Raps field in the country side, Denmark
I love Denmark. I am thrilled to be in this country and I can’t wait to know more and learn more every day. I have been here since November 2008. People tell me to wait, that the shoe will drop eventually, and that I will be just as miserable as most of the foreigners here before too long. I am happy to say that I have new wonderful experiences to report on the daily basis and I have finally given up expecting that other shoe to drop.
I came here from one of the most beautiful places in the world, Northern California. I loved it there, but there was always something missing. I always felt like I couldn’t ever have all that I wanted, and I am not talking about material possessions. We were, as most Americans, living way beyond our means. We had no time to be together as a family, working round the clock to support our enormous outgoings. We were always stressed out and very tense.
Why Denmark? Well, my husband just happens to be from this wonderful country. We moved here for our children to have a better, simpler and safer childhood with their family around. My family unfortunately has shrunk down to just my mom, my dad and my brother and soon my dad will be moving to Thailand. So, needless to say, we wanted our children to grow up around their cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents and extended family.
We came here to get out of the rat race and to have some security in case things should take a downturn. We anticipated it being difficult to get a job but we had no idea it would take 6 months of using up all of our savings and finally asking for help. Now, fortunately, things are changing and we are slowly getting back up onto our feet. The economy tanked right after we made our decision to move, so it has been a rough road to say the least.
This country, no matter what people want to say, is great, and no one can tell me otherwise. It came through for us when we needed it the most. Since there is no childcare available in my area, they are paying me to take care of my children so I do not put them in an institution. I have 3 children ages 1, 3 and 5. I am not ready to give them up anyway, so now I have another year to figure out what I am going to do and make some contacts meanwhile for when I am ready to get back into singing. They are also paying for my husband to get another degree so he can have the latest industry knowledge in his field. He has finally found a good job to earn enough money to get us through this transition so we can start contributing a bit. There is also free medical care for all of us and free dental care for my kids up until they are 18. The things I just mentioned are a huge weight off of our shoulders. In the US we were self employed and paid so much towards doctor’s bills, medical insurance and dental bills. Here, all we have to worry about is putting food on the table and paying rent. This means that we can spend that family time together that we were aching for back in the states.
There are good and bad things about any country that you may want to live in, but I have always had a love affair with Europe and always hoped to make it my home someday. I love learning another language, the changing seasons, the raps fields in the Spring, the birds singing, the emphasis on family, the people here, the simple life and just being able to appreciate all of my blessings. I didn’t have that luxury back in California.
I just wanted to share my positive story to show another side of the coin. It is not easy to move to another country and everyone is going to have their own experience, but I love it here and am very happy with my new life in Denmark. Living day to day and appreciating all that I have, finally makes it easy for me to breathe again, and for that I am very grateful!
langvang
paulathecatlady
Lara
marriedtoadane
Well said Lara.
By: Misty Christensen on May 22, 2009
at 8:35
Hello lara how are you? Me and my a at wife are from South Africa which has so much crime/murder/ corrupt goverment. Me and my wife are born in South african but we also have a UK passport. We are looking at moving to Denmark which i have been told is a really stable and safe country ? so where are going to be immgrating to Denmark.
Could you give me any info in regards with moving there on a Uk passport?
Will the goverment help us get on our feet and also pay my wife for “to take care of my children” Or does it only apply to the Denmark Passport holder.
Will school be free for my son my wife and me?
God Bless you
By: Jimmy on October 11, 2009
at 8:35
Hi Jimmy,
Thank you for your message. You are right in the fact that Denmark is safe and stable, they don’t even have natural disasters like earthquakes or tornados, and there are no poisonous or man eating animals. It is a good place to be.
Moving to Denmark isn’t easy unfortunately unless you have a good job, it took my husband a little over a year to find one. The cost of living is really high here. Things like food, clothing and electricity, all the basic necessities are really expensive, shockingly so. You will have to have 62,000 in a bank account among some other pretty stringent requirements. Language skills are a must in most of the jobs here and I hate to say it is not the most welcoming to foreigners. I don’t want to be discouraging. It took us a year to get back on our feet, and my husband is a Dane. I am being paid to care for my kids because I got special permission to do so since there is no childcare available in our area. What happened to me was a combination of good timing and a bit of luck. I know with an EU passport, you are more likely to be able to be able to take care of your kids but I do not think it is a given. My husband knows his way around the system which is helpful. My situation is unique and I do not know anyone else that is getting this benefit. There is a time limit to it too. I will only get paid for a year.
It sounds like you are serious about moving here. Since you are, I would work on learning the language. Come visit for a little while and see how you like it. Apply and get a job before you move here. Getting a job is really hard now in this economic climate. I always say though, that where there is a will, there is a way and if you want it bad enough you will make it happen. I hope what I said helped you a little bit. Feel free to bounce some more questions off of me and I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities. Try reading the posts on Foreigners in Denmark.dk so you can get a good idea about people’s experiences as well all the requirements. They can also help you.
Good luck with your adventure.
Lara
By: Lara on October 12, 2009
at 8:35
Having spent the last hour or so reading randomly through the Foreigners in Denmark forum, I was dismayed by the negativity in so many of the posts.
Are Denmark and the Danes really that bad?
Refreshing to hear at least one positive voice. I for one hope the other shoe never drops.
By: Lars Pedersen on May 25, 2009
at 8:35
I truly believe who you surround yourself with here and your circumstances can either make your life here miserable or wonderful. I feel really lucky to have ended up here close to Copenhagen, but far enough away that it is safe and has the cozy feel of a small town. The people around me are lovely and I am really happy in my marriage. Reaching out and making many friends since I have been here also helps. Keeping busy is also really important. Learning the language has been a real challenge that I am loving to tackle. Nothing can be worse than the situation we left in the states so I am very thankful for what I have here.
By: divalb on May 26, 2009
at 8:35
I also love Denmark I’m more relax and I enjoy simple moments even just strolling in the city, park or just in the forest if you can call that forest.
It’s far away from my stressed life in Manila. Coming from a society where there is a large division between rich and poor is refreshing and makes me more down to earth. Imagine in my country they call you Ma’am. Doctor or in my case Engineer but here you can call even the the Ministers their first name well of course their full name when you want to be formal. Of course not all is perfect we still longs for better customer service and get used to not hearing please but as a foreigner her we can still be who we are we can’t lost our upbringing but we can adapt what are the danish positive traits.
Being a foreigner in another lands country is hard, there is a saying “Øst, Vest hjemme er bedst” whether it is a developed or underdeveloped country it is still your home.
I live in Copenhagen and I love it I don’t fell alien but I learned that it us who makes or creates our life. If we get to know other people Danes or other immigrants then it will be more colorful and fills your calendar with so many “Hygge aften” or grill fest.
But it’s nice to know you’re doing great now. You’re a great mom imagine 3 kids I don’t I can manage that. Lucky them for having you.
Regards
By: Ana on May 27, 2009
at 8:35
Fantastic picture!
By: Mindaugas on June 28, 2009
at 8:35
Hi Lara,
Our family, my Danish husband and 6 month old son, are possibly going to move to DK. We live in Chicago. It is nice to hear all the positive things that you write about DK.
Do you have any advice for us when making our decision? Anything that you wish you knew good or bad before you made the plunge to move to DK.
Others that have any thoughts please feel free to repond too!
By: Cynthia on September 20, 2009
at 8:35
Hi Cynthia and thanks for your comments,
Congrats on your baby!!It is hard being a mom but probably the best thing you will ever do in your life. Make your hubby speak Danish to the baby so the baby will be bilingual. All 3 of my kids speak and understand both languages. It is so amazing how they pick it up when it is given to them. It is a real gift to be bilingual and your child will thank you for it when he grows up.
I am still really happy here in DK and do not regret making my decision to come even though it was a difficult and scary decision to make.
I would say to bring the things you think you would miss the most if you didn’t have them. cooking and cleaning is not my forte but it is a necessity here. Things are very expensive so be prepared to be frugal and save now so you have a safety net.
Make friends now and research the city that you will be living in as well as schools. They institutionalize children early here so if you feel as strongly about being an at home mom as I do, stick to your guns and your decision without letting anyone tell you it is not how it is done here. That being said, childcare is highly subsidized and very inexpensive if you need it. It is important to make a good social network for yourself before you come here. Try to choose people who are happy here cause the negative ones can really drag you down. I have heard that it is difficult to make friends here but find it important to say that I have not had that experience and the friends I have made this year have been some of the best I have ever had. I have friends, mostly foreigners married to Danes, but I have to say having a child really opens a lot of doors to meeting new people. I found a few Danish friends through my hobbies on facebook even before I made the trip out here.
Don’t get discouraged learning the language and try to speak it as much as possible. People appreciate it and it helps you to learn quicker. Start learning now if you haven’t already so you have a foundation to build on once you get here. I did that and it made it so much easier for me to get started. Keep a positive attitude and don’t expect the worst. There are good and bad things everywhere, it is all about what you choose to focus on. It is all what you make it. Good luck and feel free to contact me again.
By: Lara on September 22, 2009
at 8:35