BEING A PARENT IS TOUGH. LET'S FACE IT; YOUR LIFE HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR CHILD HAS SPECIAL NEEDS AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES THAT GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH THAT? AS A MOM WITH A SON WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, THIS IS MY TRIBUTE TO ALL PARENTS NAVIGATING THIS JOURNEY, AND CHECK IN TO SAY YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB!
AAS WE CELEBRATE World Cerebral Palsy Day on the 6th of October, I'm reminded of all my son's challenges in his 18 years of life. It's hard when you're trying to be strong for your children every minute of the day. But, the fight is real, and after speaking with other parents who are also struggling, you'll discover that there is common ground. Our cover story in this issue (Page 8-11) highlights an in ternational mom who gives you a peek into life with a spe cial needs daughter. These are the parents you look up to, get advice from, cry and laugh with – they can relate to all you're going through. So, if you're reading this and wonder what life is like behind the special needs curtain, or you've recently just entered this world, here is a small glimpse.
Love and accept your child and any medical diagnosis your child may receive, but don't allow the diagnosis to limit an yone's hopes for them. Remember that your child's jour ney is their unique adventure.
Celebrating every new milestone and accomplishment is super important! Be sure to tell your child how proud you are of them. Take time to rejoice in their growth and achievements, no matter how small they may seem to out siders. Remember to count your blessings - every day. When you constantly focus on what you don't have, you can lose sight of what you do have. So instead, try to be positive - gratitude will help carry you through.
My own personal journey to Denmark has not just in cluded fitting in as an international but also navigating the special needs roads with my son. This has been a chal lenge, especially as not everything is in English, and you're not always aware of the help you can apply for. Due to this, I've made it my mission to give as many parents as much advice as possible – and created a special needs column to inform others of what to expect. Joining Facebook groups, talking to other parents, and doing a lot of research have been beneficial. Unfortunately, we haven't always had the best experiences with the kommune, but I'm learning to fight my way through the system – but it's jadding. Howev er, I'm a forever optimist and hope over time, through or ganisations like #enmillionstemmer; things will improve for the special needs community of Denmark.
Feeling alone is normal. Suddenly, you're uncomfortable to be around. Some friends disappear because the situa tion is too tough for them to deal with as things get dif ficult.
While being ignored is unpleasant, being judged can be painful. Disabilities such as Autism, which are not always evident to observers, can incite reactions ranging from cu riosity to downright condemnation. This is only exagger ated by other people's unwillingness to learn. As a parent, you have to stand tall. Not everyone has all the correct information about each disability, and they don't know your child enough to be able to understand. It's okay. You know what's right, and other parents are experiencing these same issues. Seek them out. You need friends will ing to stick it out when times are tough and with whom you can be yourself.
Deep down, you often wonder, could I do more? Could I try harder? Am I really doing all I can? Sometimes, you have an overpowering feeling that you are failing at be
ing a parent. You don't have enough time or energy to do it all, so the doubt creeps in about your performance as a parent, spouse, or person.
You need to accept that you are human. You need down time, time to eat, sleep, exercise, relax and nurture your heart. There is a limit to how much one person can do. You give so much for your child - your love runs deep and wide and pushes you to move mountains. You are enough. You're not a failure - you're doing the best you can!
You go through a grieving process – the loss of what could have been for your child. This could hit you at any moment during your life. Unfortunately, men and women grieve completely differently, leading to misunderstand ings and arguments. You are each feeling emotions of sad ness, anger, frustration, and exhaustion - this can evolve into blaming each other. According to statistics, divorce rates for families with children with disabilities are as high as 85-87%
The best thing you can do for your child is to take good care of yourself and your marriage. If you can honest ly communicate with your partner during difficult times, your relationship has a chance to develop into something even stronger. It is easy to put everything on the back burner when you are so overcome with fighting for your child. However, the comfort and joy of a solid relationship help you conquer almost any obstacles that come your way.
You worry about the future constantly. What will happen to your child when you are not around? You don't know what will happen with your child when they become an adult, and you don't want to even think about it until you have to.
Creating a plan can ease anxiety, and Denmark has many organisations to help with that – I use #cpdanmark to find out about my son's rights. The bottom line is to get expert help so you can relax and feel confident that your child will be in good hands if something happens to you. And the sooner you start figuring it out, the sooner you'll have peace of mind down the road.
Love,
LYNDSAY JENSEN - EDITOR & FOUNDER THE-INTL.COM
EDITOR & FOUNDER
Lyndsay Jensen - lyndsay@the-intl.com
Kenneth Macalpine - kenneth@the-intl.com
Conrad Egbert
The International
Ophelia Wu; Vanessa C Petersen; Alexandra Beck; Mariano Davies; Skyler Bentley Hall; Monika Pedersen; Sara R. Newell; Aina Masood; Susan Jessen Spiele; Michaela Medvedova; Sha ni Bishop; Natasha Liviero; Heather Storgaard; Lasse Frimand Jensen; Jane Elgård Petersen
Lyndsay Jensen - lyndsay@the-intl.com
Terumi Mascarenhas - www.fjordfoto.dk
Head of SoMe
Shivangi Singh - shivangi@the-intl.com
Neelam Gahlaut; Michaela Medvedova; Aina Masood; Ane-Sophie Custura; Terumi Mascar enhas; Manon Coolen; Leslie Noygues; Shelly Pandey; Shivangi Singh; Ritika Jain; Pavlos Tsia koumis; Sakib Akhter; Rashmi Jadhav; Gemma La Rocca; Isabel Pereira Lima
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The International is published online 12 times a year. This issue was published on 3 October, 2022.
Notice: The publishers regret that they cannot accept any liability for er ror or omissions contained in this publication. The opinions and views presented need not necessarily reflect those of the publishers. Read ers are advised to seek special counsel before acting on any informa tion contained herein. All rights reserved. No part of this publication or contents thereof may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publishers. Published by and ©
With a cold winter ahead, everyone is feeling the pinch of the looming ener gy crisis. We are all interested in saving money. Where to start, and which meth ods are most effective? Here are six sim ple tips that can help reduce your elec tricity consumption.
#1 STANDBY
Your TV still uses power even when not in use, as it's on stand by. So here is a great way to reduce electricity consumption quickly. The same goes for many other electrical appliances, such as stereos and DVD players. You can save between DKK 700-1200 in electricity per year if these devices are switched off entirely instead of being on standby.
If you forget to switch off all appliances, buy a power-saving multiplug. It can automatically switch off the power entirely because it can sense when the appliances are on standby. It al so allows one of your devices to decide when everything must be switched off – for example, when you switch off your TV, all other connected devices switch off automatically. They're inex pensive and can be purchased for around DKK 50.
This appliance uses the most electricity in your home, as it constantly ensures that a low temperature is maintained and can never be switched off. However, you can still influence your fridge consumption.
October brings many lovely things to Denmark. From pumpkin carving for Halloween to pumpkin spice latte, many “hyggelig” pastimes can help you get through the increasingly bleak weather.
One of them could even be dubbed the Danish national pastime: playing board games. And if you want to add tasty snacks and drinks to it and meet new internationals in Odense, join the Odense In ternational Board Games Group!
They started to meet almost one year ago as a smaller, cosy group formed of three or four people. Ironically, the group was initiated by someone who is not such a board games enthusiast. “I don’t play board games much, but my boyfriend likes them, so I thought of gathering some people he can play with once a week to have an evening out for himself,” says the organizer Cristina Victoria Radu.
Inspired by the Odense International Hikes Group, she and her friend set up a Facebook group to make creating events and reminding people of the meetings easier. This way, others can discover the meetups as well.
“Despite having the word internation al in the title, there are also Danes who are regulars at the meetings.”
The group gets together at Papas Papbar, a board games cafe in Odense city centre, every Thursday at 19:00. There are usually between 8 and 12 people, but the number varies. Despite having the word in ternational in the title, there are also Danes who are regulars at the meetings.
It costs 25 DKK to play games at the cafe, but people can also bring their own games and play for
MICHAELA MEDVEDOVÁ comes from Slo vakia and moved to Denmark 3 years ago to study for her Master's degree. Living in Odense she says it's the perfect city for her because it's not too large to be intimidating, but still exciting!
free. “The players don’t have a fixed game. Peo ple who know of a good one suggest a game to the group, and they decide whether they’d like to play or not. They rarely play the same game two eve nings in a row.”
Playing board games is a fun way of meeting new people - and one that doesn’t necessarily in volve alcohol. “It’s also about having nice conversa tions, sharing knowledge about the games, enjoy ing a tasty hot chocolate or nachos. Some people come regularly, and lots of friendships have been made.” THE-INTL
Ensure that the fridge and freezer are set correctly, i.e. the fridge at 5 degrees and the freezer at -18 degrees.
If the temperature is lower than this, it increases power consumption.
If you put hot food into the fridge, it has to work extra hard to keep the temperature down. This results in increased electricity consumption. If, on the other hand, you wait until the food has cooled down a little, you can help your fridge, as it does not have to work as hard. It's also a great habit to thaw your frozen food inside the fridge - this helps the fridge remain cold, which reduces power consumption.
Many recipes tell you to preheat your oven. However, wait ing for the oven to heat up is often unnecessary. If you put the food in the oven at the same time as you switch the oven on, you can save the electricity used to heat the oven. This won't ruin your favourite dish as most recipes require more than 15 minutes in the oven.
You've probably heard the advice to replace your home's old light bulbs with energy-saving light ones. Today, the advice is to change from energy-saving bulbs to LED bulbs. They are more expensive, but they are the cheapest solution in the long run as they last twice as long as ordinary energy-saving bulbs. Warn ing: Make sure they are a reputable brand! Every bulb you re place with LEDs saves you more than DKK 500 over time. In addition, LED bulbs last much longer than incandescent bulbs, which means you don't have to replace your bulbs premature ly and can save money on new bulbs.
An easy way to keep an eye on your electricity consumption is by comparing your electricity bills and reading your electricity meter - this gives you an idea of your home's general electricity consumption. If there are large fluctuations in consumption, it may be due to a broken electrical appliance that needs to be re placed. Many energy companies allow customers to follow the household's electricity consumption online. This is a great way to track your consumption and not have a minor heart attack when you receive your next electricity bill! THE-INTL
Source: https://energihjem.dk/
International Community Odense and AOF Odense are organising a first-aid course focusing on children, where you will be taught the basics of first-aid training, such as practical CPR training, first aid for choking and recov ery position.
The event will be held in English and costs 175 DKK per person.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ EVENTS/1064968884119502
The Open Mic is Back!
This is your opportunity to either perform your own mu sic or a famous hit - the stage is yours!
Practice your best act, bring your best friends (all of them) and enjoy the night with us!
The Bar will provide a voucher for the Bar for those who grab the mic!
Not interested in singing? Come along and be part of the audience!
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/2EXP5UWS7
Welcome to the first party of the year. We kick the party off with fun and games, where you get to battle against your fellow students. Of course, we want you all to hang out and get to know each other, so we compete in mixed teams, but you are welcome to team up you're your own friends. The party will be held at the old Friday bar / Canteen no. 2. It costs DKK 50 for members of Oecon in Odense and DKK 75 for non-members. We offer tickets with food included, which will be served at 17:30. We are looking forward to meeting you all and having a great party.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/2OAMDDMMK
The Wheelchair Rugby World Championships are coming to Denmark, and Vejle has been chosen as the host city! If you haven't seen a wheelchair rugby match before, you're in for a real treat!
Wheelchair rugby has both action, wild tackles and plen ty of tactics.
Note: if you'd like to meet the Danish national team, they will be at Bryggen on 8 October at 11:00.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/2GSD6RBZZ
Autumn in Tivoli is eerily cosy! The witches are on their way, and this year, they will transform the Garden into an enchanting Halloween universe
Pumpkins, lanterns and warm autumn colours provide just the right atmosphere, and Halloween in Tivoli is full of adventurous thrills for young and old daredevils.
The kids can go on a terrifying adventure with Rasmus Klump, carve funny pumpkin lanterns, play hide and seek in the straw bale maze or get a thrill out of the Lit tle Ghost Train.
Brave daredevils over 12 can look forward to doubling the spookiness with as many as two scary houses. First, visit the creepy mansion Villa Vendetta, or go on a gruesome discovery in the Haunted Under the Slide.
When hunger strikes, the atmospheric stalls are ready with a large selection of Halloween temptations and lots of cosy spookiness.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/3LSFVOCA6
A host of exciting events, a good atmosphere and a hap py buzz in the city's streets when Culture Night returns during October. More than 250 organisers, including mu seums, theatres, churches, ministries, squares and librar ies, open their doors to events out of the ordinary during the evening from 18:00-00:00.
All you need to participate is a Kulturpass (Culture Pass). This gives access to all Kulturnatten events and free trans port by bus, train and Metro in the capital area (zones 1-99) from 16:00 to 04:00. The Culture Pass costs DKK 110. Chil dren under 12 have free entry when accompanied by an adult with a pass. You can buy a Culture Pass at all 7-Elev en stores in the capital area and at selected libraries and museums in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg. You can also purchase the pass on Kulturnatten's website: Keep an eye on our Facebook page, where we will contin uously update you with information.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/5EFKKPB3S
Eating together is a great way to meet new people. Eve ry week, people of all ages meet over a nice meal at Spin derihallernes Café.
If you are looking for great company, "hygge" and the op portunity to meet new people, then "Fællesspisning" is the place to go.
We serve the food from 17:30 to 19:00 - beer, wine and soft drinks are sold separately. The café closes at 21:00. You can book your ticket via the website below - the price is DKK 85 for adults and DKK 55 for children (up to 12 years) per portion, including a cup of coffee and some thing sweet.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://SPINDERIHALLERNE.NEMTILMELD. DK/
A value-driven community that welcomes students ages 4-16.
Rygaards has a strong reputation of a rich educational experience with a nurturing atmosphere where students learn to think for themselves, find their own voice, and engage with the world with confidence and curiosity.
• High academic standards
ethos
Beautiful campus, located in Hellerup
You can build your own controller at Retro Game Days in Spinderihallerne. It can be connected to a computer, so you get an authentic retro feeling when you play Bubbel Bobbel, Asteroids, Galaga or Donkey Kong.
The workshop is aimed at geeks, young and old. Howev er, if you are under 10, you must be accompanied by an adult. A fun workshop for those who miss old-school ar cade gaming. Price: DKK 275 per controller.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/2ECYIFAHO
Aarhus International & Exchange student's Halloween Party! Come to the biggest, naughtiest, bloodiest and most sexy student party in Aarhus!
Our events are usually sold out, so please buy tickets in advance.
Round 1: DKK 35 (Only the first 25 tickets)
Round 2: DKK 55
Round 3: DKK 75
Round 4: DKK 95
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/31JBTT7G8
Halloween is just around the corner, and we have planned several (un)pleasant activities for the whole family at Street Food Vejle.
Halloween offerings: - Spooky workshops
- Ghost treasure hunt
We are looking forward to a (un)pleasant weekend with you!
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/1NFDH1FFP
Digital Tech Summit is part conference, part exhibition and part networking event with a broad range of keynote speakers, sessions, debates and events.
At Digital Tech Summit, research and industry join forc es when over 5,000 decision-makers, CEOs, researchers, companies, engineers, students, startups, investors, pol icymakers and more come together to discuss and share the "what, when, how and why" of digital technologies and transformations.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/38GCYR33M
Come and feel the Halloween spirit with colourful lighting, spooky Halloween decorations, scarily big LEGO® mod els, and Halloween rides that whizz through the dark! Get goosebumps on Monster Street with an all-new 4D mon ster movie and learn new monster tricks at Scary School. Then, visit Monster Mansion, where you can become a real monster and walk the famous Brick or Treat trail around the park. Use your wildest imagination to create LEGO monsters and to build LEGO pumpkins.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.WATCH/FVQ2JX3JDJ/
Saturday 29 October is marked by horror. James Bond 007 will be decorated in the best Halloween decorations. The doors open at 23:00 with happy hour until 01:00
Free entry for anyone who arrives dressed in Halloween style.
See you at 007, if you dare! You must be over 18 years old.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/2HSW5GPIO
WWHEN DESCRIBING THE journey of internationals in Denmark, it can be easy to just check off the boxes. The same could be said for Lynne Vogensen. A Welsh-born longterm expat living in Denmark. A wife to a Dane. A mom to a daughter with cerebral palsy.
But with her story, Lynne shows that it's never too late to shift gears and reinvent yourself.
"There's a lot of us, aren't there?" laughs Lynne when she describes how she landed in Denmark. She fell in love with a Dane.
They met at a science conference in Holland and continued to correspond. Lynne first visited Denmark about a month after meeting - and he proposed. "Although he didn't get down on one knee. He said: I'll marry you if you want me to. Well, I said that'd be very nice." But they waited about two years before getting married, with Lynne travelling back and forth. Her husband had been married before and had two children. "It was obvious that I would move to Denmark so he could be close to them. And even if we had settled in the UK, we'd have had to move anyway from this little town in southwest Wales."
So 27 years ago, Denmark welcomed Lynne into her new home.
And she got off to a good start. She had her husband to support her, and she formed great relationships with his children, ex-wife, and even ex-mother-in-law - they have both welcomed her.
"I spent about a year just acclimatising myself and started learning Danish. It took a bit of time to get my CPR card, and I could only do a beginner's course and didn't get very far. After I got it, I qualified for a fast-track course. So after six months, I could speak Danish well enough to go out and get a job."
But while the language came easy, it was harder on the job front. Lynne has a bachelor's degree in chemistry but never used it. Her first job in the UK was in a biotech company where she was in the lab, then a production supervisor, and then did some documen tation. "Taking a Master's was not as common in the UK, but in Denmark seemed to be the norm. I didn't fit the profile for either academic work or the lab, which has it's own specific education." So Lynne was never called in for an interview - and decided to go to a temp agency. In the third job they sent her, they needed a technical writer - someone with great English who was good at writing instructions.
They found that person in Lynne, and she held the job for 22 years.
Unfortunately, she was made redundant three years ago due to restructuring rea sons. The company hired a second technical writer with experience in a specific data base system - a system Lynne, ironically, campaigned for herself. "It was sad because it was a good company that gave me much support. I had flexible hours, and if I need ed to take time off to be in the hospital with my daughter, that wasn't a problem. I still completed my assignments. But the choice fell on me when they needed to let go of one person from every department."
This has unfortunately also complicated her journey towards getting Danish citizen ship. Even though she finally had the time to take Danish lessons and exams, which are a requirement, she excelled in the infamous test that comes along with citizen ship and got compliments in her oral exam. However, in the meantime, the rules have changed. She'd have to be employed in the past three and a half out of four years - and even though she'd worked for 22 years, she doesn't fulfil this condition. So she'll try to apply for a dispensation.
"I didn't go for citizenship in the beginning because I'd have to give up my British one. Now I feel like I am a merging of the two. I'm fully integrated. A friend visiting
PHOTOGRAPHS TERUMI MASCARENHAS - WWW.FJORDFOTO.DK TEXT MICHAELA MEDVEĎOVÁ LOCATION HANSEN & COMPANY AND FREDERIKSBERG 'AL FRESCO'
me asked why there were flags on the buses, and I said it was the Queen's birthday. She said: Oh, their Queen! And my response was: No, our Queen, Margrethe!"
"I think I expected that when I got my permanent job, I would make some friends among my colleagues. But it seems they didn't socialise outside the workplace - as though eve rybody had their social lives closer to home." So even though she's quite an introvert, she finds it easy to talk to people and found some great colleagues at work - including a small handful she could go to when she needed a hug.
In theory, Lynne's fluent Danish should break all the barriers in interacting with Dan ish colleagues. "Still, if there's too much noise around, I have difficulties hearing nu ances in Danish. Especially at lunchtime, when it's busy. Once, I heard somebody talk ing about their honeymoon. I thought he said: I'm going to Silkeborg. Everybody went: whoa! I thought I misheard that because Silkeborg doesn't sound very exotic." So after lunch, she asked again where he was going. Turns out they were going to Singapore.
With another French-born colleague who has been in Denmark even longer than Lynne, they started gravitating to one of the small tables on the side so they could concentrate on what others were saying. "It can be difficult because Danish isn't a lan guage where you have precise diction. Sometimes, you don't know - is that a new word I've heard? Or was it just words merged into each other? It's the same with children and foreigners. I have difficulty hearing them mispronounce words because I don't have enough of a database to figure it out."
And one more thing she misses about speaking her mother tongue here? "I'm not as fluent in Danish as in English - and I don't really have the turn of phrase to show that I can be funny!"
But since her daughter's birth, making friends has gone out of the window. Lynne has had little time for anything else.
Describing her daughter's entrance into the world, everything was fine until birth. "I was happy, it was summer, and I was at peace with the world, smelling roses on my way to work. Everything was going as planned when a complication arose - the um bilical cord got pinched, and that resulted in severe brain damage," recounts Lynne.
Her newborn daughter Gwen spent her first three months in the neonatal depart ment. She was on a respirator for the first three weeks, and her brain activity was mon itored. Lynne and her husband were hoping she'd recover after the bad start. Howev er, when they took her off the respirator and started weaning her off her medications, they knew Gwen would have a severe disability. "It completely floored us. Luckily, we could talk with a psychologist at the hospital who was used to dealing with parents in this kind of crisis. We also had a fantastic social worker who arranged that one of the neonatal nurses come home with us for three months during work hours which was a huge support." After that, the nurse was a respite for them, and Gwen went to her eve ry third weekend. It was a great help during the first year - their daughter cried almost constantly and had difficulties sleeping at night.
During that time, they also faced uncertainty - they didn't know what her special needs would be. "Luckily, she can see. But she can't use her body, can't hold her head, or reach out for things. She is multiply disabled and needs one-on-one care 24/7. Car ing for her and coordinating her care is a full-time job. But she's a happy and a social person, and in the right setting, she's quite confident and feels secure."
There were some things Lynne and her husband had to prioritise while raising Gw en. For example, her husband would have liked their daughter to be taught the alpha bet and numbers, but they didn't have the personal resources to do it. And even though they've touched it at school, they concentrated on other things - physical therapy or verbalising Gwen's social interaction with the other children. "The biggest priority was keeping her healthy, making sure she was happy, fulfilled, and making her feel safe. My goal in life is to make her smile. She's got a great sense of humour."
In tough times, having a supportive network is more critical than ever. When preg nant with her daughter, Lynne thought she'd meet friends through the school networks. But with parents with children with special needs, socialising can be a bit more chal lenging. "But maybe you can have a chat whilst out for a walk with your children or do an activity together. Making connections with other parents helps." It doesn't have to be in real life - the digital space works, too. Lynne suggests becoming a part of Face book groups. "Knowing that other people understand what you're going through helps."
What really helped Lynne and her husband from the start, though, was the support from the social services system. "We wouldn't have had this level of support in the UK. Dad was a consultant psychiatrist and was very impressed with the help we received. I wouldn't have been able to work for 22 years without it!"
But over the years, they have seen a significant reduction in the number of help par ents can get. Lynne sees clear culprits behind the change: budget constraints and mu nicipality reform in recent years. "There has been a rise in a type of new public manage ment where people try to run social services as a business. A cohesive support system is being phased out. Each municipality has to make its own regulations on how they ap ply the laws." Lynne felt the change most when her daughter turned 18. They had ex pected she would qualify for a package that allowed them to employ a team of carers at home - like other municipalities had. Unfortunately, they didn't get sufficient fund ing, and Lynne had to make up the difference.
What they did qualify for was help from community nursing - even though Lynne herself had to train the staff. "Once trained, I was still needed to support my daugh ter and communicate on her behalf to the personnel. After that, I couldn't function an ymore. It completely ruined my working life because it was instrumental in my inabil ity to take on bigger projects at work. That's part of why I was made redundant - and why I was a bit stuck in getting a new job. I couldn't give myself wholeheartedly to a new company if I knew I had a full-time job at home."
Lynne believes reform to the previous municipality arrangement would allow for more centralised expertise and ensure that families like hers can get the right help. In addition, the parts of the system should work together to create a solution that actu ally works in practice.
"I HAVE TIME TO MAYBE LOOK AT BUILDING A SOCIAL LIFE, MEETING WITH PEOPLE - WHICH I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO LAST YEAR AS THERE WAS TOO MUCH AT HOME THAT I NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF."PHOTO COURTESY OF CP DANMARK
Gwen now lives in a bosted - full-time residential care - and is hap py. "This is the first time a resident arrived with a set of written instructions and a 2-volume factbook. The transition has been a project in itself, and I'm still writing procedures and making visual aids to assist in her care! I'm her legal guardian, so it's my responsibility to ensure she's cared for properly."
It's been strange adjusting to life without her daughter at home. On the other hand, it allowed Lynne to take a bit of time out to get her head together. After all, she's been in continuous fight or flight mode where she's always had to be ready for action.
"I have time to maybe look at building a social life, meeting with people - which I wouldn't have been able to do last year as there was too much at home that I needed to take care of." She's also started to do things for herself - for example, she's taken up ballet. "I love it even though I'm the worst in my class," she laughs. But it doesn't matter. Dancing brings her joy, and it does the same for Gwen. They are part of Bella Speranza, a ballet for youngsters with medical challenges - including people using wheelchairs - at the Royal Theatre in the centre of Copenhagen.
Lynne became a ballet fan to the point of recognising the danc ers - and even spending her 50th birthday backstage. "I got a pass and just sat in the corner. So that's how I spent most of my 50th birthday - on my own, in a corner. Exactly what I needed, surrounded by beauty and a respite from everything, the stress and what we had going on at home."
And there's one more thing she's focusing on right now - finding a new career for herself.
She'd like to pursue a position in Quality Assurance in the pharmaceutical/medical devices field - combining her knowledge of chemistry and microbiology and her experience as a techni cal writer working on instructions. "Denmark has a thriving pharma industry with many companies that could use a bright, competent person with a can-do attitude who keeps their cool in stressful situations. I just need to find someone to give me a chance!"
Despite other experiences, Lynne has had a very positive one with the Jobcenter. She's been able to go on a nine-week course in quality assurance and passed with a helpful certificate. "I don't have direct experience in this field, so I've never been asked to come to an interview. However, I've been able to get work as an intern at a medical supply company, which looks good on my CV."
As she is above 50, Lynne qualifies for a job with a subsidy, which means her future employer only needs to finance half of her wage. "There's always this fear that I left it too late. But I'm starting to reach out to different companies that I've pre viously reached out to, saying: Well, I'm available now, and for half price!"
Because she knows that once she gets started, they'll realise what a gem she is. THE-INTL
THE DARKER SCANDINAVIAN DAYS HAVE HIT US, AND ALTHOUGH IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SAD TIME OF YEAR, THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE COOLER, FRESHER AIR THAT CAN SPARK A NEW LIGHT INTO YOUR DAILY SCHEDULES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO EXERCISING!
OOUTDOOR WORKOUTS BECOME much more beara ble without the heat, and after a busy social summer and a return to normal life patterns, we may feel ready to get back to or find some kind of fitness routine. The great news is that autumn weather can offer some of the best outdoor workouts of the year!
With all this said, now that the kids are back at school and more holidays are on the way, it may seem like another challenge to find time to move! The word challenge is, however, at the very soul of staying fit and healthy - especially with long winter days ahead. So take this as a sign to get started and develop good habits. These habits will help you feel energised and happy through the upcoming seasons!
Try these awesome workouts to keep you on top of your game:
Walking is just about the least demanding way to exercise outside and a great way to take extra steps throughout the day. It's also easier to stay active all day long when the temperatures don't make you feel sweaty! All you need is some com fortable shoes, a good sweater and any other fall weather equipment to keep you warm and dry.
#1 Get off the metro or bus 1-2 stops before your destination and make the steps count.
#2 Wake up 10 minutes earlier and take a walk around the block - use the time to listen to a podcast or go through your to-do list for the day.
#3 Plan activities that involve walking: coffee walks with friends, trips to the park with the kids, trip to the forest, chestnut hunting, etc.
Running is one of the top fall outdoor activities for cardio and impact. And it's probably the best time of year for this, as the temperatures are pleasant and the views breathtaking!
#1 Dress in layers, so you don't overheat or freeze, and make sure people can see you if you're running in the dark by wearing reflective running gear.
#2 Remember to warm up and stretch!
#3 Stay hydrated - even if you don't feel thirsty, you will still be sweating and needing the extra H2o!
I know that Danes use bicycles as a means of transportation, but since the roads in Denmark are so flat, why not also use our bikes as a great outdoor activity for the family?
#1 Before you head out, check out some traffic-less routes (nature parks or beach trails with bicycle lanes, for example).
#2 Wear a helmet for safety, gloves and a hat for extremities that might get chilly.
#3 Remember to raise your hand before stopping (this is not just a wave or a high five).
Perhaps you had your gym membership on pause for a while, or may be you just misplaced your card - whatever the reason, now would be a good time to pack your bag and get to the gym!
#1 Get a workout programme or hire a personal trainer if you are new to the gym.
#2 Join one or more group fitness classes: find your thing, whether it be yoga or HIIT.
#3 Don't be shy to ask club staff for help with equipment if you feel unsure.
If the indoor gym is not your cup of tea, take your gym workout out side. You know I'm a true fresh air advocate!
#1 Invest in a few essential gym pieces: a suspension trainer, a couple of kettlebells and/or dumbbells and a yoga mat and get on with a good workout (30-45 minutes is plenty). Where? Balcony, terrace, garden, courtyard, playground.
#2 Look for an outdoor trainer that can provide equipment and keep you motivated and accountable.
#3 Outdoor group training is an excellent and affordable fun way to get a great workout in a team!
Alex is a Swiss/Brit mom and wife who has lived in Co penhagen since 2009. She switched from corporate life in communications to the inde pendent life of an outdoor per sonal and group fitness train er. She coaches people of all ages and fitness levels to find fun and consistency in move ment through individual and group workouts. Delivering entertainment and spreading group fitness magic is her su perpower. Alex encourages you to high-five her if you see her in the capital!
@alexbeck.fit
@alexbeck.fit
@alexbeck.fit
ALEXANDRA BECK PERSONAL TRAINER & NUTRITION COACH PHOTOGRAPHS ALEXANDRA BECK / UNSPLASH TEXT ALEXANDRA BECKDDENMARK IS THE only country in the world to pump all drinking water directly from protected reserves below the ground, de livering it cold and tasty to Denmark with out any added chlorine. Using 100 percent groundwater also has the added advantage that the security of supply is less vulner able to drought. However, drinking water requires high extraction protection from pesticides and chemicals.
Contrary to Denmark, many countries are experiencing pressure on their water supplies from their rivers and lakes due to climate change and pollution. This fact makes Denmark one of the world's best water sectors, celebrated at The International Water Association's World Water Congress in Copenhagen this September.
Water is a scarce resource which is a criti cal part of life, being a decisive part of life or death, but at the same time a fun ele ment of our life. At the World Water Con gress, we celebrated the joy, and liveabili ty water brings to our life by taking a dip in the harbour bath in Copenhagen. There are several harbour baths across Den mark, and Copenhagen is one of the only capitals worldwide where you can swim in the harbour.
These harbour baths around Denmark are possible because there are built-in rain water reservoirs and reservoir conduits, which can store wastewater until there is space again in the sewage system. The har
bour baths are also made possible by re placing the combined sewer systems with separate ones. By managing sewage and stormwater runoff in two separate sys tems, low-lying residents will avoid flood ing their basements and ground floors dur ing heavy rain. Separation also eliminates the risk of sewage polluting the environ ment. Instead, it will be transferred to the treatment plants via a closed system, while stormwater can be transferred to deten tion basins and watercourses.
Participants at the IWA World Water Con gress & Exhibition in Copenhagen saw Danish water technology solutions, in cluding resource-saving systems and ways to harness wastewater for green energy
"THERE ARE SEVERAL HARBOUR BATHS ACROSS DENMARK, AND COPENHAGEN IS ONE OF THE ON LY CAPITALS WORLDWIDE WHERE YOU CAN SWIM IN THE HARBOUR."
and biogas. Some of the companies with in the water sector depend on attracting the best talents from around the world. We at International House North Denmark are, as an example, assisting our company DESMI with international talents. DES MI provides pump solutions and clean-up systems globally and therefore needs to at tract international competencies and ex pertise within their field. Companies like DESMI supply water and energy savings solutions, thereby contributing to liveabil ity and health globally. THE-INTL
Team Manager at International House North Denmark.
City Council member in Aalborg Municipality.
Group chairman for the Social Democratic Party in Aalborg.
Chairman of DANVA and Port of Aalborg.
Father of three kids and married to Kirstine.
Worked and lived in Africa as an expat.
Takes an active part as a volunteer for the international community.
Believes in international solidarity and wants the international community in Aalborg to be more aware of their rights.
lassefj.dk lassefj.dk lassefj.dk
WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY SURROUNDED BY WATER AND ENJOY IT IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. LASSE FROM INTERNATIONAL HOUSE NORTH DENMARK SHARES HIS INSIGHTS ON THIS TOPIC. PHOTOGRAPHS VISIT COPENHAGEN / INTERNATIONAL WATER ASSOCIATION TEXT LASSE FRIMAND JENSEN
IIF THE ONBOARDING process is not done professionally and especially well-struc tured, it can cost a lot (we are talking six-digit figures). This can lead to a new ly hired, well-qualified employee stopping within six months. Even more worrying is that research shows that 4% of newly hired staff resign only after one day. These and other reasons stress the importance of a well-structured onboarding process.
In Denmark, we are all familiar with the expression frihed under ansvar (freedom with responsibility), but many interna tionals are unfamiliar with this in a work environment. For example, a manager asks an international employee to come up with new ideas and changes to proce dures whilst completing a task. The em ployee completes the task in the required time frame without implementing new ideas or procedures. When the manag er tries to explain further that they want their ideas, the employee seems confused. To many internationals, it is so ingrained in their work culture that they are expect ed to do what is required of the job and nothing more. In Denmark, we expect a high level of independence in our jobs –the most important thing is that we com plete the job and reach the goal within the time frame. Working in the flat Danish framework is often seen as a considerable challenge to many international employ ees, as in their own countries, organisa tions have more management and control of the employee's daily work.
The new employee must be introduced to the vision and business culture of the organisation. This is so important as they will have a much better understanding of how the company works so that they can do the best possible job, know the expec tations from management, what the em ployee can expect from the management, and not least, be a great ambassador for the company.
A buddy arrangement could be an ex cellent solution to eliminate challenges in the initial stages. The new employee will get a professional and an individual introduction to the job and additional so cial benefits. Firstly, a specific introduc tion to the tasks and to support further understanding of how Danish company culture works. Secondly, there is a social element to becoming friends with a Dane and visa versa – both employees benefit!
The same colleague won't necessari ly perform both functions - it is recom mendable for two different colleagues. One is the buddy supporting the employ ee who has a high knowledge of the tasks and is qualified to support the candidate initially. The social buddy is responsible for introducing social activities and may not necessarily be from the same depart ment. It could be a male or female col league with similar interests who may live
in the same area and who can make them feel welcome.
Another idea to help a new colleague meet others is to invite them to sit with your colleagues for lunch in the canteen. It's a great way to practise Danish – and Danes are honoured when internationals try to add Danish to their conversations. Also, work is the fastest way to pick up Danish, and your colleagues will support you if you ask them. Furthermore, your network will automatically grow. Maybe you will meet a new colleague with simi lar interests, enjoy similar sports activi ties, or your children may attend the same school. The point is - never be shy to net work and get to know people – this will help you become a part of Danish socie ty. THE-INTL
Sources: Onboarding-guiden: learningbank
Jane is a local and grew up in Denmark, apart from a few long-term stays abroad, whilst travelling extensive ly. For the last 10 years, her business has supported relo cating internationals to Den mark and helping businesses onboard their employees. She loves a challenge and feels there are many different ex pectations of moving to Den mark, depending on who you are and where you come from.
kulturdetektiven.dk
Should companies spend time and investment on a well-structured onboarding process? The simple answer is yes, there are many good rea sons why this is worthwhile and many benefits for both the employer and the employee.
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH
TEXT JANE ELGÅRD PETERSEN
THREE CHOCOLATES IN ONE COOKIE THAT ARE SURE TO BECOME A FAMILY FAVOURITE! PHOTOGRAPHS & TEXT: NATASHA LIVIERO / UNSPLASH
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 34 COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
320g unsalted butter (for 250g brown butter)
150g castor sugar
150g soft brown sugar
320g cake flour
6g baking soda
6g salt
15g espresso powder
10ml vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs
120g oats
200g milk chocolate, roughly chopped
200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
1. Set oven to 1800C or 1600C fan.
2. Line three baking trays with baking paper.
3. Melt the butter and bring to a gentle boil until golden brown and nutty in aroma (creating brown butter). Set aside and cool to room temperature.
4. Add 250g brown butter to a mixing bowl with the sugars and beat with a paddle attachment for 6-8 minutes until light and creamy.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
6. Add the espresso powder and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture.
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
8. Add the flour mixture, followed by the oats and chocolate, beating on low speed until just combined.
9. Leave the cookie dough to rest for 30 minutes.
10. Divide the dough into 30g portions. Roll each portion into a ball with the palm of your hands, flatten slightly and place on a baking sheet, spacing the cookies 6cm apart.
11. Bake for 14 minutes, remove from the oven and leave the cookies to rest for 5 minutes before placing them onto wire racks to cool completely.
12. Decorate with a drizzle of milk and white chocolate (optional).
4Baking times vary from oven to oven — 14 minutes is perfect in my oven for a firm yet slightly chewy cookie. Around 12 minutes will render chewy cookies, whilst around 16 minutes, firm cookies.
Natasha is a recently qualified pastry chef who is South African by birth and Croatian by blood. She spent many years working for a wellness publication but did an about-turn at the beginning of 2020 when she joined a culinary school to fulfil a lifelong dream to study patisserie. She’s passionate about European patisserie and loves spending time in the kitchen experimenting with recipes (while quibbling with her feline friends), and is always on the hunt for interesting new cookbooks. natashaliviero
IT’S THE ‘DAYS are getting shorter’ time of year again. Where all of the summer vibes hibernate under multiple layers of cashmere wool. Even though the temperatures are dropping, some fun holidays are coming up to add some heat to your fashion forecast.
Halloween isn’t a traditional Danish holiday…but the ‘trick or treat’ tune has recently been gaining popularity. “Need a last-minute… already in your closet…easy inspo?” You came to the right place ‘boo! (I couldn’t help myself with that pun).
If you have watched The Shining, you already know the first colour pallet for an easy DIY costume is red. Red encompasses many of our favourite characters and can easily be worn to manifest or remix a costume. So whether you are rocking a midi dress channelling your inner Betty Boop or a hooded poncho to give off your best Little Red Riding Hood impression…red is a sure win. After searching my closet, I found an oversized button-down from Na-kd paired with a veil and chunky sandals to manifest a contemporary Beetlejuice Bride.
Another popular and easy Halloween theme is everything PINK! The entire Bar biecore movement centres around the love for pink and embracing the ‘you can never have too much’ ideology. The movement also includes wholesome movies from the early 2000s, such as Lizzy McGuire and Hairspray. So if you have any pink textiles, you can quickly fabricate a look that is hashtag ready.
“Close your eyes and picture the colour of Halloween.”...I am not a mind reader, but I am almost sure that the colour black was a part of that vision. Black has been associated with the hallowed night for thousands of years. If you are pre paring for the festivities in Denmark…you are ahead of the game. The colour as sociated with power and strength seems to be a Danish fashion culture favour ite. The options are endless when it comes to creating a last-minute costume. So dust off your favourite witchy LBD or leather pants and catwalk, baby.
Since the Y2K trend has reemerged, it will be easy to replicate early plaid trends that gained notoriety in the mid to late 90s. So hide your VHS tapes and dust off your most ironed pleated skirt…because we are ‘Rollin’ with the homies’. Clue less was a movie that had every pre-teen in a fashion chokehold. Revamping that look is a simple cloth recipe that any novice can master. Even if your plaid skirt + blazer combo gives Ashley Banks vibes…you are sure to win best dressed.
Everyone loves a good creative fashion wildcard. Essentially your wardrobe’s imagination is limitless when dealing with the realm of Halloween. Recreating the look is half the fun, but being the main character is priceless. Create an ar tistic ensemble rendition of famous artists, ideologies, and movie characters for the special night. I embraced my inner Frida Kahlo with a polka dot co-ord set from Zara
Coming from America, this holiday hiccup reminder of home is refreshing. Re gardless if Halloween is an old or new tradition for you…you are sure to have a great time. Celebrated on the last day of October, Halloween allows even the people of the eleventh hour to prepare. So open those closet doors and see what looks you can create. THE-INTL
VANESSA PETERSEN JEWELRY DESIGNEROWNER OF STYLEFREED
Dubbed the 'Jill Of All Trades', Vanessa hails from the sun shine state of Florida. After visiting Copenhagen sever al times as a former Interna tional Flight Attendant, she permanently settled in Den mark in 2017 with her hus band. Currently, Vanessa is the owner of the hand-craft ed jewellery brand, the Style Freed. She creates personal ised jewellery centred around healing crystals worldwide. Being a creative "mompre neur' has also allowed Vanes sa to focus on her son's devel opmental journey with autism in Denmark.
FFLUGT MUSEUM, OR Flight Museum in English, is a brand new museum situated in Oxsbøl on Jutland's West Coast and a bril liant trip for the autumn holidays. While we may mostly think of the coast and light houses when considering the West Coast, the region has a rich history and heritage explored through its award-winning mu seums.
Flugt museum is built in a renovated and re-designed building that was once a hos pital for Denmark's largest refugee camp following the second world war. The per manent museum exhibitions consist of two wings, the first focusing on the story of German refugees in Denmark during the 1940s and the other on post-Second World War refugee history, most prominently sharing the stories of Danish Jewish, Hun garian, Yugoslavian and Syrian refugees. The whole experience is audio-guide-led, with Danish, English and German options making it accessible to many people.
In the final stages of the Second World War, historically, German cities such as Königsburg, now known as Russian Ka liningrad, and Danzig, now known as Pol ish Gdansk, fell to the Soviet Red Army. Whilst the German military retreated, German residents of all ages and a minor ity of non-Germans, fled their homes. Al though Denmark might not seem an ob vious choice, around 2-300,000 German refugees, the majority women and chil dren, arrived in Denmark in the latter stages of the war, most coming across the Baltic sea in boats.
Those lucky enough to make it across the Baltic were still in grave danger. More German children under the age of 5 died in Denmark in 1945 alone than Danes who died during the entire 1940-45 occupation.
This comparison isn't meant to trivialise what Danes went through during occupa tion in the Second World War but does il lustrate the extreme loss of life suffered by the German refugees, even those who made it to relative safety. For those who survived, refugee camps across Denmark, the largest Oxsbøl, would be home for up to five years. The refugees were prevented from learning Danish or having any con tact with Danes, while Danish media pre sented them as a second occupation force. This lack of contact has meant that few Danes remember the Germans, a fact that the new museum hopes to change.
The buildings housing the modern mu seum make up only a small part of what was once a sprawling camp, so large that it would have been Denmark's fifth larg est city at the time. Today, nothing is left of the wooden barracks that housed the refugees. To give us an impression of this, however, an audio-guide-led walking tour narrated by a German refugee named Al ice has been created in the forest, taking us back in time to experience the sounds of
the camp. Along the way, buildings such as the school room, kitchen and theatre have been cleverly portrayed with sculptures and scenes where Alice discusses aspects of camp life with others she meets there.
Of course, you could drive to Flugt and in clude it on a trip to see the many beautiful natural surrounding of the West Coast. If, like me, you don't have a driver's licence or rely on public transport and bikes in Denmark, it is still possible to visit. There are direct trains from Copenhagen and Aarhus to Esbjerg, where you switch to a little local train, stopping at a tiny request stop train station at Baunhøj, a ten-min ute walk through the forest to the muse um. On my way home, I realised I'd never used a request-stop train station in Den mark before! Furthermore, the sign ex plaining how to tell the train to stop was written in archaic Danish, asking you to push a button without specifying which of the six you should push! I can hopefully al leviate your panic by sharing that on the train back to Esbjerg - it's the white but ton on the right. THE-INTL
"The buildings housing the modern museum make up only a small part of what was once a sprawling camp, so large that it would have been Denmark's seventh largest city at the time."
Heather Storgaard comes from Northern Scotland, grew up in Switzerland, and lived in England and Germany. She met her Danish and soon-tobe British husband back in 2017, and they now split their time between Central Scot land and Helgenæs, a penin sula in rural Eastern Jutland. Languages and cultural stud ies are a big passion, leading Heather to pursue a degree in Culture and Heritage and a career in photography and translation.
@heatherstorgaard
WWHEN YOU HAVE lived somewhere for a few years, you get to know the rhythm of the country and learn when the festivals and good events are. A few are coming up before Christmas, which are worth noting in your diary.
The municipalities always run courses for kids during the autumn and winter breaks and usually for the first two weeks of summer. The programme varies from town to town but booking ahead is essential. In Gentofte, the list was extensive and varied from canoeing to karate and diving. Usually, when the programme appeared, there was an online booking system. You sit in an online queue on the day it starts and then book when it’s your turn, usu ally 17:00. Most good courses go on the first day. The best thing about these courses is how cheap they are. I used to pay 100 DKK for a two-day course. Lots of internationals book these courses, so there are usually English-speak ing kids on these courses. Have a look at the programme run by Gentofte municipality: https://gentofte.dk/fritid/ idraet-og-bevaegelse/aktiv-ferie-for-boern-og-unge/
This night happens on the first Friday night of the au tumn break. The programme changes every year. You buy a programme and badge for each person and then turn up or book some events. Again, book early as the best ones disappear quickly. One year I got lucky and booked the candlelight tour of Rosenborg Castle. Everyone said how great it was, but my kids didn’t like it at all, and I loved it. That’s kids for you! When the new extended Metro first opened, we travelled all the way round on the circle line, enjoying the newness of it. I think a lot of people did. Many popular places are hectic during these holidays, so there’s a lot of queuing. But it is fun for the kids to stay out late and try new things. Find out more here: www.kulturnat ten.dk/en/Culture-night
Many of the museums run entertaining events during the autumn break too. For example, I like the re-enactments
they do at the Danish War Museum and Kronborg Slot. One year we saw two galleons slug it out, firing cannons at each other in the Øresund. Another time the Swedes and Danes fought on boats in the moat at Kronborg.
Halloween is a big thing in Denmark. Tivoli looks fantas tic, and I loved the goriness of it. It’s much gorier than the UK. My boys loved buying bloodied limbs to leave on seats for their grandparents to find. My favourite part is the alleyway that looks a bit like Harry Potter near the station entrance.
We always went trick-or-treating around the station at
Hellerup - this is an excellent area for it. The local resi dents go to enormous efforts with tombstones in front gar dens, dummies dressed up as zombies, smoke, music and people jumping out at passers-by. We always returned with too much candy. However, be aware of unwrapped candy. THE-INTL
"CULTURE NIGHT HAPPENS ON THE FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT OF THE AUTUMN BREAK. YOU BUY A PRO GRAMME AND BADGE FOR EACH PERSON AND THEN TURN UP OR BOOK SOME EVENTS. AGAIN, BOOK EARLY AS THE BEST ONES DISAPPEAR QUICKLY." AUTUMN HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US! WRITER SHANI BISHOP HAS SOME GREAT ACTIVITIES TO KEEP THE WHOLE FAMILY BUSY. PHOTOGRAPHS KULTURNATTEN FB PAGE / TIVOLI FB PAGE TEXT SHANI BISHOP
AALMOST NINE WEEKS into school, it’s time for the October holiday in week 42. Hooray!
Since the first day back from the holi days, a lot of work, activities, and emo tions have been experienced. New subjects have been explored, new teachers are bet ter understood, and some good friendships are cemented.
WEEK 42
Week 42 is the time to take a pause and en joy the vacation. During the week, a wise move would be to take a moment to reflect on how the goals set at the start of the year are shaping up, as the focus can be lost in the hectic nature of a typical week. It is al so wise to decide if the goals are still ap plicable or if there are more pressing tar gets to work on. Following this, plans for implementing the strategies should be formed until the next review before the festive break.
Encouraging students to self-reflect on their learning path is crucial in encour aging learners to take responsibility and ownership of their learning. It is a grad ual process. For many students, it helps them to appreciate that it is their invest ment in themselves and their future and not something they feel forced to do to please others, such as their parents or teachers. It also supports their thought process regarding what they might wish to study later.
Student reflection is a philosophy pro moted by international schools, where there is an emphasis on looking at the stu dent as an individual and creating bespoke pathways within the class. The purpose is to make learning meaningful. The hope is that students wish to strive and work to wards achieving their personal best. An advantage of an international school is smaller classes and a better student-toteacher ratio regarding interaction time. Sadly, not every family can afford this, but in Denmark, where providing citizens with educational opportunities is a priori ty, most international schools charge small fees, as there is substantial state funding.
Student reflection and goal setting in volve keeping a work portfolio, which aids a student and the teacher see the strides of progress made. The portfolio contains work the student wishes to place within it, so not every assignment a stu dent completes is entered. However, each piece has the teacher’s feedback and the child’s thoughts. This takes time but is an invaluable record that can be used at the student, teacher, and parent meetings, when teachers are compiling mid-year or end-of-year reports, and when there is a move to another school, and work piec es can be shared during the Admissions process.
The other side of the coin and a funda mental issue is the evaluation and as sessment advocated by the school and its teachers. Student assessment is a contro versial topic. For many years, assessment has meant writing reports and issuing a grade on a scale of A being the best to F being a failing grade. In some cases, this is a very opaque process. Grades are cri teria-driven in more enlightened schools following the International Baccalaure ate, IB, or International Cambridge cur ricula. This means that there is a set of de
scriptors which need to be accomplished to attain a grade. This provides greater transparency and clarity for the student and others reading a report card.
More progressive thinking is ques tioning the grading system. The method of solely assessing student competency through work portfolios seems very rad ical, but the recent Covid pandemic has shaken education. During the extend ed lockdowns, no official exams could be sat, yet students needed to complete their education. Thus, many examining boards had to rely on teacher feedback and as sessment to provide students with their exam board grades. This move has ques tioned the previous practice and forced a much-needed dialogue regarding exams, student assessments etc.
Should there be a permanent shift to this approach, the evaluation would help many students who suffer from exam anx iety and reward those who are steady workers. Moreover, higher education in stitutions or employers are provided a more wholesome and valuable insight in to a potential applicant. After all, a per son is not a number or a grade but an in dividual who brings a raft of talents and achievements. THE-INTL
"Grades are criteria-driven in more enlightened schools fol lowing the international Bac calaureate, IB, or International Cambridge curricula."
MONIKA PEDERSEN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATOR
Monika comes from the Lon don area of the UK, where she worked in the state system and the international school system, as an English teach er of 11-18 students and then a section leader. She has al so worked in Germany and now in Denmark. She has an overview of the British, Inter national, and American ed ucational systems and is cur rently learning about the Danish system. She has been in education for 32 years and continues to enjoy the profes sion. She has relocated to Co penhagen as she is married to a Dane. She enjoys jogging, waterside walks, and cooking.
@monikapedersen @monikapedersen @monikapedersen
IIN THIS MONTH’S issue, we decided to bring more awareness about life with cerebral palsy - and highlight CP Danmark, an organisation that can help support those affected.
For the past ten years, October 6 has been marked in our calendars as World Cerebral Palsy Day - raising awareness about this life-long disability and affirming the lives of more than 17 million people worldwide with cerebral palsy. In Denmark alone, 110 to 130 chil dren are born every year with cerebral palsy, and there are currently about 10 thousand people living with the disability in Denmark. However, the figure worldwide is 17 million.
The annual World Cerebral Palsy Day always comes with a different initiative. This year, the theme is “Millions of Reasons for accessible technology solutions”. Organisers are calling on the cerebral palsy community and their experience to try to combat a world that still isn’t fully accessible to people with special needs - and come up with ideas for better and more accessible technology to inspire research and development of these tools.
According to CP Danmark, cerebral palsy is the most frequent cause of movement disa bility in children and youth. It is caused when damage occurs to the brain. This can hap pen during pregnancy, birth, or in a newborn’s brain and can have several causes: pre mature birth, lack of oxygen, bleeding, infections, head injuries, or other causes which are often not discovered.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are varied. Regarding physical disability, cerebral pal sy affects the ability to control muscles and movements. This can take different forms: weakness in limbs, problems with movement, issues with using hands and arms, eating, or speaking.
CP Danmark states three types of cerebral palsy based on the physical symptoms: ataxic, dyskinetic, and spastic, which is the most common - over 70% of cerebral pal sy diagnoses are of the spastic type. This type is characterised by joint stiffness, muscle tightness, and jerky movements.
However, cerebral palsy can also cause non-visible symptoms - impaired vision or hearing, or different cognitive difficulties such as problems with learning and concentra tion, memory, language, and the ability to spatially orient yourself or recognise objects.
While cerebral palsy is a permanent disability, treatment is offered to children born with or developing the condition. The treatment aims to improve their functional possi bilities. It can have different forms - from medical treatment of muscles to using orthot ic devices, surgery (if deemed necessary), treatment of conditions that accompany cere bral palsy such as epilepsy and vision or hearing impairment, and exercise.
CP Danmark is an organisation that focuses on improving the conditions and quality of life for people with cerebral palsy - and their families.
They state their purpose clearly: “People with cerebral palsy must have the same op portunities as everyone else to live an active, meaningful, and independent life.” You can become a member to access all the support and counselling CP Danmark provides. As a parent or a guardian, you can also become a member on behalf of your child.
MICHAELA MEDVEDOVÁ comes from Slovakia and moved to Denmark 3 years ago to study for her Master's degree. She says living in Odense is the per fect city for her because it's not too large to be intimidating, but still exciting! She works at Umbraco as a Magical Copy Whisperer and started a podcast with her friends - @humans.of.sdu. She loves watching and talking about movies, Harry Potter, karaoke nights (even though she can't sing to save her life), and pub quizzes (winning them, to be specific).
There are several ways CP Danmark goes about fulfilling its purpose:
First the organisation is politically active on behalf of its members, working to make sure people in Denmark with cerebral palsy have access to education, jobs, institutions, and legislation-mandated support.
They offer counselling and advice for people with cerebral palsy and their relatives. This can happen through telephone, online, and sometimes personal contact. CP Danmark employs a social worker and a psychologist in their panel of specialists.
If you are interested in attending courses about life with cerebral palsy, CP Danmark offers day courses, weekend courses, and four-evening courses on topics like family with cerebral palsy, grandparents of a child with cerebral palsy, clear speech, or cognitive difficulties.
And for youth with cerebral palsy, there’s a sub-organisation called CP Ung that connects young people and focuses on their interests. THE-INTL
To find out more about the campaign for World Cerebral Palsy Day and how you can get involved – visit their website: https://worldcpday.org/
SARA R. NEWELL is from Canada, went to high-school in Costa Rica, and has worked and studied in Iceland and Denmark. She is a disability rights activist and has a master's degree in Technological Business Development and Biomedical Engineering from Aarhus University. Sara has lived in Denmark since 2003, and lives with her husband and daughter. She hopes to contribute and share insights with others who have children with disabilities. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sararose-newell-b1904726 / https://m.facebook.com/groups/bakopomdepaarorende
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH / FREEPIK / PRIVATE / WORLDCPDAY
TEXT MICHAELA MEDVEDOVÁ
/ SARA R. NEWELL
OOVER THE NEXT few months, potential ap plicants can take advantage of University Open Days and Admissions events. Here are a few options to explore at Research Universities in Denmark.
CBS Open Days are hosted twice a year in the spring so applicants can learn about Bachelor studies at CBS. In addition, stu dents can join an International Applicant Day in 2023 to learn more about student life at CBS, housing and living in Copenha gen, and admission and application proce dures. This is an excellent opportunity to meet potential and current international students at CBS.
CBS Online Bachelor Info Sessions –Two virtual events are available this fall so applicants can understand admissions requirements, the application process, and Quota 1 or 2 applications, including how to write an effective motivation es say. Both info sessions will take place from 15:30 to 18:00 on the 6 October and 17 No vember 2022.
As part of the Virtual Open Day for Aarhus University, applicants can partic ipate in numerous sessions, including life as an international student at AU, appli cation procedures for admission to Bache lor's and Master's degrees within the Fac ulty of Arts, Natural Sciences, Technical Sciences, or the School of Business and Social Sciences. Students can also learn about the University Partnership between Denmark and China.
ITU Copenhagen hosts an annual Open House in February each year. Applicants can expect to hear about specific projects that students have completed as part of their education. In addition, optional bachelor presentations are available for Data Science, Global Business Informat
ics, Software Development or Digital De sign and Interactive Technologies. This is an excellent opportunity to receive a guid ed tour of the ITU campus and some tips on writing the motivation letter for Quo ta 2 applications.
The Bachelor Open House will take place in February 2023. This will be an oppor tunity to learn more about RUC's seven Bachelor programmes. Participants will meet students, teachers, and advisors and have the opportunity to see if Roskilde University is the right fit. English Bache lor's degrees include Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences.
Aalborg University (AAU) offers a range of study and research programmes with in the fields of Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities and Technical Sci ences. Teaching is problem-centred and based on real-life challenges. Aalborg Uni versity Open Days are offered in February each year so students can get an insight into their programmes and find out what it really means to be a student at Aalborg University.
SDU has over 30,000 students across five campuses, including Sønderborg, Odense,
"EDUCATION IS THE PASSPORT TO THE FUTURE, FOR TOMORROW BE LONGS TO THOSE WHO PREPARE FOR IT TODAY." - MALCOLM X
Kolding, Esbjerg and Slagelse. Offering a vibrant international environment, ap proximately 5,000 students come from outside Denmark. SDU has over seven ty study programmes taught in English, with more than five hundred exchange opportunities with partner institutions globally. Applicants can either arrange an online meeting with student ambassadors to answer their questions or attend one of four SDU Open Days in 2023, including Sønderborg on 4 February, Odense Mas ters Programmes on 8 February, Kolding and Esbjerg on 25 February, or Odense and Slagelse on 4 March.
Every year in March, DTU hosts an Open House so applicants can meet students from the BSc in General Engineering. This degree is offered entirely in English and is intended for Danish and interna tional students. Half of the students and professors have an international back ground which successfully prepares stu dents for a career in the global labour market. Students can expect to work on practical design-build projects within small groups. Students at DTU will pro pose engineering solutions to real-world problems by promoting a collaborative study environment. THE-INTL
Skyler is originally from Can ada, and after living in Swit zerland for several years, she transitioned to Denmark with her husband and sonall proud Canadians. Skyler has worked in the education sector for three decades and found her true passion for sup porting students with their educational journey. As the Founder of Bentley Hall Edu cational Consulting, she ad vises on career and university options globally. Skyler enjoys spending time with family, ex ploring new cultures, and em bracing the hygge lifestyle in beautiful Denmark.
bentleyhall.ca instagram.com/skylerbent leyhall/ facebook.com/skyler.bent leyhall
DO YOU ASPIRE TO STUDY AT A DANISH UNIVERSITY BUT FEEL UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT BACHELOR'S DEGREE TO PURSUE IN ENGLISH? SKYLER BENTLEY HALL GUIDES YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS.
PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS EDUCATION FACILITIES
TEXT SKYLER BENTLEY HALL
An estimated 2-5 % of people are Dyslexic, and many others have other reading problems. These titles are Dyslexia friendly, short and easier reads. Try them out and pass them on to others who might need them. Enjoy!
Kye is, even to himself, an unlikely member of The Band, the protec tors of the free village of Catterby. But when an emissary of a sorcer er tries to menace the village into submission, he will have to find his courage and focus.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE FOUR KINGS OF SWEDEN
BY STEVEN SAVILE
The Swedish king has been seen four plac es miles apart simulta neously. The threat of blackmail is in the air, and Sherlock and Wat son are called to Stock holm. Here they find a plot involving mesmer ism and murder.
AT MIDNIGHT I WILL STEAL YOUR SOUL
BY JOHN LLEWELLYN PROBERTLynda goes to choir practice in an old psy chiatric hospital. It starts well, but very dark things soon occur, and Lynda is forced to act to save herself and others as events take an even more sinister turn.
BY STEVEN POORE
The Cold War rages in an alternate Marrake sh in 1958, and Saif has a mission; transport an English undercov er agent to the Depu ty Security directorate. But unfortunately, the agent is the one man guaranteed to make this even more danger ous.
SUSAN JESSEN SPIELE LIBRARIAN
Susan is a librarian at Roskil de Library, and in charge of the English section. She does English events all year; every thing from expat dinners and pub quizzes, to karaoke nights and book talks.
Board gaming is popular in Den mark, and most games are in English. We often have board gaming events at Roskilde Li brary. Everybody is welcome, and it is a great way to meet and bond – while you terraform Mars or kill each other off.
EEVERY MONTH FOR the last nine months, I have talked about different areas of selfdevelopment. I focus on why we need to work on this and how we can do it. I want to shift the focus slightly and dedicate this article to talking about celebrating your self as you walk forward on your path of self-development. Every little step counts, and hence, it is essential to take some time to celebrate and acknowledge what you have achieved.
WHY DO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Because you are worth it! And because it has many psychological benefits. Celebrat ing the smallest of successes is inspiration al. When we celebrate, endorphins are re leased to help us feel good and reinforce our behaviour. Our brain learns to contin ue seeking this activity and looking for “wins for the day.” Training your brain in such a way proves to help you stay moti vated. Completing a task also helps foster an internal sense of satisfaction and pride. It is a reaffirmation that you can do well and do well, which feeds your self-esteem and confidence.
Another essential thing to note here is that when we set out to achieve a particu lar dream or goal, we can end up consumed by the destination itself and forget to en joy the journey. Celebrating your success es along the way helps you feel grounded and bring your attention to the journey and the small milestones you have already conquered to reach closer to your big dream. It helps you slow down. As you slow down, you can reflect on everything that has helped you come so far in your jour ney. You can feel and express gratitude for your friends, your skills and abilities, and everything that has helped you.
SO, OVERALL CELEBRATING YOURSELF IS CRUCIAL BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING:
#1 Endorphins
#2 Training your brain to focus on what you have achieved
#3 An internal sense of satisfaction and pride
#4 Increased confidence
#5 It helps you reflect and acknowledge your journey
#6 You are reminded to enjoy the journey
#7 More Gratitude
If it is so important, how do you celebrate your self? There are several ways you can do this.
THE LIST IS LONG AND NOT RESTRICTED TO THE FOLLOWING:
#1 Write down your achievements and accomplishments, and toast to them
#2 Take yourself out
#3 Dress up, wear your favourite outfit
#4 Pamper yourself
#5 Cut yourself some slack
#6 Gift yourself something
#7 Include your close ones in your celebrations
#8 Accept compliments
#9 Cook your favourite meal
#10 Blast some music and dance
#11 Buy yourself flowers
#12 Host a dinner or a breakfast party
#13 Occasionally, have a ME day (where you do whatever you want to do)
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Your achievements might look different every day. Some days, you might have moved mountains; on others, ticking one thing off your list might be it.
You can look at it as your moment of the day. The goal here is to highlight the things you got done and the steps you have taken. Happy Celebrating. THE-INTL
AINA MASOOD PSYCHOTHERAPISTAina is the founder and C.E.O. of R.A.I.N. (Recognise, Ac cept, Investigate, Nurture). This company helps universi ties and companies take care of the mental health of their colleagues and employees. Aina has completed her mas ter’s in clinical psychology in Pakistan. She has lived in the U.S.A. for six months and has been in Denmark since 2019. Passionate about men tal health and destigmatising mental health problems, she is working towards helping indi viduals and organisations be healthier, happier, and more productive. She accomplishes this by working with interna tional clients via Skype, con ducting workshops/webinars with various organisations, and researching and writing. In addition, she is a profes sional photographer who uses her pictures to reflect on her daily life and share them on her blog. A psychologist, writ er, speaker, mental health ad vocate, photographer, explor er, volunteer, and wife, Aina is making her way through the world and narrating her life story.
https://www.linkedin.com/ in/ainamasood/
https://www.instagram. com/ayena_reflections/
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH TEXT AINA MASOOD
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH TEXT OPHELIA WU
WWE CAN ONLY give when we come from a place of abundance. When we truly give, without asking for anything in return, or any agenda, it is the best feeling in the world. I believe every action comes with a consequence, and you truly reap what you sow: so if you reap goodness, you will receive goodness. Giv ing is a generous act that can only come from a place of love, abundance, and gratitude, and it's easier than it sounds. The more you give, the more you'll receive.
We often immediately relate to giving a donation or some thing material, but giving comes in many shapes and forms. We offer our time as volunteers; we share our kindness as we hold the door for a mother with her baby; we give our joy when we smile at the person next to us at the café; and we offer com passion when we give our time for a sad friend. These are all different forms of giving, little yet impactful. Never underesti mate the power of a simple smile in the morning; it can easily brighten someone's day.
It's easy, almost too easy, to just sign up for some monthly do nations to charities or institutions where you barely remember you're donating, but when you donate by giving your time and effort, it takes you to another level. I began volunteering for a small NGO last year, and it has been the most fulfilling experi ence. The beauty of volunteering is that you decide how much time and effort you want to give. While doing so, every moment is meaningful. While measuring the impact of how much help you've offered is complex, the ripple effect generated is also unpredictable. When you commit yourself to a cause close to your heart, it gives you an insight into the real struggle that is happening out there, immediately inviting you to reflect on your own problems, making them seem irrelevant and insignif icant. While we should not compare suffering, it allows you to be even more grateful for all the blessings and fortunes in life.
Suppose one is volunteering to seek external validation, rec ognition or even rewards. In that case, that is not giving; it's a trade or exchange and will not bring you joy. Giving is an art because it has to come from a place that is purely giving and letting go without knowing how little or much you have offered. When you volunteer, you're also making connections and col laborations; this benefits your social life and your self-aware ness and creates meaningful bonds with like-minded people. It is rewarding because you have contributed to a collective sup port system positively impacting others' lives. One way or an other, when you're giving your time to others, you're also open ing doors for yourself, leading you to places you might not have even thought of.
As internationals, we often question the sense of belonging and yearning for a community where we share our values and support. Volunteering is a great way to make new connections and become part of a bigger community while giving your time,
effort, compassion and kindness to those in need. For example, if you're volunteering to help refugees, these people struggle to find their identity and build a life in the same country you're living in. While you do that, through your devotion and com mitment, you are, at the same time, finding your own identity in the very same country on another side of the story. You find a community you feel you can be part of.
Life works in mysterious ways, but one thing is for sure, you get what you give. So the beauty of giving is so much more than just giving, and it doesn't have to be a grand gesture. One simple ''good morning'', a smile, or a ''thank you'' will suffice; no act of kindness is too small. Always remember, we don't know what people are going through in their lives; if you're at a place where you can share and spread some joy, please do it; you might change someone's mind with that small act. THE-INTL
OPHELIA WU FASHION CONSULTANT & JOURNALISTLike her hometown Hong Kong, Ophelia has a diverse background and upbringing. She moved to Copenhagen in 2019 after 10 years of living in London. Her fashion and jour nalism career began in 2007 at ELLE Hong Kong magazine, and later on as an online styl ist at Net-A-Porter.com in the UK; she has worked with all sorts of creatives, brands and celebrities globally. She now works on everything fashion and communicationrelated. With her love of trav elling and places her work brought her to, people she met from all walks of life inspired her to start her own business M for Minimal: a place to raise the awareness of going back to basics through conscious consumption and mindful ness with a touch of spiritual ity - something she has been practising since her teenage years.
@mforminimal.com
@mforminimal.mfm
@opheliawu
"LIFE WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS, BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE, YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE."
SSUSTAINABLE GROWTH IS one of the core global challenges and Novozymes brings the power of biology and science to answer the call.
Novozymes was founded in 2000 as the result of a demerger from pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk. Novozymes’ roots date back to the 1920s when Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium and Nordisk Insulin Laboratorium were established in Copenhagen. Enzyme production began in 1941.
Novozymes spearheads environmental and social change. For example, in 2018, it is estimated that 88 million tons of CO2 emis sions did not take place due to the use of Novozymes’ products. The savings achieved are equivalent to taking approximately 37 million cars off the road.
Novozymes is the world leader in bio innovation. Its business is industrial enzymes and microorganisms. Enzymes are proteins, and in nature they initiate biochemical reactions in all living or ganisms. Enzymes convert the food in our stomachs into energy and turn the falling leaves in the forest into compost.
They can partially replace the chemicals in laundry detergents with more climate-friendly bio-based ingredients. For example, they have shown that they can cut the level of surfactants (surfaceactive agents in textiles) by 30% in a standard detergent and add a blend of enzymes. The performance of this detergent matches or even exceeds the standard one.
Best of all, washing with this detergent could potentially save an estimated 9g of CO2 per load of laundry. This may not sound like much, but scaled up, its impact is huge. Applied to just half of all laundry loads in Latin America, for example, the annual CO2 sav ings would be equal to taking 45,000 cars off the road for a year.
Novozymes started rethinking an approach to bread waste more than thirty years ago. The result was the Novamyl family of freshness enzymes. Since its launch in 1990, they have saved an estimated 80 billion loaves of bread from being thrown away. If you stacked those loaves up, they would reach the moon and back ten times.
If 80 billion fewer loaves were produced because of bread not being thrown away, Novamyl has so far saved an estimated 45 mil lion tonnes of CO2 since 1990. Following the success of Novamyl, they continued to innovate, launching solutions to extend fresh ness and reduce waste in flatbreads, rye bread, wraps and cakes.
Novozymes find enzymes in nature and optimises them for use in industry. In industry, enzymes replace chemicals and accelerate production processes. They help users make more from less, while saving energy and generating less waste. Enzymes are widely used
"IF WE WANT TO MAKE CLIMATE NEUTRALITY A REALITY, WE URGENTLY NEED TO USE EVERY TOOL WE HAVE AVAILABLE. THAT IS WHY BIOFUELS ARE ESSENTIAL TO MEETING OUR NET-ZERO AMBITIONS. THEY ARE CURRENTLY ONE OF THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CARBON EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS." - HANS OLE KLINGENBERG
in laundry and dishwashing detergents, removing stains and en abling low temperature washing and concentrated detergents.
Other enzymes improve the quality of beer and wine or increase the nutritional value of animal feed. Enzymes are also used in the production of biofuels, where they turn starch or cellulose from biomass into sugars which can be fermented to ethanol.
These are just a few examples as they sell enzymes to more than 40 different industries. Like enzymes, microorganisms have natural properties that can be put to use in a variety of process es. Novozymes supplies a range of microorganisms for use in ag riculture, animal health and nutrition, industrial cleaning and wastewater treatment.
According to Hans Ole Klingenberg (Novozymes VP Market ing), if we want to make climate neutrality a reality, we urgent ly need to use every tool we have available. That is why biofuels are essential to meeting our net-zero ambitions. They are cur rently one of the most cost-effective solutions for carbon emis sions reductions.
In the future, biofuels from biorefineries will also help decarbon ise heavy-duty transport including marine and aviation as well as could potentially even supply other products to support the netzero journey, including biochemicals and high value protein feed.
The Novo Group is a group of independent companies con trolled by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Novo Holdings serves as the holding company of the Group.
Through Novo Holdings, the Foundation owns the controlling stake in the two major companies of the Novo Group: Novo Nor disk A/S and Novozymes A/S, both of which are publicly listed. Novo Holdings owns more than 25% of the ordinary share capital of the two companies and controls more than 70% of the votes, given the ownership of all the preferred (A) shares of Novo Nord isk and Novozymes. THE-INTL
PRESIDENT & CEO OXFORD BUSINESS SERVICES APS
Mariano has over 40 years global experience as a bus ness executive. He spent ten years with KPMG, so far thirty years with British Chambers of Commerce (while also run ning Oxford Business Servic es ApS). He is a British citizen, who grew up in Kent, went to boarding school in Sussex and has a British university edu cation. He has been married to a Dane for over 45 years and has held over 150 official an ti-Brexit speeches since 2016. He both speaks and writes Danish without difficulty.
oxford-business.com
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