THE MECHANIC Jesper Sandgreen, a mechanic with Ilulissat Marine Service
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There are not many cars in Ilulissat. Instead, there are hundreds of dinghies and boats, so Jesper Sandgreen has made the switch from car mechanic to boat mechanic.
When Jesper Sandgreen moved back to Ilulissat after spending nine years in Denmark, the first thing he did was to drink a big glass of water. ‘And then I breathed in the air from the Icefjord. It was just amazing to be back in Ilulissat. The air is different; the water tastes different. Much more fresh and clean,’ says Jesper, who is a trained car mechanic. He had no hesitation when Ilulissat Marine Service rang him in Denmark to hear if he might be interested in returning home and working for them. His girlfriend, who is a mechanical engineer, was also keen to go, and today the couple live with their two children in a house in the middle of town. Once again close to family and friends. ‘There aren’t many cars in Ilulissat, so now I’m a boat mechanic instead of a car mechanic. This means I am learning a lot and expanding my professional skill set, which improves my options, also in the long run,’ says Jesper, as he gazes out over the sea ice.
