danish dishes as well as a monthly set menu that would make any chef proud.

RestaurantkiinkiinGuldbergsgade 21, Cph N; open Mon-Sat 17:30-24:00 (last table reservati on 21:00); 3535 7555; four-course set menu 450kr, seven-courses 775kr; www.kiin.dkThere are only two Thai restaurants in the whole world that have

been awarded a Michelin star. One of them is in London; the other one is Kiin Kiin, which you will fi nd in the heart of Nørrebro. An exquisite place where every litt le detail has been well-considered, reservati on essenti al.

mid-rAngeCapHornNyhavn 21, Cph K; kitchen open daily 10:00-23:00; 3312 8504; starters from 99kr, mains from 159kr, desserts from 69kr; www.caphorn.dk Charming Cap Horn’s simple menu boasts a fi ne selecti on of organ-ic, homemade Danish fare, with a touch of seasonal infl uence, as well as a great locati on on Nyhavn itself.

BiomioHalmtorvet 19, Cph V; Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00; Fri 12:00-24:00; Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 11:00-23.00; kitchen open 12:00-22:00; 3331 2000; dishes from 65kr-185kr; www.biomio.dkLocated in an old warehouse in Copenhagen’s upcoming meat-packing district, eco-restaurant Bio Mio serves healthy food on long tables. Stylish without being pretenti ous and loud enough to make a racket without anyone raising an eyebrow.

cheApmagasasaIstedgade 4, Cph V; open Mon-Sun 11:00-23:00; 3323 8088, www.magasasa.dk; main courses 65-200kr, Tsingtao beer 28krThis cheap, authenti c Chinese restaurant, a stone’s throw from the Central Stati on may not be fancy to look at, but it is extremely pop-ular with Copenhagen’s Chinese community, many of whom dine here almost once a week.

katesJointBlågårdsgade 12, Cph N; Mon-Wed 17:30-22:00; Thu-Sun 11:00-15:30; 3537 4496The place for a bohemian as well as cheap night out, Kate’s world food menu lists the culinary highlights of a round-the-world trip. Big porti ons and plenty of veggie opti ons.

More restaurant reviews available each week in the InOut secti on of The Copenhagen Post, and online at cphpost.dk.

feAsting with the Vikingsculinary specialities make diving into danish cuisine worthwhile By Lea Sibbel


“you don’t just make the ‘smørrebrød’ yourself and take it to work with you,” she says.

“some restaurants and bars have specialised in serving it spectacularly decorated.”

20

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contact us for details on 33 36 42 48 or email [email protected] access to 65 museumsand attractions in the entire metropolitan areaSee more at copenhagencard.com

InOutThe CPH Post Entertainment Guide | 16 - 22 Sep

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT BUSTER! THE CHILDREN’S MOVIE FEST IS HERE

page G9

KIDS ON FILM

COPENHAGENwww.copenhagenbluesfest iva l .dk

FESTIVAL

SEPT. 28 - OCT. 2 · 2011

BLUESS e e f u l l p r o g r a m m e : w w w . c o p e n h a g e n b l u e s f e s t i v a l . d k & w w w . k u l t u n a u t . d k

John Primer w. Nisse Thorbjorn Band [US/DK]Joe Louis Walker [US] | Holmes Brothers [US]

Mud Morganfield w. Peter Nande Band [US/DK]Louisiana Red & Paul Lamb [US/UK] | Janice

Harrington w. Kenn Lending Blues Band [US/DK]

Keith Dunn Band [US/NL] | Johnny Max Band [CA]

Delta Blues Band | The Healers | Shades of BlueThorbjorn Risager | Troels Jensen | Alain Apaloo

H.P. Lange | Mike Andersen & Jens Kristian DamTutweiler | Fried Okra Band | The Blues Overdrive

Bluesoul | Grahn & Malm | Ole Frimer | Paul Banks

Jacob Fischer Trio | Svante Sjöblom | Jes Holtsoe

See more at copenhagencard.com

IThe CPH Post Entertainment Guide |

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT BUSTER!




YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT BUSTER! TTHE CHILDREN’S MOVIE FEST IS HERE

HE CHILDREN’S MOVIE FEST IS HERE





KIDS ON FILM

Page 10

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SPORT

National coach Morten Olsen’s new

contract will keep him in the job

until after the 2014 World Cup.

14

NEWS

Dane unable to obtain family

reunifi cation for his � ai girlfriend

says residency rules are a Catch-22

6

Exploiting ‘fat tax’

NEWS | 3

Supermarkets are scamming

their customers under the guise

of the new national ‘fat tax’

Warrior Jesus

HISTORY | 19

How Christianity borrowed from

Norse mythology and branded Jesus

as a tough guy in order to woo the

pagan Vikings

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ILLUST

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BY PET

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CAN YOU HAVE your cake and

eat it too? Conventional wisdom

says no, but with their � rst budg-

et plan since the shift of power,

the new Socialdemokraterne-Radikale-

Socialistisk Folkeparti (SRSF) coalition

appear to be giving it a shot.

Many of the elements of the new

budget – which is expected to be re-

leased in its entirety on � ursday – will

increase state spending at a time when

the budget de� cit has increased. But

where the money would come from re-

mained a mystery.A number of the new budget items

reinstate spending cuts made by the pre-

vious Venstre-Konservative (VK) govern-

ment. Here are a few of the major points:

Families: VK limited the state’s

monthly child support handouts (bør-

necheck) to 35,000 kroner per fam-

ily. � at limit has now been abolished,

meaning that many families will get

larger child bene� ts. � e government

will also pay for fertility treatments and

voluntary sterilisations.Welfare: VK and Dansk Folkeparti

(DF) introduced specialised welfare pro-

grammes that reduced the cash bene� ts

for new immigrants. � ose programmes

have now been eliminated and going

forward all residents in need of state

support will receive the same welfare

bene� ts. Higher education and research:

Universities will get an extra one billion

kroner over two years to cover costs as-

sociated with a predicted increase in

the number of students. Moreover, stu-

dents will no longer pay administrative

fees, and prospective Master’s students

will have prerequisite course tuitions

paid. � e government will also fund

1,500 more state-supported internship

positions.Infrastructure and job creation:

Some 17.5 billion kroner will be in-

vested over two years in infrastructure

projects, such as a new rail line between

Copenhagen and Ringsted, a project to

widen the Holbæk motorway, erosion

protection e� orts along Jutland’s west

coast, and renovations to public hous-

ing. Prime minister Helle � orning-

Schmidt has said that these ‘kickstart’

projects will create 20,000 new jobs

from 2012-2013. � e Danish Construc-

tion Association predicts 10,000.

Tax break: � e unpopular ‘mul-

timedia tax’ introduced by VK will be

abolished, saving some 525,000 Danes

with business laptops and mobile

phones 3,000 kroner per year.

Not everyone, however, can look for-

ward to a cash infusion. Smokers and junk

food lovers will be taxed higher on their

vices, while international corporations

will also see higher tax bills. SRSF plans

to raise revenue by closing a number of

tax loopholes going back nearly 20 years

that allowed international corporations

in Denmark to escape paying corporate

taxes (see more on page 15).

All told, the spending increases in the

new budget are not as big as the minister

of the economy and interior, Margrethe

Vestager (R), would like. She noted that

VK under-reported the de� cit for 2012,

making it imprudent to spend more. But

Denmark will still meet the EU’s � nan-

cial responsibility benchmarks, despite

the larger de� cit, she added.

A new budget to ‘kickstart’ the economy

SRSF’s � rst budget will spend 17.5 billion

kroner on infrastructure and abolish

previous taxes and restrictions

JENNIFER BULEY

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21


Taking coffee away from the Danes would be ripping the heart out of an age-old tra-dition that keeps Danish society going.

Going strong, too, is the quality of coffee and how it’s served in Copenhagen. “I’ll play it if I like it,” says Christian to the three young Italian ladies visiting his record and coffee shop one Thursday morning in April. The conversation begins with one of the ladies complimenting the coffee. For Christian, that’s more than a compliment, as Ital-ians are among the few customers he serves with a slight shake of his otherwise steady hand.

Having complimented the coffee, the young Ital-ian cautiously asks whether she and her friends may listen to one of the records in Christian’s shop. Luckily their choice matches the coffee connoisseur’s taste in music, and soon the funky soundtrack from Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Death Proof’ fills the air.

What does this episode about Italians in a vinyl-and-coffee shop, selecting music that matches the shop owner’s taste tell us about coffee cul-ture in Copenhagen? When in Rome do as the Ro-mans and do the same in Copenhagen!

Coffee came to Denmark in the 1660s, at a time when beer and wine were the prime beverages. Replacing the brew of the day, mjød (an alcoholic concoction of water, honey and yeast), with the black fluid was at first unheard of. The majority swore against touching the stuff, but then the advantages of coffee surfaced. For example men were happy that their women now returned home sober from their many social visits, con-trary to previously.

Coffee had taken hold. But it wasn’t until Brazil began producing coffee that prices began to fall and it became a casual drink. In Denmark this meant coffee at all times, good, bad and in the meantime. There was church coffee, before and

after funerals; coffee was brewed to keep the midwife awake; people drank coffee at parties; and gradually every day was an occasion to drink coffee. Coffee became a safeguard against beer and wine: the indulgence that had broken many a home.

During wartime and times of hardship, the import of coffee became restricted and products that compensated for coffee were consumed instead. They tasted awful, yet some actually claimed to enjoy these products over real coffee.

Coffee was an inseparable part of the Danish home, come what may – and taste as it may. Cof-fee became connected with the workplace as well, and today there isn’t a workplace without a coffee maker. A coffee maker that is out of order spells trouble, because coffee at the office means more than the specific black liquid. It brings peo-ple together, while it’s brewed, when it’s fetched

and while it’s drunk, usu-

ally accompanied by a

chat. Without coffee and

the get-together culture

that ensues, Danish society

would be in trouble. That cof-

fee has to taste, and match the taste of the cof-

fee drinker – as opposed to war-time coffee or

modern-day office coffee – shows the blossom-

ing in recent decades of a Danish coffee culture

which commands meticulously-produced coffee.

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is coffee’s

evergreen quality of bringing people together.

Make no mistake, Christian’s ‘I’ll play it if I like it’

attitude displays his conscious and selective de-

cision, which he most certainly appreciates from

his customers too. No wonder he aims to serve

coffee as in Rome.

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A coffee A dAy helps the dAnes

work, rest And plAyyou don’t have to be in denmark long to realise that without coffee the country would grind to a halt By Kamilla Stoffregen


22

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Expat in Denmark

directory 2012generAl informAtiondenmark’sofficialinformationwebsite www.denmark.dkOfficialCopenhagenTouristsite www.visitcopenhagen.comCityofCopenhagenInternationalCitizenServicewww.icitizen.dk / www.kk.dk/englishWeatherwww.dmi.dkPostalservice www.postdanmark.dk

trAVelRejseplanenJourney planner available in English and German www.rejseplanen.dkCopenhagenAirport www.cph.dk

tAxi compAniesdantaxi7025 2525 – www.dantaxi.dkTaxinord4848 4848 – www.taxinord.dkAmager-ØbroTaxi3251 5151 – www.amagerobrotaxi.dkTaxa4x353535 3535 – www.taxa4x35.dk

Bike rentAlBaisikeliBikeRentalTuresensgade 10, Cph K/Ingerselvsgade 80, Cph V, www.cph-bike-rental.dk CyklebørsGothersgade 157, Cph K, www.cykelborsen.dkØsterportCyklerOslo Plads 10, Cph Ø, www.rentabike.dk

heAlth24-hourdoctorCopenhagen area – 3569 3869emergencyservices112non-emergencyhealthservices1813Poisioncontrolline8212 1212

24-hour phArmAcies (døgnApoteker)StenoApotekVesterbrogade 6c, Cph V (3314 8266)

HillerødFrederiksborgApotek

Slotsgade 26, 3400 Hillerød (4826 5600)

københavnsSønderbroApotek

Amagerbrogade 158, Cph S (3258 0140)

glostrupApotek

Hovedvejen 101, 2600 Glostrup (4396 0020)

LyngbySvaneApotek

Lyngby Hovedgade 27, 2800 Lyngby (4587 0096)

BAnksdanskeBank

www.danskebank.dk

nordea

www.nordea.dk

JyskeBank

www.jyskebank.dk

ArbejdernesLandsbank

www.al-bank.dk

shopping mAllsField’s

Amager – www.fields.dk

Fisketorvet

Dybbølsbro, Vesterbro – www.fisketorvet.dk

WaterfrontShopping

Hellerup – www.waterfront-shopping.dk

FrederiksbergCentret

Frederiksberg – www.frbc-shopping.dk

LyngbyStorcenter

Kongens Lyngby – www.lyngbystorcenter.dk

Waves

Greve – www.waves-shopping.dk

internAtionAl schoolsCopenhagenInternationalSchool(CIS)

Hellerup – www.cis-edu.dk

RygaardsSchool

Hellerup – www.rygaards.com

ØsterbroInternationalSchool

Østerbro – www.oeis.dk

Skt.Josef’sInternationalSchool

Roskilde – www.sktjosef.dk

nggInternationalSchool

Hørsholm – www.his.dk

BjørnsInternationalSchool

Østerbro – www.b-i-s.dk

Bernadotteskolen

Hellerup – www.bernadotteskolen.dk

SanktPetri(german)

Cph K – www.sanktpetriskole.dk

PrinsHenrik(French)

Frederiksberg – www.prinshenriksskole.dk

fitness centresCharlottehavenHealthClub

Cph Ø

www.charlottehaven.com/en/healthclub

Well-comeFitness

Hellerup – www.well-come.dk

dgIByen

Cph V – www.dgi-byen.com/fitness_center

Fitnessdk

Over a dozen gyms in Greater Copenhagen –

www.fitnessdk.dk

houses of worship(Seepage18forexpandedlistings)

InternationalChristianCommunity(ICC)

www.getintouch.dk

StAlban’sChurch(Anglican)

Churchillparken 11, Cph K, www.st-albans.dk

Sakramentskirken(RomanCatholic)

Nørrebrogade 27, Cph N,

www.sakramentskirken.dk

SaintAndreasChurch(RomanCatholic)

Kollegievej 2, 2920 Charlottenlund, www.sa-st.dk

knudLavardChurch(RomanCatholic)

Lyngbygårdsvej 1A, 2800 Kongens Lyngby

(4587 5688), www.katolsk.dk

FrenchReformChurch

Gothersgade 107, Cph K, www.egref.dk

AlexandernevskyChurch(RussianOrthodox)

Bredgade 53, Cph K (3313 6046)

SynagogueinCopenhagen

Krystalgade 12, Cph K (3929 9520)

www.mosaiske.dk

gurdwara Siri guru Singh Sabha sikh temple

Kirkebjerg Alle, 2720 Vanløse, www.sikh.dk

HindutempleIskcon

Skjulhøj Alle, 2720 Vanløse (4828 6446)

IslamicCulturalCentre

Horsebakken 2, 2400 Cph NV (3880 0386)

internAtionAl cluBsLifeindenmark

(onlineexpatriatecommunity)

www.lifein.dk

expatindenmark

(nationalnetworkforforeignprofessionals)

www.expatindenmark.com

AmericanWomen’sClubindenmark

www.awcdenmark.org

Allcanuck

(networkforCanadianslivingindenmark)

www.allcanuck.dk

TheInternationalWomen’sClubofCopenhagen

www.iwcc.dk

LInk

(Ladies’Internationalnetworkkøbenhavn)

www.linkdenmark.com

nZVikings

(newZealandcommunityinScandinavia)

www.nzvikings.dk

TheSouthernCrossClub

(Aussie/kiwisocialclub)

www.southerncrossclub.dk

Indiansindenmark(IId)

www.indiansindenmark.com

CopenhagenTheatreCircle,CTC

(englishlanguageamateurtheatregroup)

www.ctcircle.dk

sports cluBsCopenhagenexilesrugbyunionclub

www.exiles.dk

CopenhagenCelticFootballClub

www.copenhagenceltic.dk

denmark’sAmericanFootballAssociation

www.daff.dk

CopenhagengolfClub

www.kgkgolf.dk

CopenhagennetballClub

www.netball.dk

CopenhagenHockeyClub

www.kh-hockey.dk

petsCitydyreklinik

Kronprinsessegade 76, Cph K

www.citydyreklinik.dk

dyreklinikken

Ryesgade 100, Cph Ø

www.dyreklinikken-ryesgade.dk

Asserholm

English-speaking kennel in rural setting

www.asserholm.dk

danishkennelClub

www.dansk-kennel-klub.dk

Copenhagencatsitters

www.kattevenner.dk

Regulationsfortravellingwithpets

www.uk.foedevarestyrelsen.dk

pet suppliesmaxiZoo: www.maxizoo.dk

ZooZity: www.zoozity.dk

Oliver’sPetfood: www.olivers.dk

23

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relocation guide (spring 2012)

Documents

copenhagen relocati

copenhagen post

nati onal register

stressfree relocati

public health insurance

necessary residency

easier things

denmarki n t e r n