copenhagen
expat fair 13 september 2011 • 15:30 - 18:30 the city hall
active arts and culture!
the value of education!
BEHIND THE SCENES!
*advertising supplement*
connecting with sports!
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Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
POST BOX President and Publisher: Ejvind Sandal Chief Executive: Jesper Nymark
New to Denmark? Join a club! By Bonnie Fortune
Editor: Jane Graham Production & Layout: Lyndsay Jensen
A
nette Pilmark loves to dance in the style of Bollywood, the popular name for contemporary Indian cinema featuring dramatic dance routines. As the managing director at Spousecare, an organization that helps spouses and their families get acclimated to life in Denmark, she has the opportunity to meet and work with many internationals from countries around the world, including India. Even though she’s busy helping people, Pilmark takes time out of her hectic schedule to dance with her Spousecare colleagues and professional Bollywood dance instructor, Sateja Bhalekar, once a month.
Sales and Marketing Director: Hans Hermansen Sales and Advertising: Jeanne Thames, Mark Millen, Lyndsay Jensen If you would like to contact us or leave a comment: info@cphpost.dk
On Tuesday, September 13th, Pilmark will be greeting guests at the Copenhagen Expat Fair at Copenhagen’s City Hall on Rådhuspladsen. Pilmark has helped organise the fair together with a number of sponsors and supporting organisations, including the City of Copenhagen, the Copenhagen Post, the Nordea Fund, the University of Copenhagen and the Ministry of Refugee, Immigration, and Integration Affairs.
This supplement is published by The Copenhagen Post, please refer to our disclaimer on page 2 of the newspaper.
Working with international families through Spousecare inspired Pilmark to create the Expat Fair as a way to network local clubs and associations with the expat community. She is especially interested in helping internationals meet each other as well as Danish citizens, as she explains making friends helps people feel more settled after a big move.
copenhagen
expat fair 13 septemBer 2011 • 15:30 - 18:30 the city hall
Pilmark says that Danes love their leisure time and joining a club or an association is an excellent way to spend that treasured free time. To put it succinctly, making local friends is easy when you join a club; and there’s almost certainly a club or group for every interest. Pilmark notes that most clubs are volunteerrun and rarely have the time or resources to create an English language version of their website. Noticing how this was preventing many people new to Denmark from finding a place to connect with others in their free time, she came up with the idea of the Expat Fair. the value of eDucation!
BehinD the scenes!
*aDvertising supplement*
active arts anD culture!
Welcome Reception
and Welcome Reception Copenhagen Expat Fair
and
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When you share a common interest then cultural differences and language barriers are no longer important.
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connecting with sports!
Copenhagen’s Expat Fair works like a bazaar or flea market. Booths are set up around City Hall and clubs present themselves, perform, and speak. The international families can browse at each booth and sign up to participate in various organisations, from a chess club in Amager to Capoeira in Fredriksberg. Wondering what Capoeira would be like to try? At the Expat Fair you can find out more about this increasingly popular Brazilian martial art at the Capoeira School Senzala booth. There will also be information from soccer clubs and dance schools.
13 September 2011 Copenhagen Expat Fair Copenhagen City Hall
Sport ...
Culture...
entry is free! 13 September 2011 Copenhagen City Hall Programme of events:
3:30 pm – 6:30 pm ~ Copenhagen Expat Fair Joining a sports club or any leisure activities is a great way to meet Danes and fellow expats. Denmark is a country with many clubs and associations. At the Copenhagen Expat Fair, you have the chance to talk to members from various clubs and associations from the Greater Copenhagen Area about what they can offer you and your family and how to sign up. 4:00 pm ~ Official welcome by Anna Mee Allerslev, Mayor of Employment and Integration. The City of Copenhagen and Mayor, Anna Mee Allerslev, would like to welcome you officially to Copenhagen. Also, we are happy to announce The President of The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark, Niels Nygaard as our guest speaker. After the two presentations, the world famous "City Hall Pancakes" will be served. Many kind regards,
Thank youCopenhagen, to our sponsors Copenhagen Post and Spousecare City of Please enter through the Main Entrance facing Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square)
Education ...
Pilmark says, ‘When you share a common interest then cultural differences and language barriers are no longer important.’ She loves organizing and attending the Expat Fair each year because she sees people discovering parts of Copenhagen that they didn’t know existed. For her, this is an opportunity to produce cultural exchange between the international families she works with on a daily basis and the local Danish community. At Spousecare, Pilmark works with companies hiring international citizens to provide what can be described as a ‘care package’ for spouses. Spousecare provides international spouses with business networking opportunities, help with polishing one’s CV for the Danish job market, and tips on how to adjust to life in Denmark. Spousecare’s mission is to help companies hold onto their international hires. If spouses and families are happy, then they’re more likely to stay on in Denmark for the long term. Mayor of Employment and Integration, Anna Mee Allerslev and the President of The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark, Niels Nygaard will be speaking at this year’s fair. Afterwards, the famous ‘City Hall Pancakes’ will be available to taste. In addition, Pilmark will be handing out red raffle tickets to each guest as they arrive. Those guests in possession of a winning raffle ticket will win three free memberships to the club or association of their choice, worth up to 1,000 DKK. So why not come on down to the City Hall and have some fun with us at the Expat Fair. Meet some new people, join some clubs and of course sample the famous City Hall pancakes.
Please register at: http://www.kk.dk/cphinternational
We look forward to seeing you!
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Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
EXCLUSIVE
Deputy Mayor: An inclusive city is more rewarding for all
Deputy Mayor of Employment and Integration, Anna Mee Allerslev, will officially welcome expats to Copenhagen at the fair in September. With the right attitude, Copenhageners and new citizens can learn and benefit from each other, she tells The Copenhagen Post. By Emilie Koefoed As a young law student of 26, Anna Mee Allerslev accepted the post as Deputy Mayor of Employment and Integration for the SocialLiberal Party (B) earlier this year, taking over from former deputy mayor Klaus Bondam. She had previously caused a sensation during the election campaign when a YouTube video appeared in which a young female supporter stripped down to her underwear, allegedly to spice up the dull image of local politics and to present Anna Mee Allerslev’s campaign slogan – ‘a more beautiful, healthy and fun Copenhagen’ – in a visually pleasing way. The Copenhagen Post caught the deputy mayor between meetings to hear her describe her vision of Copenhagen.
New Copenhageners are an asset for the city Anna Mee Allerslev answers enthusiastically when The Copenhagen Post asks her about her interest in the Copenhagen Expat Fair.
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“First and foremost, I am obviously delighted to be offered the chance to give a speech, because I think it’s incredibly important to bid our new locals welcome,” she begins, explaining why the fair is such a good initiative: Joining a club is a good way to meet both Danes and fellow expats and to start building a network, she says. She believes that a good network not only for yourself but also for your family is what persuades people to stay once they’ve moved to Copenhagen. And the Danes need to hold on to their new Copenhageners. According to studies, we need to improve our ability to attract new skilled people to the city in order to boost growth, explains Allerslev, which is why it’s so important that politicians take responsibility for making our new locals feel welcome and included early in their stay.
Initiatives for an inclusive city An inclusive city is a more interesting, more fun and ultimately a more rewarding place for everyone, which is why the Municipality of Copenhagen has several initiatives in place to improve conditions for expats, says Allerslev. ”I would like to emphasize that the Municipality wants to make an effort, but it is also important that each individual Copenhagener takes responsibility for creating an inclusive city,” she says. “We
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INTERVIEW
have a host programme, in which we work with a range of organisations to find 150 local volunteers to meet and welcome new Copenhageners. The project already appears to be a great success. It’s something that we can be proud of.” The Danish hosts will help newcomers with practical issues, answer questions and help out with the Danish language. Another new initiative is the website called ‘Kend din Kommune’ (Know your Municipality), which provides information in eight different languages on everything that Copenhagen has to offer.
The language barrier “I think language is a barrier,” says Allerslev, “but I do not think it is an insurmountable barrier.” From her own experience in fitness classes, the instructor simply switched to English when he noted that there were people who didn’t speak Danish, and then spent a little extra time on the newcomer to make sure the person was included on the team. “It’s really about having an open attitude and making people feel welcome regardless of language. And even if someone speaks neither Danish nor English, you can probably work things out with sign language, so long as there is a bit of good will on both sides.”
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Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW
Sports Confederation President
Welcomes Newcomers to Clubs Niels Nygaard, president of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) is guest speaker at the Copenhagen Expat Fair. The Copenhagen Post caught up with him to discuss the uniquely democratic Danish association culture – and pancakes. By Emilie Koefoed
The Danish Sports Confederation, which is also Denmark’s Olympic Committee, is an umbrella organisation comprising 61 different sports, more than 10,000 sports clubs and 1.7 million members. Niels Nygaard has been president of the organisation for the past four years and will be speaking at the Copenhagen Expat Fair on 13th September. He is also a former long distance runner and hotel owner.
Why have you agreed to speak at the Copenhagen Expat Fair, and what message do you hope to convey?
based on democratic processes with annual general meetings and a board elected by members, and so on, which constitute the entire backbone of Danish association life. This is very different from what you have in many other countries, where sports activities are often centred around schools or workplaces, or even take place in various commercial contexts. Another thing that is special about sports in Denmark is that Danish municipalities are highly committed to helping sports clubs, both with facilities and by making it financially attractive for members to join sports associations.
How can expats learn about the Danish system and their options? Currently, the structure is decentralised, which means that it is up to the 10,000 sports clubs all over the country to decide how much they want to draw attention to themselves. There is no co-ordinated effort to target expats, but at the moment we are preparing a booklet, in which we explain the organisation of sports in Denmark, what people can expect when they join a sports association, and also where they can go to sign up. The booklet will be ready by the time of the fair at the Town Hall.
I think it’s important that the people who come to Denmark to live and work are made to feel welcome and that they participate in as many activities as possible. Sports activities are an obvious choice for expats, as people have often practiced some type of sport in their home country, and because sport is a universal language. I believe this gives us at the Danish Sports Confederation an important task in helping expats become well integrated into Danish society.
What makes the organisation of Danish sports clubs and associations unique? It is unique in the sense that it is primarily built up around volunteers. It is part of the particular Danish association culture,
I think it is very important to make people aware of how easy it is to simply go to the sports club around the corner and sign up. If we manage to convey this message, I am sure that many more will take advantage of their options as well as feeling extra welcome.
What types of clubs and associations in Denmark are particularly good at attracting expats? Danish tennis clubs are particularly popular with expats, because so many of them play tennis. There are also specific sports which attract people from particular countries: for example, people from India, Pakistan and England are often interested in cricket and tend to sign up to the clubs near them offering cricket facilities.
Lastly, do you plan on sampling the famous Town Hall Pancakes at the event? I’ll have to go to another event straight afterwards, but if I can grab one on my way out of the door, I certainly would love to. It is always an experience to have pancakes at the Town Hall.
COPENHAGEN THEATRE CIRCLE Over 40 years of providing Copenhagen audiences with high-quality theatre in the English language.
Meet us at the Fair and find out what fun it is to be part of a theatre group.
www.ctcircle.dk
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Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
Sport // In Copenhagen
Sports Clubs
Make Connections Expat Fair organizers urge newcomers to spend free time on group sports activities By Tom Stratton
• Sport • Sport • Sport •
Organisers of Copenhagen’s Expat Fair 2011 are working hard to provide the international community in Copenhagen and its surrounding areas with information and services aimed at enhancing leisure time, assisting visitors on developing existing hobbies or passions and inspiring them to find new ones. At the same time, the event encourages visitors to make new contacts and connect with locals and other expats in the area. One of the best ways to make new friends and share common interests, young or old, is by joining a sports club. Here is a selection of clubs for popular sports – as well as some of the less orthodox ones.
North Copenhagen Barracudas www.barracudas.dk; Membership starts at 200kr (training and social events), 800kr (one-year membership), up to 1000kr (full membership). Contact: schonne81@gmail.com Australian Rules football has been played competitively in Denmark for two decades. A founding club of the Danish Australian Rules Football League (DAFL), the successful Barracudas have won the premiership six times since the league started. Though the club is currently made up of keen Danes, a few EUs and a stable group of Australians, historically players have hailed from all corners of the globe, including Belgium, Britain, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa and USA. Boasting such an international collection of players, home team pride keeps the competitive edge, whilst stories from past glories on the field bind them together. The team trains twice a week during the summer, playing home games in Copenhagen’s north-western suburbs. Training in the winter is once a week and generally indoors, though if the weather permits, they have access to an outdoor artificial grass court.
Capoeiraskolen Senzala in Frederiksberg is the oldest capoeira school in Denmark. This year, the school celebrates not only its 20th anniversary but its founder, Steen Møller becoming the first non-Brazilian Capoeira Master in Senzala. Master Steen and his teachers offer capoeira classes for kids from the age of four, adults at all levels and senior capoeira. In the words of Master Steen, “Capoeira is a beautiful and powerful way to communicate between people across borders, race, age and sex. Everybody can do it and the possibilities to express yourself are limitless as long as we respect the rituals, each other and the capoeira Master.” Steen and some of his teachers and students will be performing two shows at the Expat Fair.
Copenhagen Towers (American Football) Capoeiraskolen Senzala www.senzala.dk; Membership runs from 750kr to 1050kr, Contact: steen@senzala.dk Capoeira is martial art disguised as an acrobatic dance carried by capoeira music and songs, started by slaves out of a longing for freedom in the colonial days of Brazil.
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www.copenhagen-towers.dk; Membership 375-675kr. Contact: (Junior U13 team) tkallehave@hotmail.com, (Junior U16 team) jeagle585@hotmail.com, (Junior U19 team) u19coach@copenhagen-towers.dk, (Senior Team) headcoach@copenhagen-towers.dk American football is growing in popularity here in Denmark,
Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
we start together and we finish together, is a mantra often repeated in Street Movement teaching.
Originally developed in France, parkour is a sport focused on moving around obstacles with speed and efficiency. The main purpose of the discipline is to teach participants how to move through their environment by vaulting, rolling, running, climbing and jumping. Parkour practitioners (‘traceurs’) train at identifying and utilizing alternative and efficient paths. Currently, all of the scheduled teaching in association with Parkour DK is handled by the crew from Street
and the Copenhagen Towers are one of the oldest, biggest, most respected and most successful American football clubs in the country, celebrating their 20th anniversary with all four of their teams reaching the play-offs.
Movement. For them, this way of interpreting spatial and cultural contexts is a result of many years’ experience with parkour, as well as many other types of movement.
Much of their success is likely due to their feeling of family. With teams in all possible age groups - including a new one for next season (U-10) - it is their goal to provide more than ‘just’ football. RCH-Foto.dk
Parkour DK www.parkour.dk; membership 199kr; contact: mail@streetmovement.dk
“We start together and we finish together,” is a mantra often repeated in Street Movement teaching. Sharing insight, collective enthusiasm and recognition are all vital to the group. Developing techniques, a personal style and the ability to adopt parkour to the everyday environment around you, makes this an art that will constantly evolve and stimulate.
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Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
5:30 p.m. performance at table # 10!
City Hall Pancakes
6:00 p.m. performance at table # 9!
Visit table #1 to enter raffle!
ENTRANCE *drawing not to scale
win 8
big!
Expat Fair Club and Association Listin
• Enter to win a club members up to 1,000 Dkk! *not a cash prize • 3 Winners! Winners called a • Announcement of winners in The Copenhagen Post
Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
4:40 p.m. & 5:45 p.m. performance at table # 26!
5:00 p.m. performance at table # 30!
5:15 p.m. performance at table # 33!
ng
ship of your choice
at 18:15 at the event n the next issue of 9
Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
Culture // In Copenhagen
Lights! camera!
Art!
An active arts and culture scene is an important part of any international city and Copenhagen is no exception, being home to hundreds of galleries, art museums and institutions, as well as theatre and dance companies. By Bonnie Fortune
There is a museum for everything, from contemporary art to Viking artefacts and ancient Islamic paintings. There is an internationally recognized opera house, two national ballet companies and many more modern dance troupes. It is easy to absorb the arts while living in Copenhagen; just one of the many attractions of a city that prides itself on giving expatriates a warm welcome. The upcoming Expat Fair taking place on September 13th at Copenhagen’s City Hall is a prime example of this, with fair organisers keeping up the city’s tradition of supporting the arts by inviting a number of clubs, organisations and cultural groups. Each year the event, sponsored by a number of organisations that includes the City of Copenhagen, the Copenhagen Post and Spousecare brings together local clubs, associations and schools to City Hall for an afternoon. Newly relocated internationals are openly invited to attend the event, and thus learn about the different activities they can become involved with in the city. Organisations that participate in the fair do so to share their English language activities with new Copenhageners: visitors to the fair can join the organisations of their choice that day, immediately starting the process of forming new relationships or acquiring a new hobby. This year, there is a wide selection of cultural organisations to learn from and possibly join, including White Light Gallery, children’s art workshop ART-n-ME, Scene Kunst Skoler, Københavns Balletskole, Dancetide Scottish country dancing, Harman Music Methods, Copenhagen Theatre Circle and a Bollywood dance school. These organisations represent opportunities for expats to attend English language performances as well as take cultural education classes in English. They are organisations that provide children as well as adults with a way to enhance their creative sides.
Have you wanted to brush up on your photography skills to document your travels abroad for your family back home? 10
Have you wanted to brush up on your photography skills to document your travels abroad for your family back home? Or have you just wanted to learn how to turn on that camera you received as a birthday gift? If the answer to either is ‘yes’, then the White Light Gallery is the booth you’ll want to visit at the Expat Fair. White Light Gallery is the brainchild and photography business of Sarah Coghill, a food, travel and wedding photographer with many years’ experience. She has exhibited and worked as a photographer in Denmark, the United Kingdom and Australia, and now Coghill has launched CPHphotocourse.dk. This new part of her photo business is designed to provide English language photography courses for everyone, from the beginner to the professional. Longer courses cover topics from the basic ‘Understand your Camera’ to ‘Landscape Photography.’ A popular one-day course, especially for internationals, is the ‘One Day Walking Tour of Copenhagen.’ For this short course, Coghill takes class participants to some of the most popular tourist destinations in the city, including the Opera House and Tivoli Gardens, all while teaching them tips and tricks for taking top quality travel photos.
Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
copenhagen theatre circle,
has been performing high quality English language amateur theatre since the 1970s.
Are you less interested in shooting pictures and more partial to taking a turn on the boards, as they say in the theatre? Copenhagen Theatre Circle offers English-speaking theatre buffs the opportunity to do just that, having provided Copenhagen with high quality, English language amateur theatre since the 1970s. Copenhagen Theatre Circle (CTC) is a traditional Danish association, in that it requires members to join and pay nominal dues. Members can participate in productions and attend social events, like the monthly pub meet-ups. They can also suggest theatre and performance activities for the CTC to host, such as stand-up comedy or writing workshops. CTC involves its members not just as actors but also as directors, set designers, prop masters and even costume designers, and serves as a community for international theatre buffs. Those looking for cultural activities for children will find several different schools and groups that fit that bill at the Expat Fair: Scene Kunst Skoler, Københavns Balletskole and Harman Music Methods. Scene Kunst Skoler (Stage Art Schools) is a drama and performance school offering classes to young people aged from four to sixteen. The school teaches traditional performance skills like singing and dance for musical theatre as well as workshops in more offbeat subjects, like clowning skills. Students attend classes on Saturdays and participate in the end-of-year performance showcase. Scene Kunst Skoler students attend the school for fun as well as to gain the appropriate techniques
for professional auditions and careers. Harman Music Methods provides piano lessons to young people and adults after the special methods of John Lambert Harmon. Children can begin the Harman piano training as young as five. Finally, the cultural portion of the Expat Fair would not be complete without a performance presentation. Expat Fair organisers Spousecare are presenting a special performance of Bollywood style dancing by teacher and professional dancer, Sateja Bhalekar. An exciting addition to the Expat Fair, an added bonus for fair visitors is the chance to sign up for the Bollywood dance group and lessons with Bhalekar.
Denmark’s most effective Danish courses! www.kiss.dk
Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
Education // In Copenhagen
From ABCs
TO PHDS F
From the renowned University of Copenhagen – established in 1479 and responsible for shaping such great minds as philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Niels Bohr, the abundance of technical and professional colleges whose language of instruction is Danish, to world class international schools where English is the lingua franca, education in Denmark is a highly valued commodity.
Compulsory for children up to the age of 16, the Danish education system is ranked first equal in the world, along with Australia, New Zealand and Finland in the UN’s Education Index. It comprises nine or ten years (the tenth being optional) of primary and secondary education, followed either by an upper-secondary school (‘gymnasium’) to prepare students for university, or a technical or trade school, where students spend approximately 30-50% of their time in school and 50-70% as a trainee or apprentice.
It all starts with Danish One of the most important, and often most difficult, aspects of moving to a foreign country and adjusting to the new culture and surroundings is learning the language. In order to help adapt to your adopted country as quickly and smoothly as possible, it’s highly recommended to begin by learning some of the local lingo. Being able to have conversations in Danish will make everything just that little bit easier – from making friends to finding a job. For everyone with a CPR number (found on the yellow health insurance card), the local municipality offers free (or almost free) classes designed to get you speaking, reading and writing the Danish language as quickly as possible. As well as the state-offered options, there is also a host of private language schools providing expert tuition to learners using a variety of tried and tested methods.
Education in English For those whose stay in Denmark is short-term or to whom the thought of learning a new language is paramount to prolonged torture, Denmark also offers a myriad of education courses in English, such as international schools and English language university courses. Many newcomers to Denmark on short-term stays bring the family. In these cases, it’s not so much learning the local language that is the top priority, but making sure the kids study in English and gain internationally recognised diplomas, such as the Baccalaureate. Copenhagen offers various international school options tailored
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The Danish education system’s high standards offer courses and schools for everyone, newcomers included. Whether it’s learning the Danish language, enrolling your child in an international school or studying at one of Denmark’s leading higher education institutes, there’s something here to fit the needs of everyone, all the way from the ABC to PhDs. By Jimmy Fyfe
Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
If your move to Denmark finds you however living in Jutland, The Cosmo International School of Southern Denmark offers three international educational programmes for ages 5 to 16, all taught in English and offered by the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE).
Higher Education
specifically to expat families who want to give their children an international education while living in Denmark. There are many schools available, but one such school is Rygaards Skole, founded in 1909 by the Sisters of Assumptions and with a curriculum based on the British system but adapted to international needs. The aim at Rygaards is to provide a sound education in English, in order to enable students to return to their own national system, or to continue at another international school. It provides education for children aged 4-16 and specialises in teaching students in Denmark on a temporary basis. Bjørn’s Internation School endeavours to cultivate tolerance and intercultural understanding, and secure a harmonious community for the children and staff. Østerbro International School, also provides education in English to the Copenhagen international community, with its focus on identifying and appreciating the unique potential of each pupil.
Whether you plan on using your degree in Denmark or abroad, a qualification from one of Denmark’s higher education institutes carries weight wherever you plan on taking your career. With around 130 different degree programmes taught in English, Danish institutes offer international students a wealth of opportunities, and with English language version websites available as well as on-campus support staff at most universities, planning and taking your studies to the next level couldn’t be easier. Although most English language programmes are at the Master or PhD level, a number of universities and professional colleges also offer courses in English at the Bachelor level, too. Tuition fees vary depending on your country of citizenship, with free tuition available for citizens of EU/EEA countries. Non-EU/EEA citizens will need to pay for tuition, with fees generally ranging from around 6,000 – 16,000 Euros. Most institutes also have financial scholarships available. Citizens of countries where English is not an official language are required to provide proof of competence in English, usually by submitting their TOEFL language test score. Applicants
must also show that their previous education is relevant to advanced studies in the field. The Danish Agency for International Education offers a qualification review process to help prospective students determine how their foreign degrees compare in the Danish education system. More info can be found at http://en.iu.dk/recognition.
Adult Education In addition to the municipally-run Danish language courses, your yellow health insurance card also entitles you to attend classes at your local VUC – ‘Vokenuddannelsescentre’, or adult education centres. The VUC also offers Danish language classes, from the most basic courses for those lacking a high school education to fast track programmes for quick learners. In addition, it’s possible to attend courses in other foreign languages, preparatory courses for those going on to higher education institutes and requisite, single-subject courses needed for entry into specific education programmes. The majority of classes are in the Danish language, with Danes and foreigners studying side by side. The centres also offer business orientated courses, teaching such skills as how to conduct business telephone conversations in Danish, letter and report writing and customer service skills. Top language schools: www.kbh-sprogcenter.dk, www.kiss.dk, www.kvuc.dk, www.sprogcenterhellerup.dk
Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
Getting to Know
the Transportation Network Take the express route to Copenhagen’s attractions by bus or train. By Jane Graham
C
openhagen is easy enough to walk around, but if you really want to fit in all the sights, its public transport system is one of the cleanest and safest in Europe. It’s also relatively cheap and refreshingly efficient.
Transfer system Once you understand the system, having the right ticket for your journey couldn’t be easier. All of Copenhagen’s buses and trains, including the Metro and the suburban S-train network share an integrated ticketing system based on zones, with zone one in the centre, gradually working up the zones as you move outwards into the capital’s outlying towns. The cheapest ticket available is for two zones, which should be sufficient for most first-timers to Copenhagen. Other places, like Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport, are found in zone three. Each ticket lasts an hour, and includes as many transfers as you wish to make within that hour.
This works on the same principal, but as you pay for the journeys in advance, you get them a little cheaper. This is ideal for a group of people travelling together or for travel through a number of zones: for example, three clips of a two-zone card allow you to travel through six zones. Just remember to clip the card immediately before travel in the yellow machine, found either on the station platform when taking the train or just in the door as you board the bus.
Copenhagen Card For multiple journeys, you can also buy a clip card or ‘klippekort’.
For those planning on doing a lot of sightseeing over a short space
of time, the Copenhagen Card is ideal. This is sold from the Wonderful Copenhagen tourist office and incorporates free entrance to a whole slew of museums and attractions, discounts on selected shops and restaurants and free public transport for a 24-hour or 72-hour period. Another plus is that two kids under ten can travel for free with an adult card.
The Metro Copenhagen’s underground Metro service opened in 2002, with just two lines between the suburb of Amager in the south-east to Vanløse in the west. The line was extended in 2007 to include
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www.oEIS.dka Østerbro International School • Præstøgade 17 • 2100 Copenhagen Ø • Tel.: +45 70 20 63 68 • E-mail: info@oeis.dk
Copenhagen Expat Fair - 13 September 2011
Sightseeing services The CityCirkel 11A bus route has been posited as a great alternative to the official sightseeing buses around the city. The small buses drive around the inner city at seven minute intervals, taking you to the door of major attractions like the Nationalmuseet, Statens Museum for Kunst, Nyhavn, the Round Tower and Tivoli. They are also electric, making them less polluting and CO2-neutral than ordinary buses. Another way to see the city using public transport is to take the harbour bus, or ‘havnebus’. These yellow boats cost no more than
B Kastrup Airport, and another line, the City Ring, is currently being built, with an expected completion date of 2018, finally connecting the line to the Central Train Station as well as the boroughs of Nørrebro and Østerbro. The sleek, driverless trains are generally fun to use, even in rush hour, and the safety and efficiency of the service earned it the title of ‘World’s Best Metro’ in 2010 by industry experts.
a regular bus and will take you from Nyhavn, the Black Diamond or even Fisketorvet Shopping mall to the Opera House in style.
Buses – a few tips There is a certain etiquette to using Copenhagen’s buses. You board at the front, paying the driver if you haven’t already bought a clip card beforehand; you don’t need exact change, but coins are better than notes. The fold-up seats by the centre doors are to be used only when there aren’t any prams or strollers on the bus, and there usually are, at least in the daytime. You leave by the middle or rear door. Copenhagen’s public transport system runs all night long, though with less services. Night buses are marked with an ‘N’.
BJØRN’S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Bjørn’s International School aims to give a democratic education to children from all over the world regardless of race, religion or colour
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We have 150 students aged from 6-16 years from 50 different countries.
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We have 2 sections. The Danish section (grades 1-9) where students can take the Danish State School leaving examination.
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The English-speaking section (grade 1-9) where students can take the International General Certificate of Secondary Education.
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Only transit students with a stay in Denmark of 1-4 years in the English speaking section.
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We encourage parent co-operation.
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We take into consideration the individual needs of the children.
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We have small classes.
Member of ECIS European Council of International Schools Center for IGSE International General Certificate of Secondary Education
Bjørn’s International School • Gartnerivej 5 • 2100 København Ø • Denmark • www.b-i-s.dk • Phone: +45 39292937 • Fax: +45 39183842 • Email: kontoret.101152@b-s-s.dk
Restaurant
We’ve got it all!
Quality ingredients, lovingly prepared. Our food and beers are designed to complement each other. Ask our staff to help you select a beer menu to go with your meal.
Brewery BrewPub means craft brewing at its best. Our beer comes direct to the taps from the tanks in the brewery. Take a brewery tour - with beer tasting - and find out more. C
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Pub - 15 beers on tap We also serve wholesome pub food in the bar to go with your beer. Try our burger, fish 'n' chips or a steak sandwich, or one of our lighter options.
Parties - special occasions Celebrating something? How about a brewery tour and beer tasting, followed by dinner in the restaurant, for an unforgettable evening.
Weekday Special 50cl BrewPub draught beer and a burger, kr. 150,We are here: VESTERGADE RÅDHUSPLADSEN STRØGET
VESTERGADE 29 · 1456 KBH. K · 33 32 00 60 · WWW.BREWPUB.DK