SEPTEMBER 2022 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM the international ISSN 2596-5220 AMBASSADOR FOR TWO COUNTRIES JIMMY ANDERSEN IS BREAKING DOWN CULTURAL BARRIERS! DINING WITH THE DANESORANGE SYRUP CAKE CARING FOR OUR BODIES WELCOME TO DENMARK EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2022 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM
Love, LYNDSAY JENSEN - EDITOR & FOUNDER THE-INTL.COM
MANAGING DIRECTOR & PARTNER Kenneth Macalpine - kenneth@the-intl.com
SO, WHAT EXACTLY do I mean by a global mindset? This encompasses gaining cultural awareness, becoming aware of your biases, and becoming great at adapting to peo ple from different cultural backgrounds. And while you can prepare yourself by reading books or watching vide os, there's no better way to gain a global perspective than living abroad. My top life-changing benefits that you might overlook at first: STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Moving abroad is not just about stepping out of your com fort zone - it's more like jumping. Not only will you find yourself in a new city or town, where you may or may not speak the language, but you'll also have to find housing abroad, plan your finances, make new friends, embrace a new culture, and much more. But don't see this as an anx ious, overwhelming experience. Most people who move abroad say that they need this boost to understand their true potential or simply to get out of the rut of their eve ryday life.
With so many people working or studying abroad, there are plenty of vibrant expat communities to become a part of. The best part is that these people are in the same boat as you, and connecting and sharing experiences or inter ests is a great way to make lifelong connections abroad. Al so, seasoned internationals have a wealth of experiences, tips, and hints to share! So if you're looking for an oppor tunity to make new foreign friends, why not spark a con versation at work, join the many student organisations at university, a sports club, volunteer, or take up a new hob by to meet like-minded people?
A famous Monty Python song wrote, "Always look on the bright side of life", and nothing could be more accu rate during this transition. So try to focus on the posi tive and good things about your life in your new coun try. Of course, there will always be compromises, but as long as you remember the reasons you moved in the first place and appreciate the benefits of your new life and en vironment, you'll be happy and enjoy your dream of liv ing in your new home country. To show their support to internationals who have just arrived in Denmark, the lo cal municipalities have organised events countrywide in September where you can connect, get vital information and generally be welcomed to Denmark – remember to check out pages 3-7!
MOVING ABROAD AND GAINING A GLOBAL MINDSET
JUGGLING RELATIONSHIPS
EDITOR & FOUNDER
Once you're away from home, you'll learn a lot about keep ing up with multiple types of relationships. Not only will you need to remain in touch with your friends and fami ly back home, who may be in a completely different time zone, but you'll also need to set aside time to nurture the new relationships you're trying to make. If you're finding it hard to manage, pick one night a week to reach out to loved ones over Zoom or Wattsapp and try to spend the rest of your time making new friends and figuring out your life abroad.
Lyndsay Jensen - lyndsay@the-intl.com
COVER PICTURE
SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM Head of SoMe Shivangi Singh - shivangi@the-intl.com
When you move abroad, you're likely on your own and without a solid network. However, when it comes to switching jobs or finding your first job, connections can be crucial. Especially in countries like Denmark, where LinkedIn is vital (I cannot emphasise this enough!), word of mouth and the strength of the professional relationship can often sway who gets the job (sometimes even before it is publicly advertised). So it's essential to take time and be brave when making new professional connections. At tend networking events or add your colleagues and other thought leaders as a LinkedIn connection if you're more of an introvert. Either way, stay in touch and develop that relationship - You never know where your next job will come from!
SoMe Ambassadors Neelam Gahlaut; Michaela Medvedova; Aina Masood; Ane-Sophie Custura; Terumi Mascar enhas; Manon Coolen; Leslie Noygues; Shelly Pandey; Shivangi Singh; Ritika Jain; Pavlos Tsia koumis; Sakib Akhter; Rashmi Jadhav; Gemma La Rocca; Isabel Pereira Lima SALES Thesales@the-intl.comInternationalis published online 12 times a year. This issue was published on 6 September, 2022.
VERBAL AND COMMUNICATIONNON-VERBAL
MEET THE TEAM
Notice: The publishers regret that they cannot accept any liability for er ror or omissions contained in this publication. The opinions and views presented need not necessarily reflect those of the publishers. Read ers are advised to seek special counsel before acting on any informa tion contained herein. All rights reserved. No part of this publication or contents thereof may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publishers. Published by and © 2021 The International ApS. Registered in Denmark / CVR Number: 39118181 the international AMBASSADOR FOR TWO COUNTRIES JIMMY ANDERSEN IS BREAKING DOWN CULTURAL BARRIERS! SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW.THE-INTL.COM
THE WHOLE WORLD IN ONE PLACE
Terumi Mascarenhas - www.fjordfoto.dk
LEARNING TO ADAPT You might encounter unexpected situations or deeply and culturally rooted perspectives. For example, finding out that almost everyone cycles in Denmark as it's the most popular means of public transport, or learning that you must take a number at the bakery to place an order. The local culture, tradition, and beliefs of people will be dif ferent and getting used to these differences might feel un comfortable. But adapting to these new situations is the best way to integrate. And remember, adapting doesn't mean changing your own beliefs or habits for others. It just means being respectful of others and their culture.
LET ME BE THE FIRST TO SAY – WELCOME TO DENMARK, AND YOU'LL BE JUST FINE! WHETHER THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME LIVING OVERSEAS OR YOU'RE A SEASONED EXPAT, MOVING ABROAD WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HELP DEVELOP A GLOBAL MINDSET.
CONSULTING EDITOR Conrad Egbert GRAPHIC DESIGN The International WRITERS TEAM Ophelia Wu; Vanessa C Petersen; Alexandra Beck; Mariano Davies; Skyler Bentley Hall; Monika Pedersen; Sara R. Newell; Aina Masood; Susan Jessen Spiele; Michaela Medvedova; Sha ni Bishop; Natasha Liviero; Heather Storgaard; Lasse Frimand Jensen; Jane Elgård Petersen Events Coordinator Lyndsay Jensen - lyndsay@the-intl.com
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Different cultures have different ways of communicating. Some cultures are more expressive with their emotions and hands, while others can come across as cold and very direct, as you may have seen here in Denmark. Living abroad and surrounded by a multicultural group, you'll notice how each person communicates verbally and nonverbally. Over time, you'll become sensitive to these differ ences and communicate respectfully and inclusively with others. An asset in this multicultural world!
EXPANDING YOUR PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
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CULTURAL AWARENESS 101 Living abroad will heighten your awareness of the many fascinating cultures around you. If you live in a small town, you'll experience total cultural immersion, which is much easier while learning Danish. Out in the country, it's hard er to switch to English if you're stuck, unlike bigger cit ies like Copenhagen and Aarhus. Some might see this as a negative, but it certainly sets you on the fast track in the long run. Having a mix of local and international friends will also introduce you to new music, local cuisines, foreign movies or shows, and much more. You'll uncover some in teresting cultural habits and find out just how true those stereotypes are or aren't.
COPENHAGEN - 24 SEPTEMBER International Citizen Days International Citizen Days bring together public authorities, private organisations and local communities for a day of end less inspiration on housing, job and social life through a care fully curated fair together with talks, debates and activities relevant to all newcomers.
Don't forget to check out our events section on pages 4-7 for events in your area. Or for more information, vis it the Welcome September website: http://lifeinden mark.dk/welcomeseptember
Cake and coffee will also be served, and there will be enter tainment for the kids. The afternoon will be a blast, so don't forget to swing by and learn about what North Denmark of fers. See you there!
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Join us for one of our biggest events of the year! Are you look ing for an opportunity to volunteer, join a club or learn about the many cultural activities around the city? Come and meet more than 40 organisations in Odense who are ready to wel come you and show you their activities. The event takes place in Borgernes Hus, and participation is free of charge. Every one is welcome, internationals as well as Danes.
THE MAIN CITY EVENTS AROUND DENMARK!
THE STORIESFEEL-GOODOFDENMARK
AARHUS - 1 OCTOBER Aarhus City Welcome
TO SIGN UP AND FOR MORE INFO: INTERNATIONALS' FAIR NORTH DENMARK
TO SIGN UP AND FOR MORE INFO: INTERNATIONAL WELCOME DAY
“Welcome September is a part of the Talent to Den mark project, which has the overall purpose of at tracting, welcoming, and securing the retention of international talent to Denmark,” explains one of the organisers, Kirsten Vestergaard Lauridsen, In novation consultant / Project manager for interna tionalisation at the Aarhus municipality. It’s a joint effort - 38 municipalities, business regions, business organisations, associations, or universities are part of the initiative for 2022. And the outcome? Seventy different events across Denmark. All participating municipalities or organisations choose which events they want to include in the concept. “There will be something for everyone - from huge welcome events to social events where you’ll meet fellow internationals and Danes as well as events that will introduce you to your local area.” Job search events, events about volunteering, sport club visits, or cultural activities will also be on the agenda.
Last year, thousands of internationals across Denmark attended one or more Welcome Septem ber events, and the feedback has been very positive. “It really makes a difference to feel welcome, to have the chance to meet other internationals and Danes at social and cultural events, and to get help navi gating Danish society. In addition, the events are a chance for people to get practical information about their local area and to improve their social network while getting new experiences.”
SEPTEMBER WELCOMES
MICHAELA MEDVEDOVÁ comes from Slo vakia and moved to Denmark 3 years ago to study for her Master's degree. Living in Odense she says it's the perfect city for her because it's not too large to be intimidating, but still exciting!
TO SIGN UP AND FOR MORE INFO: INTERNATIONAL CITIZEN DAYS
AALBORG - 15 SEPTEMBER Internationals' Fair North Denmark
Whether you are an absolute newcomer or have lived in Aarhus for years as a professional, accompanying partner, or student, this event is dedicated and tailored to you! Visit the Information Bazar to meet more than 40 unique organisa tions, dive into inspiring talks and performances at Speakers' Corner, and meet experienced internationals at the Library Library ready to share their best advice on how to navigate and enjoy life in Aarhus!
ODENSE - 24 SEPTEMBER International Welcome Day
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TO SIGN UP AND FOR MORE INFO: AARHUS CITY WELCOME
“ Welcome September is a part of the Talent to Denmark project, which has the overall purpose of attracting, wel coming, and securing the retention of international talent to Denmark.”
Created in 2021, the initiative aims to promote Denmark as a country that’s welcoming toward in ternational professionals, accompanying partners, and students. It consists of different events across the country from late August to the beginning of October.
Have you just moved to Denmark? Welcome September is here to make you feel more at home.
INTERNATIONALS WITH OPEN ARMS!
The Internationals' Fair North Denmark welcomes all new internationals, students and families alike to the city of Aal borg and the region of North Denmark. Come and meet pub lic authorities and relevant organisations and receive helpful information for you as a newcomer living in North Denmark!
But what about when Welcome September is over? Good news - the events are only a fraction of all those happening internationally in Denmark. So don’t hesitate to attend the events and initiatives around you throughout the year! THE-INTL
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Join us on this Interactive City Tour, and go find hid den clues, break codes, and solve puzzles and mysteries throughout the city center in this outdoor escape game. You can sign up with a team or alone, and we will find a team for you. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the city, discover some local gems, meet other peo ple, and have fun! Participation is free of charge, but you need to sign up.
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Do you want to be more active on LinkedIn and expand your network? Join us for a cozy Social Media Café! Finding it hard to write interesting posts for LinkedIn or making time for it? Join us for a collective social media session! We will brainstorm post ideas, connect with each other and get our keyboards fired up! This is an informal meetup for expats who are interest ed in being more active on social media and sharing their experiences.
Let's hang out - it's BBQ time! Join us for a summer family potluck BBQ. We will start the grill at 17:00. Sign up now to bring either: - A starter - A side dish - Meat for the bbq - A Signdessertuptonewcomer@esbjerg.dk
Are you ready to discover Odense in a whole new way?
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11 SEPTEMBER CITY WALKS FOR NEWCOMERS
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The Municipality of Esbjerg offers all newcomers a free guided walk in Esbjerg City or in Ribe. The walks will pro vide you with an overview of the main facilities and fill you in on the history of either Esbjerg or Ribe. The guide for the 1½ hour walk is from the City Archive, so you will be told many great stories about the history of Esbjerg or Ribe. Sign up per e-mail to: newcomer@esbjerg.dk
4 SEPTEMBER 2022 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM WELCOME TO DENMARK INTERNATIONALS! ZEALANDFUNENJUTLANDDANIEL_RASMUSSEN-DENMARKVISITKIRKEGAARDPETER-DENMARKVISITOCTOBERLINDEBORG_FLYINGGITTE-DENMARKVISIT LYNDSAY JENSEN EVENTS lyndsay@the-intl.comCOORDINATOR
5 SEPTEMBER 2022 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM A value-driven community that welcomes students ages 4-16. Rygaards has a strong reputation of a rich educational experience with a nurturing atmosphere where students learn to think for themselves, find their own voice, and engage with the world with confidence and curiosity. • High academic standards • Christian ethos • Beautiful campus, located in Hellerup • Global community • NEASC accreditation • Cambridge Assessment International Education Learn more at rygaards.comBernstorffsvej 54, 2900 Hellerup +45 39 62 10 53 ADVERTISEMENT 11 JOHANCHATSEPTEMBERINDANISHVISITSLARSENMUSEUM This month, we have a special edition of Chat in Danish, where we are going to visit the Johannes Larsen Museum in Kerteminde. Johannes and Alhed Larsen are two artists from Funen who left a mark on Danish art and culture for decades. Join us on this trip and get the chance to practice your Danish, meet other people, and learn about Danish art. Participation is free of charge but you need to sign up. FOR MORE INFO: EVENTS/5422671997781441HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ ODENSECOMMUNITYINTERNATIONAL 12 NEWCOMERSCLUBESBJERGSEPTEMBERCITYLINEDANCEOPENHOUSEFOR Open house event for Internationals as part of Welcome September - this is your chance to find the right club for you. FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/2AJTYZWIP UNSPLASH 13 HOUSEESBJERGSEPTEMBERSALSACLUBOPENFORNEWCOMERS Open house event for Internationals as part of Welcome September - this is your chance to find the right club for you. Sign up ahead at tel. +45 2444 1336 FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/23GQGTEHZ UNSPLASH UNSPLASH UNSPLASH UNSPLASH ODENSE ESBJERGESBJERG
Learn more about Randers and get the chance to meet oth er locals who live in your area. Last time Discover the Lo cals was held in Randers more than 60 people joined! So don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to get inspired and network! Get introduced to Randers Rethinkers and how you can join as a volunteer, learn about what you can explore in Kulturhuset, get inspired to try different sport activities at RGF, discover what Kaosambassaden is, and listen to captivating vibes from Growing Gospel. In short, get ready for an evening filled with inspiration and fun! You'll also get to enjoy a light meal and a soft drink - for free. FOR MORE INFO: EVENTS/DISCOVER-THE-LOCALS-RANDERS-SEP22HTTPS://WWW.HEADSTARTCAREER.DK/ UNSPLASH RANDERS
UNSPLASH STRUER 16 SEPTEMBER LET'S MAKE CENTRAL DENMARK INTERNATIONAL!MORE
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Programme for the evening: 18:30 - Welcome 18:40 - Introduction to the Danish Public library system and specifically which options you, as an expat, might find interesting at Struer Library. This will be introduced by Library Manager Rasmus Thøgersen 19:00 - How to get involved with arts, sport, culture and many associations? Area Director for Culture and Leisure Thomas Maroti Antunes will provide a broader overview of the possibilities in Struer Municipality. 19:30 - Stick Food a la Smørrebrød. We take a break to eat and talk 20:00 - Stand-up with Abby Wambaugh & Jefferson Bond Sign up for this event by following this Lasthttps://www.place2book.com/en/sw2/sales/tfkjmg1heklink:chancetosignupforthiseventis11September.
We welcome you to an evening of information and laughs. This is an evening especially for international newcomers and expats living in Struer municipality, with information about what Struer has to offer you. �� We will also have a good laugh at Danish habits and how we live our day-to-day life. The event will be in English and we will be serving a small during the event, that will have a “Danish theme”.
FOR MORE INFO: HTTPS://FB.ME/E/2XYWGOLWM Meet international ambassadors for Central Denmark and hear how you can join the network. Do you live in Central Denmark and do you want to help make the region even more international? Join us at this cosy event, where you can discover the HEAD START ambassador network! Grab a drink or an ice cream and meet other expats who have made Central Denmark their home and now are ambassadors for our region. The ambassadors share insights about their expat life on social media, this way helping us promote our region as a great place to live and work. This is an informal networking event, where you get to meet them and hear why you should join the network. Spoiler alert! This network is all about personal brand ing and community! FOR MORE INFO:
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- Hear an inspirational panel debate with locals and local internationals about settling in Denmark and making hard choices as an expat. - Network with locals and internationals. - Enjoy Latin Dance from Herning Latin Dance. - Participate in a competition and win great prices.
7 SEPTEMBER 2022 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM A free, international school lollandkommune Join us lollandinternationalschool.dk An island newcomers.lolland.dkopportunitiesof Quality bilingual education for students aged 6-14 ADVERTISEMENT 21
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We invite all international citizens’ of Lyngby to come join the new language bar in town. Improve your Danish and meet new people. The idea of a language bar is to practise your language skills and cultural awareness by talking to native speak ers and other learners, informally, over coffee or tea. The bar is run by native speakers on a voluntary basis and al so welcomes new Danish speakers. The event is a collaboration between Lille Fortun, SPEAK Language School and the Association LyngbyGuiderne and will run every last Wednesday of the Month from 17:00 – 19:00. The event is free of charge and registration in ad vance is not neccesary.
LIVINGSEPTEMBERINTHY
- Join the after-event informal networking part at Fox & Hounds.
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Expat Fair Herning is an annual event for internationals in Herning. Get to know associations, activities and things to do in the Herning area.
At Living in Thy you can meet those involved in all aspects of creating and maintaining a good and secure life in Thy. This years event will be held on 21 September from 16:30 to 17:30 at Plantagehuset, Plantagevej 18, 7700 Thisted. You will be introduced to: - The labour market/entrepreneurship and how the municipality can assist you in achieving your dreams and goals. - International companies in the area. - Life outside work – leisure, culture and nature opportunities. - Practicalities while working and living in Thy. Furthermore you'll get a chance to network with organi zations, companies and international citizens living in Thy while enjoy-ing a free meal. Living in Thy is free and everyone is welcome to partici pate. However, due to the event planning registration is Pleaseneeded.register here: lectLinkAnonymouslet/com.pls.morpheus.web.pages.CoreRespondentColhttps://www.survey-xact.dk/serv
What to expect: Meet a range of organisations and associations and find inspiration for leisure activities, networking, places to go and much more.
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DECIDING TO CHANGE NOT ONLY HIS LIFE BUT THE LIFE OF OTHERS AS WELLTHAT'S SOMETHING JIMMY ANDERSEN, A ZAMBIAN-BORN MUSICIAN LIVING IN COPENHAGEN, CAN CERTAINLY TEACH US WITH HIS AFRICAN INITIATIVE.
NO CITY LIKE COPENHAGEN
A couple of years back, when he felt all his travelling for work and music was getting too much, he decided not to leave Copenhagen for a while. The pandemic, ironically, helped him stick to that decision. "Just before the lockdown kicked in, I was planning a world tour and checking out which hostels I would play in. Then corona came, and I've managed to stay in Copenhagen since 2019. So that's a huge thing." After that, he focused on all his projects - and his daughter. "She's never had me that much, and now we got to see each other regularly. But I like Copenhagen a lot - it's most defi nitely my favourite. I don't think there's any other city like it."
BRIGHT
Growing up in different places was fun for a long time - perhaps until four or five years ago, when Jimmy started to question it. He thought about the effects it had on him and became angry. "I realised that some people are so lucky. They have childhood friends - they can say they went to that school all their lives. I have so many places I'm connected to that are gone and so many people I can't catch up with - my entire life is cut up in pieces." But even though it frustrates him that he doesn't have a hometown, growing up differently was an adventure; with his brothers and sisters, they were a unit. And while he can travel, there's no place where he wants to settle down.
To Jimmy, Copenhagen is very local but has such a global reach. "There are so many people that are so accessible in this small space." Here, if he wants to do something, he doesn't have to give all of himself to it. "You can separate what you want to do from the person you are. You don't have to be the entire embodiment of it. In Den mark, you can step out of the role." He simply finds people around him very humble, no matter how high they go. "Even the Queen can be grounded if she wants - in England, she couldn't. Danes have done a great anthropological feat here. it's the most precious thing." In Denmark, Jimmy also appreciates the silent consensus of automated teamwork - and a society of trust. Having just returned from Barcelona, he was on a train and wanted to buy food from the snack cart. The man operating it went off to get change for him. "When he re turned, I said: 'Dude, you just left the whole wagon with me. I could have taken stuff. And he told me: 'But we don't do that, now, do we?' No, we don't - but I was just play ing on the street in Barcelona and saw things like people picking pockets regularly."
SOMEBODY ONCE ASKED Jimmy Andersen why he's so dramatic in all his answers. Well, he's been living a dramatic life. His varied background led him to Denmark, among other places. Building a bridge between Denmark and Malawi, he's trying to create solutions to African economic problems - through football. WHERE THE ROOTS ARE Born in Zambia, he lived in several different places before his parents divorced. After his mom remarried a Danish man, he also lived in Denmark. His grandfather was originally from Malawi. "I thought I was Zambian until a cer tain age when my mother told me: 'We need to take you to Malawi.' I wondered what's in Malawi, and she finally said that's where my roots are. When you're African, you have your original village. I couldn't tell her where it was in Zambia. My background is across Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, and Swaziland. There's not a single place I could say I am from."
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By now, Danish is very much of Jimmy's culture. "Part of me feels African, part of me feels Danish. My mother, a proud African wom an, refused to have a Danish passport or see Denmark as a way to a better future. She PHOTOGRAPHS TERUMI MASCARENHAS - WWW.FJORDFOTO.DK TEXT MICHAELA MEDVEĎOVÁ
A FUTURE FOR ALL
A LESSON IN DANISH CULTURE
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Jimmy wants to get people into a more proactive culture. So he's been working on CCSR - comprehensive corporate social responsibility - spent six years in Africa, ob serving the dynamics of how the poverty industry works. He sees both the problems of the people and the problems of the government. They do want to help; they do have programmes. However, it's hard for people to see the entire overview - communicating what the government wants to do for the people.
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS Because of all those misconceptions, Jimmy wants to build a bridge between Malawi and Denmark - and do it correctly this time. "There's so much money thrown at Africa, yet the situation is worse than when we started. In the meantime, the Danish government has scaled down its presence in Af rica. The embassies have disappeared, and the faith in African governance has also dis appeared. Now, the Danish government is focusing on development based on business."
Jimmy's parents, especially his mom, made sure the children kept their African lan guage and culture. They ate together on the ground with their hands and spoke respect fully to their elders. At the same time, they'd also learnt to eat with a knife and fork. When they went to Africa, usually, they ate like Africans on the weekdays and like Eu ropeans on the weekends. "It was instilled in us from the beginning. We were brought up as ambassadors of two cultures. What I'm doing right now is naturally just a con tinuation of what we faced back then. In the Danish countryside, people were so igno rant of Africa. And in the countryside in Africa, people were so ignorant of Europe. It was a job given to us from the beginning to make sense of this." The awareness has improved, but in the past, Jimmy encountered questions like whether they have potatoes in Africa or who are those poor white people Africans see on foot. Can't they afford a car?
"There's goodwill and good intentions from both sides, but there's huge miscommuni cation. And it's a job for me to break those barriers. There are millions put aside for projects that could actually help us do stuff, and people are not accessing it simply be cause they are incapable of thinking further than their emotions. Luckily, I grew up with parents who were very into practical solutions."
THE FOOTBALL WAY Jimmy knows football is very popular, and lots of kids have dreams and aspirations connected to it. So he's starting a project called Kick for Africa. "I know that if I go the football way, I'll meet many young people and use that as a doorway into the rest of what I could teach them." Football excites people, pulls large crowds, and is a source of dreams for them. But, unfortunately, people are spending money on it, and no money is coming in. "We're going to set up a club. We know how much footballers are making - and it's not impos sible for a club in Africa to make that much money and get sponsorships. It would be collateral for getting loans people wouldn't get otherwise." In some countries, people understand the concept of cooperatives - but in Malawi, there's a lot of jealousy. The only thing that motivates people to work together is football. So Jimmy wants to divert money into other African projects to sponsor a football team instead. "We can take a great amount of the money sent out by Denmark and put it into football. It could help across the continent, not just in the African countries where Denmark has projects. You can keep many more young people in Africa, believing their dreams are achievable." Jimmy says they lose about half a million kids a year, leaving Africa for Europe. A significant percentage of them die at sea or are at immigration camps. "A ship sank in the Mediterranean years ago, and thousands of people died. It
10 SEPTEMBER 2022 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM was just in love with a Danish man. So many people do anything to get a visa to come and live here. But that was not my experience at all."
And in Africa, Jimmy believes those solutions need to come from within so people trust them. That's the first step. Next, you need to be independent and use your re sources. "We have a huge problem in Africa - many kids seem to not perform well at school. It's mainly because when lessons are taught in English, many kids are self-con scious and don't feel confident to partake in answering questions. If they pronounce something badly, everybody bursts out laughing. Everybody's so afraid of messing up the English language that maths, biology, chemistry disappear."
Jimmy explained that the backpackers were just trav elling and looking for an adventure. It's so much better now, mainly thanks to the In ternet. "Up until 2001, when I went to Malawi, I went to a totally different world. You left an entire reality behind. You went to a place where you could hear the crickets at night. Now, I can talk to people in my village online. So those types of misconceptions haveJimmydisappeared."wenttoschool in Africa until age 15, and then he started attending one in Denmark. That's where his first culture shock began. Before that, besides his fami ly, he didn't really spend time with other Danish kids. "Kids younger than me were smoking. We had a little shop at the school, and the kids running the shop were sell ing each other cigarettes. There was also a lot of open kissing. In class, students were talking back and using calculators. I couldn't believe it - in Africa, you're supposed to do it in your head." With so many backgrounds and influences, there's not a single identity Jimmy would feel the strongest about. So instead, he only feels strongly about his destiny. "My main question is - what am I here for? That's why I'm so involved with what I'm doing because it's the only thing that gives me purpose. I belong to my work more than anything else."
To read more about Jimmy and his Kick for Africa project, follow him on https://www.facebook.com/Chiozo/aboutFacebook:
So Jimmy is going to launch a campaign for every Malawian to register. They don't have to be a football player. They just have to be interested in their country and the world.
"WE CAN TAKE A GREAT AMOUNT OF THE MONEY SENT OUT BY DENMARK AND PUT IT INTO FOOT BALL. IT COULD HELP ACROSS THE CONTINENT, IN THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES WHERE HAS PROJECTS. YOU CAN KEEP MANY MORE YOUNG PEOPLE IN AFRICA, BELIEVING THEIR DREAMS ARE ACHIEVABLE."
11 SEPTEMBER 2022 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM costs at least 1000 pounds to make that trip. A million pounds went down with them. If we had a programme with these peo ple staying home, pulling these resources together, you would have a programme starting with a million and keeping people away from the sea and possibly losing their life."
A HIGHER DESTINY After all, Jimmy himself is a musician. "It's my job - it's my talent. It's part of our African life - music is at the centre of a community." But there's also a need to cre ate new communities and cultures that go with how the world is changing. Reggae is the music that goes hand in hand with that. "It's a music culture created for displaced, estranged or margin alised people - and there you find common ground and a common voice. I found the courage to say Mom, Dad, I'm not going to fin ish school because this system is messed up. And they said - who says so? Bob Marley says so," laughs Jimmy. "Music made me feel I could stand on my own. If I tried to change things and be revo lutionary, I'd have to depend on a group of people. But I can be alone with music and communicate with many people anyway."
Because Jimmy believes there's a lot he can and will change. Not for himself. He wants nothing less than a bright future for everybody - and that's what he's working towards. THE-INTL
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DENMARK
NOT JUST
ADMIN FIRST Once settled in with all the complicated admin stuff like a CPR number, bank ac count, job, apartment/house and signup to the local language school, the first thing that came to my mind was how do I find my fit crew here?
CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING
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However, you should not expect to brunch with anyone after your exercise class, at least not at the start. But show your face there consistently, and you will start rec ognising people and being recognised, at least with a nod and a smile, and eventual ly, the conversation will happen.
hello@alexbeck.fit@alexbeck.fit@alexbeck.fitcapital!
If you are on the lookout for a faster so cial vibe, where you can train strength/ cardio in a team, high-five your sweaty gym buddy and grab lunch post workout, I would highly recommend doing your re search and finding a team of indoor or out door boot camp style training in or around where you live. This is where and how you will meet people keen on getting to know their team members and where you will most likely find some people to hang out with. Also, most people in Denmark can and will happily speak English, which makes it a little easier to communicate if you are still new to the local language. There are also many opportunities to join dance (Zumba) classes, Jumping Fit ness (this is crazy fun), running and cy cling clubs or even paddle tennis, where socialising and an active lifestyle can be combined. It may be harder to find pure English-speaking sports clubs/activities everywhere in Denmark, but if you can use Google, you will find a few of us out there! My best advice for finding your crew here is to try different clubs or teams with an open mind and not be afraid to engage in conversation! You eventually will find one that makes you want to return to a class or club time after time and will find your hap py, social, healthy fitfam! THE-INTL
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PERSONALLY, MOVING AWAY from my home country was a ball of mixed emo tions and expectations, excitement and fear all bundled into one. And one of the most disconcerting feelings was the inabil ity to know how to integrate into a new cul ture. Leaving behind all that I knew, the routines and ways that seemed all so nat ural, to a place where simple things like the language, the food and the biking lanes were a complete and utter mystery! How on earth would I understand how anything worked or make friends if I couldn’t even understand supermarket signs? There is no magic formula to this except one of an open mind and a willingness to adapt and accept. After all, for most of us, it’s a choice to be here.
FINDING YOUR FITFAM IN DENMARK
PERSONAL TRAINER & NUTRITION COACH Alex is a Swiss/Brit mom and wife who has lived in Co penhagen since 2009. She switched from corporate life in communications to the inde pendent life of an outdoor per sonal and group fitness train er. She coaches people of all ages and fitness levels to find fun and consistency in move ment through individual and group workouts. Delivering entertainment and spreading group fitness magic is her su perpower. Alex encourages you to high-five her if you see her in the
OUR RESIDENT HEALTH AND FITNESS GURU, ALEX, SHARES HER TIPS ABOUT FITTING IN. ALEXANDRA BECK
PHOTOGRAPHS ALEXANDRA BECK TEXT ALEXANDRA BECK
In Denmark, there is a particular focus on health and fitness. Gym memberships are not nearly as expensive as in many oth er countries (i.e. Switzerland or Belgium, where in most fitness clubs, a monthly membership can hover close to 1000 DKK), you can get a membership for as low as 149 DKK/month if you hop on to one of the many offers, and one will rarely pay over 500 DKK for other types of memberships unless in more exclusive centres. This is the place to be if you are look ing for pure fitness. Clubs like SATS, Fit nessX, FitnessWorld and Fit & Sund offer a wide array of centres across Denmark, with affordable options for both strength training and group fitness classes. My ex perience has been quite positive with these chains as they provide what you need if you are there to get a sweat on! Most will also have access to a sauna, and some may even have swimming facilities!
THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER MARKS YET AGAIN AN EXCITING MONTH FOR INTERNATIONALS THROUGHOUT DENMARK. OUR NEWEST EDITION TO OUR EDITORIAL TEAM, LASSE, SHARES HIS INSIGHTS ABOUT THESE EXCITING INITIATIVES.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
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docking in Aal borg harbour, marking the end of the International Fleet's re turn to the North Sea. The Tall Ship Races started in Esbjerg in July, and around 40 of the world's most beautiful tall ships, visit ed Aalborg with 1,500 crewmembers and around 680.000 guests participating. These beautiful ships were the main attraction, but the event also included musical and cultural experiences for the whole family. The whole event had an international feeling with many nationalities mixing in with local internationals and Danes. Born and raised in Aalborg Municipality, events like these make me so proud. Our Municipality has around 155 different nation alities, which is a significant advantage for us when striving to be a more international Municipality. I met many of the people I know from the international community at the Tall Ship Rac es, and events like these not only attract the world to your local city but also connect the international community with their lo cal city. Some of my clearest memories from being an internation al myself living abroad were the different events we participated in. These events showcase the local culture, and the local commu nity's mindset is to be as hospitable and welcoming as possible. That's why our workplace, International House North Denmark, often tries to link events to Welcome September, where you feel part of something bigger in a local setting.
CITYTEAMJENSENFRIMANDMANAGERANDCOUNCILMEMBER
PHOTOGRAPHS LASSE FRIMAND JENSEN TEXT LASSE FRIMAND JENSEN
Our ambition is to have one of the largest business parks in Denmark, offering flexible and ideal locations for both commer cial and industrial purposes. A business park where symbiosis and resource sharing are valued, and the green transition is applied to create new business opportunities. A global mindset must be a gate to green solutions and business development. By having a global mindset, our region of Northern Jutland (North Denmark) also strives to be an attractive career destination for international talent who want to be part of a commercial green transition. The foundation of this work is located in our GreenHub Denmark col laboration and our new project, CO2vision. CO2Vision has been selected as North Denmark's joint beacon of green growth in the entire region. Through CO2Vision, our region aims at becoming a frontrunner for carbon capture, utilisation, and storage. The fu ture looks green and exciting in North Denmark. THE-INTL
Team Manager at International House North Denmark. City Council member in Aalborg Municipality. Group chairman for the Social Democratic Party in Aalborg. Chairman of DANVA and Port of Aalborg. Father of three kids and married to Kirstine. Worked and lived in Africa as an expat. Takes an active part as a volunteer for the international community. Believes in international solidarity and wants the international community in Aalborg to be more aware of their lassefj.dklassefj.dklassefj.dkrights.
A A NATIONAL INITIATIVE, which includes more than 70 events across Denmark from late August to early October, is explicitly designed to welcome internationals to Denmark. You can find an event near you at Augustlifeindenmark.dk/welcomeseptemberkickedoffwiththeTallShipRaces
GATE TO GREEN
JUTLAND
LASSE
We also launched our GreenHopper at Tall Ship Races, the first emission-free and driverless boat bus in Denmark with the latest and most advanced technology. GreenHopper benefits the blue and green Denmark, which hopefully can inspire the world. In addition, 24 passengers will be able to cross the Limfjord in be tween 5 and 7 minutes every quarter, improving the logistical and transport opportunities in Aalborg. GreenHopper is a result of our work on making the maritime sector and our city greener. As Chairman of Port of Aalborg, we are a key in this, and knowledge and innovation are keywords for the Port of Aalborg. We are much more than a traditional port or transport hub. With a global per spective, we are the gateway to a new and better future, creating growth, new jobs, and opportunities for the benefit of both busi nesses and the community.
SOCIAL FAUX PAS In some countries, it’s traditional for a new employee to invite their new boss and partner to your home for a private dinner. However, this is a big no-no in Denmark, as it’s seen as trying to win favour with the boss and will be seen as odd behaviour by your Danish colleagues. By following these basic steps, you will in no time become a part of a friendly, welcoming inner circle of Danish colleagues and friends. THE-INTL
SO, HOW DO YOU MEET DANES ON THEIR HOME TURF? Their home turf is often their private home where you can meet their family members and get a chance to see how they live when not at work. Whether it’s a garden party, a relaxed get-together, or a dinner party, you need to know some unwritten rules. If you get an invitation to a private dinner from neighbours or colleagues, do not hesitate to accept it. Whether it’s a dinner party (which can be more formal) or a more social gathering, it will be an excellent opportunity to learn more about your new friends. It will also give you the chance to practise your Danish. If you haven’t been in Denmark that long, it’s always an excellent opportunity to give it a shot – nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Accepting the invitation is the first step. If it’s the first time, you’re visiting your new friends, bringing a hostess gift indicating your gratitude is always courteous. The gift could be a bunch of flowers – this is always a good starting point. A box of chocolates could also be an idea, but this is sometimes less popular. Something more personalised would be to bring a little gift from your home country. It does not have to be expensive, but if it rep resents something from your hometown or country, this is an ex cellent idea if it’s a local speciality or a piece of art. At the dinner table, some informal rules are good to know as an international. Topics such as politics and religion can be sen sitive topics - so best to avoid those. As a guest, never arrive too late. If you are invited to a dinner party at 19:00, you should arrive on time, as everyone will be seat ed at the same time after having welcome drinks. However, if you get an invitation to a larger social gathering, it’s more relaxed. Compared to people from many South European and South American countries, we are pretty reserved regarding person al space. Most Danes prefer to give a good solid handshake until they know the person a little more. If you’ve received a written invitation to a dinner party, be aware of what type of clothing might be expected, which will most probably be noted on the invite. If you’re dressed incorrectly, this could be perceived as an insult to the host. However, you will be very welcome to dress more casually for larger social gatherings. When to leave an event might also be different, whether it is a dinner party or a social gathering. Leaving a dinner party is usual ly not that late; very often, all leave at the same time. It’s the oppo site during larger social gatherings where there is more flexibility.
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So, new to Denmark? Have you started a new life with your family, or maybe you’ve arrived alone? You are happy with your professional life, but how about your new social life in a new country? Our newest addition to our editorial team, Jane, our cultural detective, helps you debunk Danish social etiquette.
DINING WITH THE DANES
SO HOW DO YOU BEST HANDLE THIS?
JaneCULTURALPETERSENELGÅRDDETECTIVEisalocalandgrew up in Denmark, apart from a few long-term stays abroad, whilst travelling extensive ly. For the last 10 years, her business has supported relo cating internationals to Den mark and helping businesses onboard their employees. She loves a challenge and feels there are many different ex pectations of moving to Den mark, depending on who you are and where you come from.
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH TEXT JANE ELGÅRD PETERSEN JANE
linkedinkulturdetektiven.dk
EVEN THOUGH DENMARK is in the top 10 “Quality of Life” coun tries, the Danes are often seen as very introverted and spend a lot of time with their families and friends. However, this doesn’t mean we aren’t interested in socialising with internationals.
9. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and smooth the surface before placing it in the oven.
3. Zest the oranges and place zest in the bowl of a stand mixer.
8. Add the orange juice and mix until just combined.
ORANGE SYRUP CAKE
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE (OPTIONAL) INGREDIENTS: 150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 100g cream 50g butter, room temperature, cubed 5g honey
11. Towards the end of the baking time, prepare the syrup by simmering the orange juice and sugar until the sugar melts. Then, add the liqueur and carefully pour the warm syrup over the surface of the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
1. Set oven to 160C.
13. This cake can be served plain, decorated with candied orange segments and edible flowers or with a rich chocolate ganache.
NOTES:
1. Heat the cream in a saucepan until just boiling. 2. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Leave for a minute before stirring until smooth. 3. Add the butter and stir until melted and fully incorporated into the chocolate. 4. Finally, stir in the honey before slowly pouring the ganache over the cooled cake.
10. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
ORANGE SYRUP INGREDIENTS: 110g fresh orange juice 80g sugar 20g orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau
2. Grease a 24cm bundt tin or line and grease a spring-form cake tin.
5. Add the butter and mix with a paddle attachment until light and creamy.
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4This cake will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
4Due to the cake's moistness, it's imperative to grease the Bundt pan thoroughly to ensure the cake doesn't stick to the tin. If you struggle with this, use a 24cm spring-form cake tin, lining the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper before lightly greasing.
NATASHA LIVIERO - PASTRY CHEF Natasha is a recently qualified pastry chef who is South African by birth and Croatian by blood. She spent many years working for a wellness publication but did an about-turn at the beginning of 2020 when she joined a culinary school to fulfil a lifelong dream to study patisserie. She’s passionate about European patisserie and loves spending time in the kitchen experimenting with recipes (while quibbling with her feline friends), and is always on the hunt for interesting new cookbooks. natashaliviero
ORANGE SYRUP CAKE MAKES ONE 24CM CAKE METHOD:
7. On low speed, alternate adding the eggs with the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is well combined.
4. Add the castor sugar to the zest, and with your fingers, gently massage the zest into the sugar until it turns orange in colour.
A SUPER MOIST CAKE THAT'S DELICIOUS ON ITS OWN AND A LITTLE MORE DECADENT WHEN TOPPED WITH DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE!
6. Mix the cake flour, almond flour and salt in a separate bowl.
12. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for around 30 minutes before turning it onto a cooling rack covered with baking paper (because the cake is a little sticky, the baking paper will make it easier to move later).
PHOTOGRAPHS & TEXT: NATASHA LIVIERO / UNSPLASH ORANGE CAKE INGREDIENTS: 330g castor sugar 15g orange zest 200g butter, room temperature and cubed 80g cake flour 300g almond flour 2g salt 5 XL eggs 50g fresh orange juice
METHOD:
www.stylefreed.com@@Denmark.mystylefreedthestylefreed
De Nou is a slow-fashion brand based in Denmark. Designer, Karina Ogueri, up cycles preloved textiles with a story to tell. Each piece is curated for the individu al and customised based on your size measurements. Size inclusion and breathing new life into thrifted pieces are key. (Instagram: d_e_n_o_u_)
Sofie Skovlund introduces the must-have accessory you never knew you need ed…a wool collar. Owner of SOFcopenhagen, she creates fun and magical wool col lars that serve as the perfect dose of warmth and happiness. All pieces are made to order, and she shares her process frequently on Instagram (@sofiedesignart).
Now that you know some Danish brands to bypass customs fees in Style…I bid you "vi ses" (Danish expression for "see you later")
Now that we have highlighted jewellery, accessories, and clothes from local ar tisans… let's talk about shoes. Ida Bergkvist Poulsen and her team collaborate with a group of craftsmen in Senegal to create handmade shoes. Ida Dakar is a brand where unique designs and bold patterns are manifested into shoe art. Her company also provides fair living wages and work opportunities in Dakar. (Insta gram:BeforeIdadakar)Igo…Iwanted to share one last brand that technically isn't Danish…but is right over the bridge in Malmö, Sweden. PampasNU has been a staple in my closet since making a move to Denmark. They offer handmade customised kimonos and kaftans, which will make you the focal point of any conversation. Their playful de signs and daring colours can be seen on their Instagram, pampas.nu
DANISH FASHION BRANDS YOU NEED TO KNOW...
VANESSA PETERSEN JEWELRY DESIGNEROWNER OF STYLEFREED Dubbed the 'Jill Of All Trades', Vanessa hails from the sun shine state of Florida. After visiting Copenhagen sever al times as a former Interna tional Flight Attendant, she permanently settled in Den mark in 2017 with her hus band. Currently, Vanessa is the owner of the hand-craft ed jewellery brand, the Style Freed. She creates personal ised jewellery centred around healing crystals worldwide. Being a creative "mompre neur' has also allowed Vanes sa to focus on her son's devel opmental journey with autism in
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#1 Odd Lemon I love a good clickbait name that will draw you in. Odd Lemon is a 'Danish Slow Fashion Brand Handmade In Copenhagen'. It was established in 2016, and the com pany intends to 'not follow trends…but rather get dressed with feelings'. They have successfully stood out in a sea of monochrome waves of black and grey. Each piece is handmade, and sizes are customised…so this brand is the embodiment of sizeinclusion. For that perfect organza statement piece, Odd Lemon is a go-to must.
#5 Small Business Voices I think it's about time I promote some smaller Danish fashion brands, including myself. If you are looking for the perfect jewellery statement piece, Style Freed should be on your radar. Established in 2020, the Style Freed combines crystal heal ing energies with personalised hand-stamped creations. The company's objective is to create jewellery for the 'less is more type of human'. (Instagram: @thestylefreed)
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#4 Miinto We all love a solid one-shop-and-done platform, and Miinto personifies such a place. Carrying all your favourite Danish brands such as Rotate, Ganni, Stine Go ya, Baum und Pferdgarten, Saks Potts, Re:designed and Malene Birger. Launched in 2009, Miinto has grown into almost three thousand independent brands show casing three hundred thousand plus products (insert gasp). Another Danish brand to call attention to is Résumé, hoping it makes it into the Miinto virtual store front. However, whether you are looking for a pair of shoes, dress trousers, or a cool cap…Miinto has your back.
#2 WoodWood "Have you ever heard the saying, it takes a village?" The Danish brand WoodWood really incorporates this ideology into their textile intentions. Since 2002, Wood Wood has collaborated with many brands and independent artists to fuse a fashion community based on contemporary streetwear. So regardless of the pronoun you identify with, you are sure to find the perfect wardrobe foundations at WoodWood #3 Nanna XL I can still recall being in the dressing room at Nanna XL and having a supportive store attendant help me choose between two grandpa cardigans. My indecisiveness won that day, and I purchased both. I also remember when walking out, the atten dant wanted to share that the clothes were all plus/extended sizes. Since 1997 Nan na XL has been a fashion-safe space for women looking for a size guide that encom passes ALL. Carrying popular brands such as Zizzi and Nanna XL allows modern and high-quality clothes to be attainable regardless of size.
"SO YOU DID IT…HUH?"... "You made the move to Denmark!"...Welcome to this growing expat club of navigating a brand new coun try. I'm sure you have a list of important things to figure out, like sorting out housing, having your documents in order, and choosing a new cell phone provider…but I am here to give you a cheat sheet on another crucial subject…FASHION! I know what you're thinking… "Is fashion really that important?" The short answer is yes. Culture shock can come in many forms, especially when dealing with components of self-expression and identity. You may be tempted to still shop at your usual brands on line, but beware, it may come at additional costs if it is outside of the EU. Don't you worry…I will be sharing some local brands to keep an eye out for.
COMING THROUGHTOGETHERLANGUAGE
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Earlier this summer, I visited a language exchange in Berlin and met a Dane who also visited the city solo. We spent much of the night speaking German together, allowing her to practise and me to use a language I grew up with but no longer typically use be fore we switched to Danish after a few drinks. It felt very free to switch between the two together while we talked about the two countries, from the German minority in Southern Jutland to our mutual love of the German-Danish border city of Flensburg. After discussing German and Danish food, we found a restaurant serv ing Käsespätzle (often described to foreigners as German Mac n’ Cheese), a dish beloved in southern Germany, Austria and Swit zerland that I am always keen to share. If not for the language connection, we’d never have spoken to one another, but I’m so glad we Basically,did.be brave and give Danish a try! Try not to be put off if it doesn’t go as quickly as you’d hoped, and be perseverant while you find the language learning method that motivates and works for you.
HeatherWRITERSTORGAARDHEATHERStorgaard comes from Northern Scotland, grew up in Switzerland, and lived in England and Germany. She met her Danish and soon-tobe British husband back in 2017, and they now split their time between Central Scot land and Helgenæs, a penin sula in rural Eastern Jutland. Languages and cultural stud ies are a big passion, leading Heather to pursue a degree in Culture and Heritage and a career in photography and translation.@heatherstorgaard
Language buddies are available throughout Denmark, with most ly retired Danes volunteering to help internationals in their local area to learn Danish. For the Dane, this may help combat the di rectionless or loneliness experienced in retirement, while it offers the international a unique insight into Danish culture alongside their language learning. Outside the classroom, a Danish language buddy can help you learn the everyday vocab and local dialect that the centralised language school curriculum may struggle to cap ture. If you aren’t based in a city like me, this can be a great way to feel rooted in the local community.
LANGUAGE BUDDIES
DANISH LANGUAGE CIRCLES I coordinate a Danish language circle for learners of the language and have enjoyed meeting such a wide variety of people through it, from people in their early twenties with career goals that re quire Danish to pensioners hoping to learn more of their grand children’s first language. In comparison to a language class, there are no tests, pressure or goals, other than to have some hygge and help one another with tongue twisters. As someone who us es Danish as my primary language at home, I find helping other Danish language learners along their journey rewarding and in sightful. While I used to value my skills as less than a native Dan ish speaker, I have realised that as someone who speaks fluent Danish as an additional language, my insight and understanding of the learning process are very helpful to others.
BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS
"Language exchanges are a great way to meet fellow internationals and Danes interested in other cultures and international life."
MAKING FRIENDS WHILE LEARNING THE DANISH LANGUAGE. PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH TEXT HEATHER STORGAARD
LANGUAGE EXCHANGES Language exchanges are a great way to meet fellow internation als and Danes interested in other cultures and international life. Available in most Danish cities, in such a setting, Danes and In ternationals are placed on a level playing field, with everyone at tending because they wish for help to improve their abilities. No shaming of language skills is allowed, and Danes attending will definitely be impressed at your attempts at their language, no matter how basic it may be. There’s also the chance to practise more than just Danish and, if you are a serial expat or grew up in a multilingual environment, it can be a great way to keep up skills in languages you have previously learnt but may no longer use so often in Denmark.
THE-INTL
T THE DANISH LANGUAGE is a challenge for most internationals arriving in Denmark. Danish is ranked as one of the most difficult languages to learn, primarily due to the pronunciation challeng es faced by speakers of closely related languages such as Swedish or Norwegian. This can be demoralising for learners, especially new arrivals who may be experiencing the challenges of Danish for the first time. So how can we find the motivation to learn this complex language, especially in a country known for having a high English ability? Alongside classrooms, textbooks and language learning apps, here are a few ways to get to grips with the Dan ish language in a fun, sociable way.
Expats are in the same boat, not knowing anyone, so it's much easier at first to make friends with internationals. You might be surprised to hear that many internationals move from country to country and are used to networking efficiently - so watch how they do it. Start with your nationality as this is easiest, and you already share a common lan guage, values and understanding and go from there.
I always enjoyed the run-up to Christmas in Denmark. So many pleasant events are hap pening - see our events section in the November and December issue for ideas. After Christmas, book a holiday somewhere warm for the winter break. There's some crazy fig ure that says around 2 million Danes leave Denmark during the winter break – out of a population of 5 million, that's a lot. Remember, when in Rome… If you think the weath er will affect you, as it does a lot of people, buy a light lamp and increase the amount of exercise, you do. The mood in Denmark changes in winter, and people retract, so have indoor activities planned. THE-INTL THE MOST OUT OF YOUR EXPAT EXPERIENCE!
AT FIRST - WRITER SHANI BISHOP OFFERS THE BEST ADVICE ON HOW TO JOIN IN. PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH TEXT SHANI BISHOP
Making Danish friends is a bit of a project unless you are lucky. Often the ones inter ested in meeting international friends are those Danes who have lived abroad themselves. To be successful, it's best to join a club. Personally, I think sports clubs are good. Many Danes run regularly, and this would be a great activity. Handball and Badminton are very popular, and Denmark does well internationally, so maybe give it a try. The sports facilities are excellent too, which helps.
"SOME OF THE BEST TIPS I GOT WERE FROM LIFERS. THESE ARE FOREIGNERS MAR RIED TO DANES OR PEOPLE WHO PLAN TO LIVE PERMANENTLY IN DENMARK. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF THE COUNTRY AND CULTURE AND CAN HELP YOU NAVIGATE QUICKER."
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GETTING
TRY LANGUAGE CLASSES
These are free again, so well worth a try. Most people get to Level 2, and a small number go further. In Copenhagen, it's tough to practise Danish as the Danes speak such good English that they switch to English as soon as you struggle. Outside Copenhagen, every one will assume you are Danish, so it's easier to practice more. After a while, they stop switching, and you gain more confidence, which is always a surprising moment.
Some of the best tips I got were from lifers. These are foreigners married to Danes or people who plan to live permanently in Denmark. This is because they have such deep knowledge of the country and culture and can help you navigate quicker. Like the Danes, however, they are sometimes not interested in friendships with people who are ultimate ly leaving - it depends on the person.
PREPARE FOR WINTER
MAKE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS FIRST AND LOCALS LATER
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MOVING ANYWHERE NEW IS DIFFICULT
JOINING IN MIGHT be helping at a school event, joining a sports club or attending the social events at school. International schools understand that integrating is hard, so fam ilies have many events throughout the year. If you befriend people at other international schools, you might get an invitation to their events. For example, Halloween is great at Ryygards and International Day at NIS is superb. One club I really enjoyed was LINK. They organise lots of extraordinary events during the week and are very welcoming. It's a massive mix of foreign nationals and Danes, making for an exciting experience.
BEFRIEND A LIFER
RETURNING STUDENTS
NOTABLE REACTIONS All these concerns consume a lot of energy and occupy a lot of space in a young person’s mind. However, teenagers may not ar ticulate all these thoughts, as they may not want to lose face in front of a parent. Instead, their anxiety may manifest in behav iours such as unpredictable mood swings, a reluctance to partic ipate, and a tendency to be silent, to mention a few.
A younger child may be more vocal. Here lies an opportunity, as a parent, to unpack questions and insert positivity and excitement regarding the new chapter and all the opportunities it may bring, including more friends, new clubs, interesting new classes, etc
A young child starting school for the first time has no reference point. The key here is to create an exciting story. Daily chats about school, what to expect, and how to navigate things are essential and help prepare a child for his or her first day.
As returning students or teachers, there is a joy to see friends and colleagues exchange stories, share events, and revisit the path which paused in June. The typical behaviour of a return ing student is to squeal with delight on seeing close friends and classmates, run around the school to check out the new class room and revisit the previous one, find the class list and scan if the new students are starting and search them out, and to greet former teachers warmly.
AVENUES OF SUPPORT
International schools have a long history of catering for expats; thus, they are a great option to provide security and continuity of education for children when relocating. BEGINNINGS
"It is not always a positive time unless a child has a very upbeat nature and then it is part of an exciting adventure."
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NEW STUDENTS
Fortunately, many schools or class parent groups hold preschool parent and child gatherings such as a picnic, brunch, and play park gathering, so parents and children can network and make connections. This really helps to facilitate a feeling of belonging. Schools often hold a tour of the school for all new students and parents a week before the start date, so that students can gain a logistical picture of the building. Often teachers are at school preparing, so there is a chance to informally meet the class or a subject teacher.
Many international schools, which are geared up for a multi-na tional, mobile community, are experienced in these issues - thus, a gradual start to the year, with a short first day with an assem bly where the Head of School welcomes everyone, and teachers introduce themselves is the norm.
Primary students participate in various activities with their new teachers to feel safe and comfortable in their new surround ings. The focus at all levels is to establish a sense of security and the chance to interact and make friends. The emphasis on under standing transition and emotional needs is great and ensures a successful passageway to learning.
MONIKA watersidetopenhagension.continuesinDanishrentlyucationalnational,overviewnowsoaersystem,andworkeddonMonikaINTERNATIONALPEDERSENEDUCATORcomesfromtheLonareaoftheUK,wheresheinthestatesystemtheinternationalschoolasanEnglishteachof11-18studentsandthensectionleader.ShehasalworkedinGermanyandinDenmark.ShehasanoftheBritish,InterandAmericanedsystemsandiscurlearningaboutthesystem.Shehasbeeneducationfor32yearsandtoenjoytheprofesShehasrelocatedtoCoassheismarriedaDane.Sheenjoysjogging,walks,andcooking.@monikapedersen@monikapedersen@monikapedersen
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A AUGUST MARKS THE start of the new academic year in many European countries, bringing anticipation, excitement and fresh hope. It stirs up a flurry of feelings and emotions for teachers and students of all ages. And this does not change over the years! On the contrary, new beginnings are a time to celebrate and look for ward to the new opportunities that throw themselves up.
However, for a family who has relocated to a new country or city and school, this is when an emotional roller coaster is experi enced. There is no safety of known procedures, locations, and people. Instead, there is a void filled with unanswered questions and self-constructed ideas, which may or may not be valid. It is a challenging time for the entire family with a new home to set up, new jobs in which one must prove oneself, and new educational establishments to settle into. As an adult, this change can create a sense of stress to make it all work smoothly for the family. For the young people in the family, this stress often manifests itself in many questions: Will I find a friend? Will the new class be ac cepting and kind? Will I find my place? What will the teachers be like? Will the work be hard? Will I manage it all? It is not always a positive experience unless a child has a very upbeat nature, and then it is part of an exciting adventure.
Older students tend to participate in class day trips or overnight stays, which provide a crucial opportunity to connect.
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH TEXT MONIKA PEDERSEN
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A HANDICAPHJÆLPER?
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AS FAR AS PERSONAL SKILLS ARE CONCERNED, A DISABILI TY HELPER SHOULD BE MATURE, INDEPENDENT, PHYSICALLY STRONG TO OPERATE THE WHEELCHAIR OR LIFT THE CLIENT, AND ABLE TO ADAPT TO NEW, OFTEN CHALLENGING TASKS.
Absolutely! It is an excellent employment opportunity to help internationals with their Danish language skills. It can't be a complete starting point with your Danish, though - it's essential to be realistic in the job - basic Dan ish is necessary as you need to be able to take directions and ask questions. So a good minimum level to start on would be "Sprog level 2 ", which provides non-Danes with the basic vocabulary.
As far as personal skills are concerned, a disability helper should be mature, independent, physically strong to op erate the wheelchair or lift the client, and able to adapt to new, often challenging tasks. They should also be out going, patient, and respectful of their client. Cooperation skills and empathy are also crucial because the helper and client can often spend long hours together during a shift.
To finish off with a recommendation from a non-Dan ish handicaphjælper: To actively search for a job as a dis ability helper, it would be a good idea to put a picture of yourself up with a post saying you'd like to help someone, you're caring, empathetic, and not afraid of hard work. Of course, it would be best if you did this in Danish, but it's okay to mention that your Danish isn't perfect - but you'd like to improve it by working for a Dane. And most notably, it's important, to be honest.
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH TEXT MICHAELA MEDVEDOVÁ SARA R. NEWELL
CAN AN INTERNATIONAL BE A DISABILITY HELPER IN DENMARK?
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HELPING OTHERS LIVE A HIGH - QUALITY LIFE
T THERE'S HARDLY A more rewarding job than helping oth ers have a better life. So if you're looking for a new call ing in life, why don't you consider being a handicaphjælp er who helps people with disabilities? In this month's issue, we've prepared an overview of what it takes to be a disability helper - let's dive in!
Sometimes, if a language barrier arises, miscommuni cation can happen with colleagues or the person you care for. But not to worry - Danish colleagues can be very help ful, so it's great to get out of your comfort zone and speak Danish, even if you make mistakes. Also, nothing beats putting your new language skills into practice in a Dan ish-only environment.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A DISABILITY HELPER?
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A handicaphjælper, or a disability helper, assists a per son with a disability in areas of life they need help with to ensure a high quality of life. According to Uddannelses Guiden and FOA, the tasks usually include assistance with personal hygiene and care, dressing, help around the house such as cooking or housekeeping, or assisting with lifting, wheelchair, oxygen bottles or respirators. Depending on the client, the scope of work might also include administrative tasks. Usually, the position comes hand in hand with a requirement to have a driver's license and driving experience. That's because the helper is also responsible for accompanying the client to school, work, therapy, hobbies, or cultural events. The planning of the list of versatile tasks for their helper is the role of the cli ent. The helper works at the client's home or residential institution.Theworking hours are just as varied as the tasks. Be ing a disability helper can be full-time work or a month ly shift; the workload depends on the user's disability or needs. If a client has a significant disability, they might em ploy several helpers who are in rotation. A disability help er can assist both adult and child clients, they can become a companion who helps their client experience the world and the activities outside of their house, or they can al so act as a substitute for a permanent disability helper in case of their sickness or vacation.
SARA R. NEWELL is from Canada, went to high-school in Costa Rica, and has worked and studied in Iceland and Denmark. She is a disability rights activist and has a master's degree in Technological Business Development and Biomedical Engineering from Aarhus University. Sara has lived in Denmark since 2003, and lives with her husband and daughter. She hopes to contribute and share insights with others who have children with disabilities. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sararose-newell-b1904726 / https://m.facebook.com/groups/bakopomdepaarorende
But when it comes to qualifications or education, being a disability helper does not require special training or ed ucational background. However, some helpers are either students or have a social and health care background. To become a disability helper, you can keep an eye out for job ads from clients searching for new assistants. You can also watch out for vacancies on job portals or become a member of relevant Facebook groups - for example, pri vately-run pages like Handicaphjælpere søges. Finally, you can also look at your municipality's website for pos sibilities to register as a disability helper so you can be contacted when there is a need for one.
MICHAELA MEDVEDOVÁ comes from Slovakia and moved to Denmark 3 years ago to study for her Master's degree. She says living in Odense is the per fect city for her because it's not too large to be intimidating, but still exciting! She works at Umbraco as a Magical Copy Whisperer and started a podcast with her friends - @humans.of.sdu. She loves watching and talking about movies, Harry Potter, karaoke nights (even though she can't sing to save her life), and pub quizzes (winning them, to be specific).
The natural encounters rooted in identi fying shared passions with new connec tions (locals, tourists, guides, organisers, artists) are unique opportunities for un scripted revelations and realisations on the impacts of street art as a phenome non. Though mindful of the ethics of col lecting data, I am transparent about com municating my interest on a personal and academic level. I aim to ensure that indi viduals know how I use communication to feed my soul and my thesis project.
SPATIAL DESIGNS AND SOCIETY
EXPERIENTIAL FIELDWORK
AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF STREET ART IN DENMARK AND BEYOND.
REVELATIONS AND REALISATIONS
STREET ART PROJECTS
My study site is in Copenhagen's Nord vest district, where, from 2018 to 2019, murals changed the gable façades of the AB Mønten housing blocks and the visual fabric of the Rentemestervej corridor. In tending to comprehend street art culture, I broadened my fieldwork methods to in clude volunteering at a local street art festival. Meeting of Styles Copenhagen is organised by Street Studies – a non-prof it organisation founded by Steffen Gray. They are committed to street art projects and bridging the gap between street art, qualitative studies and community initi atives that bring about positive and cre ative city branding and placemaking for safer and more vibrant spaces. In addi tion, I have interviewed and discussed street art in other locales, including Cal gary, where I grew up and where urban mural projects have recently added col our to various building façades. I also participated in less scripted encounters such as street art walks in Copenhagen, Faro and Olhão. I love creating opportu nities to understand the intentions of the art, artists' creation of street art-related events, municipal initiatives, and organi sational processes.
RUC THESIS This has been an opportunity to study something that I love – street and ur ban art. I enjoy graffiti and am fascinat ed to understand the correlation between street art and society – or street art's so cial impacts. My thesis predominantly fo cuses on commissioned pieces such as murals and organised street art festivals and their relation to urban revitalisation and renewal. I am interested in explor ing the nuances and impacts of murals and street art on redeveloping urban ar eas. More specifically, I observe how mu rals and street art culture can fit into mu nicipal goals and urban aesthetics/fabric.
PHOTOGRAPHS MONICA BASTOS TEXT SKYLER BENTLEY HALL
"ORGANISING STREET ART IN PUBLIC SPACES REQUIRES A LOT OF INTERDIS CIPLINARY COORDINATION BETWEEN RADICALLY DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS. HAVING ACADEMICS WITH A BROAD IN TERDISCIPLINARY FOUNDATION (LIKE MONICA) PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS ES IS INVALUABLE TO THE OVERALL QUALITY OF OUR PROJECTS." - STEFFEN GRAY, FOUNDER OF STREET STUDIES
BENTLEYSKYLER
T THIS YEAR I had the pleasure of mentor ing Monica Bastos as part of the Greater Copenhagen Career Program, a creative and ambitious MSc. Candidate at Roskil de University (RUC). She is a dual citizen and second-generation Canadian with fam ily from Portugal and Mozambique. Monica is delighted to share a bit about her RUC experience studying a Masters in Social Science, Spatial Designs & Society (SDS).
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PROJECTS AND STUDY OUTCOMES I participated in projects relating to mo bility and tourism, wayfinding, and mu seum-going practices. In a unit on con sultancy and design processes, my group contributed to uncovering life-long learn ing frameworks for universities to adapt continuous learning principles. We also fashioned proposals to increase daily civ ic life in Copenhagen's Meat Packing dis trict. Qualitatively researching traditional courtyard spaces uncovered best practic es and uses, which might help design invit ing social and communal spaces in the ver tical courtyard. We collaborated with the public and private sectors (e.g. Gehl, Ur gent. Agency, København Kommune, DGI Byen), and through ethnographic meth ods, we uncovered nuances and intrica cies of designs, relating our findings to theoretical and conceptual frameworks. As a result, I have become more critical of city spaces seeing how spatial design im pacts how we live and how people interact with and in spaces. Now, I perceive com munities and urban spaces as pseudo-de sign objects.
One of the key outcomes of studying SDS is connecting my learning with real-life ex periences. It is fulfilling to submerge into a study, and the more experiential the field work, the more access points and betterrounded vantage points for analysis. Flex ibility and openness debunk biases, and diverse perspectives only bolster the study in identifying repetitions and patterns in the data set. This program has brought to the forefront the importance of curiosity and critique. These two things are essen tial in understanding how we live, ideat ing, and creating better designs for peo ple. THE-INTL
SPATIAL DESIGNS AND SOCIETY SDS at Roskilde University melts together geography, anthropology, sociology, and urban studies as well as more practical de sign thinking and consultancy approaches. Students apply theoretical frameworks to research-based ethnographic methods to explore various real-life cases and research queries. The programme is people-centric and rooted in the curiosity and critical as sessment of design processes and spatial designs.
beautifulbracingploringspendingoptionsvisescationalFoundereducationalportingfoundsectorhasallwithshezerlandada,SkylerEDUCATIONALHALLCONSULTANTisoriginallyfromCanandafterlivinginSwitforseveralyears,transitionedtoDenmarkherhusbandandson-proudCanadians.Skylerworkedintheeducationforthreedecadesandhertruepassionforsupstudentswiththeirjourney.AstheofBentleyHallEduConsulting,sheadoncareeranduniversityglobally.Skylerenjoystimewithfamily,exnewcultures,andemthehyggelifestyleinDenmark.bentleyhall.cainstagram.com/skylerbentleyhall/facebook.com/skyler.bentleyhall
SUSPENSEFULANDINTRIGUINGIMAGINATIVE, TELL ME AN ENDING BY JO HARKIN
Four people worldwide are being informed that they have had a bad memory removed. Now they need to de cide whether they want it back. Working for the memory removal clinic, Noor has second thoughts about the pro cedure.
A GOODYGOODBAG
Four years ago, Lee and Mal went in search of monsters at Bod min Moor, and Mal dis appeared. Now she is back but unlike herself. MI5 analyst Sabreur in vestigates a foiled at tack on a renowned physicist working on extradimensional re search.
Moving usually is daunting at the best of times, but moving to another country is even more so! Howev er, it could be worse - it could be to another world entirely. That is truly alien. Enjoy! PROVOKINGTHOUGHT-AND
THE END OF MEN BY SWEENEY-BAIRDCHRISTINA
WORLD
CLEVER
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It is 2025, and a new vi rus breaks out in Scot land, fatally affecting men. Dr Amanda Ma cLean gives a warning, but the virus becomes global. The world los es nearly all males, and the struggle to find a vaccine and reshape so ciety begins.
THE DOORS OF EDEN BY TCHAIKOVSKYADRIAN
PERSUASIVEHURTFULGRIPPING,AND
OUT OF THE RUINS BY VARIOUS AUTHORS
This anthology con tains eighteen apoca lyptic stories focusing on what we try to save and bring to the oth er side. What defines us as humans, and how we act? The writers are big names in their gen re, and the stories are very diverse.
SUSAN JESSEN SPIELE SusanLIBRARIANisalibrarian at Roskil de Library, and in charge of the English section. She does English events all year; every thing from expat dinners and pub quizzes, to karaoke nights and book talks.
A NEW HOME, A NEW
DID YOU KNOW? Winter is Coming! So get a head start with your personal insula tion (saves on energy bills) and come to the Cake Extravagan za. It is a potluck, but everybody brings cake instead of dishes for the joint buffet. The library serves tea and coffee, and the event is free. Cake Extravagan za! | Roskilde Bibliotekerne
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
This is the final step in deciding what we will do in each situation. Here, we are try ing to bridge a gap between what we want to do and what we think is best for us. Try to balance what you want with what you think you should do. For example, wanting to scroll for hours and knowing it is not the best decision, you can make a timed decision where you do this activ ity for 15 minutes and set an intention as to why it is helpful and what you want to achieve out of it.
WHAT DO I WANT TO DO? This relates to how you feel about doing something and helps you identify what you are comfortable with. This might not be the best choice, but you resort to it be cause of familiarity, ease, or because it helps you feel safe or brings comfort. For example, what time you sleep, how much time you spend on social media, what ex ercises you do etc.
HOW CAN WE TAKE CARE OF YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH? When deciding how to take care of your body, you might sometimes be faced with situations where you are used to doing things a certain way, and now, it is not working out nicely for you. You can refer to the following three questions when faced with a similar situation.
"THERE UNSPLASH TEXT AINA MASOOD
REST, SLEEP, AND PLAY: Giving your body ample sleep every night and moments of rest and play during the day is scientifical ly proven to be good for us. Different peo ple need different hours of night sleep, and the quality of your sleep also matters. Gen erally, we need 7-9 hours of night sleep to feel fully rested. This helps us feel fresh and better at dealing with everyday stress ors. During the day, relaxing and engaging in play help us rejuvenate. Research has shown that it helps us feel more energet ic, stimulates creativity and brain activity, and releases endorphins. You can refer to this article to learn more about how to add ‘play’ to your life.
T
IS AN INTRINSIC LINK BETWEENWELL-BEING."MENTAL,PHYSICAL,ANDEMOTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS
WHAT IS BEST FOR ME? Here, we are trying to bring in reason and ask what our thoughts are. This is also when we would consider facts and what we know is good/bad for us. For example, wanting to scroll for hours because we feel like it is helping us relax but knowing that it is better to limit this activity and not help you relax.
THERE IS AN intrinsic link between phys ical, mental, and emotional well-being. Your mind reaps the benefits of you nour ishing your physical self. In other words, our state of mind affects our body; like wise, any problems with our physical bod ies impact our mental health. This guide to self-development would not be complete if we missed out on talking about how we should take care of our physical selves.
AINA AinaPSYCHOTHERAPISTMASOODisthefounderand
C.E.O. of R.A.I.N. (Recognise, Ac cept, Investigate, Nurture). This company helps universi ties and companies take care of the mental health of their colleagues and employees. Aina has completed her mas ter’s in clinical psychology in Pakistan. She has lived in the U.S.A. for six months and has been in Denmark since 2019. Passionate about men tal health and destigmatising mental health problems, she is working towards helping indi viduals and organisations be healthier, happier, and more productive. She accomplishes this by working with interna tional clients via Skype, con ducting workshops/webinars with various organisations, and researching and writing. In addition, she is a profes sional photographer who uses her pictures to reflect on her daily life and share them on her blog. A psychologist, writ er, speaker, mental health ad vocate, photographer, explor er, volunteer, and wife, Aina is making her way through the world and narrating her lifecom/ayena_reflections/https://www.instagram.in/ainamasood/https://www.linkedin.com/story. TO SELF DEVELOPMENT
(PART 9)
MOVEMENT: Build a habit of moving your body every day. It could be a 20-minute walk or half an hour of low-intensity work outs. It could be an hour of yoga or going for a run. You can do longer or shorter ses sions if you move your body and have fun. Find what works best for you and ease yourself into Conclusively,it. it is a long journey you can set on by doing little things daily. Re member to be patient because it has many short- and long-term benefits. Don’t be too hard on yourself and continue working to wards taking care of your body to the best of your ability, and I can assure you it will benefit your physical and mental well-be ing.
I would highly recommend you use this decision-making technique in your every day life. First, try focusing on the follow ing three significant areas of self-care as you ask yourself the questions mentioned above.
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WHY SHOULD YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY? To answer this simple question, let me ask you to take a moment and list some things your body helps you achieve throughout the day. This little exercise is potent in re minding us that our bodies are wonder ful; nourishing them is of utmost impor tance. Conversely, the adverse effects of poor physical health include an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer. These adverse ef fects are far-reaching and can poorly im pact our emotional and mental well-being.
GUIDE
NUTRITION: Small steps matter. If you don’t already, try to add fruits and vege tables to your diet. Add supplements and multivitamins, depending on what your physician recommends. Changes in what you eat result in an increase in your energy levels and boost your immunity. It is also essential that you enjoy what you are eat ing, so learn recipes that you want to make and are fulfilling in taste and nutrients. It is also recommended to eat in smaller portions and to maintain a balanced diet which means having enough proteins, fi bre, carbohydrates, and fats in your meals.
CARING FOR OUR BODIES
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The industry earns respect through years of hard work - it’s big but small. People talk, and news travels fast. So the only way to stay grounded in the fashion in dustry is to be secure with your inner self, keep a distance and leave the ego outside the door. If you want to prove your worth and value, do it through your work and talent. At the end of the day, it is just a job, a creative career that seems differ ent to the social norm. THE-INTL
PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH TEXT OPHELIA WU IT WAS COPENHAGEN Fashion Week a while ago, and it’s been a while since COVID hit, so I returned to my indus try and decided to check in with what’s the latest vibe these days. Having been a fashion stylist and editor for over 15 years, the whole landscape and my inner world have definitely changed. Over the years of countless events and shows I’ve attended, I have seen and met many personalities. While I’ve made many wonderful life-long friend ships and professional work relation ships with amazing people, many others come with a huge ego and an over-the-top vanity. Think “Devil Wears Prada”; that poor Andie was me when I started fresh from university. I am grateful that dur ing the very first days of my career, a wise mentor gave me some golden words that served as my work protocol and kept me grounded, sane and detached throughout all these years.
KNOW THAT IT’S HARD WORK Staying grounded also requires a solid understanding of how this is a business. It requires skills, talents, creativity and many personal skills to survive and know that it is a job. It is the icing on the cake if you are genuinely passionate about the industry, but the cake is lots of knowl edge and years of hard work. As you get used to the industry and all the circus that runs around it, you also quickly iden tify who is there for work and who isn’t. The glamourous bubble of the fashion industry can be tough to navigate some times. But if you know what it takes to deliver, the clarity of your role and how you can contribute to a larger collective movement. In that case, it will become the anchor of your sanity. Don’t compare yourself with others. There is a lot of secret comparison and competitiveness in the industry: who is getting invited to the coolest parties, be ing dressed by a specific brand, sitting in the front row, getting photographed… that doesn’t matter. Honestly, read that again. None of those really matter be cause we are all unique in our own ways, and if we compare ourselves to others in this fluffy fashion world, it’s a dark hole that will spiral down. So there will al ways be designs and people who are new er, skinnier, cooler, and younger; how are we supposed to compete with that?
OPHELIA WU FASHION CONSULTANT & LikeJOURNALISTherhometown Hong Kong, Ophelia has a diverse background and upbringing. She moved to Copenhagen in 2019 after 10 years of living in London. Her fashion and jour nalism career began in 2007 at ELLE Hong Kong magazine, and later on as an online styl ist at Net-A-Porter.com in the UK; she has worked with all sorts of creatives, brands and celebrities globally. She now works on everything fashion and communicationrelated. With her love of trav elling and places her work brought her to, people she met from all walks of life inspired her to start her own business M for Minimal: a place to raise the awareness of going back to basics through conscious consumption and mindful ness with a touch of spiritual ity - something she has been practising since her teenage years.@mforminimal.com@mforminimal.mfm@opheliawu
RESPECT IS EARNED
IT’S NOT ALL IT SEEMS Staying grounded in an industry where everything is glitz and glam from the outside is hard work. But, it is not all it seems. From the outside, especially with all sorts of social media, it portrayed a fa çade full of the false impression that any one can achieve overnight fame and VIP treatment without proper work and hav ing any talents or skills. In a digital and physical world where it’s an environment of vanity overload, the first thing to stay grounded is to leave your ego outside the door. You are not who you really are pre sented on social media or the company you work for; you get invited to events because you serve a purpose, for doing a job or task in return. Unless you’re at Angelina Jolie’s level of fame and talent, it is never about you as a person, good and bad. Finding your identity, your role in the industry, and what you offer takes time. Equating your self-worth and val ue with a title or a front-row seat at any fashion show is hazardous. But it isn’t. Your value and self-worth are not direct ly linked to your job or how many likes and followers you have on TikTok or In stagram. If you cannot detach yourself from that, it’s a tough road to be on be cause that outside validation and atten tion you’re seeking are what crush your soul daily.
HOW TO STAY GROUNDED IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY
STAYING GROUNDED IN AN INDUSTRY WHERE EVERYTHING IS GLITZ AND GLAM FROM THE OUTSIDE IS HARD WORK. IT IS NOT ALL IT SEEMS.
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GEN'S North and West, this project com menced with land expropriation in 20182019 and is expected to be completed in The2025.decision to build a Greater Copen hagen Light Rail along the dual carriage way "Ring 3" came out of an agreement signed by all the Parties of the Danish Parliament in the summer of 2013. The company established for this purpose has a Board of Directors representing the 11 municipalities that are crossed by the Light Rail, the Capital Region and the Danish State (Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing).
Denmark's first Light Rail opened in Aarhus in December 2017 with the first phase of the project covering 110 kilo metres with 51 stops in the Aarhus area. At a cost of DKK 2.4 billion for this first phase. The 14.5-kilometre Odense Light Rail runs from Tarup Centre via the City Centre to Hjallese. Construction began in April 2018, with the line originally due to open at the end of 2020. It final ly opened on 28 May 2022 and cost DKK 3.3 billion for this first phase.
THE-INTL
THE GREATER COPENHAGEN LIGHT RAIL PROJECT FROM KONGENS LYNGBY TO ISHØJ. PHOTOGRAPHS THE GREATER COPENHAGEN LIGHT RAIL WEBSITE TEXT MARIANO ANTHONY DAVIES
"IT IS THE BIGGEST LIGHT RAIL PROJECT IN DENMARK AS WELL AS IN ALL THE FIVE NORDIC COUNTRIES."
The Greater Copenhagen Light Rail is expected to cost approximately DKK 6.2 billion (2017-prices), which includes a re serve of DKK 1 billion. The distribution of these construction costs is such that the Danish State will pay 40 per cent, the Capital Region 26 per cent and the 11 mu nicipalities will together pay 34 per cent.
Research suggests that until 2032 the Greater Copenhagen Light Rail and ur ban development in the area can create up to 36,500 new workplaces and attract approximately 32,000 new residents.
C CONNECTING GREATER COPENHA -
MARIANO ANTHONY PRESIDENTDAVIES & CEO OXFORD BUSINESS SERVICES APS Mariano has over 40 years global experience as a bus ness executive. He spent ten years with KPMG, so far thirty years with British Chambers of Commerce (while also run ning Oxford Business Servic es ApS). He is a British citizen, who grew up in Kent, went to boarding school in Sussex and has a British university edu cation. He has been married to a Dane for over 45 years and has held over 150 official an ti-Brexit speeches since 2016. He both speaks and writes Danish without oxford-business.comdifficulty.
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It will include a new 28-kilometre de velopment area between Kongens Lyn gby and Ishøj - increasing the areas' ac cessibility and thus creating a basis to attract private investment. In addition, many companies and individuals will be keen to be located close to sustainable and effective public transport systems.
The Greater Copenhagen Light Rail will make it easy, fast and comfortable to travel across Greater Copenhagen - run ning every five minutes during daytime hours, with no fixed timetable and con nections to S-trains at six stations. It will stop close to DTU (Technical University of Denmark), Herlev and Glostrup Hospi tals, and many other workplaces, shops, cultural, and sporting venues. For most of its alignment, the light rail will run on its own track, separated from the rest of the traffic at the side or mid dle of the road. However, due to the lack of space, it will mingle with other traffic at a few locations. It is the biggest light rail project in Denmark as well as in all the five Nordic countries. A light rail system makes little noise and is highly eco-friendly, running on electricity and with plenty of space for 200-230 passengers in each train, which corresponds to the number of passengers in about four city buses. The many advan tages make it a popular mode of trans port in Denmark, the Nordics and the rest of Europe.
Once the Light Rail system is com missioned, the costs will be distribut ed so that the Capital Region will pay 43 per cent and the 11 municipalities be tween them will pay 57 per cent. The dis tribution key will be based on popula tion numbers, the number of stations in each municipality and the potential ur banThroughoutgrowth. the Nordic countries, tramway projects have already been de cided upon and financed with local, re gional and national funds. Other projects have been staked out in general plans or are even earlier in the planning process. The objects differ in scope; for example, Uppsala is planning for brand new tram ways in Sweden, while Gothenburg has several projects in the loop, including smaller and larger ones. Therefore, Nordic tramway ambitions vary greatly in scope between different cities and the realisation stages. For ex ample, Lund has a system which is almost ready for service, while Uppsala will take a definite decision in the coming years. Several cities are planning their pub lic transport systems to create fast trunk bus lines in a way that will allow con version to tramways in the future. This makes the bus services more attractive with more direct routes, increased visi bility and long-term reservation for pub lic transport. These trunk lines can be converted to trams in the future - should the need arise.
SEPTEMBER 2022 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM # S T A N D W I T H U K R A I N E # P E A C E F O R U K R A I N E