international
the
ISSN 2596-5220
SPRING COOKING WITH RHUBARB
EXCLUSIVE: CPH STAGE PERFORMANCES
THE POWER OF VOICE-ASSISTED TECH
SUMMER LEARNING FUN
MAY 2019 - THE-INTL.COM
EXCLUSIVE: ON STAGE WITH
FREE
PAPER
SERBIAN-BORN ACTRESS DANICA CURCIC
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THE PROMISE OF SUMMER
MAY IS A BEAUTIFUL TIME OF YEAR IN DENMARK. FLOWERS ARE IN BLOOM, DAYS ARE BRIGHTER AND THERE ARE SO MANY EXCITING TASTES AND SIGHTS TO DISCOVER AROUND THE COUNTRY.
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THERE IS SO much happening in Denmark now that the weather has changed so drastically! This issue, CPH Stage takes over our events section with a super exciting line-up of amazing performances scattered around Copenhagen (pages 3-7). My top performance picks on during the 10-day long festival include: Oh baby it's Cole (page 3); Human in balance (page 4); Silicium and The ultimate battle (page 6). So get out there, enjoy the weather and great performances this May! On our cover this issue is the super talented and well-known Danish actress Danica Curcic. This international, Serbian-born star of the stage shares her story about how her family's support and encouragement contributed to the person she is today (pages 8-11). Bilingual Backpack Baby's column is all about holidays and special occassions in Denmark, definitely pages to cut out and stick on the fridge. One of the special events Keri mentions (usually around June) is the "Capping season" - where Gymnasium and VUC students graduate and celebrate in a unique traditional Danish style. (page 14). My son is one of these students, so it will be a very special time for my family. Be sure to check out our social media in June for photographs from
this unique tradition. Ruby red rhubarb is the hot topic for both of our foodie experts this month. Gina shares the history and medicinal properties of rhubarb and it's entry into Europe (page 12). Erin shares her famous old-school family rhubarb custard pie recipe (pages 18-19)
- try your hand at making it for your family - sure to be a winner! We also welcome our latest writer to the team - Kenyan-born Judy Wanjiku Jorgensen - who will be exploring hot topics in and around Aarhus over many issues. This issue she takes a look at the odd practice of babynaming in Denmark, and the red tape that goes along with it, guiding you through the process (page 20). The International was invited to the screening of film maker Pascale Lamche's documentary Winnie. Our journalist Heather had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with the dynamic filmmaker. Make sure you read her story (page 31). And lastly, as we fast approach the much-awaited summer holidays, have you thought about summer school for your children. A fun, creative time for them to spend two weeks (page 23). So enjoy May, remember to take time for yourself, and explore whatever city or village you live in around Denmark.
"Being on stage makes me come to life. When all eyes are on you, they're watching every move you make."
- Joe Jonas
Love,
LYNDSAY JENSEN EDITOR & PARTNER THE-INTL.COM
MEET THE TEAM SALES For advertising sales, please contact: sales@the-intl.com ADDRESS
The International ApS, Industrivej 14, 4683 Rønnede; +45 42676745
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COVER PICTURE EDITOR & PARTNER LYNDSAY JENSEN has twenty years' experience in the advertising and publishing industry, and holds degrees in Business and Desktop Publishing (print and repro). Born in the UK, and brought up in South Africa, she has the ability to understand different cultures, and is passionate about networking. She is a wife of twenty one years and mother to two boys aged 20 and 14. She loves travel, photography and art. lyndsay@the-intl.com
MANAGING DIRECTOR & PARTNER KENNETH MACALPINE is a Nordic Financial Manager in the Transport industry. His education is in Finance and he has a business degree obtained in the UK. Born in Norway he moved to Denmark at the age of 22. He is of Danish Scottish ancestry and lives in southern Denmark with his large multi-national family consisting of Danish, Irish and Brazilian heritage. He is always interested in new challenges and loves to live life to the fullest. kenneth@the-intl.com
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SUB-EDITOR
DISTRIBUTION
DAVID NOTHLING-DEMMER is a print and digital writer, communicator and media production manager/ editor. He has several years’ experience in the media and publishing industry, and holds a Master’s degree in media and politics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). He is passionate about politics, publishing and people-empowerment. He is a husband of almost two years, and has a love affair with good food and wine. david@the-intl.com
SATYA PRAPANCA is married, and moved to Denmark one and a half years ago from Indonesia. His previous work experience includes; subtitle translator, documentary films, photographer, and music curator in his spare time! Satya's passion is composing music with his guitar and laptop. He enjoys nothing more than taking in the beauty of Copenhagen while enjoy coffee/tea and cake at a local cafe.
Petra Kleis - www.petrakleis.com
DISTRIBUTION
The International is available at a range of businesses, institutions, cafés and public libraries across Denmark
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For home or corporate delivery of the printed edition please contact: distribution@the-intl.com The International is published 12 times a year. This issue was published on April 25, 2019
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COPENHAGEN SHOWS OFF
THIS SPRING WITH HEATHER GARTSIDE
ALL PICTURES BY FRIDA GREGERSEN
EVENT ORGANISER
EVERY MAY AND JUNE CPH STAGE BRINGS THE PUBLIC AND THE THEATRE WORLD TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF CONTEMPORARY THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS. CPH STAGE IS AN OPEN THEATRE FESTIVAL FOCUSING ON DANISH PERFORMING ARTS, WHERE IT IS AND WHERE IT’S HEADING. THE FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE AT THEATRES THROUGHOUT COPENHAGEN, WHERE PLAYS AND PERFORMANCES FROM ALL OVER DENMARK AND ABROAD ARE PRESENTED. THE FOLLOWING SHOWS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME AT CPH STAGE, THEY HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER BY WIDELY RENOWNED AND UPCOMING ARTISTS WHO ALL WORK INTERNATIONALLY. YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THESE AND A DIVERSE AND EXCITING SPECTRUM OF OTHER PERFORMANCES DURING CPH STAGE, MAY 23 - JUNE 1.
www.kindenmark.com
TEXT HEATHER GARTSIDE
PERFORMANCE
DARK NOON
THOMAS PETRI
PERFORMANCE
IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE
BO AMSTRUP
PHOTOGRAPHS CPHSTAGE / VARIOUS
Heather wears many hats; published author, photographer, tour guide, artist, publicspeaker, mother of three, yogi, and events organiser. All this multi-tasking still leaves her time to laugh-out-loud when her washing machine says SLUT, and happily go and create her latest venture, K.I.N.D. (Keep International Networks Denmark) A community celebrating the wonderful diversity of people from all over the world living in Denmark, bringing more balance, harmony … and fun. K.I.N.D. also organises events; Heather previously helped to arrange and decorate glitzy extravaganzas for luxury brands in Paris, but K.I.N.D. has a mission to add a little extra loving-kindness to this rocky world, not to take heedlessly from it. Heather hopes to achieve this by contributing to the richness of the community through sharing the joy of social occasions, celebrating minorities, championing causes, arranging internationally observed events in Denmark, and helping girls in rural India with scholarships.
OH BABY – IT’S COLE
DARK NOON
WUNDERKAMMER
THE LONDON TOAST THEATRE
FIX & FOXY
CARTE BLANCHE
DATES: 23 MAY – 1 JUNE VENUE: KRUDTTØNDEN, SERRIDSLEVVEJ 2, 2100 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ oh-baby-its-cole/
DATES: 23 MAY – 1 JUNE VENUE: REVOLVER PÅ REPUBLIQUE, ØSTERFÆLLED TORV 34, 2100 COPENHAGEN Ø FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ dark-noon/
DATES: 24 – 28 MAY VENUE: TEATERØEN, WILLIAM WAINS GADE 18, 1432 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ wunderkammer/
“You don’t throw the word 'genius' around loosely, but it’s somewhere around him.' said Bob Hope about the man who wrote more than 1,200 songs for the stage and screen, including classics such as “Night and Day”. A champagne-popping social life, close friends with princes, artists and film stars, Cole Porter is hailed as one of the best lyricist/composers of the twentieth century. Vivienne McKee narrates the musical genius’ fascinating life story from the height of glittering success to sad obscurity, and introduces a cast of top professional singers who sing the songs which made Cole Porter’s name in the history of great American song writers.
The Danish theatre collective Fix&Foxy fills Republique’s stage Revolver with an African landscape of red clay and a primitive village, and together with an ensemble of South African performers plays out an African western to mirror our romanticised ideas of savage Africa. Here, neither black nor white lives matter. Dark Noon is written and directed by Tue Biering in collaboration with choreographer and composer Nhlanhla Mahlangu and a cast of South African performers, musicians and dancers.
Glimpses of the universe and everything in it – from the most enormous to the absolute smallest. A room for reflection and wonder in which light and dark, scent and sound spark our curiosity and ask us to question all that we think we know about the world around us. Artists from Denmark, Australia, France, and Catalunya transform Teaterøen’s loft into a poetic and immersive performance-installation. Here you can take a break from daily routines, take off your shoes, leave behind your mobile phone and step into a space in which time stands still. In the dimly lit nooks and crannies, a collection of small scenes, poetic images, and stories await.
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DRAMA
DANCE
PALLE GRANHØJ
CHRISTOFFER BREKNE
HENRIK OHSTEN RASMUSSEN
DANCE
DON GNU
HUSETS TEATER
DATES: 27 – 29 MAY VENUE: TEATER V I PRØVEHALLEN, PORCELÆNSTORVET 4, 2500 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ human-in-balance/
DATES: 28 AND 29 MAY VENUE: HUSETS TEATER, HALMTORVET 9, 1700 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ rocky-4/
Using techniques from contemporary dance, performance theatre and new dance DON GNU puts all on one board! Balancing on the supersized balance board the dancers examine the man as an individual and as a citizen in a united Europe, where nobody moves without affecting the others. Live music, documentary video projections and a mix of Danish and Cypriot dancers brings Pafos to Denmark in this powerful and poetic performance, combining the Greek Zembekiko with the streamlined waltz.
We love the losers who against all odds prevail over their own inferiority, social heritage and their completely unfair loser-life. But what if it’s us, our values and existence which are to be defeated? If we end up being the losers? ROCKY! completely knocked-out the Danish reviewers and left the audience speechless. You can experience this theatre classic by downloading the free THEA app from App Store or Google Play (search for ‘Thea Dogood’). Enjoy the performance with subtitles on your smartphone, you may also borrow a tablet from the theatre.
CHRISTOFFER BREKNE
AN EVE AND AN ADAM GRANHØJ DANS DATES: 26 AND 28 MAY VENUE: TEATERØEN, WILLIAM WAINS GADE 18, 1432 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ an-eve-an-and-adam/ A performance that puts real nudity on stage – in contrast to virtual reality. The audience first sees a scene with the dancers dressed in clothes and afterwards the same scene but naked. Currently, we see in society that young people are posting naked images of themselves on social media. Apparently there is no modesty when it comes to the naked body. But in real life it’s the opposite. Men and women sculpt their body in fitness centres but they are too scared to bare all in the shower afterwards. We need to reconsider our relationship with natural nudity, and consider our methods of portraying the body on social media.
PALLE GRANHØJ
ROCKY!
HNERIK OHSTEN RASMUSSEN
HUMAN IN BALANCE
H i g h Acad em i c S t an d ar d s C h ri s t i an E t ho s C onv e n i en t l y l o c at ed i n H el l er u p
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DANCE
PER MORTEN ABRAHAMSEN
IMMERSIVE SITE-SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE
SISTERS HOPE
PAOLO NANI + KRISTJÁN INGIMARSSON
PHYSICAL THEATRE
THE ART OF DYING
SENSUOUS GOVERNING POST NO BILLS
PAOLO NANI + KRISTJÁN INGIMARSSON
SISTERS HOPE
X-ACT / KITT JOHNSON
DATES: 27 – 29 MAY VENUE: COPENHAGEN CITY HALL, RÅDHUSPLADSEN 1, 1599 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ sensuous-governing/
DATES: 27 – 29 MAY VENUE: DANSEKAPELLET, BISPEBJERG TORV 1, 2400 COPENHAGEN NV FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ post-no-bills-2/
Sensuous Governing is an immersive performance-installation, where visitors will be taken on an otherworldly and intimate journey into Copenhagen City Hall and their poetic self. Here they will explore their dreams and hopes for a future city from the framework of a potential future society called – ‘Sensuous Society’. A new world where everything is based on the principles of aesthetics and sensuality – and in which the poetic values ranks highest. During the manifestation the visitors will be meet by several of the Sisters Hope performers who will guide them on their journey.
Post No Bills is an arte povera performance edging its way into the space where composure is irrevocably lost and the new and unknown barely glimpsed. Where the choice is either death or change. And where you know the latter won’t happen until the fiction of reality is scrapped. Right there, we meet the broken and disillusioned human with empty hands. Sent back to square one and free to re-invent the beginning. Post No Bills enters into the series of X-actproduced solos, which focus on aspects of the human existence. It pays tribute to crisis as a creative transformer. And sets off from the Existential Psychology stance that crisis must lead to criticism and not merely be suffered.
DATES: 27 – 28 MAY VENUE: NØRREBRO TEATER, RAVNSBORGGADE 3, 2200 COPENHAGEN N FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ art-of-dying/ A neat, entertaining and moving performance, where we experience 90 minutes in the life of two clowns, both on stage, and behind the curtains. We are astonished by their entertaining routines, moved by their friendship and laugh at their mutual struggle, and we are horrified when we learn that one of them will soon die. We feel how this fact affects their lives and relationship, and try to understand them when they think of death. And at the same time, we get aware of something we may not have thought much about, life before death! This is a wordless performance filled with humor, rhythm, music and poetry.
Speak Hellerup Bernstorffsvej 20C 2900 Hellerup Speak Lyngby Klampenborgvej 221 2800 Kgs. Lyngby
hello@speakspeak.dk +45 3946 3050
speakspeak.dk
Learning Danish is expanding your horizon
Speak Frederiksberg Lindevangs Allé 8-12 2000 Frederiksberg
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CHRISTIAN KROG
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
BJØRN SVIN AND CARL EMIL CARLSEN
THE ULTIMATE BATTLE THE NORDIC BEASTS
AFTER HOURS THEATRE COMPANY
DATES: 27 AND 29 MAY VENUE: PAKHUS 11; DAMPFÆRGEVEJ 2, 2100 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ silicium/
DATES: 27 – 28 MAY VENUE: PAKHUS 11, DAMPFÆRGEVEJ 2, 2100 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ the-ultimate-battle/
DATES: 27 – 31 MAY VENUE: OFELIA PLADS, KVÆSTHUSBROEN, 1250 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ a-midsummer-nights-dream/
The Danish duo Silicium (aka composer and performer Bjørn Svin and visual artist Carl Emil Carlsen) have developed this surreal music experience especially for The Culture Yard’s holographic stage, The 4D Box. The duo examines audio-visual material, which in spite of being synthetic and abstract, mediates a wide range of expressions and emotions. Throbbing organic rhythms blend with biologically inspired simulations in an attempt to revive synthetic material. The Performance is created in collaboration with CLICK Festival & The Culture Yard in Helsingør.
In a storm of martial arts and erotic clichés, dancer and choreographer Noora Hannula throws herself into a grotesque but hilarious showdown with her virtual rival – a 3D animated virtual girlfriend, Soma, in a wild encounter between modern dance and 3D animation. Noora Hannula vs Soma – Augmented-Reality Girl – THE ULTIMATE BATTLE is produced by The Nordic Beasts in collaboration with CLICK Festival and BORA BORA. The piece is developed for Culture Yards’ holographic stage, The 4D Box.
Hermia loves Lysander, however when the Duke of Athens decrees that she is to wed someone else the lovers take refuge by eloping into the woods. Pursued by a determined Demetrius and a love-scorned Helena, they unknowingly wander into the midst of a dispute between the King and Queen of the fairies who rule over the realm. Shakespeare’s enchanting comedy is a ballad of order and chaos; of love and fantasy that shimmers with poetry and is full of mischief, misunderstanding, merriment and wonder. Join After Hours Theatre Company and become ensnared into the depths of a dream-like forest which blurs the line between fantasy and reality, love and dreams, kings and commoners, fools and mortals.
PERFORMANCE
DANCE
BALLET
THE SOCIETY OF LOST SOULS
BJØRN SVIN FACEBOOK PAGE
SILICIUM
DANCE INCL. VIRTUAL REALITY
NOORA HANNULA
PERFORMANCE
4D CONCERT
SHISO STUDIO
THE SOCIETY OF LOST SOULS THE ROYAL DANISH THEATRE
SHISO STUDIO DATES: 23 – 26 MAY + 30 MAY – 1 JUNE VENUE: TEATERØEN, WILLIAM WAINS GADE 18, 1432 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ mrs-phinks-house/ An experimental food experience that celebrates plants’ abilities to both inspire and have purpose. The dinners, held in Mrs. Phink’s House, focus on salt water. As sea levels rise, the effects of salt water will alter the landscape and flora significantly. From this stand point, Shiso Studio have created a total sensory experience that expresses the relationship between the sea and coastline of Denmark.
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THE JUNGLE
MRS PHINK’S HOUSE
DATES: 25 – 29 MAY VENUE: THE ROYAL DANISH PLAYHOUSE; SANKT ANNÆ PLADS 36; 1250 COPENHAGEN K FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ the-society-of-lost-souls/
THE JUNGLE THEATER ONE WOMAN ACT DATES: 23 – 24 MAY VENUE: TEATERØEN, WILLIAM WAINS GADE 18, 1432 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ the-jungle/ The Jungle is an autobiographical, one-person play performed as an acrobatic rock’n’roll ballet that takes place in a Go-Go bar in Hollywood.
Is the afterlife orderly and well-planned? Are the inhabitants as confused as we are? And what problems – if any – afflict the multicultural society of the great beyond? Now, Norwegian choreographer and stage director Jo Strømgren has the definitive answer to the great question: What happens when life ends? The Society of Lost Souls is a poetic, humorous and physical work of dance and performance art created and narrated by the pitch-dark voice of multi-talented Jo Strømgren. He takes us to a fascinating Gothic world of ghost houses inhabited by dancing apparitions. Every night, the residents relive their death in agony and search for meaning. Not the meaning of life but the meaning of death.you know nothing.”
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PERFORMANCE
WAR’S UNWOMANLY FACE
LAST HIVE UNDERCOVER THEATRE COMPANY
MARCELLO BOSSCHAR THEATER GROUP
DATES: 28 – 29 MAY VENUE: ZANGENBERGS TEATER, PILESTRÆDE 55A, 1112 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ last-hive/
DATES: 27 - 29 MAY VENUE: INSTITUTO ITALIANO DI CULTURA, GJØRLINGSVEJ 11, 2900 HELLERUP FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ wars-unwomanly-face/
"The Matrix" - with honeybees by an international Gaulier Clown duo. David, a male honeybee is the chosen one. He goes on a mission for his Queen bee to save the hive. Will he get the girl and save the world, or get radicalised along the way? What does it even mean to be the chosen one? Come on down to the insect underworld to find out. In October 2017 David travelled to Andalucia in Spain to research the project by studying honeybees, permaculture, system thinking and sociocracy at Bee Time’s Artist Residency. Four stars! – “Hilariously Silly, enjoyable for all!” – Deadline News.
“We were silent, we didn’t speak a word. Nobody said we had been at the front. The men were victorious, heroes, attractive husbands, the war belonged to them, but people looked quite differently at us. Totally different … We got deprived of the victory. Quietly, the sense of victory was replaced by an ordinary female happiness. They didn’t share the victory with us. And it was degrading … incomprehensible … ” Bosschar turned a masterpice of jornalistic literary work into a strong and unforgetable living experience which goes beyond the spoken words.
PERFORMANCE
JAN RÜSZ
GUGA MELGAR
CHANTAL GUEVARA
PERFORMANCE
DANCE
FORGETTING... REMEMBERING TEATER REFLEKSION DATES: 28 – 30 MAY VENUE: TEATERØEN, WILLIAM WAINS GADE 18, 1432 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ forgetting-remembering/ Melanie Thompson (interdisciplinary artist) and Bjarne Sandborg (Director at Teater Refleksion) have collaborated on the development of personal solo works. Their exploration has examined in part the combination of different scenic languages, and in part the concept of remembrance as a catalyst for discovery and recognition of contemporary issues. Uniting their interdisciplinary experience and methods has resulted in the creation of two very different expressions. Melanie’s point of departure has been the medium of film along with the theme of memory, and Bjarne’s has been the creation of story through the use of objects, light, and body, along with the theme of forgetting.
FRIDA GREGERSEN
WE OPEN OUR MOUTTHS - AND LISTEN
LARS LINDEGAARD GREGERSEN
MUSIC PERFORMANCE
DANCE WITH ME
DATES: 27 – 28 MAY VENUE: WAREHOUSE9, HALMTORVET 11A, 1700 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ we-open-our-mouths/ An intimate performance-concert about community, solidarity and utopia. There she is; drowned in apathy and overexposure, bombarded with humanistic narratives and doomsday scenarios. She is worn… In an attempt to regain the spirit of childhood and the unshakable belief that together we can change the world, Anika Kristensen Barkan decides to write her own utopian principle programme. Accompanied by tones of Mika Forsling, she sets the agenda for a showdown with our time.
DATES: 27 – 29 MAY VENUE: KARENS MINDE KULTURHUS, WAGNERSVEJ 19, 2450 COPENHAGEN FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.dk/en/performance/ dance-with-me/ Dance with me is a party! A celebration of happiness and social gathering. A guitarist starts playing, and as his Latin American melodies spread throughout the room, the hostess welcomes the guests to this class in Latin American dancing. As the audience learns to dance the “Cumbia” together, the hostess opens up, and slowly the audience is drawn into a tale of journeys, letters, joys and longing. And about her grandfather, the Danish mail man, who has shaped who she is today. And through the dance, we rediscover a form of communication that all generations can share. Experience Dance with me in Sydhavnen’s beautiful dancing pavilion, followed by a short concert where you can dance together.
FRIDA GREGERSEN
ANIKA KRISTENSEN BARKAN
GLIMT
FRIDA GREGERSEN
WE OPEN OUR MOUTHS - AND LISTEN
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ON STAGE WITH
DANICA CURCIC
SERBIAN-BORN DANISH STAR, DANICA CURCIC SHARES HER ACTING CAREER SUCCESSES ON STAGE AND IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA.
PHOTOGRAPHS PETRA KLEIS / ANDERS BROGAARD
D
DANICA CURCIC WAS born in Belgrade, and at the age of one moved to Copenhagen with her parents and younger brother where her father worked at the then Yugoslavian embassy. “As the situation in Yugoslavia worsened and war broke out back home they decided to stay in Denmark,” Danica explains. “I feel very lucky to have had the two cultures with me growing up, it always gave perspective to where I was at, and being grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given and it has made me work really hard. My family was always been very supportive of what my brother and I have done, and for them it was most important to do our best in whatever we chose to do. Never do anything half-heartedly,” she says.
BORN TO ACT Danica attended Sankt Annæ Gymnasium before obtaining a bachelor's degree in film and media science from the University of Copenhagen. “I’ve always had a joy in performing since I was little, whether it was transforming school assignments to something creative, playing the piano or recording my own radio show in the bathtub. For a while I thought the piano was going to be my path, but slowly realised I had a hard time with solitude, practising for hours a day. In high school I thought that I’d either do documen-
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TEXT DAVID NOTHLING-DEMMER
tary filmmaking or acting. I started with the first one, and got a bachelor in film and media studies. But, I felt as if I was missing my calling in the academic world, and missed a sense of being part of a creative community,” Danica says. She then spent a year in California where she took acting classes at the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre. “While at university in Denmark, I fell in love with an American whose family lived right across from a theatre school in northern California. When I went to visit him I was totally infatuated by the clowns running around on the other side of the street in the school, and so I went to see a mask working class. After this, I was sure I wanted to go there,” the actress enthuses. Upon enrolling to the one-year programme at Dell'Arte, Danica says she knew that she had found her calling. “It was such a liberating feeling to finally feel at ‘home’ in my work. There were incredible teachers who really believed in me and gave me a lot if confidence to keep pushing myself.” Danica then returned to Copenhagen and enrolled at the Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance, graduating in 2012. During this time she took on her first role in Lulu at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. “A huge challenge but one I’ll never forget. I remember receiving a call in my final year of study offering me a two year
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“I FEEL VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HAD THE TWO CULTURES WITH ME GROWING UP, IT ALWAYS GAVE PERSPECTIVE TO WHERE I WAS AT, AND BEING GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES I’VE BEEN GIVEN AND IT HAS MADE ME WORK REALLY HARD." contract with the royal theatre. This was unbelievable and a dream come true. I had just come back to Denmark and started auditioning for the school – at the time I was working in the bar at the royal theatre – dreaming about one day standing on that stage. So it was very surreal,” she explains. Danica made her professional on-screen acting debut in 2011 with an appearance as 'Magretha' in one episode of the TV series Those Who Kill. Her feature film debut came the following year with a role in Over kanten. In 2014, Danica appeared in a successful film titled Silent Heart for which she won a Bodil Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. In the same year, she appeared in The Absent One for which she was nominated for a ‘Bodil Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role’. She also received a Shooting Star Award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2014. In 2016, she appeared in eight episodes of the successful TV series Nobel as ‘Adella Hanefi’.
STAGE STAR The Belgrade-born actress says that she has an affinity for stage acting, and credits her time in front of audiences as really honing her acting skills. “I feel this is where I really get to know my instrument. If I’ve been away from the stage for too long, I miss it and crave to be back with great colleagues creating together. For this
is the beauty of our work - the community. The ensemble. The voice you create together and the density of the now you create together with the audience,” she says. Danica credits the Italian monologue Shit / La Merda by Cristian Ceresoli, directed by Simon Boberg at Husets Teater as one of the projects that sticks in her mind as being especially memorable of all her career successes. “As soon as I read the play I almost felt as if it was written for me - it resonated with me in so many ways. Thematically, the absurdity and the form - written almost like a piece of music. It was a monologue where I sat naked for an hour and a half in front of the audience. Portraying a young girl who goes far over her own boundaries to do ‘what it takes’ to be liked and seen, and chosen to be part of a commercial in Berlusconi’s TV empire. The piece had so much humour and, absurdity because she starts eating her own flesh and thighs, showing off her vulnerability. The play is a big cry out to the whole of the Western world and its consumerism, of how the female body is used as commercial value and an extreme critique of Italian politics. It had a lot of southern European temperament that I resonated with a lot being from Serbia originally,” Danica emotes. Apart from her many successes in acting at home in Denmark, Danica has had several roles in international productions. “I’ve done
APART FROM HER MANY SUCCESSES IN ACTING AT HOME IN DENMARK, DANICA HAS HAD SEVERAL ROLES IN INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS. "I’VE DONE A ROLE IN THE AMERICAN TV SERIES, THE MIST BASED ON THE STEPHEN KING NOVEL. IT WAS GREAT TO BE INVOLVED IN A BIG AMERICAN PRODUCTION." MAY 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM
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www.cis.dk
Before long, you’ll belong Settling into a new country can be challenging – especially for the nonworking spouse. We know, from studies and from experience, that a successful posting depends on the happiness of the entire family – and our school is home to a very active, warm and welcoming community. a role in the American TV series, The Mist based on the Stephen King novel. It was great to be involved in a big American production. I’ve also done two productions in Norway; one a TV series Nobel and the other, my latest movie Out Stealing Horses, a 2019 Norwegian drama film directed by Hans Petter Moland which went to the Berlinale this year and won a Silver Bear for cinematography. An incredible experience and cast,” Danica smiles. Currently, Danica is involved in her first film project in Serbia. A film by Dusan Milic set in south Serbia. “I’m very excited to go back to my roots for the first time professionally,” she says. THE-INTL
Our PTA offers a wide range of opportunities: newcomers network, Spring Fair, Halloween, Yoga, Activities Fair, Wine and Cheese Evening, Dads’ Club and Ladies’ Night Out. Dedicated parents coach our sports teams, run our boy scouts and serve on the school Board. At CIS the whole family finds a place to grow roots and make friends. So to quote one of our parents: “I came for the job, but we stayed for the school.”
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HERE COMES RHUBARB JEWEL OF THE DANISH SPRING.
Last spring, when I was fresh off the plane from Oregon, my friends living there were sharing photos, gushing over the season’s beauty. I wailed, “Spring will never be that good in Denmark!” But then May arrived, and with it came flowers in vibrant pinks, purples, and yellows. Blossoms of all shapes and colours burst forth, and the grass grew thick and lush. I could not imagine a place with a more beautiful spring. Can you? PHOTOGRAPHS GINA LORUBBIO / ISTOCK PHOTO
TEXT GINA LORUBBIO
18th century rolled around, the English were baking it into sweet pies and tarts. The availability of cheap sugar allowed the sour vegetable to be used in sweet dishes. That sugar, along with further improvements to varieties and growing techniques, produced sweeter, tenderer stalks and sparked a rhubarb boom that peaked between the world wars.
TODAY'S RHUBARB RAINBOW
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ONE OF THE most rewarding sights of the Danish spring to behold is the first rubyred rhubarb, the stalks shimmering like a jeweled prize after many winter meals of potatoes, onions, and cabbage. Though now almost every Danish garden has a crown of rhubarb, that was not always the case. It was a long road for the sour plant to arrive here, and the journey included neither pies nor porridge at first.
A SOUGHT-AFTER MEDICINE The earliest records of rhubarb date back to 2700 B.C. in China where the root was used medicinally as a laxative, which was foundational for treatment at that time. The best plants for this purpose were native to China, Tibet, and Mongolia. This meant that if the Europeans wanted this precious, elusive rhubarb root – and they did – they had to import it. You know the Silk Road that saw to the passage of fine porcelain, tea, spices,
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and silk? Dried rhubarb was on that road alongside those luxury goods by the early 15th century. In fact, “the finest quality rhubarb was more expensive than cinnamon or saffron,” according to Laura Kelley, author of The Silk Road Gourmet. Who knew?!
RHUBARB'S FIRST EXPERIENCE IN EUROPEAN SOIL After tiring of relying on imported rhubarb, the Europeans began trying to produce the desirable plant on their own soil. Explorers, missionaries, and botanists quested for centuries to cultivate “True Rhubarb”- the variety from unreachable parts of Asia that was of highest medicinal quality. To make the long story short, their mission was fruitless. Frustrated, these gardeners found the silver lining; their efforts to grow rhubarb for medicine had primed their land to grow rhubarb for cooking. By the time the
Since that boom, people in Denmark – and all across the Nordics – have put it to culinary use. At Terra Madre Nordic 2018, a festival hosted by Slow Food, artisans showed off the rhubarb rainbow: rhubarb caramel from Iceland; a true-to-rhubarb sour drink from Bornholms Mosteri; rhubarb juice and syrup brought by a Faroese woman who lives in a village of 40 people on an island of 60; dried rhubarb from Norway that made me pucker before mellowing to an earthy, cumin flavor; a green rhubarb jam which was almost savory like mustard; and a classic strawberry rhubarb jam from Finland. It was a true celebration of spring. Although rhubarb may be more commonplace now than it was on the Silk Road, it’s a treasure just the same. Seeing and tasting rhubarb is like receiving a medal for crossing winter’s finish line and opening a big, fat invitation to peakseason produce. I wish for you many bags full of freshly-pulled rhubarb from the gardens of neighbors and friends – and perhaps even your very own. Let’s revel in it while it’s here. THE-INTL Sources: The Silk Road Gourmet by Laura Kelley
GINA LORUBBIO ARTIST & WRITER Gina is an artist, educator, and storyteller in Copenhagen. Upon arrival from the U.S., she made an art series called ‘How to Fall in Love with Denmark through Food in 100 Days'. She’s now creating daily art in 2019 that teaches and inspires us on the adventure of everyday home-cooking. To buy artwork or follow the series, visit: www.AmericanHeirloom Project.com @americanheirloom
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PROFESSIONAL RE-INVENTORS WELCOME TO DENMARK! IT'S TIME TO RE-INVENT YOURSELF! THAT IS A SIGN THAT SHOULD BE FEATURED IN THE AIRPORT ARRIVALS SECTION. PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCKPHOTO
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AS EXPATS WE translate ourselves both metaphorically and literally. The term translation comes from Latin trānslātus, which suggests “carrying across” or “bearing across”. That is what we do, we carry across our belongings, our families, ourselves, all we stand for, we carry across our lives and start over. Change is constant and it is inevitable. We may shy away from it, we might try to stick to familiar routines, places, foods but change is always there, lurking around the corner. As expats, we know it is written into our lives and there is no way around it. When the topic of a possible move comes up, our internal alarm goes off. Get ready, get set - GO! It’s time to re-invent yourself. How do we start? Well, for some it has become almost second nature. The word ‘re-invent’ is part of who we are. More often than not when we move abroad we do have to start from scratch. We have to rebuild our social, professional networks as well as at times completely re-think our career paths. Moving abroad is not just an exciting adventure, it is a serious decision that affects everyone involved. It is challenging and at times it can feel like an uphill battle. This is especially true when we have to re-invent ourselves professionally. Once we hit our mid 30’s should we be on a steady career path? Should we not try to find what best fits our lives? Should we not shift professions multiple times? I beg to differ. In the modern world, most people will switch careers multiple times, the skills they carry over are priceless. “Jobs become redundant from time to time but people do not need to. It is possible to create employment for life if we are willing to learn, unlearn and relearn our entire lives,” says Leena Nair on wefo-rum.org. As Expats we have that covered. We are constantly learning, unlearning and relearning every day in our multicultural settings.
THE NETWORK AND SHAME Please stop shaming! As expat Spouses/Partners we will switch careers more than once, we will be unemployed, we will face challenges that locals do not, we will have to reinvent ourselves. Please be kind, think twice before you dismiss someone just because they say they are in-between jobs currently. As an Expat Spouse/Partner do not be ashamed. I know it is sometimes easier said than done. It can be crushing to have others overlook you just because you do not have a job title right after your name. I know first hand how that feels. It can also be scary to shift gears and throw yourself into a completely new profession. Re-inventing yourself as an Expat Spouse/ Partner is not an easy task and it takes courage. There are doubts, existential questions, a bit of shame, guilt, excitement and most definitely - lots of uncertainty. Most people do not see themselves searching for work on a regular basis, as an Expat Spouse/Partner you DO. Sometimes, we get to a point where we have nothing to lose and often those are the greatest moments - change happens. How many people get an op-
TEXT KATHY BORYS SIDDIQUI
portunity to really find out what they want to do? How many people get to do it? We have that opportunity. Sometimes, finding your purpose, or dream job will take you down a winding, bumpy road, but it is worth it! THE-INTL
KATHY BORYS SIDDIQUI FOUNDER, ACTIVE ACTION Kathy was born in Poznań, Poland and has lived in four countries and on two continents. Growing up as an immigrant and a cross cultural kid she was able to discover a multicultural world that shaped her into the person she is today. As an adult she experienced life as a re-pat as well as an expat and she is not a stranger to the challenges and opportunities that life abroad offers. Just when she least expected it, she met her Danish husband and once again packed her life in boxes and set Here We Are Global and Active Action are offering a unique workshop for International Career Couples. See you there!
off to live the happily-ever-after life in the land of the Vikings and Hygge. Over the span of 10 years she has lived on Fyn, in Jylland and currently
Date: Wednesday, May 8, 2019 Time: 17:00 - 19:00 Location: Talent Garden Rainmaking For details please see: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/workshop-for-international-career-
in Nordsjælland. Kathy has a background in Cultural Studies and also a degree in American Studies. She has been able to combine her passion and profession as a
couples-finding-a-shared-vision-and-aligning-values-workshop-for-
Cultural Transition and Expat Spouse
tickets-60259523858?utm_term=eventurl_text
and Partner Specialist at Active Action.
Here We Are Global and Active Action have also joined forces to create a workshop for International Spouses/Partners. Date: Thursday, May 9, 2019
A firm believer that if you are lacking something - create it. She is the founder of two International Mom Groups in Denmark, a running enthu-
Time: 10:00 - 12:00
siast, active lifestyle advocate, wife
Location: Talent Garden Rainmaking
and mom.
For details please see : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/discover-your-global-development-path-workshop-for-international-spousespartners-tick-
www.activeaction.dk kbs@activeaction.dk
ets-60257189877?aff=utm_source%3Deb_email%26utm_ medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dnew_event_email&utm_ term=eventurl_text
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A HEADS UP ON HELLIGDAGE If you’ve made it to May and survived Nytår, Fastelavn and Påskeferie then well done. But be warned. There’s plenty more Danish holidays and traditions to come. Keri Bloomfield shares her calendar of what to look out for. PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCK PHOTO
THE FESTIVE SEASONS of Denmark can best be distinguished by what colour napkins and candles are being sold in the supermarkets. It’s an unofficial but somewhat accurate theory I created in my first year of living in Denmark. You can expect red and green napkins and candles on sale at Christmas, gold, silver and black for New Years and yellow and green for Easter. The only weakness of my theory is that not every holiday in Denmark has designated colours. Particularly in spring when every other week is interrupted by a holiday of sorts. Which makes May a month you definitely need to be prepared for. To help navigate your way around the most important helligdage (public holidays) and traditions in Denmark, I’ve put together the below month by month guide to some of the most significant. I encourage you to print it out and stick it on your fridge.
DANISH HOLIDAYS: JANUARY Nytårsdag (January 1): We start with an easy one. New Year’s Day. Look out for the black and gold decorations which will be on sale on mass the week before New Years Eve including ‘funny hats’ that are worn by all ages are part of the celebrations. Also be aware of
TEXT KERI BLOOMFIELD
the small tonne of fireworks that will be detonated. It’s back to work on January 2.
FEBRUARY Fastelavn: You can think of it as the Danish version of Halloween with less witches, more candy and a cat in a barrel. Or a more accurate description is that it celebrates the feast before the fast, the 40 days of Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday. A very popular event, celebrated at schools, communities and clubs with children dressing up in costumes. There are also special pastries called Fastelavnsboller on sale. Sometimes this day may fall in March. Week 7 (or 8 depending on where in Denmark you live): This is winter vacation week in Denmark during which, schools will be on holiday and a lot of people will disappear on skiing holidays. Not a good week to try and organise anything of significance.
MARCH/APRIL Påskeferie (Easter Holiday): This is a 5-day holiday in Denmark, a novelty for me coming from a country where it is a 4-day weekend. Denmark has the bonus day of Thursday, which means the smart amongst us will take off the three days prior to Easter and be rewarded with a 10-day holiday block. Thursday is known as Skærtorsdag, Friday is Langfredag (when flags are flown at half-mast), Sunday Påskedag, and Monday 2. Påskedag. Long lunches, chocolate, and eggs are some of the highlights. And church. Of course.
Arbejdernes kampdag (Labour Day) (May 1) Kristi himmelfartsdag (Ascension Day): A public holiday that commemorate Christ's ascension into heaven. This typically happens on a Thursday, so the smart amongst us will take the Friday off and have a fourday weekend. Store Bededag (Big Prayer Day): This always falls on a Friday. Look out for the packs of white buns available for sale historically to be eaten the night before. Confirmation season (may also happen in April): This is when you’ll see young teenagers dressing in white and confirming their Christian belief in Church with big family parties afterwards.
JUNE Grundlovsdag: Denmark’s national day of celebration is June 5. Officially a half day holiday celebrating the signing of the Danish Constitution in 1849. Pinsedag & 2. Pinsedag (White Sunday) is held 50 days after Easter and celebrates the birth of the church. On 2. Pinsedag (2nd Pinsedag) most shops and workplaces will be closed.
MAY Things get a little messy in May. If you are working, then don’t count on being particularly productive this month. Here’s a quick list of what you have to look forward to:
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Capping Season: Look out for groups of 18-21 year olds wearing white hats with typically red, blue or black
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stripes celebrating the end of their Gymnasium/VUC studies. You’ll see groups of these students traveling around on big decorated trucks known as, Studenter vogne (Graduation trucks).
JULY Summer holiday season. Denmark is closed. Well, not literally, but most people will be on holiday and productivity will again slow.
AUGUST The new school year starts. Sharpen your pencils.
SEPTEMBER A free month to do some work and buy any colour napkin you like.
OCTOBER Week 42: Another major school holiday break, known as Autumn Vacation. Some of the older folk refer to this as Potato Vacation. Halloween is not a Danish tradition: But, in recent years this American occasion has infiltrated Denmark with many now also using it as an excuse to buy big pumpkins and dress up like a ghost.
NOVEMBER From the 1st of November you can expect to see a deluge of Christmas decorations and accessories appearing throughout the shops. Unofficially as soon as Halloween is over you can then consider it Christmas season. Although November does offer Mortens Aften (10th) and Mortensdag (11th). While it isn’t an official public holiday, it is one on which you’ll find a lot of people eating Duck in honour of the legend of Bishop Martin of Tours.
DECEMBER St Lucia Day (December 13): Whilst not a public holiday it celebrates light and many school children will take part in St Lucia ceremonies. Juleaften (December 24): The main day on which Christmas is celebrated. Juledag (December 25): And the day after to recover from the festivities on the previous day. And then we end up back at Nytår (New Year’s Eve). Where, to borrow some infamous words from the much loved ‘Dinner for One’ film, it becomes a case of ‘same procedure as last year’. For more information and the dates for 2019/2020 year go to helligdage-dk.dk/ helligdage-2019 THE-INTL
KERI BLOOMFIELD WRITER & BLOGGER Keri Bloomfield is a connector, writer, event manager and blogger currently living in Copenhagen. Originally from New Zealand she was lured to Denmark by a Dane and has since been employed by her daughter (Bilingual Backpack Baby) as editor, writ-
er, photographer and social media manager documenting some of their adventures living in Denmark. Whether you have children or not, her blog is a great source of entertaining and accurate information about finding your way in Denmark. Prior to life in Denmark, Keri navigated a corporate life in New Zealand and England working in the field of event management and people management. She is now on her way to becoming bilingual (she hopes) and is the co-organiser of ‘Post A Letter Co-
penhagen’. A monthly event held in Copenhagen where attendees can write and post letters for free. You can read and follow Keri’s adventures in Copenhagen with her Danish partner and daughter and learn more about Post A Letter Copenhagen at the following: www.bilingualback packbaby.com @bilingualback packbaby
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SETTLING IN 101:
THE DANISH TAX SYSTEM (FOR EXPATS) PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH.COM
TEXT LAURA WINTEMUTE
LAURA WINTEMUTE
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IT’S THAT TIME of year again when the topic of conversation for most people in Denmark revolves around tax returns. Over the past month, you’ve likely heard the questions, ‘Did you get anything back?’ or ‘Do you have to pay?’ For some reason, every year it’s always a surprise to many, when we open that digital post from SKAT to see the answer. The Danish tax system is a complicated matter of rules and laws. You don’t need to be familiar with all of them, but as an expat, it’s really important to know the basics in order to avoid substantial monetary consequences. To try and get a better understanding of SKAT as an expat, I spoke with Lars Høj Kallesøe, CEO of Expat Tax Denmark. I had the pleasure of working alongside Lars for many years in one of the largest Mobility Services companies in Denmark. Lars specialises in global mobility and tax compliance for expats in Denmark. He has an extensive knowledge and has spent the last 15 years working with Expats moving in and out of Denmark, assisting them with their Danish taxes. I had many questions for Lars, but the following I feel are most pertinent:
What do you think is the biggest challenge for expats? Knowing the difference between preliminary income assessment (forskudsopgørelse) and final tax assessment notice (årsopgørelse). Preliminary income assessment is your “income and tax budget” during the year. Final tax assessment is the final tax statement issued after year end. If the preliminary is incorrect the final will be incorrect as well. The biggest mistake internationals make when it comes to tax compliance in Denmark is forgetting to declare foreign income.
What are some tax deductions expats wouldn’t think about? Many forget to claim any loan interest expenses from abroad, shares
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OWNER, HOMESTEAD Laura is Canadian. After years of liv-
H O M E S T E A D T I P : W H E N I T CO M E S TO D A N I S H TA X E S , W E H AV E O N LY O N E T I P. . . H I R E A N ACCO U N TA N T !
ing abroad and travelling the world, she moved to Denmark in 2007 and started her new life as an expat living in Denmark. Laura’s experience working in the Dan-
or stocks, mandatory spouse or child allowances etc. Many don’t know that they can also claim millage between home and work if they travel more than 24km per day. Even trade union fees can be deducted in their Danish tax return.
What if they have property back home and are still tax liable? It depends on the tax agreement between Denmark and their home country, but the main rule is, that you will be taxable on your global income in Denmark. This also means that you will be taxable in Denmark on income from renting out property abroad – or have to pay Danish real estate tax of the property if not rented out. If you have a loan on the property – any interest expenses can be used to reduce your Danish income tax in the same way as Danish interest expenses.
What should they remember, most important? Deadlines! If you do not have any foreign income, the Danish tax authorities will issue a final tax assessment notice primo March. Any changes to the notice should be done before May 1. If you file before this deadline – you can within four years apply to the Danish tax authorities to have the final tax assessment re-opened, in order to rectify any discrepancies. If you have foreign income or property, the Danish tax authorities will NOT issue a final tax assessment notice automatically in March. Then you’d have an “extended tax return” and you must submit your tax return no later than July 1. If you don’t meet this deadline – penalties up to DKK 5,000 could be added to your final tax. THE-INTL
ish relocation industry, encapsulating both her experience as an ex-pat and her desire for helping people, which is WHY she started Homestead. Homestead offers Settling in Services and Workshops focusing on the day to day challenges of expats, as well as the cultural differences in both their work and daily life. “In House” consultations for International employees are also one of Homestead’s specialties. Customized, personal consultations focusing on the individual employee. Homestead. We are You’re Settling in Experts.
www.homesteaddenmark.com
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COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
EXTROVERT OR INTROVERT, FINDING YOUR TRIBE IN A NEW LOCATION IS A TOP PRIORITY. PHOTOGRAPHS JULIBEHRENDTBEXKENS.COM / LINDSEY SCAIFE / UNSPLASH.COM
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I’VE SOMETIMES WONDERED if international living is an extroverts’ game. You have to leave the home comforts of long-held friendships and invest in getting to know new people, explaining where you’re from, telling your story… I know the introverts reading are exhausted already. But such socialising fulfils an important need: the need to find your tribe. Even introverts need community. Just because your energy reserves come from time alone, doesn’t mean you don’t need connection with others. And that’s why making those connections in a new country is the hard work that just has to get done.
COMMIT TO SOME YES TIME When I arrive somewhere new, I usually commit to a period of saying ‘yes’ to everything. I know that the people I want to make connections with are at events full of strangers; I’ve even discovered that’s it’s exhilarating to consider the possible friendships that wait in the crowd. Say ‘yes’ to every coffee morning, drinks, dinner, book group, language class…if only for a few weeks. And once you’re there, target your people. If you like someone, invite them for a quieter lunch or coffee. Then, as connections strengthen, you can start saying ‘no’, knowing that you have a network, a tribe, there for you when you need it. Here in Esbjerg, there are plenty of options for saying yes. The Newcomer Service organises a wide range of events to suit all lifestyles and interests. The kommune also supports internationals in new networking initiatives. I’m about to attend the kick-off event for the Esbjerg Women’s
Network, and a brand-new LGBT network will soon be getting together. Of course, Danish social life already revolves around clubs, if you’re ready to practise your Danish!
ONLINE TRIBES Most people will have made inroads into their new community online, before even arriving. Joining a Facebook group for internationals in the area ahead of time has practical benefits – you can find information about housing, and maybe learn that something called a CPR number will soon be your first priority. It can shift your mindset too – you start to adjust a little to your new life before arriving, and those early connections can reassure you that you’re not the only one dealing with the culture shock of Janteloven. When we first moved to France in 2009, it didn’t even occur to me to look for my soon-to-be-people online, but by the time we moved to Denmark last year, I had
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already used Instagram to find my new hairdresser. With this move, Instagram has been the surprising place where I’ve found many new connections. For example, since I followed @TheInternationalDenmark, I’ve been drawn into its community, and now I get to share its pages with inspiring bloggers and writers!
JOIN MY COMMUNITY Through my years of international living, my introvert side has had to come to terms with the fact that I also have a passion for making new connections and building community. (Just let me hide out every few days!) Which is why I’ve started a challenge on Instagram this month, to make the most of the connections that are out there, and build an even stronger community. If you want in on it, follow me there @thefrustratednester, and look out for the hashtag #MayontheMove2019. Who will you add to your international tribe, in Denmark and beyond? THE-INTL
CATRIONA TURNER WRITER AND BLOGGER Catriona is a writer and blogger currently living in Esbjerg. In the decade since leaving Scotland, she’s also lived in France, Uganda and the Republic of Congo. On her blog, The Frustrated
FIND YOUR TRIBE Start by searching any of the following on Facebook or Instagram:
Nester, she writes about Danish living, travel and the expat life. Her writing has been pu bl i s he d i n t he a nt holo g y
ESBJERG Esbjerg International Community Esbjerg Réseau des Français, Francophones et Francophiles Esbjerg – Women Network New in Esbjerg / Ny i Esbjerg
Once Upon an Expat. She’s currently working on a memoir of what home means, and is also a freelance copy-editor and proofreader.
DENMARK Expat in Denmark The International Denmark British Expats in Denmark
BEYOND Two Fat Expats The International Women’s Club Girl Gone International
Follow The Frustrated Nester: www.thefrustratednester.com www.facebook.com/thefrustratednester @thefrustratednester
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RUBY-RED RHUBARB In Denmark, rhubarb is a beloved late-spring visitor that grows easily at this time of year, and you’ll find it in cakes, tarts, sauces and even yoghurt! Growing up in the Midwestern states of America, I enjoyed an abundance of rhubarb with its sour, distinct flavour. Each spring, I welcome it with open arms as a reminder that summer is just around the corner! PHOTOGRAPHS ERIN CHAPMAN
TEXT ERIN CHAPMAN, THE AMERICAN PIE COMPANY
OLD SCHOOL RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE CRUST
15g butter, cold 150g flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1 /4 teaspoon salt 50-60ml, cold water
FILLING
400g rhubarb, cleaned and chopped 250g sugar 250ml cream 3 eggs 40g flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt Egg wash for brushing crust
METHOD FOR THE CRUST
Cut the cold butter into cubes, and keep chilled in the refrigerator. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Place cold butter cubes into the flour mixture and, using a pastry blender or a fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until smaller chunks form. Continue to do this until you have a mixture with pea-sized butter chunks and few larger grapesized butter chunks left in it. Drizzle in the cold water and, using a rubber spatula, begin to bring the dough together by pressing it against the side of the bowl. If you feel it’s still a bit dry add another teaspoon or two of water. Use your hands to finish bringing the dough together, working quickly so the butter chunks won’t melt in the warmth of your hands, but pressing hard enough so you don’t have any pockets or dry spots in the center of your dough together into a ball. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap, then flatten into a round disk. This will make it easier to roll out later. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
FILLING & ASSEMBLING
THIS IS MY 98-YEAR OLD GRANDMA’S FAVOURITE WAY TO ENJOY RHUBARB, AND SHE STILL MAKES IT TODAY. IT’S ONE OF THE SIMPLEST PIE RECIPES TO MAKE WITH THE PERFECT BALANCE OF TART AND SWEET.
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To roll out the dough, flour a clean surface and roll out with a rolling pin until the dough is about 4-5 cm larger than your pie pan (24cm pie pan). Roll the edges in and crimp or flute the edge of your pie dough by pressing it between your first finger and thumb on one hand, and your first finger on the other hand. Chill the prepared crust until ready to fill as desired. Preheat the oven to 1750C / 350 F Clean and chop the rhubarb into small pieces. Place ➤
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➤ the rhubarb into the bottom of the
prepared pie shell. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cream, eggs, flour, vanilla, and salt until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the top of the rhubarb.
FINISH & BAKE
Brush the pie dough edges with egg wash and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender, the filling is set, and the crust is golden brown. If your crust begins to brown too soon, cover pie with foil and continue to bake. Allow to cool completely before serving.
ERIN CHAPMAN CO-OWNER, THE AMERICAN PIE COMPANY With over 20 years’ experience in the advertising industry, working both in Denmark and USA, Erin has specialised in brand building and image development for lifestyle, food and fashion clientele at both national and international level. Erin attended DIS, Denmark’s Study Abroad programme in 1996 and made a connection with Copenhagen. She moved to Denmark permanently in 1998 with two suitcases and a pocketful of change. Working in the ad-
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB GIN FIZZ CELEBRATE SPRING WITH THE INFAMOUS STRAWBERRY/RHUBARB COMBINATION IN A FRESH AND FIZZY COCKTAIL. YOU CAN MAKE THE SIMPLE SYRUP AHEAD OF TIME, SO YOU’RE READY TO SHAKE UP YOUR COCKTIALS WHEN COMPANY POPS BY.
SIMPLE SYRUP
400g rhubarb, cleaned and chopped 400g strawberries, cleaned and chopped 225g sugar 350ml water
COCKTAIL (MAKES 2 COCKTAILS)
Juice of 1 lemon (2 tablespoons) 2-3 leaves of mint 150ml strawberry rhubarb simple syrup 85ml gin Ice Sparkling water Lemon, mint, strawberries or rhubarb for garnish
TO MAKE THE SIMPLE SYRUP
Add the simple syrup ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium low heat until the fruit is soft and broken down (about 20-25 min). Allow to cool. Once cooled, pour the mixture through a fine sieve, into a mixing bowl, pressing the mixture gently with a spoon to strain the liquid through. Pour the syrup into a jar and refrigerate until your ready to prepare your cocktails.
TO MAKE THE COCKTAIL
vertising industry she worked her way up as a senior creative, as well as a voiceover artist, and then began her own brand and design business in 2006. Merging her love for food and art direction, she began food styling and cookbook design for other authors, and then proceeded to continue with recipe development, publishing two cookbooks in Denmark. While living in Los Angeles, Erin worked with several US brands on image and recipe development and upon returning to Denmark, she partnered with Dorte Prip in 2015 to introduce The American Pie Company in Copenhagen. Erin is happily married to her Danish husband and is the mother of a sassyfive year old daughter who speaks fluent “Danglish”. www.theamericanpieco.com
Using a mortar and pestle, gently muddle the lemon juice and mint leaves, just until the mint leaves are crushed. Pour the mixture into a shaker, and add the strawberry rhubarb simple syrup, gin and ice. Shake until combined. Pour the mixture into a stylish cocktail tumbler with ice, and top off with a bit of sparkling water for added fizz. Garnish with your choice of lemon slices, mint, sliced strawberries, or rhubarb.
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WHAT IS IN A NAME? NAV IGATI N G DE N M AR K ’S S T R ICT BABY- NA M I N G L AW. PHOTOGRAPHS JUDY WANJIKU JØRGENSEN / ISTOCK PHOTO
TEXT JUDY WANJIKU JØRGENSEN
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THE RATIONALE BEHIND century-old law is that children should not suffer from ridicule or bullying because of their parent's unusual name choice. If you are giving birth in Denmark and, like me, you wish to give your baby an ‘unorthodox’ name get ready to navigate one of the world’s strictest naming laws. In 2013, I gave birth to my first son in Kenya; my husband and I chose to follow the Kenyan-African traditional naming culture. Traditional names in my culture go much further than the identity that appears on paper. Names hold a more profound significance, often as a prelude to the baby’s future personality. Names tell a unique story, and since my pregnancy had been hell, we choose the name Fadhili, Swahili for compassion. Shortly after the birth of our first child, I relocated to join my Danish husband in Aarhus. Like many foreigners, I went through the motions of integrating and culture shock. The real culture shock though came after the birth of my second son in Denmark. Until then, I had never heard of the Danish baby naming law. Nothing had prepared me for the frustrating bureaucracy involved in the process.
Judy is a Kenyan, and mother of two
PROTECTING DENMARK’S CHILDREN
Afro-Viking boys. She first moved to
As shocking or fascinating as it may sound, the law requires parents to choose the first name from a list of godkendte fornavne (approved names) on the Ankestyrelsen (Danish Act on Names) website. One might be surprised to learn that in a country of more than five million people, only 22,251 girl names are pre-approved, 18,195 boy names, and 1,054 unisex names. The century-old Danish law is there to protect children from names that are detrimental or embarrassing to their self-esteem. In fact, out of more than 1,000 names sent for approval each year, almost 15 per cent are rejected. Names such as Anus, Monkey, Ikea, Petit, Bandito or Ashleiy are not allowed. According to the rules of approval, your child’s name must need to show his or her gender.
JUSTIFY YOUR CHILD’S NAME What happens if you find that your desired name is not on the list of approved first names? This is where the law gets intriguing or confusing. In the six months when our son’s name was under review we were limited to how we got to introduce him to other people – we had to make do with calling him lille bror (little brother). On submitting his name to the local parish, which forwarded the application to Familiestyrelsen (The Family Court), we had to justify why we chose the name Faraji, and how that translates in Danish as well as its cultural relevance. Faraji means consolation in Swahili.
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JUDY WANJIKU JØRGENSEN JOURNALIST, WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER
Denmark for her MA in journalism at Aarhus University. After completing her studies, Judy found herself back
FUN FACT: ARE YOU INTERESTED IN CHECKING HOW POP-
in Aarhus, this time for love. When
ULAR YOUR NAME IS IN DENMARK? CHECK OUT DANMARK
she is not working on her writing and
STATISTIK WEBSITE, HVOR MANGE HEDDER. IN THE CASE OF MY SONS, THERE IS ONLY ONE FARAJI AND FADHILI IN DENMARK.
photography craft, Judy likes to bring people together through food. You
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NAME APPROVAL First, check the Ankestyrelsen website for godkendte fornavne (approved first names) to see if your name is on the list. Head over to www.personregistrering.dk, fill in the navngivning (name giving) form and send it to the local parish in the mother’s area of residence. This process applies to all, religious affiliation notwithstanding. Brace yourself for a long wait as the process of approval moves back and forth between the Kirkeministeriet (Ministry of Church Affairs) and the Familiestyrelsen. Once your child’s name is approved, you can proceed to make an appointment with your church, if you wish to have the child baptised. Please note a child must have a first name before they are six months old, failure to which you may incur a fine. THE-INTL Sources: Ask.dk. Borger.dk. Alt.dk. Folkekirken.dk. Retsinformation.dk
can follow more of Judy’s experiences on her blog ‘Memoirs of a Kenyan mom abroad’.
www.judywanderi.net
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DISRUPTION AND DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION HOW TO CHANGE CHALLENGE INTO OPPORTUNITY.
PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCK PHOTO
TEXT MARIANO ANTHONY DAVIES
MARIANO ANTHONY DAVIES PRESIDENT & CEO BOSS CERTIFICATION UK LIMITED Mariano has over 30 years'
WHAT DO I MEAN BY DISRUPTION? At its core, disruption is best defined as the act of offering better value in the same industry. Disruption is the ability to create a market where there was none and in so doing this leaves industry leading companies without an appropriate response. Examples include the introduction of the smart phone. Nokia was very late in adapting its cell phones into smart phones and this cost them significant market share. In Denmark alone, Nokia was forced to close a regional office with more than 1,000 employees. Netflix was a disruptor to Blockbuster in the home video and DVD market. In fact, the latter eventually went out of business because they couldn’t compete with Netflix’ initial business plan of home delivery. A disruptive company shatters the status quo, seizing a clear opportunity that key players deemed irrelevant or were unaware of through complacency.
DISRUPTION OR INNOVATION? This then begs the question: Where does innovation stop and disruption begin? There is no clear line as they can overlap and even be unconditionally linked. Disruption can be a form of innovation as much as innovation can be disruptive. Disruptive Innovation takes place when “thinking outside the box” becomes a sound business model, and as a result a
novel idea becomes sustainable. Good examples include Airbnb (an online market place hotel alternative for overnight stays with more than 2 million locations in 192 countries and over 33.000 towns) and Uber (with online access to cheap alternative taxi transport worldwide). It is noteworthy that Airbnb does not own any property and Uber does not own any vehicles. They are both innovative digital services.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of any business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It's also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo. Because digital transformation will look different for every company, it can be hard to pinpoint a definition that applies to all. However, in general terms, digital transformation is defined as the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business resulting in fundamental changes to how businesses operate and how they deliver value to customers. There are a number of reasons why a business may undergo digital transformation, but by far, the most likely reason is that they have to. It's a survival issue for many. An IDC research paper ‘FutureScape:
Worldwide Digital Transformation 2018 Predictions’ has come to the conclusion that, by the end of 2019, digital transformation spending will reach USD 1.7 trillion worldwide, which is a 42 per cent increase from 2017.
global experience as a busi-
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR REVENUE GENERATION
ning his own companies) and
In recent years, there has been a fundamental shift in the role of IT. CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) increasingly want their CIOs (Chief Information Officers) to help generate revenue for their organisations. Almost two thirds (64 per cent) of the respondents to the 2017 “Harvey Nash/KPMG CIO Survey” of more than 4,600 CIOs say that their CEO wants the IT organisation to focus on how to make money rather than save money. No longer are companies building software or running IT for cost savings and operations, but rather IT has become the primary driver of business innovation and revenue generation. Embracing this shift requires everyone in the company to rethink the role and impact of IT in their day-to-day work. THE-INTL
ness executive. He spent ten years with KPMG, twenty-one years with British Chambers of Commerce (while also runnow BOSS Certification. He is a British citizen, who grew up in Kent, went to boarding school in Sussex and has a British university education. He has been married to a Dane for over 42 years and has held over 100 official anti-Brexit speeches. He both speaks and writes Danish without difficulty. www.boss-register.com
Danish organisations have been at the forefront of the first wave of digitisation. This is one of the reasons why the European Commission continues to acknowledge Denmark as the most digital economy and society in the EU.
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RAISING MULTILINGUAL FAMILIES MORE AND MORE, FAMILIES IN DENMARK ARE RAISING CHILDREN IN BILINGUAL AND MULTILINGUAL HOMES. HERE ARE MY 5 TOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE YOUR MULTICULTURAL FAMILY JOURNEY A SUCCESSFUL ONE.
PHOTOGRAPHS DANIELA TRIFILETTI
TEXT DANIELA TRIFILETTI
DANIELA TRIFILETTI ABOUT OUR FAMILY:
Children are exposed to Spanish, Danish, English, Swedish and Italian OPOL (One Parent, One Language) is our family method We aim for our children to have two mother tongues We have a strong community of Spanish/Danish speaking families
T TODAY IT IS
relatively normal to meet families where parents, and even grandparents, come from very different corners of the world, meaning that the coming generations are some of those lucky ones to be exposed to different languages from early on in life. In Europe more than 54% of its population is able to hold a conversation in an additional language to that of their own, and around 25% can do it in two additional languages. In Denmark, the number of multilingual families is increasing steadily. Nevertheless, families in this path face a number of special challenges when considering the amount of resources at hand, in a country such as Denmark, in order to strengthen minority languages. The size of the country and the limited amount of international communities can pose certain defies, however there are a number
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of recommendations to follow to surpass this and successfully raise children in a bilingual or multilingual home.
#1 SET YOUR FAMILY GOALS A successful journey normally comes after setting the path to follow. Analyse your families resources and decide some basic starting points by answering certain key questions. For example; how many languages will be spoken in the family, what is the proficiency of the parents in this language and which level of proficiency are you targeting for your children to have.
goals, always considering the resources at hand and the dynamics of your family. Don’t impose personal wishes over those of the family; everyone needs to be part of the plan for it to be successful.
#4 INVOLVE EVERYONE AROUND YOU It does take a village to raise a child, so share your plan and your knowledge with everyone around you and your family. Involve your extended family, friends and caretakers in the process. And in case you are faced with challenges or unsupportive replies, be sure to share the knowledge acquired.
#2 DO YOUR HOMEWORK
#5 BE READY
Just like any big project, raising a multilingual family requires a good set of knowledge. Inform yourself, break the myths, research on the different popular methods and consider the ups and downs of this journey. The better informed you are, the easier it will be to continue when faced challenges.
The hardest part about raising multilingual families is not the learning process for the children but the teaching process for the parents. The journey will be tough, filled with questions and even unexpected challenges, yet it will be a rewarding one. Surround yourselves with others in the same journey and you’ll find a great community to support you all the way through. Remember this will be without a doubt one of your biggest gifts to the coming generations. THE-INTL
#3 MAKE A FAMILY PLAN With the goals you set in the beginning and with the knowledge you gather later on, you are able to set a plan, one that you can follow over the different stages of this process. Keep in mind to set realistic
Source: European Comission, Europeans and Languages Report 2012
EXPAT FAMILY EXPERT BLOGGER AT MY DANISH FAMILY Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Daniela came to Aarhus to complete her education in Journalism in 2013. Life, however, had better plans and shortly after she became the wife of a multicultural Dane and the mother of two multilingual children, thereby making Denmark her new home. Her passion for human and social relations, writing and cultural understanding shaped her everyday life as it is today. Besides running her online community and blog at My Danish Family, she is an active member of large international communities in Denmark, engages actively in internationalisation initiatives and loves drinking coffee with new people.
www.mydanishfamily.dk
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SUMMER SCHOOL
ADVENTURES
Copenhagen International Summer School looks forward to welcoming students from all over the world to an active and engaging time of learning, exploration, adventure and summer fun in a safe, positive, enlightening and creative environment.
PHOTOGRAPH COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
TEXT
ALISON BLACK-STORM - COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
EARLY YEARS CAMP FOR STUDENTS BETWEEN 4 AND 7 YEARS OLD Daily activities include crafts, music, movement and educational games organised in a child-centred, interestbased setting.
SUMMER SCHOOL CAMP FOR CHILDREN AGED 8-12 A range of thematic camps within a variety of areas; ✱ English Language, (8 - 12 years old and 13 - 17 years old) ✱ Exploration ✱ Creativity ✱ Sport
THE 2019 CIS Summer School will take place at a purpose-built state-of-the art sustainable building in Nordhavn, right on the water – housing some of the best educational facilities in town. Our qualified educators are dedicated to ensuring that your child will have an enjoyable and enriching experience with plenty of opportunities to make new friends, learn new skills, have lots of fun and stay healthy during the first two weeks of the summer holidays. The programme will run for from June 24 to July 5 (week 26 and 27) from 09:00 - 15:00 and is open to all children, including CIS students, students from other schools, Danish children and children visiting Denmark and the Copenhagen area. All programmes are taught in English.
Students are signed up on a weekly basis for one camp so they can horizontally expand their knowledge in a specific field during the week. If you have older children please note that English Language Camp also is open to children aged 13 - 17.
FEE: 3,000 DKK per week. You can sign up for one or two weeks. Before school and after school care will be available from 08:00 - 09:00 and 15:00 - 16:00 Monday - Friday free of charge. Morning fruits, lunch and afternoon snack are included.
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HEY SIRI... I’M UP! WAKING UP WITH MY VOICE-ASSISTED TECHNOLOGY. PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS
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TEXT SUZAAN SAUERMAN
THESE ARE USUALLY the first words I speak when I wake up. Everyone has a morning routine. About six months ago, I decided to drastically change mine due to feeling so anxious waking up each morning with all the social channels flickering with messages and updates. I have always been a believer in the offering we can find in wearables and hearables and have become a big supporter of voice communication. Interacting with these devices made me predict that we will speak to the internet rather than staring into screens. I usually wake up before my alarm, so by simply saying ‘Hey Siri, I’m up’, my alarm deactivates and some of my smart Philips Hue lights switch on. Next question to Siri, ‘What’s up today?’ the intelligent personal assistant proceeds to tell me the date, opens up my calendar and reads out my appointments. Next up, ‘Siri, please play global news update’ which opens the latest BBC Global News podcast. I usually start my day with a short run or walk, so after a quick cup of warm water with lemon, I’m out of the door. AirPods in – Hey Siri, play running list. Off we go. When I get home, the music automatically connects to my HomePod and B&O sound system. I usually ask the voice computing platform to switch to a specific podcast or classic music playlist whilst I get ready to start the day. When ready, I ask Siri once more to recap what’s happening today. This helps me decide on what to wear, whether I will have to go from day to night. Followed by a quick espresso and grapefruit, I’m out of the door, jumping on my bike or taking a shared electric car, to wherever I’m starting my business day. And, because I have my ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode switched on from 10pm until 8am each day, I only receive messages, calls and other content after 8am. (Your favourite/emergency contacts can always reach you despite this setting, so make sure it’s updated).
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Personally, I can never go back to a life where I wake up, staring into the screen. My mind feels fresher and I somehow feel more relieved not waking up to a list of messages starring at me. A tip: You can set up your favourite Siri commands in Shortcuts to make life even more convenient. If you are an Android user, you can use Hey Google in the exact same way. Amazon’s Alexa also interacts within both iOS & Android ecosystems. THE-INTL
SUZAAN SAUERMAN TECH CONSULTANT & INVESTOR Suzaan has spend the past 19 years working for various technology brands, leading and transforming global marketing organisations, developing innovative product portfolio’s, driving digital transformation and creating consumer product experiences. Today she has her own consultancy, helping fitness, wellness and fashion brands to intersect with technology. She is also a tech investor, columnist and keynote speaker. In her spare time she likes to stay fit by running and training at The Wolfpack Gym. She loves food and wine, and is always scouting the best places to eat around the city. She has been travelling, living and working in most continents of the world and currently lives in Copenhagen K.
Follow her on:
"PERSONALLY, I CAN NEVER GO BACK TO A LIFE WHERE I WAKE UP, STARING INTO THE SCREEN." - SUZAAN SAUERMAN
@suzaansauerman @suzaansauerman @linkedin.com/in/suzaan
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B e s t BEAUTY BUYS
WHAT’S IN YOUR MAKE-UP BAG? HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT OTHER WOMEN CARRY IN THEIR MAKE-UP BAGS? WELL, WE TAKE A LOOK INSIDE A COUPLE OF OUR READERS’ BAGS AND FIND OUT WHICH BEAUTY PRODUCTS THEY SIMPLY CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT.
BARBARA'S FAVOURITE BEAUTY BUYS BODY SHOP VITAMIN E WIPES: Generally, facial wipes are good for all skin types and ensure skin stays supple and fresh. In addition, they're a great way to remove make-up on those lazy days. DKK 75 / BODY SHOP
MAYBELLINE NEW YORK, BABY LIPS:
ANNIKA TERRERO WOOD, 25, BUSINESS ECONOMIST
BARBARA MENSAH BEAUTY EDITOR & MAKEUP ARTIST
This Maybelline lip balm is cheap and cheerful. Gives added moisture to lips and the fact that it's boosted with a SPF 20, it certainly gets the thumbs up. DKK 39.95 / MATAS
Barbara was born in England,
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP CASE:
International Makeup Artist
This make-up case is a dream. It’s large enough to hold all your favourite beauty products and small enough to take with you anywhere. Extremely durable, easy to carry and store away. DKK 486.78/ ASOS.COM
for 11 years and a profession-
London and relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark in 2017. She has been a professional
al Lash Stylist for 3 years. After moving to Copenhagen, Denmark, Barbara became the owner of Barbara
“Lashes have always been the most important part of my look. I started using mascara at the age of 14 and since then I have always tried to make my lashes look their best. Whenever I don’t have lash extensions on or lash lift, mascara is the one item I cannot be without. My second item is eyeliner. I feel this is super useful to give me a refreshed look, especially when I’m travelling and want to take lots of pictures.”
Mensah Beauty Studio. Her stylish, cosy and chic studio provides a welcoming, comfortable space for clients to spend their time getting glammed and pampered for
➥
those special moments and occasions.
VITAMIN E WIPES BABY LIPS
All bookings for Lash Ex-
➥
tension and Makeup can be made via her social media or
➥
MAKEUP CASE
tel: +45 53564504
barbaramensah. beauty@gmail.com
VAISHALI PATEL, 28, BEAUTICIAN
“I love perfumes, so for me I would have to choose my Dior Pure Poison perfume. This fragrance makes me feel fabulous and it lasts all day, all night. My second favourite product is my Lakmé mousse foundation. Now, this is gold to me. It gives me the smoothest finish to my face and gives me a flawless finish, which I think every makeup lover is in search of.”
@barbaramensahbeauty @barbara.mensah. beauty
ED'S PICK!
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JUTLAND
A WARM WELCOME TO AARHUS Aarhus and Eastern Jutland is home to many internationally-minded companies and organisations that all contribute to the internationalisation of this particular area. International Community will take you by the hand and show you the diverse scene on which internationalisation is built. This month we are visiting The Warm Welcome Society. PHOTOGRAPHS THE WARM WELCOME SOCIETY / UNSPLASH.COM
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THE WARM WELCOME Society Aarhus is a citizen-driven initiative that brings together associations, volunteers, educational institutions and Aarhus Municipality to welcome all new citizens to Aarhus. We all know how important it is to create a good social foundation so that you can share and grow your interests when you move to a new city. When you start to work or study, these needs can also be met by your fellow colleagues and students, but often these activities take place in and around the workplace or university. The Warm Welcome Society aims to complement this network by showing you the wide variety of interest-based communities that exist in Aarhus. It can be difficult, as new citizen in a city, to get an
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TEXT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AARHUS
about 6-8 of the city’s most welcoming associations, communities and urban projects within your particular field of interest. We host these evenings in October/November and March/April. During the evening you will also be able to arrange a group visit to the organisation that you find most interesting. These visits are usually carried out during the weeks following the welcome evening. The Warm Welcome Society therefore hopes to give you a better chance to get started with new hobbies (or become re-acquainted with old hobbies) – and not least we’ll help you find places where you feel at home and can make new friendships across studies, jobs and nationalities. All welcome evenings are hosted in English so everyone can participate.
OUR ROOTS overview of everything the city offers, and this is where we can help. We believe that by combining associations in clear themes and inviting you to small cosy events, we can help you get an overview.
HOW DO WE DO THIS? When you register as a citizen in Aarhus, the municipality will automatically send you an e-boks invitation to the Warm Welcome Society’s welcome evenings. But you don’t necessarily have to wait for this invitation, you can also see varmvelkomstaarhus.dk/en/welcome/ and sign up for whichever welcome evening interests you most. You can choose according to your favourite theme or if more than one theme interests you, just choose the date that suits you best. We have eight different themes ranging from singing, music and dancing to food, urban gardening and sustainability. The evenings take place in the marvellous halls of Vanebrudspalæet in the centre of Aarhus where volunteer citizen hosts will introduce the group to
The Warm Welcome Society is a citizens’ initiative started by the non-profit organisation GIVISME and Thomas VovemoD. From day one, there was strong support from the city’s higher education institutions, as well as Aarhus municipality, each of which has helped to develop and promote the project. We focus on Danish and interna¬tional students between 18-30 years, but everyone is welcome. We also work closely with International Community and other like-minded organisations in Aarhus. And obviously, we wouldn’t exist without the support of the actual freetime communities, which currently number around 72. The Warm Welcome Society is the perfect example of cooperation between citizen initiatives and the municipality and fits nicely in with the Active Citizenship Policy that was created by the municipality of Aarhus and over 700 citizens in Aarhus. The Warm Welcome Society is run by a voluntary association and has existed since 2016. The association Warm Welcome Society Aarhus is a non-political and non-religious association. See more atvarmvelkomstaarhus.dk/ en/welcome/ or join our Facebook Group called The Warm Welcome Society. So, all that remains now is to say WELCOME TO AARHUS! THE-INTL
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY We offer a wide range of events, seminars and online activities that help internationals get settled in Denmark. Learn more on our website or follow us on: @internationalcommunityAarhus @internationalcommunityaarhus
www.erhvervaarhus.dk www.international community.dk
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WHAT'S ON IN AARHUS You know it’s May when the city goes from stirring to buzzing. Time to spruce up your appearance, awaken your taste buds with exotic cuisine and learn something new along the way. PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS
TEXT BARBARA BALFOUR
GET INSTAGRAM-WORTHY EYEBROWS If you’ve always wanted to master the art of contour, Instagram-worthy eyebrows or the perfect nude lip, sign up for a free class at the city’s flagship Sephora store. They’re held every Thursday from 4pm to 5pm; be sure to book ahead as classes fill up early.
BARBARA BALFOUR
TASTE GEORGIAN CUISINE
■ NØRREGADE 32, 8000 AARHUS ■ WWW.LOEVES.DK/BOGCAFE
The city’s only Georgian wine list can be found at newly opened restaurant Bardok, which presents a unique menu of fusion dishes from across Eastern Europe, Italy and Turkey. Order khinkali, the infamous Georgian soup dumplings, and Caucasusinspired kebabs cooked over a real charcoal grill. ■ ÅBOULEVARDEN 51, 8000 AARHUS ■ BARDOK.DK
LOEVES
■ AROS ALLÉ 2, 8000 AARHUS ■ EN.AROS.DK
BARDOK
UNSPLASH.COM
AARHUS COCKTAIL FESTIVAL
In addition to housing literary festivals, book clubs, wine tastings and cultural events, Løve's Bog-og Vin Café is the regular haunt of several poetry clubs in town. On May 8, May 15, and May 22, come hear poetry performed in a variety of languages and accompanied by music, from 7:30pm onwards.
AARHUS COCKTAIL FESTIVAL
ART & PORN
It’s been 50 years since the ban on visual pornography was lifted in Denmark. What better way to celebrate than with a trip to the museum? The new Art & Porn exhibition at ARoS highlights how art in public spaces has been influenced by sexual and erotic imagery. Danish and international artists, including Annie Sprinkle, Elmgreen & Dragset, and Jeff Koons, will be featured in the exhibit from May 29 to September 8.
TELEVISION HOST, PRODUCER, PUBLIC SPEAKER, AND INTERNATIONAL PRINT JOURNALIST.
LOEVES
POETRY PERFORMANCES
SEPHORA
■ RYESGADE 16, 8000 AARHUS ■ SEPHORA.DK
AARHUS COCKTAIL FESTIVAL
Indulge in creative libations by the city’s best bartenders at the Aarhus Cocktail Festival, held May 24-25. For 245 kroner, your ticket gets you a range of cocktails from negronis and pina coladas to whiskey sours and espresso martinis. ■ RIDEHUSET, VESTER ALLE 1, 8000 AARHUS ■ WWW.AARHUS COCKTAILFESTIVAL.DK
In addition to hosting a live talk show, she writes regularly for BBC World News, The Globe and Mail, and ELLE, to name a few. She has published two children’s books, cont r i bu te d to tou r i s m guidebooks on Iceland and Chile, and co-edited an anthology of essays on Canada-European Union relations. Her work has taken her to over 40 countries, but she currently calls Aarhus home. When she’s not curled up with a good book and a hazelnut hot chocolate, you might be able to find her spinning away on the dance floor of a salsa club, or nestled in a window seat on a plane, en route to some exotic new destination. www.barbarabalfour.com
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KENNEL COUGH What is kennel cough? And, how can you best protect and treat your pets.
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JUST LIKE YOU, your pet may catch an occasional cold, caused by any number of different pathogens; the most common being the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica. Kennel Cough, not uncommon among dogs or cats, is a contagious respiratory disease, which, like the common cold, will usually go away on its own without treatment.
CONTRACTING THE COUGH – NOT JUST IN THE KENNEL Kennel cough can be transmitted to your dog instantly. All it takes is for the infected dog to breathe on, cough on, or touch anything your dog is likely to touch. The name itself can be slightly misleading. Dogs can contract kennel cough outside of a kennel through meeting other dogs in the park, at pet stores, during obedience classes, or grooming facilities, and can easily be spread from one dog to another. Any contact in a crowded or poorly ventilated area will increase the risk of exposure. Often, there can be multiple infectious agents at play working to compromise your pooch’s health. And just like humans, when dogs are stressed, their immunity is reduced. So, bear in in mind that travel-induced stress or the stress of being away from you can make your dog more susceptible to contracting the virus. Like the common cold, exposure may occur long before you begin to notice symptoms in your dog .
TEXT TAREK ABU SHAM
prescribe medications that can reduce symptoms and speed up recovery. He or she may also elect to conduct an x-ray to rule out pneumonia or other serious infections. The best way to prevent a kennel cough infection is to take precautions: keep him/her away from known infected dogs and ask your dog's playmates’ parents if they are up to date with their vaccinations. If you have no option other than boarding your dog, check with your veterinarian about vaccine options begun a few weeks before boarding. There is no single vaccine, like the flu vaccine, but the injection, nasal mist, or tablet options may make any contracted infection less severe.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU! Pet-agrees is not just about providing exercise and attention for your pets while you’re busy or out of town. By choosing us you’ll have the advantage of having a veterinarian look after your pet. Pet-agrees is owned by a trained veterinarian. Send us a message today! THE-INTL
TAREK ABU SHAM OWNER, THE PET-AGREES Tarek was born in Amman, Jordan and from an early age has had a love for animals. He met his spouse in Amman and then soon embarked on an expat lifestyle that took him to Dubai, Prague, and now Copenhagen. Originally a veterinarian,
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Tarek reinvented himself profes-
The cough itself can be dry or wet and will likely be a hacking cough, occasionally accompanied by gagging. Some would even say it sounds like a goose honk. Persistent and forceful, the cough may appear as though your dog is choking on something. Anything that causes pressure on your dog’s trachea – pulling on a leash, exercise, or simple excitement - can bring on the cough. Occasionally, dogs with kennel cough may also present other symptoms like a runny nose or discharge from the eyes. In severe cases, your dog may have a fever, be lethargic and not want to eat, and may progress to pneumonia. Just as with humans, some dogs may carry the infection and not show any symptoms at all and pass it on to other dogs. So, sometimes a dog may seem ok and safe for your dog to play with, but in reality, he/she could be carrying a nasty bug.
sionally and decided to launch his
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION If you think your dog may have kennel cough, please keep him away from other dogs, in a well-humified area, use a harness instead of a collar, and if necessary, visit your veterinarian. While the infection may be resolved on its own, your veterinarian may
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own company. With The Pet-agrees, Tarek has combined his veterinary experience with his entrepreneurial spirit. He cares for pets in the Copenhagen area, offering services including pet-sitting, walking, and more to come soon.
IF YOU THINK YOUR DOG MAY HAVE KENNEL COUGH, PLEASE KEEP HIM/HER AWAY FROM OTHER DOGS, IN A WELL-HUMIDIFIED AREA, USE A HARNESS INSTEAD OF A COLLAR, AND IF NECESSARY, VISIT YOUR VETERINARIAN.
www.thepetagrees.com
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BLOGGER COLUMN
SUMMER LEARNING Summer is just around the corner, Béranger Stark Morel shares his top tips for getting the most out of learning Danish when the days are long and weather is fine.
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH.COM
TEXT BERANGER STARK MOREL
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ONE OF THE more difficult dilemmas that I experienced when learning Danish in the summer was the great weather outside. This makes your job of studying even harder – longing to be outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather. We hope the summer to be just as warm as last year (at least I do!) and studying Danish suddenly becomes another challenge. Let’s admit it, having to go to your evening classes to learn Danish when all your friends are having a good time after work, is not always a fun experience. Neither is having to do your homework on weekends when the family is going to the beach. However, there are many ways to optimise your learning at this time of the year. Let’s look at some of them, which I hope will help you get through your summer learning.
OUTDOOR LEARNING For obvious reasons, you may have to attend day or evening classes at your local Danish language school. After school, Denmark spoils us with many options to practice Danish in a nice environment. I used to read a lot of books in parks. Just take a stroll around your neighbourhood, make it a challenge to find new parks, new benches. Use the space to get some air while learning Danish. When walking to the park, pay attention to all the signs, road names, shop names. There is so much vocabulary waiting for to discover. Make the most of it and take it all in. Being outside when doing your homework is great because you still get to listen to locals passing beside you talking in Danish. While eavesdropping isn’t something you should be doing, for the sake of learning Danish, let’s agree that it is acceptable! After all we are only trying our best to integrate into this beautiful country we call home.
EXPERIENCE LEARNING Summer brings so many opportunities to get out there and discover new places. This is why combining the weather with your practice of Danish can become extremely valuable. Go visit a museum, ride your bike to the beach and read a Danish book while enjoying an ice-cream, or even go to an outdoor cinema screening. I used to do a lot of weekend trips. Being based in Copenhagen, I really enjoyed taking the bus to other locations in Denmark. I discovered amazing places such as Århus, Skagen, Odense and Bornholm, to name a few. Personally, I found weekend trips to be very helpful, because I got to hear new accents, learn new expressions, and taste other types of local food (especially pastries!) But above all, I met great friends who helped me improve my spoken Danish and dive deeper into their culture.
REWARD YOURSELF Being committed is very important if you want to improve fast and become better at Danish. But it is a real struggle to stay focused with learning Danish when you also have a day or evening job to take care of, studies at university, kids to look after, super social friends, the latest Game of Thrones episode to watch… Remember to treat yourself once in a while for the great
work you are putting in. Have a drink with other students who are going through the same process as you, exchange on your successes and challenges. Don’t lose sight of the very first Danish class you took and see how much you have achieved. Whatever your goal is with Danish, make it a fun experience, especially when the weather is too good to be true. It is ok if you take some time for yourself to digest all that you have learnt. Leave some time off for your brain to process all the vocabulary and impressions you get of learning Danish. You will be surprised how much you actually know, can understand and speak. Challenge yourself all summer long and promise yourself that you will speak more and better Danish by the end of it. This way you can remember the 2019 summer as a time of success and personal satisfaction. THE-INTL
BÉRANGER STARK MOREL SALES EXECUTIVE & BLOGGER
Béranger is a French expat living in Copenhagen since 2014. He works in sales at Trustpilot. In his spare time, Béranger also manages a blog where he shares his tips and personal experience about the process of learning Danish in Denmark. @learndanishblog www.learn-danish.com
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MIND YOUR LANGUAGE Enjoy Danish authors in English. Fiction is a great way to get closer to your new neighbours and their weird ways and culture. And, it works amazingly as conversation starters. SUSAN JESSEN SPIELE LIBRARIAN Susan is a librarian at Roskilde Library, and in charge of the English section. She does English events all year; everything from expat dinners and pub quizzes, to karaoke nights and book talks. She is also busy with Roskilde Horror, a club dedicated to scaring the town.
CLASSIC FROM NOBELWINNING AUTHOR A FORTUNATE MAN BY HENRIK PONTOPPIDAN Per Sidenius grows up in a poor, very religious home in Jutland. He escapes to Copenhagen where he becomes successful and engaged to a rich Jewish heiress. Though everything is going well, he suddenly starts questioning all he has and is.
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MINIMALISTIC AND TAUT THIS SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN THE PRESENT TENSE BY HELLE HELLE D orte is twenty and adrift, pretending to study literature but she is riding the trains and clocking up random encounters. She remembers her ex, Per, and sleeps with her neighbour's boyfriend as she tries to live as an adult.
SHARP THRILLER ABOUT IDENTITY YOU DISAPPEAR BY CARSTEN JUNGERSEN Mia and Frank are happily married with a good life – until Franks personality starts to change radically due to a brain tumor. But as events begin to unravel Mia has to ask herself how much of his behavior is due to the illness?
SIMPLE YET WHIMSICAL MIRROR, SHOULDER, SIGNAL BY DORTHE NORS BY CARSTEN JUNGERSEN
DID YOU KNOW?
A public library is just that; most libraries welcome all suggestions as to the use of the rooms of the library. Many libraries
Sonja, in her forties and
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political agenda. So if
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bring the play group,
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THE DIVISIVE
WINNIE MANDELA A review of Pascale Lamche’s documentary film ‘Winnie’.
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PHOTOGRAPHS SHOSHI KORMAN / SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY IN COPENHAGEN (LINDIWE MNGUNI)
WINNIE, WAS A great success and initiated a lively debate, and a second screening on April 10. Since watching the Sundance-award-winning documentary, I have encountered strong reactions and opinions when discussing Winnie Mandela, generally negative and in stark contrast to the perspective Pascale uncovers in her film. Pascale has a deep engagement with South Africa, having lived there with her former partner and having made three films there together; Life and Death in Soweto (2001), the award-winning Sophiatown (2003) and a musical extravaganza set in Johannesburg’s own Harlem Accused Number One: Nelson Mandela (2004). But, the more controversial history they felt needed to be grappled with to understand South Africa, was the story of Winnie. For most of her 80-year life, Winnie Madikizela Mandela was either loved or loathed as a dissident or leading African National Congress (ANC) figure. While Nelson Mandela was honoured globally as a saint after his 27-year
captivity during the apartheid regime and as the first democratically elected President of South Africa, she was the on-the-ground leader of the banned ANC who kept his name alive when the apartheid state attempted to eradi-
TEXT HEATHER GARTSIDE
cate it. She witnessed first-hand the violence of the regime and encouraged black South Africans to organise underground and fight back. Winnie, although no saint, has to some extent been “fed to the wolves” in a propaganda conspiracy that the film reveals. Pascale was interested in the “lack of fit” between these vastly differing views of Winnie, and a year after mourning the death of Nelson Mandela delicately approached firstly her daughter, Zindzi Mandela – who has been the South African Ambassador to Denmark since 2015 – and then in time was given the opportunity to interview Winnie herself. After deep investigation, Pascale uncovered a new and hidden perspective and chose to present Winnie’s political trajectory from the accounts given to her by Winnie’s enemies (members of the security services), by colleagues, biographers, lawyers, journalists and family. Winnie was screened as part of the South Africa Film Festival in Copenhagen in April at Cinemateket. THE-INTL
BE KIND TO YOUR GUT... There's a lot more to your digestive system than you may think. It’s a complex set of organs that work in beautiful harmony to process the food you eat and keep you healthy. Supplementing your gut with healthy bacteria is proven to keep your body functioning optimally.
THE MAJORITY OF the body's immune system is located within the digestive system. The gut microbiota, which colonises the baby immediately after birth, is important in training the immune system to recognise and fight harmful bacteria. This helps protect the body from disease.
SO HOW DOES ONE PROTECT THE GUT AND KEEP IT IN FIGHTING SHAPE? Yakult is a fermented milk drink full of bacteria that are scientifically proven to reach the gut alive. Each little bottle contains at least 6.5 billion of a unique strain of bacteria, Lactobacillus casei Shirota discovered by scientist Dr Shirota. The strain is scientifically proven to reach the gut alive. There are absolutely no colourings whatsoever in Yakult. Its colour is a natural result of caramelisation during the production process. There are two different types of Yakult available; the original version (in the red packaging) and Yakult Light (in the blue packaging). The Light version contains less sugar – but other than that they are essentially the same – and, most importantly, both are guaranteed to contain at least 6.5 billion bacteria per bottle – perfect for optimal gut health.
NO, IT'S A LITTLE BOTTLE OF SCIENCE (NOT MAGIC)
FOR MORE ON YAKULT AND ITS HEALTH BENEFITS, VISIT YAKULT.CO.UK/YOUR-QUESTIONS
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cphstage.com #cphstage
Welcome to the biggest theater event of the year! CPH STAGE is proud to present the 7th edition of the festival with more than 100 plays, performances and events all over Copenhagen and Frederiksberg. More than 50 performances will be accessible to a non-Danish speaking audience and you will find both Danish and international productions in the program.
Jagten PĂ… det grĂ… guld - foto christoffer brekne
Visit cphstage.com for tickets & info.
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