The International May 2018 Issue by The International Denmark

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special: cph stage theatre festival

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MAY 2018 - THE-INTL.COM

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FOREIGN IN A FOREIGN LAND

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BRONTE CREATES A LITTLE SLICE OF SCANDINAVIA IN LONDON MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

LIKE DOROTHY SAID... THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME FINDING YOUR FEET WHEREVER YOU LAND

THE CONCEPT OF ‘home’ has become extremely fluid in the past few decades as globalisation means people relocate and locate themselves in places they may not have been born or grown up in. In some cases, as in mine, people find themselves in different ‘homes’ in different places and at different times. I was born in the UK, have lived in South Africa – where much of my immediate family is now located – and now find myself in Denmark with my husband and two boys. If you asked me where I call ‘home’ my immediate answer would be Denmark where I have settled. But, on reflection this isn’t as cut-and-dry an answer as you’d expect. I still have much affinity with South Africa and the UK. I imagine that many expats living in Denmark have the same feelings. For me, home is where the heart and family is – and for me that is currently Denmark. In this issue of The International, we explore what it means to be at home in Denmark, from fitting in and settling down to making new memories – what makes Denmark feel more like home to you?

Laura Wintemute shares her story of becoming ‘more Danish’ and the many cultural nuances that are simply Danish (page 10).

We also get a perspective from kids, and how they may feel when relocating to a new country (page 20). In our cover story we turn the tables and find out from a Dane living abroad, Bronte Aurell, how she has adapted to life in her new ‘home’, London (page 14). Denmark can be a daunting country to relocate to, with its many unique Scandinavian quirks, intimidating cycle lanes and complex tax system, but with the right guidance anyone will fit in just fine – and The International is here to help you do so. It’s not all serious as we take a light-hearted looks into Scandinavian culture (page 22), find out what’s on at the much-anticipated CPH Stage Theatre Festival (page 4) and help you ease into spring with two mouth-watering recipes (page 18). Denmark is truly an amazing place to call home, and will show off all her glory as we enter the warmer months – something to look forward to.

“Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Love,

LYNDSAY JENSEN MANAGING EDITOR AND PARTNER WEBSITE: THE-INTL.COM

MEET THE TEAM MANAGING 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 years and mother to two boys aged 20 and 13. She loves travel, photography and art. lyndsay@the-intl.com

ADVERTISING SALES JO JENSEN is a married mother of one from Scotland who moved to Denmark a year ago. Jo previously worked as a TV Producer in Singapore making documentaries with many companies including National Geographic, Discovery and MTV Asia. She also has experience in publishing. Jo is a Reiki Master and interested in art, film and the paranormal. jo@the-intl.com

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 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

SUB-EDITOR 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

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

ADVERTISING SALES HEIDI GREVES is married, and a mother of six boys. She Moved back to Denmark five and a half years ago after 14 years in Kent, England. Born in Copenhagen to a British mother and a Danish father, Heidi has knowledge and language skills of both countries. She has experience in the tourism industry in Denmark, and sales experience in England. She loves to be creative with photography, art and baking, and loves to socialise. heidi@the-intl.com

DISTRIBUTION 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.

Etienne Gilfillan

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 24, 2018

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English: Quack Romanian: Mac French: Coin Turkish: Vak Estonian: Prääks

It isn't that difficult.

Learn Danish at IA Language School

Free lessons IA Sprog / Vibevej 9-11 / 2400 Copenhagen NV Ph +45 3888 3233 / info@iasprog.dk / www.iasprog.dk MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

NO SPEECH DANISH ENGLISH

31 MAY - 9 JUNE DANISH ART AND CULTURE BURSTS ONTO THE STREETS AND STAGES OF COPENHAGEN THIS MAY AND JUNE AS CHP STAGE PRESENTS ITS SIXTH INSTALLMENT OF THE THEATRE FESTIVAL. DANES AND EXPATS ALIKE ARE INVITED TO COME ALONG, JOIN IN AND BE ENTERTAINED AS COPENHAGEN CELEBRATES THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF CONTEMPORARY THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS.

DANCE

DANIEL SALIB

SITE-SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE

THE STAGE

SØREN MEISNER

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

DUST

A DOLLS HOUSE

DOUBLE BILL

BY SEWFLUNKFURYWIT

BY FIX&FOXY & TEATERGRAD

BY SHAYMAA SHOUKRY

In DUST five fascinating human-sized puppets, a luminescent opera soprano, and a shadowy figure tell the tale of a world gone horribly wrong. A dramatically rendered, contemporary song-cycle imagines what little is left after an unavoidable global climate-ca-tastrophe has struck in this sensual and moving puppet-dystopia. In 2016, DUST was nominated for the prestigious official Danish Reumert Award in the category of The Jury’s Special Prize. The webmagazine CPH Culture nominated the play for best female vocalist and best music dramatics. The Danish Art Council for stage arts awarded STØV/ DUST with its special annual prize 2016. DUST represents a unique approach to New Music Theatre with the use of the foremost puppetry mixed with opera. This unique hybrid approaches audiences in areas of performance, puppetry, musicdramatics and opera.

Ibsen understood acutely how people interact and wanted his theatre to be like real life. That is why the Danish theatre company Fix&Foxy have taken Ibsen’s most performed play and staged it in real homes with real people. This unique production was first produced by the Royal Danish Theatre and the National Theatre of Oslo and following critical acclaim a part of the Oslo International Acting Festival. Fix&Foxy’s A DOLL’S HOUSE received its UK premiere as part of Chelsea Theatre and Theatre of Europe in Rep. It is performed in English in a translation made by Peter Woltemade.

DOUBLE BILL consists of two performances. The first performance The Resilience of the Body (20 minutes) is a solo that aims to find continuity and perseverance in the world we live in today, using repetition within the action of running and spoken text to express the inner struggles. This performance questions the practicalities of urban daily life, social pressures, political context and existential matters. Shoukry created The Resilience of the Body with an urge to reintegrate her last choreographic works into her body and re-find dance. Dance however could not be found, and for the first time in her work, text found its way into the performance. Portray (30 minutes) is the second performance. This piece was created with an urge to unravel the layers of a body through its reservoir, tapping into timeless states of being through an inner grove, connecting through the bliss of letting go. Portray is a continuation of Shoukry’s choreographic curiosity about inner movement, repetition, transformation and the action of shaking.

DATES & TIMES: 31 MAY 17:00 / 1 JUNE 19:00 / 2 JUNE 13:00 VENUE: AN APARTMENT IN COPENHAGEN C/O TEATERGRAD, NØRREBROGADE 208, 2200 CPH N FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

DATES & TIMES: 1 JUNE 16:00 / 2 JUNE 16:00 VENUE: FOLKETEATRET, NØRREGADE 39, 1165 CPH K FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

DATES & TIMES: 1 JUNE 19:30 / 2 JUNE 13:30 VENUE: WAREHOUSE9, HALMTORVET 11B,1700 CPH FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

Winner of

FIX&FOXY

SØREN MEISNER

Summerhall's "Festival special moments award", Edinburgh, 2017

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

THEATRE

BÜRO JANTZEN

MALLE MADSEN

FLORIAN KRAUSS

PERFORMANCE

EXODUS

FOOL

BY ANDREAS LIEBMANN & CECILIE ULLERUP SCHMIDT

BY LIMINAL

A Swiss-Danish family travels to Sicily. They visit a house in the mountains called Mondo Nuevo. This is the provisional home of nine Nigerian men, who are recovering from a boat trip and waiting for further travel documents. The North European guests and the inhabitants of Mondo Nuevo exchange songs for songs and establish temporary friendship. EXODUS is a performance concert by and with the family Liebmann Schmidt. Inspired by medieval tradition, the tale is sung on the melody of the Danish ballad Kongebørnene, and reports from a valley on the other side of the mountains. EXODUS was produced in 2015. In 2018, it is already an archive of lost optimism within the recent history of migration.

DATES & TIMES: 1 JUNE 15:00 / 1 JUNE 22:00 VENUE: HUSETS TEATER, HALMTORVET 9, 1700 CPH V FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

selected

for the international programme

THE GREAT DICTATOR -

Does the fool have a place in society today and who is he? In the performance FOOL we meet the modern fool who has devoted his whole life to this role and to his modern “fool technique”. His methods lead him into great moral dilemmas, and radical choices must be made. Choices that end up pushing him over the edge. “I have studied people. I know what they will do before they do it. That’s why I have an advantage. I’m always one step ahead.” FOOL is a devised performance created in close collaboration between director Erik Pold and actor Johannes Lilleøre. Taking inspiration from among others Donald Trump, it has become a story about the little man you fear a little.

DATES & TIMES: 31 MAY 16:30 (DK) / 1 JUNE 16:30 (ENG) / 2 JUNE 14:00 (ENG) / 2 JUNE 16:30 (ENG) VENUE: TEATER V – PRØVEHALLEN PORCELÆNSTORVET 4, 2500 VALBY FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

CHAPLIN'S THE GREAT DICTATOR AS THEATRE BY NØRREBRO TEATER Experience nine acclaimed Danish actors and a live foley artist/piano player in Nikolaj Cederholm’s physically and visually-strong staging of Charlie Chaplin’s legendary movie. A touching, funny and relevant comedy about the power of power, the hope of humanity and the fight for a world without war.

DATES & TIMES: 31 MAY 20:00 / 1 JUNE 20:00 / 2 JUNE 15:00 / 5 JUNE 20:00 / 6 JUNE 20:00 / 7 JUNE 20:00 / 8 JUNE 20:00 / 9 JUNE 15:00 VENUE: NØRREBRO TEATER, RAVNSBORGGADE 3, 2200 CPH N FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

selected

outdoor

for the international programmee

performance

H i g h Ac ad em i c S t an d ar d s C h ri st i an E t ho s C onv en i en t l y l o cat ed i n H el l er u p

rygaards.com MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

DANCE INSTALLATION

SITE-SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE

HELLO!EARTH

JON KORT

SØREN MEISNER

THEATRE

MANNING IS FREE MASS – BLOOM EXPLORATIONS BY MUNGO PARK MASS – BLOOM EXPLORATIONS is an open durational choreographic installation dealing with the issues of decay, decomposition and death. An unlikely symbiotic system between worms, plastic and a human, and a starting point for speculations about survival strategies and our relationship with others. Visitors are welcome to explore and interact with the installation, and to come and go as they please. MASS – BLOOM EXPLORATIONS is produced in collaboration with Ottawa Dance Directive and Windsor University (CA), Danse hallerne and Click Festival. It will be staged at CPH Stage co-hosted with Space10. Free entrance.

To support a post-capitalist visioning process, each night 30 of us embark on a journey, where the simple beauty of surrendering into the unknown and inhabiting the night together, becomes a plat-form to re-do the economy of meeting and exchange. A collective exploration of the power of sleeping and dreaming with the tender-ness of the night as our companion. Each night the sleeping space is established at different locations where society is organized at daytime, transforming them into playful, magic visioning grounds at night. Bring sleeping bag and toothbrush. We have mattresses and sheets for all. There will be a light evening meal and breakfast in the morning.

DATES & TIMES: 31 MAY 12:00 / 1 JUNE 12:00 / 2 JUNE 12:00 / 3 JUNE 12:00 VENUE: SPACE10, FLÆSKETORVET 10, 1711 CPH V FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

DATES & TIMES: 1 JUNE 20:00 / 2 JUNE 20:00 / 7 JUNE 20:00 / 8 JUNE 20:00 / 9 JUNE 20:00 VENUE: UNKNOWN VENUE FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

JON KORT

FRIDA GREGERSEN

DATE & TIME: 31 MAY 16:00 VENUE: BETTY NANSEN TEATRET, FREDERIKSBERG ALLÉ 57, 1820 FREDERIKSBERG C FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

BY RECOIL PERFORMANCE GROUP

BY HELLO! EARTH (CO-PRESENTED WITH METROPOLIS)

selected

for the international programme

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

FRIDA GREGERSEN

Chelsea Manning was born Bradley Manning. She served in the US military and came into the public eye as the whistle-blower who leaked thousands of confidential reports, images and data about American war-making and foreign policy: overall the greatest number of confidential documents ever leaked to the public. It cost her a sentence of thirty-five years in jail, and while serving her sentence Bradley transitioned to Chelsea. As one of his final presidential acts President Obama pardoned Manning and she was released on 17th May 2017. Now she is free. MANNING IS FREE is about truths that will come out; a tale of changing the world and changing yourself.

THE NIGHT

selected as festival highlight

Wait, what!? You didn’t choose Studieskolen?

Learn Danish at a school that is not laughable Studieskolen has been teaching Danish for 40 years – and we’re not going to stop now! The price is the same as you will find in other language schools. Go for the best. Go for Studieskolen. In the centre of Copenhagen Find our new courses on studieskolen.dk/dansk

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

NOTHING

OPHAV

BY TEATER V & TEATER NORDKRAFT

BY GLIMT & TEATRET OM (CO-PRESENTED WITH METROPOLIS)

The critically acclaimed stage version of Janne Teller’s award-winning, existential young adult novel about 13-year-old Pierre-Anthon who one day declares that there is no meaning to life. Determined to prove him wrong, his classmates start to give up things of importance and pile them in “the heap of meaning”. As everyone in the class is forced to participate, a scary group dynamic starts to develop because the more painful the sacrifice is, the more meaning it has… right? NOTHING had its English premiere at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017 where it received great reviews and made it onto the highly estimated The Scotsman’s Hot Shows List.

Fitter, stronger, tighter and more beautiful… Now, Now, NOW! The performance VANITY OF MODERN PANIC – V.O.M.P. holds a mirror to our beauty-worshipping society’s botox-stiffened face. How far are you willing to go in order to keep your body younger than what is written on your birth certificate? Prepare yourself for a silicone-pumped dance performance about our hunt for the perfect body. A body proportion twisted comedy about the longing for breasts, thighs and buttocks that would make Kim Kardashian turn pale in jealousy. And a grotesque greeting to the Baroque era’s powdered wigs and delicate soap bubbles in a unique mix of modern dance and physical theatre.

DATES & TIMES: 31 MAY 20:30 / 1 JUNE 16:00 / 6 JUNE 21:00 / 7 JUNE 17:00 / 8 JUNE 17:00 VENUE: DANSEKAPELLET, KØBENHAVN BISPEBJERG TORV 1, 2400 CPH NV FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

KASPER NYBO

FRIDA GREGERSEN

DANIEL BUCHWALD OG MADS FIND

BY GUNILLA LIND DANSE-TEATER

DATES & TIMES: 31 MAY 20:00 / 1 JUNE 20:00 / 2 JUNE 16:00 / 2 JUNE 20:00 / 3 JUNE 14:00 VENUE: SLUSENS BÅDBYGGERI, VED SLUSEN 34, 2300 CPH FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

outdoor

performance

FRIDA GREGERSEN

VANITY OF MODERN PANIC – V.O.M.P.

The crane stands on the quayside, solidly planted – the link between land and sea. In the company of the crane and its operator we’re allowed to dream about distant horizons and new adventures. And we experience how we receive new opportunities and new people, who come from elsewhere, with curiosity, joy and distrust. From the harbour, travellers embark into the world. And here we welcome new people and wares coming from foreign regions. The crane leads us up into the heights and all the way down to touch the water, while acrobatics, physical theatre and live music gives soul and energy to this story about our eternal yearning for new horizons.

DATES & TIMES: 31 MAY 15:00 / 1 JUNE 15:00 / 2 JUNE 15:00 VENUE: TEATER V – PRØVEHALLEN PORCELÆNSTORVET 4 2500 VALBY FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

DANCE

KASPER NYBO

CAMILA SARRAZIN

DANIEL BUCHWALD OG MADS FIND

THEATRE

selected

for the international programme

PERFORMANCE

DANCE

FALL

MALTE FRID-NIELSEN

BENJAMIN GRAAHEDE

HNERIK OHSTEN RASMUSSEN

DANCE

ROCKY! - RETURN THE URBAN HUNT OF THE LOSER BY DOWN THE RABBIT

BY CORPUS / THE ROYAL DANISH THEATRE FALL is an interactive piece created by choreographer Martin Forsberg and conceptual artist Christian FalsnÃ¦s, conceived to be performed by an audience together with the members of the dance company Corpus. The structure and concept of FALL reflects the collaborative nature of this project, as it invites a random audience to join a group of six professional dancers to create a performance together. Ordinary people will physically crash into the setting of a professional dance company where the unexpected physical and psychological reactions of the audience will play a cardinal aesthetic role.

BY HUSETS TEATER

HOLE THEATRE

We love them. 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.

Inspired by American journalist Brendan Kiley’s article of the same name, this production concerns the hypocrisy regarding eating meat without being willing to get your hands dirty by killing an animal yourself. To challenge his own hypocrisy, Brendan decides to become a hunter… but rather than venturing out into the wilderness, he brings the hunt into the city, where his prey includes rabbits, squirrels, pigeons, garden snails and more. Ten years later, Malte Frid-Nielsen is inspired to try to follow in Brendan’s footsteps in the city of Copenhagen. But he’s an actor. And heavy truths are hard when your job consists of make-believe. So he brings the hunt into the theatre, where the audience’s imagination can help him catch the elusive prey that he seeks. This performance is the culmination of two years of research, interviews and practical explorations into the connection between food and death. It seeks to confront our hidden hypocrisies, uncover the secret that the city keeps from us, and reveal shocking facts about ducks. Really. There’s a lot you don’t know about ducks.

DATE & TIME: 6 JUNE 22:00 VENUE: HUSETS TEATER, HALMTORVET 9, 1700 CPH V FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

selected as festival highlight

DATES & TIMES: 1 JUNE 18:00 / 2 JUNE 18:00 VENUE: HUSET-KBH, RÅDHUSSTRÆDE 13, 1466 CPH K FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

selected as festival highlight

FRIDA GREGERSEN

CORPUS

HNERIK OHSTEN RASMUSSEN

DATES & TIMES: 3 JUNE 13:00 / 3 JUNE 15:00 / 3 JUNE 17:00 VENUE: CORPUS, A-SALEN, DET KGL. TEATER TORDENSKJOLDSGADE 10, 1055 CPH K FOR MORE INFO: www.cphstage.com

YOU’RE HOME WITH US WE TAKE THE FUSS OUT OF FINDING THAT PERFECT HOME FOR YOU! DANISHHOMES.COM +45 70 15 90 07

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MARTIN GREGERS JENSEN

THOMAS HØYRUP CHRISTENSEN

MARTIN GREGERS JENSEN

TIVOLI - PETER NØRBY

TURNING DANISH Have you turned Danish yet? Well, happy Danish birthday to you from Laura Wintemute, who shares her story of becoming more Danish, and the many cultural nuances that are simply Danish.

PHOTOGRAPHS COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER & MARTIN GREGERS JENSEN

SOME OF MY friends and family back home have told me that the longer I live in Denmark, the more Danish I am becoming, or better said, the less Canadian. They say that I’ve changed. Not in a bad way, just different. The way I talk, the way I dress, the way I eat. Some have also said that my personality has changed too. They say that I’ve become more sarcastic, direct or “in your face”. I would describe my personality change to be wittier, honest and much more direct. Personally, I don’t think those are bad characteristics.

A CHANGE IN TONE After living in another country for an extended period, it’s almost inevitable NOT to take on some of the local attributes. I don't just mean phrases and certain idiosyncrasies, but more taking on actual behavioural characteristics. The majority of Danes are calm, quiet and well-articulated. They have a way of putting words together which baffle me. They are very outspoken. Danes are brought up to speak their minds and express their opinions. Sometimes they do this in a way which may inadvertently offend others (non-Danes), but it’s most of the time lost in translation. There’s never that question of doubt about what a Dane is thinking. I find this refreshing and almost befreeing. As a North American, you know by the tone of our voices what we’re feeling. Danes don’t raise their voices. They are actually very monotone. This explains why things get lost in translation. The tone of their voice stays the same regardless if they are complacent, super happy or even a little irritated. They hardly ever raise their voices. Especially in public places. They don’t want to make a scene or be noticed. Very different from North America with their ‘see me or hear me’ attitudes.

TEXT LAURA WINTEMUTE

There is no hiding that I’m from the other side of the pond. It comes out in my tone.

A NEW KIND OF KID The experiences I have after just over a decade of living here are countless. Most of which have been major milestones in my life, but the one in particular was becoming a mom. Now I can’t tell you what it’s like to raise a child in Canada, as I never have, but I did see friends and family raise their children. It’s obvious we both have our children’s best interest at heart, there’s no doubt about that. We just go about it differently. Children in Denmark are given much more freedom and trust. Everybody's heard about the babies left in the strollers sleeping outside café windows. The first time I did this I could not relax. I kept double checking my baby alarm and running out to make sure she was still there and breathing. Now that she's older and started school, I find I have definitely relaxed as a mom. I’ve accepted that at seven years old she will walk home from school alone. Run over to her friends down the street. I found it hard in the beginning but now I just trust she will be ok. My daughter carved wooden sticks with a knife in 1st grade and has bonfires right in front of the school or in the forest. This would NEVER happen where I come from. We would never let our kids play with fire or sharp metal objects! When I moved here, hearing the “F" word on tv or on the radio made my ears burn. Now, I know that I'm a bit of a prude, but growing up in North America where everything is censored, it came as a shock to me. The worst for me is hearing children swear. All too often, I hear children swear as they’re running outside playing. I'm not even sure they know what it is they are saying, but none the

MY DAUGHTER CARVED WOODEN STICKS WITH A KNIFE IN 1ST GRADE AND HAS BONFIRES RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL OR IN THE FOREST. THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN WHERE I COME FROM. WE WOULD NEVER LET OUR KIDS PLAY WITH FIRE OR SHARP METAL OBJECTS!

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

less. The problem is that Danes don’t hear English swear words as a real “Banedord” (swear words). To them, they're just words. They have their own swear words in Danish. Which for me don’t mean squat when kids say them “Fu for fanden”… just sounds silly to me. I guess that’s the same as Danes with English swear words. There’s even a Danish kid’s song by Hr. Skæg called the Banneord sange. It mentions each and every Danish swear word but at the same time explains that there is an appropriate time and place to use them, otherwise they lose their effect.

LAURA WINTEMUTE

FIRST NAME BASIS "Yes, Mr. Rogers”, or "Thank you Mrs. White". In most countries to call your elders and superiors by their first name is a sign of disrespect. Now, in Denmark it doesn't matter who you’re talking to, you call them by their first name. This could be your boss, your teacher, your doctor. Doesn't matter. This took me some serious getting used to. Here in Denmark, the only people you call “Fru” or “Hr” (Mr. or Mrs.) is the elder-

OWNER, HOMESTEAD Laura was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. At a very are just natural things. This is another cultural difference I find refreshing. They are just bodies, and sex is just a normal human act necessary to reproduce, so why make it so hidden? There's a Danish children’s movie called Nanna, where the

young age she knew that she wanted to travel. At the age of 22, she packed her bags and moved to the tropical Cayman Islands. This launched her journey

HERE NUDITY AND SEX ARE JUST A NATURAL THING. THIS IS ANOTHER CULTURAL DIFFERENCE I FIND REFRESHING. THEY ARE JUST BODIES, AND SEX IS JUST A NORMAL HUMAN ACT NECESSARY TO REPRODUCE, SO WHY MAKE IT SO HIDDEN?

as an expat. In the Cayman Islands she learned how to interact with people from all walks of life, all nationalities and all cultures. She

ly or the queen. Calling your boss by their first name does not mean you have less respect for them. It just makes things more casual and equal. Growing up my friends called my parents Mr. and Mrs. Wintemute. My daughter’s friends call me Laura. It would seem strange for me to hear them say Mrs. Wintemute. (Pretty sure they wouldn’t be able to pronounce it, so this may be a good thing.) Back when I lived in Canada I would have found this a lack of respect, but not anymore.

BOOBS ON BUSSES Have you seen the city bus, with the great big pair of boobs staring right at you? An advertisement for breast implants. This would never happen in North America. They would be blacked out like boobs or bums on primetime TV. I remember watching TV with my parents and every time a couple would even just kiss, we had to shut our eyes. Here nudity and sex

daughter walks into her parent's bedroom and says, “What are you doing?” and the parents (who are naked in bed) respond, “We're having sex”. Kids in Denmark are much more mature. You could look at this either as a positive thing or a negative. Positive that they are more mature and negative that maybe they should have the chance to be kids a little longer. Although I will most likely never go topless on the beach or say the "F" word in front of my daughter, I feel I have taken in the best of both worlds. I still say Eh at the end of most sentences, I'll still say sorry to you if you bump into me, my voice will still go up and down depending on my mood and I will always be sincere, overly-friendly and a little too politically correct in a sarcastic, in-your-face kind of way. But I do think that I have turned a little Danish and am discovering new sides to my personality (and Danish culture) continuously. You can take the girl out of Canada, but you can’t take “ALL” the Canada out of the girl. THE-INTL

worked in the hotel concierge service, hotel management and, eventually, opened her own restaurants. In her eighth year of living in the Cayman’s, she met her Danish husband-to-be. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Whistler, Canada, where Laura managed a 5-star restaurant. One year later they settled in Denmark where she married and had a daughter. In 2012, she started working for a relocation company. It was a job that encapsulated both Laura’s experience as an expat and her love of helping people. She learned everything there was to know about relocation to Denmark and built a good network. After six years’ experience in relocation, she wanted to take her expertise to the next level and started Homestead – welcoming international working expats and their families to Denmark.

www.homesteaddenmark.com

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

GOODBYE SKAT

BUT THE TAXMAN WILL KEEP ON CALLING

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

AS THE SAYING GOES, THERE ARE ALWAYS TWO CERTAINTIES IN LIFE: DEATH AND TAXES. AND MANY NEWCOMERS TO DENMARK QUAKE AT THE PROSPECT OF MEETING THE DANISH TAXMAN. KATIE RICE ERIKSEN GETS THE LOWDOWN ON SOME OF THE BASICS AND EXPLAINS HOW A SHAKE-UP IN THE LOCAL TAX AUTHORITY IS AIMED AT STREAMLINING THE PROCESS. PHOTOGRAPHS SKAT

TEXT KATIE RICE ERIKSEN

THE LATEST REPORTS from the economic think-tank The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show Denmark maintaining the top spot for the highest ratio of tax-to-GDP out of the 34 global OECD countries. All taxes combined, including income tax, social security contributions, property tax and VAT, accounted for 45.9 percent of Denmark's total income in 2016. The Danish tax authority SKAT in its current form was established in 2005, and is facing the chopping block and a reorganisation into seven different tax agencies as of July 2018. According to the Danish Ministry of Taxation, the new organisation of the tax authority should be “easy and simple”. The seven new agencies replacing SKAT, include:

Danish Debt Collection Agency – collecting debt owed to public authorities. #2 Danish Property Agency – evaluating public property and land. #3 Danish Tax Agency – payment of taxes, duties and VAT. #4 Danish Customs Agency – simple and correct calculation of customs fees. #5 Danish Motor Vehicle Agency – registration and calculation of tax on all motor vehicles. #6 IT and Development Agency of the Danish Ministry of Taxation – IT systems and data for the entire tax system, as well as targeted development and simplification projects. #7 Administration and Services Agency of the Danish Ministry of Taxation – support functions such as recruitment, HR, accounting and procurement for the entire tax authority system.

NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM “Tina Toft Pedersen works with outreach for SKAT and knows that the Danish tax system can appear to be a minefield of documentation and filing tax returns. So how does the international resident wade through it all and differentiate their opgørelse (statement) from their angivelse (estimation)? SKAT currently offers a number of self-service and outreach solutions to help foreigners navigate the tax system. Toft Pedersen assures anyone who had planned to make use of these tax aids that they will still be available following the restructuring. “We'll become the Danish Tax Agency, but will still offer information meetings for internationals in the spring and autumn and our website will continue to provide information in English,” says Toft Pedersen. In partnership with local international services, SKAT offers a number of open information events around the country. The latest round saw them visit Vejle, Aarhus, Aalborg, Esbjerg, Odense, Ikast Brande and Copenhagen. There is a broad audience for their fully-booked events, ranging from newly arrived foreigners, to those who have been in Denmark a few years and want a refresher, and even returning Danish emigrants. Toft Pedersen’s top tip for foreigners coming to Denmark is to get a tax card or skattekort as soon as possi-

ble. “If you have an income and don't have a tax card, you risk being deducted a standard rate of 55 percent. You won’t however lose this money, as it would be adjusted later once you have a tax card,” she says. SKAT's website has also built up its information toolbox for foreigners, offering video tutorials in English or

permanent residency or citizenship. “It can happen to the best of us, also unknowingly if you haven't seen a particular bill or check your e-boks (digital mailbox for communication with public authorities) regularly”, says Toft Pedersen. If you have any unpaid public debt, SKAT has the right to withhold any monies owed in order to partially or fully pay off the debt. As was recently the case in April when 3.4 million residents were due a total of DKK 16.7 billion in returns after having paid too much tax in 2017. However, DKK 1 billion did not end up back in the pockets of 360,000 disappointed taxpayers as they had outstanding public debt. Toft Pedersen recommends keeping an eye on your personal E-tax on the SKAT website to see if any debt or interest is owed. And if so, contact the relevant tax authority to arrange payment to clear it. Finally, Toft Pedersen reminds us that the next big deadline for filing tax returns (selvangivelse) is 1 July 2018,

THE NEXT BIG DEADLINE FOR FILING TAX RETURNS (SELVANGIVELSE) IS 1 JULY 2018, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT FOR ANYONE LIVING IN DENMARK WITH A FOREIGN INCOME, PENSION, PROPERTY OR BANK ACCOUNT. with English subtitles. It now offers an overview of relevant tax information for those newly arrived, currently working or living in Denmark, and those about to relocate away from Denmark, in five different languages: English, German, Polish, Romanian and Lithuanian. The website is: https://www.skat.dk/skat.aspx?oid=8570. The actual process of filling out tax forms on the SKAT website is in Danish, but helpful translated versions of a typical form are available, as well as a glossary of translated taxation terminology. The responsibility is on the employee to make sure their tax information is correct and can be checked in their preliminary income assessment for the coming year (forskudsopgørelse) and tax assessment notice (årsopgørelse).

which is particularly relevant for anyone living in Denmark with a foreign income, pension, property or bank account. THE-INTL

ARE YOU UP-TO-DATE? I personally am not above admitting that despite having lived in Denmark for more than a decade, I too previously received an unexpected bill from the tax authorities due to forgetting to declare a change in income on a preliminary tax assessment. It pays, literally and figuratively, to regularly check your files on the tax website. Another area worth checking, is the issue of outstanding debt to the taxman. The matter of debts owed to any public authority, including SKAT, can have a significant impact on foreigners in Denmark wishing to apply for

"IT PAYS, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY, TO REGULARLY CHECK YOUR FILES ON THE TAX WEBSITE." MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

LIFE AS AN EXPAT:

A DANISH PERSPECTIVE

BRONTE AURELL LEFT DENMARK AT AGE 16, ON HER OWN (WITH PARENTAL APPROVAL, OF COURSE!) AFTER COUNTRY-HOPPING ACROSS EUROPE SHE SETTLED IN LONDON WHERE SHE HAS CREATED HER OWN LITTLE SLICE OF SCANDINAVIA. SHE SHARES THE UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE AS AN EXPAT… FROM A DANISH PERSPECTIVE.

PHOTOGRAPHS ETIENNE GILFILLAN

“I’VE LIVED OUTSIDE of Denmark for almost 26 years. I don’t miss it. I used to – but then I created my own Scandinavia abroad, so all I now miss is my family back there and the nature,” Bronte said when I asked if she missed ‘home’. She has lived in places such as Luxembourg, Switzerland, France and Scotland, and when asked how she feels about having lived in so many places, she says “EuroTrash”. “It’s true: I’m most at home in a city that is full of foreigners. Denmark is lovely, but it was never going to be where I would settle. I needed to see it all, experience it all.” Bronte smiles.

LIFE IN LONDON She does however admit that adjusting to life in London was a very gradual process. “There are things that felt natural (ordered queuing, the pubs, the language) and things that will never sit well with me (single hot and cold taps, carpets, marmite) – but I feel at home here. We’ve made our own world inside a wonderful melting pot of people from everywhere. London is a bit of an island, a cauldron of exotic ingredients. And it just works.

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TEXT DAVID NOTHLING -DEMMER

I love London,” she enthuses. Bronte says that above all, she and her Swedish partner did at first miss Scandinavian food and cooking. “I also miss being on my bicycle, cycling along the road by my parent’s summer house near the beach. In the light summer rain.” Out of this adjustment phase came the need to embrace Scandinavian living (and food) in her new home, London. What resulted was a little slice of home away from home. “My partner and I wanted to be parents, together, the Scandinavian way. It’s quite hard to do this in England as there is little maternity provision and hardly any paternity. So we thought, if we open up our own business, we can do it together in our own time. So we did – and what better way to do this than with food at the centre,” Bronte says. In 2007 the couple opened the doors to their very own café and Scandi food shop located in Central London - ScandiKitchen. “I gave birth to our first daughter the same day – which was a bit of a shock. We survived, and stayed open, just! Two years later, we got a warehouse and opened an EU-wide Scandi food shop. The following year we started our distribution and wholesale and now supply Scandi food to supermarkets and many

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DANES SHOULD APPROACH LIVING WITH FOREIGNERS THE SAME WAY THEY DO LIVING WITH ANYONE ELSE. BY EMBRACING OTHER CULTURES AND WAYS OF DOING THINGS, WE CAN CREATE NEW AND BETTER WAYS TOGETHER.

restaurants and cafes across the United Kingdom. This year, we’re launching our own range of foods, maybe we’ll open more cafes, and employ 30 people. We love what we do, even if it’s super hard,” says Bronte. Bronte and her partner have also published six books. She goes on to say that they haven’t quite managed the 50/50 split when it comes to parenting, more like 60/40. “I won’t say who is 60 and who is 40,” Bronte laughs.

FOREIGN IN A FOREIGN LAND For the most, her experience abroad

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has been positive, although she does admit that Brexit has had a bit of an impact on how she as a foreigner is received in the UK. “I have been called names in the streets – not pleasant to feel such negativity. Despite this, I know that it is just a few out of millions who act like that, and we see past it. Being Scandinavian – despite Sweden, Denmark and Norway being so close – is often still seen as something quite arctic-exotic. We relish that, and often talk about our cold winters and darkness. When Hygge became popular, well, we rode that wave too,” she says. I asked Bronte if, being a foreign person in a foreign land, gave her move perspective on how Danes perceive foreigners living in their country. “Looking in from the outside does give you a different perspective on most things. To be honest, when I go to Denmark now I feel like a foreigner, even

www.cis.dk

Before long, you’ll belong

when I’m speaking in Danish. I have to say that looking back in, I find some of the politics hard to swallow, and when I discuss it with people back there, they don’t always see why I find it so strange. That’s the price you pay,” she told me. She says that Danes should approach living with foreigners the same way they do living with anyone else. “By embracing other cultures and ways of doing things, we can create new and better ways together.” She says that Danes are the friendliest, most genuine bunch of people you’re likely to ever meet – but in order to get to know them, you need to infiltrate their habitats. “You will not meet them in bars, you will need to get invited to their houses, learn to hygge, be interesting to them and literally ask them to include you,” she advises. “Not all foreigners are the same, so I can only talk from perhaps what I understand from the British view. If I was a Brit moving to Denmark, I would become very blunt and direct, and literally tell people around me that you don’t know people – and ask to be introduced and included. Danes are always willing to help anyone, give of their last penny and genuinely do anything they can to help – but you need to ask first. And once you’re in, you’re in!”

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. 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.”

THE FUN SIDE OF LIFE Bronte is also an avid blogger, and writes about her experiences as a Scandinavian living abroad, taking a light-heated look into the culture, its people and how outsiders view this. “I write because it’s funny and true, to a point. It’s important to be able to look at yourself and laugh a bit, especially if you are experiencing challenging times,” she says. Her blog was turned into a book Nørth – a lot less tongue-incheek, but still funny. It has been translated into three languages and has sold very well across the world. You can read more about Bronte, Scandi Kitchen and her blogs at www.scandikitchen.co.uk THE-INTL

IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT YOURSELF AND LAUGH A BIT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGING TIMES. MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

SPRING, IT’S FINALLY HERE! From fresh pea pods to pink cherry blossoms, Denmark comes alive in the spring. Our food contributor, Erin Chapman, shares a couple of her favourite spring veggie recipes, while we find out what screams spring to you.

PHOTOGRAPHS ERIN CHAPMAN

TEXT ERIN CHAPMAN, THE AMERICAN PIE COMPANY

IN DENMARK, SPRING can be glorious. Landscapes come alive with sprouting fields and lemon-yellow rape fields, cities burst with cherry tree blossoms and rows of tulips. It’s a time for everyone to come out of their woollen shell (or winter hibernation cave) and feel the warmth of the sun and the scent of spring in the air. May is one of my favourite months in Denmark, and I always look forward to the more versatile array of fruits, vegetables and greens available in the markets. But there are a few stand-out foods, like asparagus, rhubarb, baby radishes, and fresh peas in the pod, that simply scream “spring is here!” Here are two easy-to-make recipes that celebrate spring veggies, and can be enjoyed as a light lunch or dinner, or as a side dish to your favourite grilled fish or meat. THE-INTL

WE ASKED OUR READERS TO SHARE WITH US THEIR FAVOURITE SIGNS OF SPRING IN DENMARK, HERE’S WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY... "ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SIGNS OF SPRING IS THE FIRST MOWING OF THE LAWN JUST BEFORE THE RAIN... THE SMELLS OF SPRING ALWAYS MAKES ME CHIPPER" - JEPPE "MY BIKE COMES OUT OF HIBERNATION" - KATHRYN "COMMUTING TO AND FROM WORK AND IT'S LIGHT OUT." - PAUL

SPRING PEA & RADISH SALAD WITH FETA & DILL SERVES 4

DRESSING:

PREPARE THE DRESSING:

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

juice, honey (or sugar), salt and pepper until combined.

1 tablespoon honey or sugar

Set aside.

½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 125g shelled fresh peas (from about 500g of pea pods) One bunch of radishes (approx. 125 g), cleaned 1 shallot, peeled 75g feta cheese, crumbled 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 75g fresh greens (field greens, baby spinach, etc.), rinsed and patted dry Fresh lemon wedges

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Shell the peas, rinse and pat dry. Clean the radishes, trimming tops and bottoms, and slice in halves, or quarters, if larger radishes. Peel the shallot and slice into thin rings. Chop the fresh dill. In a bowl, add the peas, radish, shallot, crumbled feta cheese and dill. Pour in the dressing and gently toss until the ingredients are coated. Place a bed of salad greens on a serving platter. Gently pour the pea and radish mixture over the greens and garnish with extra fresh dill and lemon wedges.

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 advertising 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 cook-

ASPARAGUS WITH BACON & LEMON-PEPPER DRESSING SERVES 4

books in Denmark. While living in Los Angeles, Erin worked with several US brands on image and recipe development and upon re-

DRESSING: 200ml creme fraiche 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon lemon zest 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon ground black pepper Salt to taste (approx. ½ tsp) 1-2 bunches of asparagus (about 500-750g) 1 tablespoon olive oil 4-8 slices of quality bacon

arate into four equal bundles. Wrap each bundle together with one or two pieces of bacon. Secure with a toothpick or cooking twine.

turning to Denmark, she partnered with Dorte Prip in 2015 to introduce The American

Bake in the oven on a grated broiler pan – or place

Pie Company in Copenhagen.

on the grill on oiled foil, and cover – for 10-15 minutes,

Erin is happily married to her

turning once or twice, until the bacon is crisp and the

Danish husband and is the moth-

asparagus is tender.

er of a sassyfive year old daugh-

Place on a serving platter and drizzle with the Lemon-Pepper dressing.

ter who speaks fluent “Danglish”.

www.theamericanpieco.com

PREPARE THE DRESSING: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the creme fraiche, mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, ground pepper and salt until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. Clean and trim the bottoms of the asparagus, pat dry. Preheat oven to 200 ˚C or warm grill to medium high. Coat asparagus with a light drizzle of olive oil and sep-

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RASMUS FLINDT PEDERSEN

LIOR ZILBERSTEIN

TUALA HJARNØ

CHRISTIAN LINDGREN

THIRD CULTURE KIDS: LIFE SPENT FINDING A HOME One of the first questions that comes to mind when parents are faced with the decision of whether or not to move abroad is: how will this affect our children? Anita Mayntzhusen shares some valuable insights from her research into expat kids and how they adjust to life in a new country. PHOTOGRAPHS COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER

TEXT ANITA MAYNTZHUSEN

H HOW MANY OF

you have had difficulty answering this question, “Where do I come from?” In my case, the short answer is: Denmark. You don’t look Danish some might say. The long answer is, I am half Danish, half Mexican, but I grew up in the United States, Africa and Mexico. So, where do you consider home? Now that’s a harder question to answer… It’s harder because the answer to this question constantly changes with time. Having spent most of my adult life in Denmark, I would be inclined to answer that Denmark is my home. However, I recall leaving Tanzania as a child after a vacation spent climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with tears in my eyes, leaving the smell of the red soil. Even though I have never lived in Tanzania, I considered the place home too. Then there is my American heritage – it gets a bit complicated. Now imagine asking a young child this same question. During my studies, I became intrigued by the Danish bilingual child. The term, defined by the Danish political fora, refers to children of immigrants, with often negative connotations. This is in contrast to my growing-up when being multilingual was considered a resource. This is how my fascination with the lived experiences of expat children began. Current research shows that numerous expatriates leave Denmark due to family issues, and/or because of the integration difficulties they experience in becoming part of Danish society. Existing research on expatriates comes mainly from the Human Research Management field and addresses primarily the adult perspective in quantitative studies. The research I conducted was based on interviews primarily

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ANITA MAYNTZHUSEN

CO-OWNER, GLOBALLY LOCAL DANIEL RASMUSSEN

of expat children living in Denmark, but also Danish children residing outside Denmark and Danish children returning home to Denmark (repats).

A NEW CONCEPT OF HOME When I ask Third Culture Kids (TCKs) about home, it is not uncommon that they mention three different continents in their answer. Why is that? Through numerous interviews with TCKs, I have realised that it is necessary to adapt new understandings of home. When one is “sewn and grown” in the same place, home will be a more concrete physical place, having the same friends growing up in the same area for a longer time, maybe even in the same house. However, when one grows up in transition, making 'home' in several places, the concept of home becomes a feeling more than a physical place. Home is mobile, recognisable. Home is where one feels at home. Understanding home in this way is helpful when TCKs feel challenged as to where they belong. Instead of being regarded as

rootless, I see TCKs as feeling at home in, and belonging to, more than one place. Take Ida’s story, an 11 year old girl I interviewed as part of the study. Her family moved to the Middle East shortly after she started school, returning to Denmark for regular vacations and then permanently when she turned nine. “I thought the Middle East was my home. Denmark was the place I was born. I knew I was from Denmark, but I felt like the Middle East was… I just felt that it was there that I belonged,” Ida told me. Another young girl I interviewed was Frida who offered this advice to new kids coming to Denmark,“You know that the first months are difficult – and then you will be crazy about it,” the 14 year old enthused. THE-INTL

With a Danish father and a Mexican mother, the United States, Africa and Central America were all the playing grounds of Anita’s childhood. She moved to Denmark at age 18 to study. Anita worked for a Danish NGO in Zimbabwe and has experience being a repat. Today, Anita resides in Copenhagen and is married to a Dane and together they have two children. She has a Master degree in Educational Psychology, speaks four languages and is passionate about being the expat child’s advocate and raising awareness on the opportunities and challenges of leading a global life. Anita is co-founder and Managing Director of Globally Local.

www.globallylocal.dk

RASMUS FLINDT PEDERSEN

NOW

NEVER NOT

31.05 — 09.06 2018

cphstage.com #cphstage

CPH STAGE is proud to present the 6th edition of the Copenhagen based theater festival, with more than 100 plays, performances and events taking place all over Copenhagen and Frederiksberg. More than 50 performances will be accessible to non-Danish speakers. You will find both Danish and international productions and a long list of other events. Visit cphstage.com for the full program and information. Or drop by the Festival Center at The Meatpacking District during the festival for personal guidance and tickets. Welcome!

CPH STAGE APP – get it for free via App Store and Google Play

FOTO DIKTATOREN © Büro Jantzen

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20 STRANGE THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU LIVE WITH

A SCANDINAVIAN M AY B E Y O U ’ V E A L R E A DY MOVED IN AND YOU’RE GOOGLING “STRANGE THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU LIVE WITH A SCANDINAVIAN” – DON’T WORRY, YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE FOR ANSWERS. OR MAYBE YOU’RE THINKING “SHOULD I START SHARING MY HOME WITH AGNETA OR HENRIK?” BRONTE AURELL TAKES A LIGHT-HEARTED LOOK INTO WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE IN YOUR HOME, IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO AHEAD. YOU’VE BEEN WARNED. PHOTOGRAPHS COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER CHRIS TONNESEN

#1 THEY MAKE YOU LEAVE YOUR SHOES IN THE HALLWAY Everything off in the hallway – and on with a nice pair of slippers. It’s a hygiene thing (although in Denmark you can sometimes get away with it). In Sweden, they’ll make you ask your guests to take their shoes off too.

#2 ANNOUNCE WHEN IT IS PEE-PEE TIME “I think I’ll go for a pee now” will become a staple sentence. Eventually, you’ll start to adopt this habit too and find yourself doing it during a meeting at your fancy nonScandinavian office.

#3 THE HEATING IS MAXED Despite what people think, Scandinavians hate to be cold. Your house will now be a comfortable 23-24 degrees all year around. Any less and there will be complaints. Also, you will air the room before bed. Yes, open bedroom windows, even at -20 degrees.

#4 RE-DECORATING & FURNITURE Living with a Scandi, decorating is easy: there is only one colour to choose from – white. This colour is also applied

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to skirting, radiators, ceilings and floorboards. Also, you probably won’t need curtains anymore (at least if you live with a Dane). If you don’t have a sofa table, one will appear within a week of the move, because not having a sofa table in unheard of (where will we put our coffee?)

#5 IS IT A CULT? They burn day and night, sometimes entire packets of tea light candles in one room. Don’t fear, this is not a cult; it’s just cosy. Also, you may find that four to five small lamps are added to each room. Because, well… ‘hygge’.

TEXT BRONTE AURELL

is true love.

#8 SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT STARTS TO APPEAR IN YOUR KITCHEN EXHIBIT 1: Osthyvel - For slicing cheese. What is important to know is 1) You must NEVER make a ski slope, and 2) you will never again be allowed to hack away at the cheddar with a blunt knife. Ever.

One by one, those little cute things you own will be replaced by stylish candle holders and sleek ornaments. No more souvenirs from Tenerife, no more ornate fireplace clocks. Eventually, you’ll find them all in a box in the attic.

EXHIBIT 2: Filter Coffee Machine – Scandinavians drink more coffee than anyone else in the world. If you live with an ultra Scandi, you’ll have a MochaMaster (these brew the fastest). But any filter machine works. From now on, your coffee will be so strong, and you’ll be awake 19 hours a day. Coffee before bedtime (around 9pm) becomes normal. And, milk in coffee is for wimps.

#7 YOUR DOUBLE DUVET IS REPLACED BY TWO SINGLES

EXHIBIT 3: Smörkniv – For butter. Never use your own, only use the designated knife for butter.

This is not a declaration that the love is dead, merely that nobody will steal your duvet again, and you will keep your cold feet to yourself. And wait for an invite. THIS

#9 INCREASED NAKEDNESS

#6 NO MORE NICK-NACKS

Look, it’s a body. It’s not anything Scandinavians think is

sexual: it’s skin. We don’t care, there will be nakedness. If there is a sauna, there will be nakedness there, too. You may sit next to your new father-in-law, naked, on a small flannel. Get used to it, and let it all hang out.

#10 BREAKFAST CHANGES You will have sandwiches for breakfast. And probably sour milk. But definitely sandwiches – with cheese – and jam. Together. And coffee, a lot of coffee. There will be crispy bread – and it will re-appear at lunch. And for snacks. It never, ever ends.

#11 DINNER IS AT 6 Not 6:05, but 6pm. Except, when you invite people over, the invite might be for 6, so therefore people must arrive at 6 pm. By 6:05 food is served. DO NOT BE LATE. For anything, ever again.

#12 MANNERS Before you eat, say “Velbekomme” (Bon appetite). When you’ve finished your food, say “Takk for maten” (thanks for dinner). Fail on this and you will sleep with the fish. Also, shots of 40% alcohol with some meals will eventually become the norm (and always look people in the eye when you say ‘skål’, or you’re just rude.)

#13 TACO FRIDAY (NOT TUESDAY) Because: tacos are Scandinavian, everyone knows that. Tacos = burritos, nachos, quesadillas, enchilada, chimichanga… It’s all just Tacos. But only on Fridays.

#14 SATURDAY SWEETS Don’t be surprise if you, after a while of living with a Scandinavian, start to consume around 550 grams of sweets every Saturday (the average). Only uncivilised people eat sweets the other six days.

BRONTE AURELL OWNER, SCANDIKITCHEN

#15 ALSO, SALTY LIQUORICE It’s normal. You WILL like it eventually, don’t fight it, we’re only doing it for your own good, you know… Go on, just try this little Jungle Scream, it’s not too bad…

Bronte Aurell is a Dane, married to a Swede, living in London. This is where she and her part-

#16 WEEKEND = HIKING DAYS The weekends will become 48 hour opportunities to get outside. Seeing as there is ‘No such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes, every weekend will include a selection of hikes, walks, runs, bikes etc. Outside, with your backpack and your all-weather jacket. If your chosen Scandinavian is a Norwegian, he or she will make sure to pack an orange and a bar of Kvikklunsj chocolate.

ner have a nice Scandinavian caULF SVANE

fe and deli called ScandiKitchen, selling food to hungry expats and locals alike. ScandiKitchen is also a wholesaler and food importer. Bronte has written five books,

#17 WHAT SNOW?

with a sixth coming out this Oc-

When snow falls you will hear the words: “Snow? Really? You think this is snow? When I lived in Denmark/ Norway/Sweden/Finland…”

tober (ScandiKitchen Christmas, RPS) and is frequently featured in national media. She lives in

#18 MID-MAY IS EUROVISION You can try to fight it, but at some point, your Scandinavian will be found in front of the telly, Pina Colada and score sheet in hand. There will also be dismay when Sweden doesn’t give Denmark 12 points as planned.

Queens Park with Jonas and their CHRISTIAN LINDGREN

two daughters.

www.scandikitchen.co.uk

#19 RECYCLE, HAND-IN-HAND Everything. Always: Rinse and recycle. You will start to make trips to the recycling stations together. Awww.

#20 THE FRIDGE You may start to see strange things in tubes appear in the fridge. Or things that look like plastacine. You will start to add remoulade to every meal once the Danes are done with you.THE-INTL

COFOCO

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CHRISTIAN LINDGREN

TY STANGE

CHRISTIAN LINDGREN

LOCKOUT, STRIKE, NEGOTIATIONS

AND THE DANISH MODEL

The clock is ticking, and the end is nigh - Denmark is about to be thrown into public servant chaos, the likes of which we haven’t seen in… well, five years, to be exact. Jeppe Jensen an Upper Secondary teacher, and public servant, shares his (hopefully unbiased) insight and perspective for those non-Danes on the pending “storkonflikt” (great conflict).

PHOTOGRAPHS COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER

THE DANISH PUBLIC sector is divided into three regions or areas; those run by the state, those run by the regions, and those run by the municipalities. Gymnasiums, business schools, commerce schools, collecting taxes and environmental assignments are all run by the state. The regions control almost all the hospitals and medical facilities. While public schools, healthcare at GP level, nursing homes, buses, churches, kindergartens, and so on are run by the municipalities. At present, employees and employers are locked in serious negotiations over amongst other concerns, salaries and the right to a paid lunch break. Should negotiations fail, these services will be shut down (with the exception of essential services such as hospitals which will run on skeleton staff).

WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Should an agreement not be reached, 440,000 people will be temporarily suspended. This could play out one of two ways. Either by lockout, a weapon utilised by the employers to suspend employees and drive their negotiators into submission so to agree to their terms. As you can imagine, this will affect many. On the other hand, the employees can mobilise a conflict, which, in this case, would mean that an announced ten percent of the work force in all three of the above-mentioned areas will go on strike and not come to work until demands are met. How will this affect you? Well, you can’t be assured a train ride to work, as DSB is publically owned. Your teenage son can’t get communion because the local priest has been locked out. He cannot go to school either, because there are no teachers. Your daughter, enjoying her fun time at kinder-

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

garten, cannot go there either, because the pedagogues are all out too. Oh, and you can’t fly home, because the flight control at airports is run by the government.

CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS A conflict was to start on April 4th, issued by the employees, as to which the employers hit back hard with a lockout of the aforementioned 440,000 employees. Just for the record, had it been an all-in lockout, 750,000 people would be temporarily suspended. In comparison to the announced 10 percent employee strike. The employers’ lock out would hit two thirds of the state employees, and half of the regional and municipal employees if set in motion. Following this, if no agreement is in sight, the government can break the deadlock through legislation. In the interim an appointed, unbiased mediator, Mette Christensen, has postponed the conflict and lockout for two weeks, and can do so twice. If she could see no agreement in sight by Tuesday, April 17th, she had the option to call for the conflict and lockout to come into effect. She chose not to do this as negotiations went forward (not well, mind you). Everything has been postponed two weeks (from the 17th), but if she, at any point, feels that the negotiations are not moving forward, she can end them. Subsequently, the strike and lockout will take effect five days later. The negotiations have been stalled by something referred to as “The Musketeers’ Oath”. All that means, is that whatever the employers agree to with the state, the municipalities and regions get the same deal. Everyone enjoys the benefits, spread the wealth, and so on. Another issue is the employers’ chief negotiator; Minister for Public Sector Innovation Sophie Løhde, who

TEXT JEPPE JENSEN

SOURCE WWW.TV2FYN.DK

represents the state in the negotiating process, when government is not supposed to take part in the negotiations. Last time this happened was five years ago, when the state broke the five-week lockout of elementary school teachers, by completely siding with the employers and thus seriously maiming public schools and education in Denmark. But this last part is just my opinion. THE-INTL

THE DANISH MODEL There’s a unique thing called The Danish Model, which was implemented in 1899. Yes, almost one hundred and twenty years ago. The point of the agreement is that salary regulations for public employees is beyond the control of the state and should be agreed upon by the involved parties; the employers’ organisations and the employees’ organisations. They each find a chief negotiator and several of the larger organisations are represented at the negotiating table. Those parties are tasked with finding common grounds on; ★ The employers’ right to manage and distribute the work. ★ The right to make collective decision for large, organised parties (strike, blockade, lockout, sympathy conflicts, boycotts and such). ★ Employee representatives. ★ How long the agreement is to last, and how to develop the next one.

JEPPE G. JENSEN TEACHER AND FATHER Jeppe is an Upper Secondary Teacher, teaching both English and Film. He married an expat from the USA and is father to two kids, aged seven and four. He currently lives in Roskilde, but has lived in both Copenhagen and Elsinore. Jeppe has travelled extensively. First with his parents, seeing almost every European country, then as a student, spending eight months attending Glasgow University. Jeppe and his family often travel on holiday to visit family in the United States. Education is something Jeppe values highly and wishes for everyone.

MUSIC MAJOR:

MY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

THIS MONTH WE SIT DOWN WITH CHIARA DAMMANN, A 2017 MUSIC GRADUATE OF COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (CIS). SHE SHARES HER EXPERIENCES AS A STUDENT OF THE ARTS AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN DENMARK. TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

MANY EXPATS LIVING in Denmark choose to send their children to an International School. The main reason being that these schools offer internationally-recognised qualifications such as International Baccalaureate (IB) – and CIS is no different. International schools also offer students the opportunity to specialise in a range of subjects not offered at a public school. Chiara Dammann decided to attend CIS to peruse her love for music – a decision she says has helped develop her passion for music and grow into a mature young adult.

ated herself. “This sparked an intense excitement that I now have for performing,” she says. Over the past six years, Chiara has performed at many concerts, including the Grand Opening of CIS. “The Grand Opening performance was extremely important to me, as I felt I was representing the school in a sense, and I was contributing to such a proud moment for CIS,” she says.

A PASSION FROM A YOUNG AGE

THE ART OF LIFE

Her love for music began at a young age. “At the age of six I started playing around with the piano in my family's living room, which showed my parents that I had an interest in music, leading to the start of my piano lessons with a teacher. Because of this early start to my fascination with music, I can't really remember a time when it wasn't a huge part of my life, which it very much is today. Every day after school all I would want to do was come home to practice the piano. I quickly realised that I could come up with melodies of my own, write lyrics, and interpret songs in my own style,” Chiara explains of her introduction to music. Over the years Chiara’s love of the piano this developed into a burning interest to become a singer, pianist, and composer. After years of performance anxiety, at the age of 15 Chiara sung a mash up of two songs she had cre-

Although all major academic subjects are on offer at CIS, and while important for growing into an educated and intelligent adult, Chiara says that the arts in general give students an opportunity to expand on their creative thinking, which she thinks is just as important, if not more so. “Although you can definitely still develop your talent and passion for music outside of school, being able to learn about it during school amongst others with the same passion, is extremely valuable. If you are wanting to

take up music at CIS it means that something about the subject sparks an interest, and with that comes dedication to developing yourself creatively, which I believe is something that can then be useful with whatever else you wish to do in life,” she says. Having recently graduated from CIS, Chiara hopes to continue her journey as a musician. “I have accomplished a lot over my years at CIS; performing as much as I can, composing for several different occasions and continuing to perform classical piano. I haven't really even got going on my musical profession. Either this year or the next, I will be attending university in order to study and get a degree in composition, and in the meantime work on my own music, perform, generate an audience, and also teach younger musicians what I can about piano and singing. I want to follow my love for music, singing and composing for many years to come,” Chiara smiles. THE-INTL

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

EMBRACING PEDAL POWER IN DENMARK With one of the worlds most sophisticated cycling infrastructures, Denmark is atop the list of countries to cycle in. But it can also be one of the most intimidating. Keri Bloomfield explores how you too can harness your pedal power and cycle like a local. PHOTOGRAPHS DISSING+WEITLING / GOSIA KURZYK / COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER

ALTHOUGH I’VE CYCLED for most of my life, the thought of cycling in Copenhagen filled me with fear when I first moved to Denmark. With the hundreds of cyclists, the numerous rules (both written and unwritten), and stories of being yelled at if you get it wrong, cycling in Denmark intimidated me. And for good reason. In Copenhagen alone, cyclists ride 1,240,000km every day, with 56% of Copenhageners who work or study in the city commuting by bike. It’s a city in which bikes outnum-

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

bered cars for the first time in 2016 and where nine out of ten Danes own a bike (compared to only four out of ten owning a car). You don’t see these kinds of statistics in too many parts of the world. Although, while it may be daunting when you first arrive, the extensive cycling infrastructure and bike culture in Denmark is also inspiring. It’s an extremely easy, quick and convenient way to get around, particularly in the cities. Public transport is built to complement the cy-

TEXT KERI BLOOMFIELD

cle lanes, with extensive bike parking at most metro and train stations. Bikes travel for free on the trains, and you can even take them on the Metro in Copenhagen (although not for free and not during peak hour). The result of this extensive and impressive cycling infrastructure, is that it’s hard to ignore cycling as a transport option. And therefore, regardless of any fears you may have, you’ll most likely find yourself joining the masses embracing your own pedal power at some stage.

But before you join the crowds in the cycle lanes, it’s important to be aware of a few basics.

A BIKE, A BASKET AND A BELL If you don’t already own a bike, you’ll need to buy or borrow one. Bike shops, are to Denmark what Starbucks is to San Francisco, with pretty much one on every corner. You’ll find new and used bikes in these shops, but you can also buy second hand bikes, online from the various Facebook groups or on dba.dk. If you do buy a second-hand bike, make sure you check the unique serial number to be sure it hasn’t been stolen. As the buyer, it is your responsibility to do this. Simply download the ‘Politi’ app and choose the function “Cykeltjek”. Not all stolen bikes are listed on here, but it’s a good starting point. Similarly, when you buy a bike, make sure you record your unique serial number somewhere, so you can also report it as stolen should you fall victim to a bike theft. The next thing you’ll need is a bell. This is a requirement by law with the official rule being that you ring it when passing other cyclists. Although, the unwritten law is that you don’t ‘ring’ it unless you can see immediate danger when passing other cyclists. Occasionally however, you will also meet a lycra clad cyclist who has mistaken the cycle lane for a race track and he will most likely not have a bell on his bike and therefore may yell at you when he tries to pass you. My best advice if you come across one of these – is to ignore. And whilst not compulsory, you will quickly discover that baskets are also an extremely practical and necessary accessory for transporting shopping and possessions, so you may also want to consider adding one of these to your bike.

transport their children to and from school and childcare. All are great options and what you choose will simply come down to personal preference. In our family we use a Thule cycling trailer or a simple child bike seat attached to the back of our bikes. This can easily be changed between mine and my partner’s bike. The cycle trailer has the added advantage that we can also use it as a stroller/pram by attaching a third wheel. International mother of two, Gosia, lived in Copenhagen for three years where her partner loved cycling with their children. “He’d often prefer to take the bike as opposed to the car, on trips up to 30km! It was a great way for all of them to travel around the city.” Elizabeth Isaksson is another international living in Copenhagen who finds her Christiania bike an essential part of her day. She uses it to take her children to Børnehave. “I can’t imagine not having it. It’s such an important part of our daily routine and by far the easiest way for me to transport my children,” she says. Regardless of what bike you choose, start slowly, especially if you are a bit hesitant. Perhaps find someone to take you out for the first time or start by cycling in the quieter cycle lanes. And if you need just one more piece of encouragement to start cycling in Denmark, then know that statistically, according to The Cycling Embassy of Denmark, you will need to bike for 2800 years before you will be involved in a serious accident. THE-INTL

THE UNWRITTEN AND WRITTEN RULES While the rules may seem daunting to begin with, they’ll soon become second nature to you. They are well worth learning to ensure both your own safety and the safety of others. A quick search online will help you, but here are three of the main rules you should be aware of:

#1 TURNING LEFT AT AN INTERSECTION: This is a two-step process which involves cycling across the intersection (in a straight line) and then turning your bike left and waiting until the second set of lights turn green.

#2 ALWAYS KEEP RIGHT WITHIN YOUR CYCLE LANE: This allows others who may be cycling at a quicker pace than you to pass you easily on your left-hand side. When, or if, you decide to pull out to pass others, then also be sure to look behind you first before doing so. Just like you would in a car. Always use hand signals for stopping or turning.

#3 BUS STOPS: If a bus has stopped at a bus stop, all cyclists must stop behind the bus and let the passengers board or disembark the bus. The exception to this is if there is a traffic island between the bus stop and the cycle lane where passengers can wait.

CYCLING WITH CHILDREN Cargo bikes, Christiania bikes and cycling trailers are all very common sights in Copenhagen, with parents using these daily to

MAY IS

KERI BLOOMFIELD BLOGGER Keri Bloomfield is a connector, writer, event manager and blogger currently living in Copenhagen. Originally from New Zealand she was recently employed by her daughter (Bilingual Backpack Baby) as editor, writer, photographer and social media manager to document their adventures living in Denmark. Prior to this job posting, Keri navigated a corporate life in New Zealand and England working in the field of event management and people management. She is strongly passionate about healthy workplaces (and pastries). Now based in Denmark Keri is on her way to becoming bilingual (she hopes) and is the co-organiser of ‘Post A Letter Copenhagen’. A monthly event held at ENIGMA Museum of Post & Communication in Østerbro. Entry is by donation and in return attendees are able to write letters to anywhere in the world for free. She recently initiated a project for volunteer writers to write to lonely elderly people all over the world. This is part of Keri’s greater goal to encourage more thoughtful and meaningful communication in the world. You can read and follow Keri’s adventures in Copenhagen with her Danish partner and daughter, and learn more about Post A Letter Copenhagen, by visiting: www.bilingualbackpackbaby.com www.postalettercopenhagen.com

“VI CYCLER TIL ARBEJDE” (WE CYCLE TO WORK) MONTH IN DENMARK.

A FUN PROMOTION TO ENCOURAGE EVEN MORE PEOPLE TO BIKE TO WORK. CHECK OUT WWW.VCTA.DK FOR MORE DETAILS

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

COOL GADGETS TO GET YOU MOVING Let’s face it, no matter your level of tech-savy, gadgets are cool and there’s at least one for everyone. Here’s what’s made Suzaan’s list of the coolest, on-trend gadgets, right now – and simply those she can’t live without.

PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS

TEXT SUZAAN SAUERMAN

ON THE GO...

APPLE AIRPODS Go Wireless. It’s Magical. These will forever change the way you use headphones. Whenever you pull your AirPods out of the charging case, they instantly turn on and connect to your iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, or Mac. Audio automatically plays as soon as you put them in your ears and pauses when you take them out. To adjust the volume, change the song, make a call, or even get directions, just double-tap to activate Siri. I can’t live without mine.

PRICE: 1399 DKK.

UE ROLL 2

This mini Ultimate Ears speaker comes in a range of bright and bold colours, making it a perfect companion for spring as you spend more time outside. It is waterproof (and largely bash-proof ), and it comes with a steady nine hours of battery power. They are easily one of our favourite Bluetooth speakers.

PRICE: 800 DKK.

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

LET'S GO TRAINING ZEPP Zepp is a digital sports training device that is not worn by you but is instead worn by the sports instrument you are holding, or kicking. Each sensor specifically tracks stats in the game they’re playing. For example, the recently launched football sensor will track total kicks, sprints, distance, top speed and more. The sensor also uses auto-clip technology to capture 10 second video highlights to provide overall insights into performance on the pitch. With the sensor, users can see information about their game that was previously only available to the professionals. The sports tracker is available for tennis rackets, golf clubs and footballs. PRICE: FROM 650 DKK.

✱ FOR THOSE WHO NEED A LITTLE REMINDING

EDITOR'S TOP PICK! A GENIUS SPRING HELPER TO GET RID OF ALL THE DUST BUILD-UP FROM WINTER!

EASY SPRING CLEANING SUZAAN SAUERMAN LIFESTYLE TECH ADVISOR Suzaan has over 18 years experience working for various technology brands, leading global marketing organisations, developing product portfolio’s, driving digital transformation and unique retail experiences. Currently she focuses her time on wearables & hearables, helping various companies

SAMSUNG POWERBOT R7070 The Samsung POWERbot is one of the best robot

TILE MATE

to create unique experiences that enhances lives, make us healthier and drives education through technology – to mention a few.

vacuums available today. It delivers powerful suc-

Suzaan, a self-confessed tech

tion, the company's latest mapping technology,

geek, has travelled, worked and

Keep track of your

and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Large wheels for

keys, bags or what-

lived on all the continents of the

seamlessly moving over obstacles and a wide, self-

e ve r e l s e yo u c a n

world. In her spare time she loves

cleaning brush are also among the vacuum's note-

think of with Tile

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you can also control the vacuum via Samsung's own

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easily attaches to just about anything. To find anything you put a Tile on, simply open the app, ring it if it’s nearby or check the map for its last known location. They are avail-

a passion for food & wine, always trying to find the best cup of coffee in the city, enjoys art galleries and spending quality time with her friends. Suzaan lives in Copenhagen, was born & raised in South Africa and is a British citizen. Current-

able in single packs or a 4-pack.

ly she travels to London and San

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Francisco on a monthly basis.

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

GOOD VIBES IN VESTERBRO Traditionally a working-class area, Vesterbro is a suburb in the greater Copenhagen region famous for its red light district. However, over the years it has undergone much development and is today a trending suburb popular amongst younger families. Expats from all over the world have chosen to live alongside Danes in Vesterbro since the 70’s. Amongst its charms are the up-and-coming design shops, and food from all over the world. Here’s our top picks of things to do in Vesterbro’s Meatpacking District!

PHOTOGRAPHS COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER

TEXT LONNIE CASTLE

SOURCE COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER

MAD & KAFFE Mad & Kaffe took Copenhagen by storm in 2015 and has been serving great food in Vesterbro ever since. Most Copenhageners have Mad & Kaffe on their brunch bucket list. Located in one of Vesterbro’s hotspot locations, you can combine your own tasty breakfast plate by ticking the list of various breakGRANOLA

fast possibilities. ■ SØNDER BOULEVARD 68; 1720 COPENHAGEN V ■ WWW.MADOGKAFFE.DK

LONNIE CASTLE

GRANOLA

MARKETING MANAGER

A decorative sign posted on Værnedamsvej leads the way to a lovely backyard, housing the Granola coffee lounge.

Lonnie is Danish and

Granola offers freshly-brewed coffee, great creamy ice-cream,

married to a South

Summerbird chocolates and fruity milk-shakes from the good old

African wine farm-

days. Granola also serves breakfast, brunch and dinner.

er. She has lived in Copenhagen most of her

■ VÆRNEDAMSVEJ 5; 1819 FREDERIKSBERG C ■ WWW.GRANOLA.DK

life – but has recentMAD & KAFFE

ly moved up north to Humlebæk to discov-

VESTERBRO VINSTUE

er farm life. She works

MADAM MY

as a marketing manager for an interior de-

Madam My is always search-

sign company located

This tapas and wine bar is located in

ing for the right look for their

in the center of Copen-

the popular Istedgade in the Vester-

customers at fairs, home and

bro area. It is a cozy place, where

abroad. They feel it's impor-

Copenhageners like to meet up for

tant to have a large selection -

social catch-ups.

that appeals to a broad range

The wine bar offers a Spanish/Nor-

- both in price and look. The

dic cuisine and is located right next

style in Madam My is very

to Bang & Jensen, another Copenha-

mixed and expressive.

gen favourite. ■ ISTEDGADE 128; 1650 KØBENHAVN V ■ WWW.VESTERBROVINSTUE.DK

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

■ GAMMEL KONGEVEJ 85; 1850 FREDERIKSBERG C ■ WWW.MADAMMY.DK

hagen. Her love for Copenhagen is strong and passionate – she has bicycled through its streets and parks since she was a kid and knows most areas and locals better than she knows the contents of her purse! MADAM MY

ANDREA FJORDSIDE PONTOPPIDAN

TY STANGE

MARTIN HEIBERG

JACOB SCHJØRRING & SIMON LAU

NAVIGATING THE DANISH PHARMACY Pharmacies in mainland Europe can seem very different to those in the United Kingdom and North America. One thing that many people from outside Denmark observe is that there are a lot fewer OTC (over the counter) remedies available. Melanie Haynes gives a run-down of what is available at your local “apotek” (pharmacy), and how to navigate them. PHOTOGRAPHS COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER

THE TICKET SYSTEM When you arrive at a pharmacy in Denmark you will need to get a ‘ticket’ depending on what you are after. There are usually two buttons to choose from to get a ticket – “Recept” for prescriptions, and “Handkøb” for other purchases including OTC medications. Then you queue and wait for your number to come up on the screen. When it’s your turn, you present your ticket to the pharmacist who will then assist you with your requirements. If you have a prescription from your doctor this will automatically appear on the system when you present your CPR card. If you have no preference of the pharmaceutical brand, you can ask for the cheapest or generic brand which may or may not be the same one each time, but will contain the same active ingredients. If you are new to Denmark or will be travelling to the country in the near future, it is recommend that you bring a few months’ supply of both prescription and OTC medication you regularly take. It is also advisable to have your original packaging and know the generic name for the medication, as this can help both your doctor and the pharmacist find the right stuff here. You will be charged a subsidised price for your prescription. The more you spend on prescription medications in a 12 month period the greater the subsidy. I regularly take an expensive pain medication, and because of this spend, all my prescriptions are free. If you are on the not-forprofit Danmark Sygeforsikring insurance system, you get even greater subsidies. Keep in mind that you will always pay a set amount for contraceptive pills.

OTC NEEDS Behind the counter there are a number

of OTC medications, but nowhere near as many as in other countries. The pharmacists are very knowledgeable, but there are many medications you will need to see your doctor for. The main list of OTC medications include: ◗ Throat and cold medications ◗ Nasal sprays for various ailments (these are popular and effective) ◗ Hayfever and allergy medications ◗ Stomach and indigestion remedies ◗ Pain relief – for children there is both liquid paracetamol and also supposi tories ◗ Smoking replacements such as gum and patches ◗ Weight gain products ◗ Travel sickness tablets ◗ Antiseptic creams IF YOU CAN’T SEE SOMETHING JUST ASK AS THEY MAY STILL HAVE IT. For other personal and family healthcare items, here is what you can expect to find at most pharmacies: ◗ Dental care products including those for dentures ◗ Feminine hygiene products

TEXT MELANIE HAYNES

such as intimate soap and sanitary products ◗ Sun cream ◗ Baby products including breast pumps and accessories, nail scissors, washes, zinc cream, nappy cream, dummies, formula and bottles etc., but not nappies ◗ Dressings, bandages and plasters (band aids). If you need a special size dressing say for a surgical wound, ask at the counter as they often keep these in the store room and if they don’t have them they can get them in for you ◗ Sports injury remedies such as heat cream, heat pads and supports ◗ Bug repellents and bite remedies including devices to remove ticks ◗ Head lice hair washes ◗ Pet medications ◗ Contraception ◗ Pregnancy test kits ◗ Health screening test kits such as lactose intolerance, ovulation and clamydia ◗ Vitamins, minerals and health supplements ◗ Fancy French and Scandinavian beauty products but not make-up You can find our local pharmacy by entering your postcode into the search bar at this website: www.apoteket.dk/findapotek. The box “døgnapotek” means 24/7 pharmacies. THE-INTL

MELANIE HAYNES

CONSULTANT, BLOGGER & WRITER Melanie is a relocation consultant, blogger and writer based in Copenhagen, where she has lived for the last ten years. After experiencing relocation to Copenhagen and Berlin, she runs a settling-in service aimed at expats called Dejlige Days Welcome. Through her consultancy she helps people planning to move to Copenhagen or who are already living here. She regularly writes about expat life in Denmark in The Local Denmark and the Huffington Post as well as on her popular blog, Dejlige Days. She has also appeared in the press including the Guardian and The Sunday Times, and also in the Danish media talking about life as a seasoned expat in the Danish capital. She lives with her husband and son close to the beach in Copenhagen.

www. dejligedays.com

MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everything you wish for has an expression in Danishâ&#x20AC;?

Olga, philologist from Novosibirsk.

Want to learn Danish this summer? Intensive 2 and 3 week summer courses from 2 July 2018 Sign up before 15 June

sprogcenterhellerup.dk MAY 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM 1778_SH_annonce_Murmur_255x345mm.indd 1

19/04/2018 13.21