The International - April 2019

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INTERNATIONAL LIVING IN DENMARK'S SECOND CITY APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

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EMBRACE LIFE SPRING HAS SPRUNG IN DENMARK, AS THE COUNTRY COMES ALIVE WITH A HOST OF OUTDOOR EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS. NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET OUT AND CELEBRATE LIFE, MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR (NEW) SURROUNDINGS, TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EMBRACE ALL THAT IS GOOD.

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SO, THE GOOD weather has finally arrived in Denmark after weeks of rain, just in time for all the celebrations of Easter. April brings us the hope of renewal and rebirth... seems fitting during these very troubled times in the world. With Brexit still raging as we go to print, it's sad to see a very divided country. But out of tragedy does come hope. New Zealand is one example of this.

March 15 will be a day ingrained into all New Zealanders hearts - the day that people were murdered in a senseless act for just being different. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has garnered international praise for her empathetic but defiant response in the wake of the terror attacks on two mosques in the city of Christchurch that shocked and devastated the country, and the world.

The International represents cultural diversity, and will always bring you different points of view from our vast team. Our spring-inspired cover story is Barbara, a lovely Canadian who has forged herself a very impressive career in the media industry in Canada. A fairly new arrival to Denmark, she is determined to make her mark on the country's media scene, whilst exploring her new home (see pages 8-11). Barbara also heads up our regular "What's hot in Aarhus" column - and

this month focuses on the Easter going ons in April, (see page 12).

As we welcome new life this spring, a special shout-out to our "Learn Danish" columnist Béranger (see page 14), as he and his part-

ner will be welcoming a new baby any day now. Daniela's column on "Danish mothers groups", will be another usefull insight into Danish culture, as we explore the ups and downs of parenthood (see page 28). Kathy's article "Home is where the expat lives" (see page 15) reminds us of our ties to our "old" life, never forgetting where we come from.

As The International continues to grow and become available throughout Denmark, we add another distribution point - Esbjerg - home to our newest international - Catriona! A well-travelled international who will introduce the city of Esbjerg to us every issue (see page 26).

As always, this issue has regular columns, packed with great information to help us navigate our way through April - remember to get out there and experience Denmark. Our events pages (3-7) are packed full of exciting happenings around Denmark. God Påske / Happy Easter everyone, and remember to look after each other!

“The only way to come to a full understanding of yourself is to embrace your own culture, quirks and differences while learning about those around you and exploring, incorporating and embracing their cultures, differences, quirks, etc.”

- Toks Olagundoye

Love,

LYNDSAY JENSEN EDITOR & PARTNER THE-INTL.COM

MEET THE TEAM SALES For advertising sales, please contact: sales@the-intl.com ADDRESS

The International ApS, Industrivej 14, 4683 Rønnede; +45 42676745

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Provins-Trykkeriet ApS, Vordingborg

COVER PICTURE Katia Pershin - www.katiapershinphotography.com

EDITOR & PARTNER LYNDSAY JENSEN has twenty years' experience in the advertising and publishing industry, and holds degrees in Business and Desktop Publishing (print and repro).

Born in the UK, and brought up in South Africa, she has the ability to understand different cultures, and is passionate about networking. She is a wife of twenty one years and mother to two boys aged 20 and 14. She loves travel, photography and art. lyndsay@the-intl.com

MANAGING DIRECTOR & PARTNER KENNETH MACALPINE is a Nordic Financial Manager in the Transport industry. His education is in Finance and he has a business degree obtained in the UK. Born in Norway he moved to Denmark at the age of 22. He is of Danish Scottish ancestry and lives in southern Denmark with his large multi-national family consisting of Danish, Irish and Brazilian heritage. He is always interested in new challenges and loves to live life to the fullest. kenneth@the-intl.com

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SUB-EDITOR

DISTRIBUTION

DAVID NOTHLING-DEMMER is a print and digital writer, communicator and media production manager/ editor.

He has several years’ experience in the media and publishing industry, and holds a Master’s degree in media and politics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). He is passionate about politics, publishing and people-empowerment. He is a husband of almost two years, and has a love affair with good food and wine. david@the-intl.com

SATYA PRAPANCA is married, and moved to Denmark one and a half years ago from Indonesia. His previous work experience includes; subtitle translator, documentary films, photographer, and music curator in his spare time! Satya's passion is composing music with his guitar and laptop. He enjoys nothing more than taking in the beauty of Copenhagen while enjoy coffee/tea and cake at a local cafe.

DISTRIBUTION

The International is available at a range of businesses, institutions, cafés and public libraries across Denmark

SUBSCRIPTIONS

For home or corporate delivery of the printed edition please contact: distribution@the-intl.com The International is published 12 times a year.

This issue was published on April 2, 2019

CVR:

39118181

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WHAT'S ON IN APRIL

AROUND DENMARK HEATHER GARTSIDE EVENT ORGANISER

APRIL IS ONE OF THE FEW MONTHS THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LONG LIST OF RIDICULOUS OBSERVATIONS, BUT IT IS THE MONTH FOR APPRECIATING FRESH CELERY IN THE USA. EVERY MONTH I “STALK” EVENTS ALL OVER DENMARK, AND OFTEN FIND THAT SOME VERY IMPORTANT DATES ARE MISSING. CONSEQUENTLY, ‘THE INTERNATIONAL’ AND THE NEWLY-HATCHED COMMUNITY GROUP @KINDENMARK (K.I.N.D) HAVE TEAMED-UP TO CREATE AT LEAST ONE MAJOR EVENT PER MONTH. IN MARCH WE HELD A FANTASTIC INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENT IN COPENHAGEN, AND THIS MONTH THERE’S A TRASH COLLECTING WALK TO MARK EARTH DAY, AND A BIG WORLD BOOK DAY EVENT IN COPENHAGEN. PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS

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Heather wears many hats; published author, photographer, tour guide, artist, publicspeaker, mother of three, yogi, and events organiser. All this multi-tasking still leaves her time to laugh-out-loud when her washing machine says SLUT, and happily go and create her latest venture, K.I.N.D. (Keep International Networks Denmark) A community celebrating the wonderful diversity of people from all over the world living in Denmark, bringing more balance, harmony … and fun. K.I.N.D. also organises events; Heather previously helped to arrange and decorate glitzy extravaganzas for luxury brands in Paris, but K.I.N.D. has a mission to add a little extra loving-kindness to this rocky world, not to take heedlessly from it. Heather hopes to achieve this by contributing to the richness of the community through sharing the joy of social occasions, celebrating minorities, championing causes, arranging internationally observed events in Denmark, and helping girls in rural India with scholarships.

www.kindenmark.com

TEXT HEATHER GARTSIDE

COPENHAGEN

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UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII MAUI COLLEGE

DRONNINGMØLLE

22 APRIL

HOT

HOT

23 APRIL

EVENT

EVENT

HAPPY EARTH DAY WALK

WORLD BOOK DAY HAPPENING

Eight million tonnes of plastic ends up in the world’s oceans every year! Plastic is not so fantastic when it pollutes your favourite beach or the sea where you swim. That’s the ‘equivalent to five grocery bags filled with plastic for every foot of coastline in the world’. A lot of this plastic finds its way to our beaches. As well as being unpleasant and unsightly, this is bad news for the economy: clean-up costs are high and valuable materials are not recycled. Plastic also damages the marine environment and negatively affects the health of ocean habitats.

K.I.N.D., in conjunction with The International, have created an event to mark EARTH DAY on Sunday, April 22 from 11:00 - 16:00 to clean up a beach. We'll walk the walk, talk the talk, collect any trash and take a mindful meditation by our beautiful ocean. This day will be followed by a sculpture class using recycled materials at Café Cadeau in association with the Marine Litter Watch, a European Environment Agency (EEA) initiative that aims to combat the plastic litter problem. It uses citizen science — scientific research conducted, at least partly, by members of the public — and mobile-phone technology to help individuals and communities come together to clean up Europe’s beaches. Volunteers use the Marine Litter Watch app to form communities that collect litter from beaches and send data on the items found to the EEA.

World Book Day is an annual event celebrated every year by people all over the world on April 23. It is the most important event organised annually by UNESCO in order to promote book reading, publishing and copyright worldwide.

Join a group of international writers, authors, publishers, self-published authors, bloggers, and readers for an afternoon of informative talks, readings, and inspirational enjoyment. There will also be networking time to meet the speakers, buy their books and pitch your own writing ideas and dreams of finishing that book. The International will be co-hosting the event along with @kindenmark and Café Cadeau.

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TIMES OF OMAN

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/1392070364268036

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/255054902107668

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HELSINGØR KIRSA ANDREASEN GALLARY OPENING

AARHUS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AARHUS

AALBORG KONGRES & KULTUR CENTER

AALBORG

5-7 APRIL

6 APRIL

13 APRIL

SPRING FAIR

QUIDDITCH OPEN HOUSE

Northern Jutlands largest lifestyle fair, with heaps of inspiration for the home, garden, vacations and health.

The event is free and you’ll also have the opportunity to sample the delights of a food market and outlet shopping.

Do you like trying out new sports and meeting new people? Then now is your chance to spend a fun afternoon with other Internationals and Danes while sampling and practicing quidditch.

What is quidditch? Quidditch is a new, fast-growing sport played in about 45 countries around the world. It originates from the Harry Potter-universe, but became a real sport in 2005, starting out as a college-sport in the USA. Ever since it has spread massively. In the summer of 2018, the fourth Quidditch World Cup took place. It is a very inclusive, mixed-gender sport which is about scoring enough goals before the golden snitch is caught.

What about the club? Denmark has a small but active national team, with many players from the local club Aarhus Owls Quidditch. Humour, enthusiasm, and companionship are the driving forces behind Aarhus Owls Quidditch.

They’re both a sports club and a community, and they love having new members joining their club!

KIRSA ANDREASEN – GALLERY OPENING

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/305691683534194

KADAMPA MEDITATION CENTRE

COPENHAGEN

The well-travelled Danish artist, Kirsa Andreasen will be launching her latest exhibition of bold and colourful paintings of people in nature, and the nature of people at the charming Galleri Orange in Helsingør. The launch party will be from 13:00 until 15:00 on April 13, and the show will be on until the end of June..

ADDRESS: GALLERI ORANGE, NORDHAVNSVEJ 2C. 3000 HELSINGØR. FOR MORE INFO: GALLERIORANGE.DK

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM EVENTS/365519634286755

6 APRIL

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/2247802091947579

KIRSA ANDREASEN GALLARY OPENING

A Saturday morning mini-retreat from 10:00 until 13:15 – chill out, calm down, meditate, and find the stillness within. With improved concentration comes increased peace of mind and a more positive outlook on life. With a calmer and still mind, we can improve everything from the most mundane daily tasks to the most important interpersonal relationships.

Experience the joy of concentration over two sessions of insightful Buddhist teachings and guided meditations with Kadam Mark, all in the light and lovely Kadampa centre near to Kongens Nytorv.

THE NORWEGIAN AMERICAN

URBAN RETREAT

H i g h Acad em i c S t an d ar d s C h ri s t i an E t ho s C onv e n i en t l y l o c at ed i n H el l er u p

rygaards.com APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

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ODENSE

13 APRIL

AARHUS

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CLIMBING OPEN HOUSE

THE RADICAL CITY DREAMERS, MAKERS, AND DOERS

AARHUS

14 APRIL

15 APRIL

DREAMERS, MAKERS, & DOERS CLIMBING OPEN HOUSE An invitation to try climbing for free from 10:00 until 13:00!

Come along with your friends and family to Odense Sportsklatreklub (indoor climbling club) to try both “bouldering” (climbing on a low wall with mattresses below) and “toprebsklatring” (climbing on a high wall with a harness on). What’s stopping you? All you need is courage, and to wear comfortable clothes, and indoors sports shoes. This friendly club supplies you with everything else!

Come and have a good time, learn about foreign cultures and swap languages with native speakers every Monday.

The meetings aren’t about forgetting your language and culture, it’s about celebrating it… together!

Sign up they're www.swaplanguage.com, it's completely free.

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/ EVENTS/284404922431610

ADDRESS: ODENSE SPORTSKLATREKLUBTHORSLUNDSVEJ 2, 5000 ODENSE FOR MORE INFO: ALLEVENTS.IN/ODENSE/GRATIS-ÅBENTHUS/20002625909967

FOR MORE INFO: ALLEVENTS.IN/ÅRHUS/THE-RADICAL-CITYDREAMERS-MAKERS-AND-DOERS/20003284370695

SWAPLANGUAGE

A free, public event hosted by Burning Man Project and Maker Faire at Dokk1 on Saturday, April 13 from 10:0016:00.

Each year, Burning Man Project hosts the European Leadership Summit (ELS) at a new location, and in 2019, that location is Aarhus! This April, 200 Burning Man community leaders from 30 countries will gather in Aarhus and will open their doors to the public. For the past five years, Dokk1 has also been host to Aarhus Mini Maker Faire and on this same April weekend, Maker Faire will bring producers together from all over Europe. The event is said to engage the Aarhus public for a day of creativity, exploration of what it means to be a “Radical City,” and a lot of fun!

SWAP LANGUAGE NIGHT

Speak Hellerup Bernstorffsvej 20C 2900 Hellerup Speak Lyngby Klampenborgvej 221 2800 Kgs. Lyngby

hello@speakspeak.dk +45 3946 3050

speakspeak.dk

Learning Danish is expanding your horizon

Speak Frederiksberg Lindevangs Allé 8-12 2000 Frederiksberg

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KØGE

17 APRIL

ESBJERG

TREENIGHEDSKIRKEN

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COPENHAGEN

ALL APRIL

24 APRIL

LEGO NIGHT FOR GROWN-UPS MARKET DAYS IN KØGE When was the last time you built something with LEGO? Well, unleash the inner child and bring your mates to build whatever you’ve been dreaming of constructing for the past thirty years! The Danish Architecture centre will be hosting this evening with masses of LEGO bricks and parts, great music, and the best view of the harbour. Did I say that the event is free too?

The largest market square of the provinces is the place to go every Wednesday and Saturday to buy: Fruit, vegetables, flowers, cheese, fish, crafts etc.

Make a good bargain and enjoy a cup of coffee in one of the cafés in the Market Square.

Market regulations are available from Køge City Council.

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/260240308239555

ADDRESS: TORVET, 4600 KØGE

ODENSE

THE DANGEROUS WOMEN OF SPØRGØ Once upon a time there was a prison for women on a tiny island in the middle of the Storebælt. The magnificent bridge which connects Sealand to Funen lands there nowadays, as do the train links. But between 1923 until 1961 hundreds of women seen as being immoral, promiscuous and a threat to society were incarcerated here and forgotton about. It promises to be a fascinating lecture, held in Danish by Flemming Rishøj.

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/580203585733902

ODENSE

22 APRIL

23 APRIL

JAZZ JAM

YOGA FOR OPEN HEARTS, HIPS, AND MINDS

Join jazz enthusiasts and students from the Southern Denmark college of music for a Jazz Jam in the Albani Rock Lounge. This free evening begins at 19:00, with big servings of Albani beer at only DKK 30 for the whole evening!

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MUSIKHUSET POSTEN

COPENHAGEN

27 APRIL HOLI CELEBRATIONS 2019

In this workshop, you will play with literal and figurative meanings of hearts and hips and start to think about yoga in new ways, exploring the physical and mental benefits achieved through paying attention to our bodies. Instruction is focused on releasing the psoas muscle, the only muscle in our bodies that connects the upper and lower body - a muscle that enables us to walk and assists us in breathing, and a muscle that often contributes to physical and mental discomfort. Attention is also given to opening the chest, a corrective to a slumping posture and a means to opening the heart and mind and finding more love for the self and for others.

Sarah Hentges is a certified yoga instructor and has been teaching yoga for more than 13 years. She is currently a Fulbright visiting professor at SDU’s Center for American Studies. In the U.S., she is an Associate Professor of American studies at the University of Maine at Augusta and a yoga and fitness instructor in Bangor, Maine.

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/626986344414630

Come and enjoy the Indian festival of Holi, the festival of colours. The day begins with speeches, then launches into mayhem outside with organic colours being thrown around accompanied by songs and dances. This is followed by a more sobering clean-up session! The organisers ask you to purchase their own organic colours, food and water bottles at the venue.

FOR MORE INFO: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/406107433548347

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HSS DENMARK

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FOR MORE INFO: ALLEVENTS.IN/ODENSE/YOGA-FOR-OPENHEARTS-HIPS-AND-MINDS/20006510391589

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WELCOME TO

MINDFUL PAINTING

HELSINGØR

28 APRIL MINDFUL PAINTING There’s a new way to relax, mindful painting. Take time out of your normal hectic pursuits and journey inwards to the mind’s eye. Mindful painting allows you to express the subconscious through the medium of art. You will be guided through various mindful meditations as you let your paintbrush do the talking.

OUR WORLD OUR HERITAGE HAS ITS ROOTS IN ONE OF THE EARLIEST AND MOST IMPORTANT CIVILIZATIONS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. WE ARE KNOWN FOR OUR PEACEFUL WAY OF LIFE AND GENEROUS HOSPITALITY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: FACEBOOK.COM/EVENTS/475321139664687

FREDERIKSBERG

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WELCOME TO VILLETTE ADONIS MORE ABOUT US...

29 APRIL VIKINGS AND MUSLIMS IN THE MIDDLE AGES We hear much about Viking history, we also hear so much about the Muslim world in past times. Questions about how far both travelled around the world, and what did Arab scholars document about those viscious Vikings? Thorir Jonsson Hraundal, a lecturer in Medieval Studies and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Iceland will be giving an informative talk on the encounters between Northmen and the Islamic world using ancient documentation which has survived, mainly in contemporary Arabic writings. Both were relentless in their advances, and two of the most influential social and economic mobilisers of the Middle Ages, and if only because of the geographical scope of their activities, were bound to collide at some point.

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FOR MORE INFO: ALLEVENTS.IN/FREDERIKSBERG/KULTURSALON-VIKINGS-ANDMUSLIMS-IN-MEDIEVAL-TIMES/20007551340399

Enjoy your holiday in an eco-friendly area, far away from the bustling tourists spots.

For the past twenty-five years, we have welcomed guests to our cozy villas on the west coast of the Cycladic Island of Andros.

Join us in an idyllic oasis in the middle of the sea, where the breath-taking light of the Aegean shows herself in all her beauty. Wander through the large natural gardens bursting with not only an olive grove and vines, but also many citrus and fruit trees.

A perfect getaway to help you detox and relax away from the stresses of everyday life. Each of the twelve houses are unique, with their own gardens, all secluded from each other, ensuring maximum privacy.

OUR HOMES...  Tradition and modern meet to form a place of surprises.  All our villas are equipped with modern facilities built in the traditional cycladic architecture, and made exclusively of natural materials.  The beautiful hillside overlooks the turquoise blue Aegean sea and the harbour.  We guarantee you a unique holiday experience.

FOR MORE INFO: 0041 79 195 33 23 / ctentomas@hotmail.com OR VISIT OUR WEBISTE: WWW.ANDROSGREECE.GR APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

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HOME AND AWAY

IN AARHUS TELEVISION HOST, PRODUCER, PUBLIC SPEAKER, AND INTERNATIONAL JOURNALIST, BARBARA BALFOUR HAS TRAVELLED ACROSS THE GLOBE OVER THE COURSE OF HER CAREER, BUT CURRENTLY CALLS AARHUS HOME. ‘THE INTERNATIONAL’ REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR SAT DOWN WITH ME TO TALK STORYTELLING, SEEING THE WORLD AND SETTLING INTO AARHUS. PHOTOGRAPHS BARBARA BALFOUR / KATIA PERSHIN / KAMARA MOROZUK

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BARBARA HAS BEEN fortunate enough to travel to more than 40 countries “and counting” – mostly for work, which is no small feat considering there are 28 countries alone in the European Union (27 if the United Kingdom leaves). “I love them all for different reasons. One that stands out for me is the country of Georgia. Surrounded by the Black Sea, and nestled between Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, Georgia is blessed with soil as fertile as its landscapes are diverse. Its people are tremendously kind, authentic, and see visitors as a ‘gift from God’,” Barbara says, smiling.

“I was in Georgia last autumn to film a travel documentary on their food, wine and culture. It’s still in the editing process but I’m hoping to broadcast it to a wide audience.

Georgia is an amazing, fascinating country that few people have heard of, but those who do venture out there for a visit fall in love with its authenticity very quickly.”

Barbara grew up in Calgary, Alberta - a city that is known for being at the centre of Canada’s oil and gas industry, hosting an annual cowboy festival called the Calgary Stampede, and its proximity to the breathtaking Rocky Mountains. “While I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to so many different countries, nothing for me has ever quite compared to the majestic beauty of the Rockies,” she says.

Calgary was also where Barbara attended university and began her career as a jour-

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TEXT DAVID NOTHLING-DEMMER

nalist. “I earned two degrees in International Business as well as Russian and Eastern European Studies. I attended the University of Calgary on a full academic scholarship.

It is their most prestigious entrance scholarship and is only offered to the top 10 students of about 5,000 new entrants every year,” she explains.

Her first introduction to a newsroom was at the age of 19 with the Calgary Herald, “the city’s largest daily newspaper”, as a general beat reporter, “which meant I could be covering a sudden death one day, a nudist colony the next, and a rock concert the day after that,” she says.

Her career in journalism has taught her many different life skills, including compassion, empathy and hope, even in an industry faced with the ugliest side of humanity on a daily basis. “I find people I have just met often open up and tell me things they’ve told no one else – and I imagine it’s probably because they feel very comfortable, although I am often startled by people’s sudden desire to confess everything around me,” she says.

“I am passionate about storytelling and giving a voice to those who have none. TV, magazines, and newspapers have all served as valuable channels of dissemination. In today’s world, we must master all these channels to ensure the story reaches an alwaysevolving audience with an increasingly shorter attention span.”

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Today, Barbara is a freelance writer, editor and communications consultant. “I have clients who range from large corporations to media outlets scattered across the globe. I write articles for large publications such as the BBC, ELLE, and every major daily newspaper in Canada. I also produce annual reports, blog posts, white papers, e-books, op-eds – you name it! Because I am and have always been a generalist, I have learned to write proficiently on topics ranging from science, medicine, finance and the law to food, fashion, travel and cosmetic surgery. And everything in between,” she says.

Barbara also holds media relations workshops for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized businesses, which takes her to different cities around the globe. “I help my clients craft compelling communications strategies, pitch journalists effectively, and distil their business into a 30-second elevator pitch that anyone can understand. I like to direct my clients, especially in complex industries, to ‘explain it like I’m 5’. It’s not about dumbing down information, it’s about democratizing it so that it’s accessible to anyone regardless of their background,” she explains.

In addition to her written work and public speaking, this multitalented Canadian also hosts her own live talk show on TV in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, travelling back quite often for that. “It’s a one-hour in-studio show featuring experts on evergreen topics that

are of interest to a wide audience. Relationships, money, health, careers, and stages of life from marriage and parenting to retirement and end-of-life planning are all on the table. Some of our most popular programmes have been on topics like ‘how to make friends as an adult’, ‘how to have a successful multicultural relationship,’ and ‘how to start over’.”

So how did this jet-setting journo land in Denmark? For obvious reasons – the happiness factor! “I first arrived in Denmark about a year and a half ago to join family who secured permanent employment in Aarhus. I was intrigued at the thought of building a future in what I had heard was the ‘happiest nation on Earth’.”

Now Barbara is looking to apply her skills and experience in Denmark. “I would love to work with local media outlets to craft a TV show that covers issues that are important to the people who live here. I would also welcome more Danish clients in my media relations workshops, as this area can be intimidating and shrouded in mystery - but doesn't have to be,” she explains.

MELTING AWAY UNCERTAINTIES First arriving to Denmark mid-winter, Barbara was warned she’d have a difficult time settling. But for the born-and-raised Canadian, where -40 degrees Celsius and several metres of snow was an av-

“THERE WILL ALWAYS BE GROWING PAINS WHEN YOU’RE AN EXPAT. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENTS WHEN YOU DOUBT YOURSELF. I THINK THAT CARVING OUT TIME FOR SELF-CARE, STAYING IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND DOING AT LEAST ONE THING A WEEK THAT FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE OR SCARY ARE SOME GOOD STRATEGIES TO GET OVER THE INITIAL HUMP.”

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www.cis.dk

Before long, you’ll belong erage winter’s day, “adjusting to the ‘cold’ was a piece of cake for me. I found Denmark’s winter climate to be extremely mild and my Canada Goose jacket was actually overkill,” she says with a laugh.

“I think that starting over anywhere can be difficult in general. All those trustbased relationships we take for granted, like your hairdresser or drycleaner or even your medical specialist, have to be cultivated from scratch when you’re in a new place.

In some ways, the Danish emphasis on scheduling everything well in advance does make life planning a bit easier.

“There will always be growing pains when you’re an expat. There will always be uncomfortable moments when you doubt yourself. I think that carving out time for self-care, staying in touch with family and friends, and doing at least one thing a week that feels uncomfortable or scary are some good strategies to get over the initial hump,” she says encouragingly.

Without making any generalisations based on her short time in the country, Barbara says that there are a few observations she’s made about her new ‘home’. “Danish society is much more regimented than what most Canadians might be used to. While there is less spontaneity, there is also much more emphasis on family and work-life balance. It’s nice to see such values are held so sacred.”

INTERNATIONAL AARHUS

Settling into a new country can be challenging – especially for the nonworking spouse. We know, from studies and from experience, that a successful posting depends on the happiness of the entire family – and our school is home to a very active, warm and welcoming community.

Our PTA offers a wide range of opportunities: newcomers network, Spring Fair, Halloween, Yoga, Activities Fair, Wine and Cheese Evening, Dads’ Club and Ladies’ Night Out. Dedicated parents coach our sports teams, run our boy scouts and serve on the school Board.

At CIS the whole family finds a place to grow roots and make friends. So to quote one of our parents: “I came for the job, but we stayed for the school.”

Barbara says that she loves the international flavour of Aarhus, the city’s youthful energy and the buzz and energy she feels in the streets. “I love that the coffee shops and restaurants are always bustling and that Aarhusians clearly know how to celebrate all of life’s pleasures. My favourite spots are the rooftop of Salling for its panoramic views, the La Cabra coffee shop for the smoothest espresso you will find outside of Italy, and St Paul’s Apotek for a killer Friday-night cocktail,” she says.

Admittedly, her Danish is still a work in progress. “Thanks to private tutoring, a few apps I’ve downloaded on my phone and already being able to speak 5 languages, I hope to be able to hold a useful conversation very soon,” she says, advising other expats new to Denmark to make an effort to learn the language.

Thanks to joining Meetup and other online forums for expats and talking to Danes and non-Danes alike – from people she knows through work to the staff behind the deli counter – Barbara is well on her way to fitting into life as an international in Aarhus. THE-INTL

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT BARBARA, VISIT HER WEBSITE: WWW.BARBARABALFOUR.COM

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EASTER IN AARHUS Staying in town for the Easter break? Check out some of these activities to get the whole family into the festive spirit.

PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS

TEXT BARBARA BALFOUR

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BECOME A CHOCOLATE CONNOISSEUR

BARBARA BALFOUR

TAKE THE KIDS ON AN EASTER EGG HUNT

■ M. P. BRUUNS GADE 25, 8000 AARHUS ■ WWW.BRUUNS-GALLERI.STEENSTROM.DK

GET INTO THE GROOVE ON SALLING'S ROOFTOP Danish talk show hosts Carsten Holm and Flemming Møldrup will be telling personal stories about the role music has played in their lives and playing some of their favourite tunes at a free event on April 25. Join them from 16:30-17:30 at Salling’s Rooftop.

■ SØNDERGADE 27, 8000 AARHUS

■ WWW.SALLING.DK

HOTEL CHOCOLAT

From April 13 to 17 and again on April 20, bring your kids to Bruuns Galleri for an Easter treasure hunt. Pick up a bunny tote bag at the information desk, then fill it up with surprises from select stores in the mall. If they (or you) get tired, pay a visit to the mall’s fully furnished baby lounge where you can also use a microwave and TV. At the information desk you can also get a special discount card that gives you 10 per cent off many of the shops in the mall. Keep your eyes peeled for two exciting new boutiques scheduled to open this month.

TELEVISION HOST, PRODUCER, PUBLIC SPEAKER, AND INTERNATIONAL PRINT JOURNALIST.

On the bottom level of Bruuns Galleri, you’ll find no shortage of temptation at a newly opened boutique called Hotel Chocolat. From its humble beginnings in London, the chocolate emporium has spread worldwide to more than 100 shops; it’s one of a few chocolate makers in the world to also have their own cocoa plantation, based on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia.

On April 24, from 19:00 to 21:00, join an intimate guided tour of the world of chocolate. Learn everything you always wanted to know about its history and production, while tasting and pairing numerous varieties ranging from white to 100 per cent dark chocolate. For DKK 200, you’ll get a goodie bag, a glass of prosecco, a mug of velvety hot chocolate and a 20 per cent discount off anything in the shop – including body care products like cacao and honey hand cream.

Call the store to reserve your spot.

SALLING AARHUS

■ M. P. BRUUNS GADE 25, 8000 AARHUS ■ WWW.HOTELCHOCOLAT.COM/UK DO YOU KNOW OF AN EVENT OR STORE OPENING IN AARHUS THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE PROMOTED IN A FUTURE ISSUE? EMAIL ME: Balfour.barbara@gmail.com

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In addition to hosting a live talk show, she writes regularly for BBC World News, The Globe and Mail, and ELLE, to name a few.

She has published two children’s books, cont r i bu te d to tou r i s m guidebooks on Iceland and Chile, and co-edited an anthology of essays on Canada-European Union relations.

Her work has taken her to over 40 countries, but she currently calls Aarhus home.

When she’s not curled up with a good book and a hazelnut hot chocolate, you might be able to find her spinning away on the dance floor of a salsa club, or nestled in a window seat on a plane, en route to some exotic new destination. www.barbarabalfour.com

13

SETTLING IN 101: DANISH ETIQUETTE PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH.COM

TEXT LAURA WINTEMUTE

In Denmark, when meeting for the first time, it’s proper etiquette to shake the hands and introduce yourself. If you already know them a hug is common, perhaps even a kiss on the cheek.

Recently, I was at a friend’s 40th birthday party. Although, we arrived five minutes early (as Danes do) and the room was already packed. We walked through the room and literally shook everyone’s hands, smiled, nodded and said hi and said our name to introduce ourselves. There were 60 something guests, and to be frank, I didn’t remember more than three names!

THE DISCRETION LINE & PERSONAL SPACE Often when standing in a checkout line at the grocery store or in line to use the bank machine, if you look down, you will often see this line on the floor:

S

SOME DANISH CULTURAL characteristics are likely to be very different from what you are accustomed to in your home-country. Regardless of whether it’s in the office or at a social gathering, Danish etiquette is normally polite, respectful and casual.

POLITENESS

Even though Danes don’t have a word for please, they really like the word “Tak” (thank you) a lot!

Tak / Mange tak / Tusind tak – “Thank you / Thank you very much.”

Selv tak – “You’re welcome” Tak for mad – “Thank you for the food” Tak for invitationen – “Thanks for the invite” Tak fordi du kom – “Thank you for coming” Tak for sidst/ sidste gang – “Thanks for last time” Tak for i dag/ i aften – “Thank you for today/ tonight.”

PLEASANTRIES Being Canadian, we pride ourselves on our over-the-top friendliness. No matter where you go you are greeted with a friendly smile and quite often a pleasant, “Hey, how ya doin?”. A cordial way to introduce ourselves. Here in Denmark, a Dane won’t ask you how you are, just to be polite. If they ask, it’s because they sincerely want to hear the answer. Danes aren’t into small talk, that would be a waste of time, but they are generally appalled by superficiality.

Be it in the grocery store line up, standing in a packed train heading home from work, or just standing on the street having a conversation, personal space is valued by Danes. Depending on how well you know the person, it is almost considered rude to get too close. Normally an arm’s length is a good distance between you. Touching during conversations is fine if you are very close with the person, but if not, it can be construed as insincere, invasive and even a little uncomfortable.

FIRST NAME BASIS The Danes are not big on formality, but prefer informal social interaction. They relate to one another as equals regardless of job titles and formal positions. Many expats find the country's egalitarian and flat hierarchical structure approach a bit of a culture shock.

In Denmark it doesn't matter who you’re talking to, your boss, your teacher, your doctor, you call them by their first name. This took me some serious getting used to. Here in Denmark, the only people you call Mr or Mrs (Fru or Hr) would be the elderly... and the queen.

LAURA’S TIPS FOR BETTER DANISH DECORUM:

HOMESTEAD TIP #1: Remember to say “tak for sidste” (thanks

LAURA WINTEMUTE OWNER, HOMESTEAD Laura is Canadian. After years of living abroad and travelling the world, she moved to Denmark in 2007 and started her new life as an expat living in Denmark.

Laura’s experience working in the Danish relocation industry, encapsulating both her experience as an ex-pat and her desire for helping people, which is WHY she started Homestead.

Homestead offers Settling in Services and Workshops focusing on the day to day challenges of expats, as well as the cultural differences in both their work and daily life.

“In House” consultations for International employees are also one of Homestead’s specialties. Customized, personal consultations focusing on the individual employee.

Homestead. We are You’re Settling in Experts.

www.kindenmark.com

for last time) the next time you see them.

HOMESTEAD TIP #2: Bring a “hver til inde gave” a bottle of wine or flowers when your invited to someone home.

HOMESTEAD TIP #3: To be late is an insult. This goes for both work and social meetings. Show up on time (if not five minutes early). THE-INTL

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14

BLOGGER COLUMN

GETTING READY FOR PRØVE I DANSK

Last year, Béranger Stark Morel completed the national Danish examination “Prøve i Dansk 3”.

This month, he shares his top tips on getting ahead of the exam coming up in May.

E

PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH.COM

EVERY YEAR, MANY of us sit down to pass the national exam “Prøve i Dansk”. After a long process of studying Danish, I finally got ready last year to complete my journey. You spend so many hours at school learning the basics, perfecting your grammar, challenging yourself to read Danish and talk to Danes.

With this very demanding effort, coming to the exam with no stress and passing it easily is definitely a reward to all the time and energy you have put in. Just remember the very first Danish class you attended. Take a minute to reflect and realize how much you have achieved since that very first time your teacher said “Hej, hvad hedder og hvor kommer du fra?”. Let’s get you ready for the big day!

PREPARING YOURSELF The last month before taking the exam will be important for you, as there is a strong focus on the technique. You will practice a lot at school with your teacher and fellow students. Last year, we had many assignments about various topics of our everyday life in Denmark. For example, lifestyle, culture, technology, education, parenting and environment. Get used to following the Danish news on a daily basis, so you know what is happening. I am not saying that the topic will be based on the latest events in Denmark, but it will give you some material to write and talk about. The exam is divided in two sections.

Students are expected to sit down mid-May for the written exam and are informed about their oral exam date at the end of May. This means you will have your last round of the exam in June. Nearly there!

WRITTEN EXAM Personally, the written exam was the one I feared the most, because of grammar which had been my weakness throughout all

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TEXT BERANGER STARK MOREL

the modules. I came out of the written exam stronger and regained a lot of confidence. If you study consistently, read and write your assignments before the exam, then fear not - you are well armed and you can do it! We trained a lot in the last module, so I was ready for this final exam. Proof reading is very important, so you need to allow yourself a fair amount of time to make sure you triple checked all your inversions, modal verbs, singular/plural, expressions, tenses, etc. I think the topics and exercises were interesting and not so difficult compared to previous Prøve i Dansk exams we trained on. I felt after the exam that this was by far my best written performance since I started learning Danish. Some students in my group felt the same. We did not have the same difficulties along the exam, but overall felt good about it.

ORAL EXAM Funny enough, the written exam was the one that stressed me the most. That was before I passed my oral exam. I usually do not feel stress with oral tests, but this one, for some reason, got my attention and played a bit with my nerves.

My recommendation to you is: train as much as possible for the oral part. I am not saying that it is very difficult, but it is a lot more spontaneous thinking and argumentation that you have to deliver in front of the examiners. You have to be very focused, calm and show that you can (somehow) “master” the Danish language! Overall a great experience that went extremely fast. Do not put too much stress over yourself, because time will fly.

Hang in there and have fun with the exam. This will mark the end of a long journey for you and start the beginning of another one, where you can showcase how great you have become at speaking Danish. And make sure to celebrate! THE-INTL

BÉRANGER STARK MOREL SALES EXECUTIVE & BLOGGER

Béranger is a French expat living in Copenhagen since 2014.

He works in sales at Trustpilot. In his spare time, Béranger also manages a blog where he shares his tips and personal experience about the process of learning Danish in Denmark. @learndanishblog www.learn-danish.com

15

HOME IS WHERE THE EXPAT IS! WHAT DOES “HOME” TRULY MEAN FOR INTERNATIONALS LIVING ABROAD? PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCKPHOTO

DEFINING HOME CAN be tricky the longer one has been away from their ‘home’ country. Home for many of us is our immediate family, the experiences and rich cultural knowledge we have gained, it is our past, our present, and our future. It is the place where we feel safe and loved. Home gives us a feeling of belonging.

As Internationals we desperately cling to our memories of ‘home’ because they keep us connected. We stay loyal to our home country through memories and feelings of nostalgia. It is a deep longing and often it can be represented by a feeling of loss, a deep void, and sadness.

In order to adjust to life in a new host country, expats fiercely rely on and reinvent their idea of 'home' based on the sentiments of their homeland. Departure from the homeland is proceeded by a period of grieving, which involves mourning the loss of the old home, homesickness, as well as nostalgia and remembrance, eventually culminating in the accomplishment of arrival.

For me, home is in the relationships I have established, the communities I belong to, my memories and most importantly, in people.

FRAMING THE EXPAT MEMORY Our expat memory links our present with the past, the here and there, self and others, it is a comfort zone that we gladly revisit. Some studies, such as the one conducted by Leon and Rebecca Grinberg in 1989 regarding migration and exile, note that factors such as the nature of migration, personality of the individual, age and character traits, all have great influence on the emigration experience as well as the aftermath. Migration has been characterised as a traumatic experience (for some, not for all) largely due to the feelings of helplessness and loss.

Very often as expats, we go through a process of mourning after we arrive in the new host country. The cause is the absence of people who were present in the previous environ-

TEXT KATHY BORYS SIDDIQUI

ment as well as the absence of familiar places. Therefore, the memories used to hold on to the past may be interpreted as a place of transition. Our memories of home play an important part in the adjustment process and coping with change.

Memory can become a tool that takes on the role of a mediator between the past and the present.

Awareness and understanding are very important when adjusting. Expatriation is an emotional journey, therefore both positive and negative emotions will surface. I can not emphasise enough, how important it is to be aware that this is a process which is perfectly normal. Gaining an understanding of the cultural adjustment phases, expanding emotional resilience, discovering and implementing mindfulness, physical activity and tools such as journaling can be very helpful. For some moving abroad can bring on significant life changes and often analysing the past can change the present.

Change is a constant and so, we are on a journey even if we are not always fully aware of it. Eventually, we may feel that we have arrived in the sense that our cultural identity has made peace with the culture that surrounds us. However, the memories of home are etched in our minds forever. Expat identities are in a continuous transition, shifting from one culture to the next, crossing imaginary boundaries which force them to adjust to a new world all over again. THE-INTL

“ I T M AY B E T H AT W R I T E R S I N M Y POSITION, EXILES, EMIGRANTS OR E X PAT R I AT E S , A R E H A U N T E D B Y S O M E S E N S E O F LO S S , S O M E U R G E TO R E C L A I M , TO LO O K B A C K . ” - SALMAN RUSHDIE, IMAGINARY HOMELANDS.

KATHY BORYS SIDDIQUI FOUNDER, ACTIVE ACTION Kathy was born in Poznań, Poland and has lived in four countries and on two continents. Growing up as an immigrant and a cross cultural kid she was able to discover a multicultural world that shaped her into the person she is today. As an adult she experienced life as a re-pat as well as an expat and she is not a stranger to the challenges and opportunities that life abroad offers.

Just when she least expected it, she met her Danish husband and once again packed her life in boxes and set off to live the happily-ever-after life in the land of the Vikings and Hygge.

Over the span of 10 years she has lived on Fyn, in Jylland and currently in Nordsjælland.

Kathy has a background in Cultural Studies and also a degree in American Studies. She has been able to combine her passion and profession as a Cultural Transition and Expat Spouse and Partner Specialist at Active Action.

A firm believer that if you are lacking something - create it. She is the founder of two International Mom Groups in Denmark, a running enthusiast, active lifestyle advocate, wife and mom. www.activeaction.dk kbs@activeaction.dk

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16

FAST, FRESH, FORÅR Spring or, Forår, is knocking on our front door, which means lighter days, lighter eating, and a need for a lighter workload in the kitchen! Prepping for dinner doesn’t have to be a drag and take a lot of time.

Springtime brings forth a plentitude of new fare in the produce department such as crisp asparagus, baby greens, crunchy radishes, new potatoes, and fresh dill. These three quick and easy recipes make a wonderfully fresh spring meal that can be prepared in just 25 minutes or less … so you have more time to smell the flowers!

PHOTOGRAPHS ERIN CHAPMAN

TEXT ERIN CHAPMAN, THE AMERICAN PIE COMPANY

SKILLET SALMON WITH SESAME & DILL MAKES 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS: 4 thick, narrow filets of salmon 1 cup sesame seeds 1 teaspoon dried dill 1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter Fresh dill Lemon wedges

METHOD: Rinse and pat dry the salmon. Set aside. In a shallow bowl, mix together the sesame seeds, dill, salt and pepper.

In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil butter to medium high. Place the salmon filets, one at a time, in the sesame seed mixture and coat thoroughly on all sides. Place on the heated pan, skin-side down and cook for about 4 minutes, or until golden brown underneath. Then flip and cook the top for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, then each side for about 1 minute, or until crisp.

Serve with lemon wedges and fresh dill.

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17

ERIN CHAPMAN CO-OWNER, THE AMERICAN PIE COMPANY With over 20 years’ experience in the advertising industry, working both in Denmark and USA, Erin has specialised in brand building and image development for lifestyle, food and fashion clientele at both national and international level.

Erin attended DIS, Denmark’s Study Abroad programme in

WATERCRESS & SPINACH SALAD WITH DIJON VINAIGRETTE

1996 and made a connection with Copenhagen. She moved to Denmark permanently in 1998

MAKES 2- 4 SERVINGS

with two suitcases and a pocket-

DRESSING:

ful of change. Working in the ad-

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon 2 teaspoons honey 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper One bunch of watercress (brøndkarse), or other spring greens 3-4 large handfuls of baby spinach ½ shallot, finely sliced Shaved parmesan cheese

vertising industry she worked

METHOD:

opment, publishing two cook-

Rinse and dry the watercress and spinach. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Place in a salad bowl and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard and salt and pepper to your taste, until thoroughly combined.

When ready to serve, pour the desired amount of salad dressing over the greens and toss gently with flakes of shaved parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

➽ TIP: PREP TIME IS EVERYTHING

her way up as a senior creative, as well as a voiceover artist, and then began her own brand and design business in 2006.

Merging her love for food and art direction, she began food styling and cookbook design for other authors, and then proceeded to continue with recipe devel-

SAUTÉED ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON & GARLIC MAKES 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS: 1-2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil 1 large bunch of fresh asparagus

Danish husband and is the mother of a sassyfive year old daugh-

let, heat the oil on medium high heat. Add

AMPLE, THIS MEAL CONSISTING OF 3 RECIPES AND IS BEST PRE-

asparagus and garlic and sauté about 7-10

PARED IN THIS ORDER: 1) MAKE THE SALAD, PREPARE THE DRESS-

minutes, tossing occasionally.

ISHED – LET’S EAT!

2015 to introduce The American

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Clean asparagus and trim bottoms. In a skil-

WITH THE PREPARED DRESSING AND SERVE. FAST, FRESH, FIN-

she partnered with Dorte Prip in

Erin is happily married to her

OVERCOOKED, UNDERCOOKED, SERVED LUKEWARM, ETC. FOR EX-

ALLY 5) ONCE FINISHED, REMOVE FROM HEAT, TOSS THE SALAD

turning to Denmark,

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

WILL MAKE YOUR COOK TIME EASIER, ENSURING NOTHING GETS

WATCH BOTH THE SALMON AND ASPARAGUS, TURNING OCCASION-

recipe development and upon re-

4-5 shavings of lemon peel

METHOD:

4) IN ANOTHER SKILLET START THE ASPARAGUS. NOW YOU CAN

several US brands on image and

Pie Company in Copenhagen.

PARING A MEAL, IS TO PREPARE YOUR INGREDIENTS FIRST. THIS

ASIDE. 3) PREPARE AND COAT THE SALMON AND START TO COOK.

in Los Angeles, Erin worked with

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN PRE-

ING. SET ASIDE. 2) PREPARE THE ASPARAGUS INGREDIENTS. SET

books in Denmark. While living

ter who speaks fluent “Danglish”. www.theamericanpieco.com

Add lemon peel, salt and pepper to taste when the asparagus just begins to become tender on the outside. Sauté 1-2 minute more.

Transfer to a serving platter and squeeze fresh lemon over the asparagus.

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18

DENMARK TAKES ON THE

UN SDG CHALLENGE DENMARK IS A RECOGNISED MARKET LEADER WITH AMBITIOUS SDG STRATEGIES.

PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCK PHOTO / UN

TEXT MARIANO ANTHONY DAVIES

WHAT ARE THE UNITED NATIONS SDGS? The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are otherwise known as the Global Goals.

The SDGs are a universal United Nations call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

These 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new priority areas such as:  Climate Change  Economic Inequality  Innovation  Sustainable Consumption  Peace and Justice  Mental Health The goals are interconnected so that often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.

For the first time, world leaders are now recognising that the promotion of mental health and well-being, as well as the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, are health priorities within the global development agenda. The inclusion of mental health and substance abuse in the Sustainable Development Agenda, which was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, is likely to have a positive impact on communities and countries where millions of people will receive much needed help.

DANISH COMMITMENT TO THE SDGS Denmark shares the entire vision of our world and planet in 2030 as expressed by “The 2030 Agenda” (adopted by a UN Summit in 2015) and the SDGs (Paris Agreement in 2017). The Danish government is committed to an ambitious follow-up in the national as well as the international setting. It acknowledges the interdependent and holistic nature of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.

The government also emphasizes the need for all actors across society to contribute to achieving the SDGs. Consequently, Denmark is a recognised frontrunner in sustainable development with a universal health care and educational system, gender equality, a generous social safety net, cooperation among social partners, responsible business, clean and efficient energy production, personal freedom and much more. Policy reflects a long-standing Danish tradition of pursuing solutions that are sustainable in the long run.

DANISH NATIONAL ACTION PLAN The Danish government has, in accordance with The 2030 Agenda, formulated an Action Plan in light of the need to adapt targets to national circumstances.

The Action Plan is centred on five Ps:  Prosperity  People  Planet  Peace  Partnerships

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For each of these, the Danish government has formulated 37 targets that reflect a wish to prioritise building on existing positions of strength as well as on areas where improvement is needed. The Danish government is focused on the implementation and follow up of the 37 targets set forth in the Action Plan and continues to work on assessing new legislation on the SDGs.

DENMARK’S GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs now shape Denmark’s global engagement, and Denmark’s foreign, trade and security policy all contribute directly and indirectly to achieving the SDGs. The SDGs constitute the platform for Danish development cooperation and humanitarian action as reflected in the new strategy, “The World 2030” (See “What Will Denmark Look Like In 2030” ActionAid Denmark, July 2017).

The Danish Government decided to support World’s Best News (WBN) as a new platform for communicating the Global Goals from 2017. The World’s Best News is a multi-stakeholder initiative, originally initiated by Danish CSO’s.

Since 2015, a core objective of the platform has been to communicate the SDG’s to the Danish population at large. Under the headline “We have a Plan – 17 Global Goals to Save the World” in 2016 and “We are Generation Global Goals” in 2017, the Danish Parliament is expected to ensure that the Global Goals for Sustainable Development are introduced and taught to all primary and secondary school learners. THE-INTL WBN has campaigned nationwide in partnership with the private sector, UN, the Danish government, and, in particular, Danish youth associations. WBN coordinated the World’s Largest Lesson, targeting Danish primary and secondary schools. In 2016, all Danish schools received colourful posters with the Global Goals.

MARIANO ANTHONY DAVIES PRESIDENT & CEO BOSS CERTIFICATION UK LIMITED Mariano has over 30 years' global experience as a business executive. He spent ten years with KPMG, twenty-one years with British Chambers of Commerce (while also running his own companies) and now BOSS Certification. He is a British citizen, who grew up in Kent, went to boarding school in Sussex and has a British university education.

He has been married to a Dane for over 42 years and has held over 100 official anti-Brexit speeches. He both speaks and writes Danish without difficulty. www.boss-register.com

19

HOW TO FIND FARM-FRESH FOOD

Whether you’re growing curious about where your food comes from or you’re a food-lover trying to get the lay of your new land, here are some tips.

PHOTOGRAPHS GINA LORUBBIO / ISTOCK PHOTO

TEXT GINA LORUBBIO

that cannot be sold but is still perfectly good. The veggies may have funky shapes or damaged skin, are the wrong size, or are simply being overproduced. Grim bundles them up in a box and delivers it to your door (if your door is in the Capital Region, though they are growing quickly).

I

IN THE AGE of Google, we can supposedly access anything we want to know, but that method breaks down when you’re in a new country. Upon moving here, I searched for sources of fresh, seasonal food by Googling “Community Supported Agriculture (CSA),” the term for boxes of produce one can buy directly from farms in my home country. There were no results. After some good old-fashioned conversation with a Dane, I learned that there is a similar offering here in Denmark, but it goes by the name of grøntkasse (green box). Bingo!

Since learning the right search terms, I’ve had much better results. And the best news? There are a lot of options to be excited about! Here are a few I’ve tried:

day’s box). You order as needed, without a subscription, and collect it from a dropoff spot in Copenhagen. You can also add items like meats and grains to your box. birkemosegaard.dk

Tips for finding farm-fresh food in your area: ✓ Danish-friendly Google terms: plug in gårdbutik (farm shop), grøntkasse (produce box), måltidskasse (meal box), or økologisk landbrug (organic farm), plus the name of your town. ✓ Keep your eyes peeled: look for farm stands as you drive down country roads or take a walk to your local town square, where farmers will sometimes sell their goods once or twice a week. ✓ Visit a farm on Økodag (Organic Day): Saturday, April 14 is a celebration of spring that culminates in the release of organic (dancing) cows from the barn for the season. Farms across Denmark offer families a host of food and activi ties. Visit www.økodag.dk to find one near you.

AARSTIDERNE

BIRKEMOSEGAARD

They deliver måltidskasser (meal boxes) all across Denmark. These include all the ingredients and recipes you need for three to five whole meals. You can also purchase general produce boxes and a wide selection of other goods like juice, olive oil, cheese, fish, and tomato sauce.

They source as much organic Danish food as possible and supplement the rest from trusted organic producers in Spain, Italy, and Netherlands. The farm shop in Humlebæk near Louisiana Museum on North Zealand is quite idyllic. aarstiderne.com

A longtime biodynamic, organic farm run by a Danish-Thai couple (cheers to fellow expats!), they offer a massive box of produce called Torsdagskassen (Thurs-

With a name that means ‘ugly’ in Danish, Grim rescues produce from organic farms

Finding ways to stock your kitchen with the kind of food you feel good about can be tricky in the beginning. But once you know where and how to source them, it can make home-cooking a joy and can even help deepen your bond to your adopted home country. THE-INTL

GINA LORUBBIO ARTIST & WRITER Gina is an artist, educator, and storyteller in Copenhagen. Upon arrival from the U.S., she made an art series called ‘How to Fall in Love with Denmark through Food in 100 Days.’ She’s now creating daily art in 2019 that teaches and inspires us on the adventure of everyday home-cooking. To buy artwork or follow the series, visit:

www.AmericanHeirloom Project.com @americanheirloom

GRIM

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20

RAMASJANG

A WORLD OF WONDER AND LEARNING FOR CHILDREN Onkel Reje, Motor Mille, Skæg, Bamse and Kylling. If you don’t know them already, you’ll be best placed to down tools (before 8pm) and tune into Ramasjang on Danish TV for an education.

PHOTOGRAPHS HENRIK VIERØ / AGNETE SCHLICHTKRULL / DR

R

RAMASJANG IS A cultural institution in Denmark.

A dedicated children’s television channel committed to children aged between three and six years old, it’s a high-quality world of wonder. Its popularity and credibility proved by a Kantar Gallup survey in 2017 finding that 96% of children aged between three and six years old use the content from DR Ramasjang on a weekly basis.

And while there is currently no award or statistics to prove it, I’m going to put it out there that I think it is quite possibly one of the leading children’s television channels in the world. It’s the Sesame Street of Denmark blending entertainment with education and is currently nominated for an award at the upcoming global INPUT 2019 awards.

We can only wait to see if the judges agree with me.

WHAT IS RAMASJANG As well as being the name of the TV channel, Ramasjang is a fictional donut shaped island in which various characters live, including Onkel Reje, Motor Mille and Hr. Skæg.

The characters are colourful, unique and all focus on something different, hosting their own shows or segments on the programme. Their common ground is that they all live on the island of ‘Ramasjang’, but occasionally cross paths, for example at the fictional airport, Ramajetterne.

Every piece of content on Ramasjang is designed with such a strong purpose it is hard not to be impressed. In fact, as a rule of thumb for every hour of Ramasjang you can expect 100 hours of play time to result from it (download the app to access the additional educational games and to replay episodes of significance). The content is interactive, meaningful, topical (with not many topics off limits), carefully crafted together to lure

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TEXT KERI BLOOMFIELD

adults to sit down and with their children and be part of the magical Ramasjang world.

If you’re a heavy metal fan from the Eighties, then hunt out Onkel Reje.

Pelle Møller, the Commissioning Editor of Ramasjang, is the one bringing it all together and steering the ship. He explains that “Ramasjang is much more than just a TV channel. We don’t just pull content together, we craft it. We know we have a big responsibility to these young impressionable people. A responsibility we accept and respect.” Resulting in a TV channel that sees the world from the children’s perspective as well as challenging the children’s imagination.

It’s easy to see the team behind Ramasjang are determined to show children a wider world whether it be raising their awareness about environmental concerns (last year they focussed on the importance of bees) or simply helping children on the path to find out who they are and what they are good at. And a new fiction series currently being created will do exactly this not only for the children but also the adults. Called ‘Oda Omvendt’ (Oda Upside Down) it is all about changing perspective. Something I quite liked the sound of.

A STRONG HISTORY OF QUALITY CHILDREN’S TV While the TV channel Ramasjang was only launched in 2009 (this year they will celebrate their 10th anniversary), Danish children’s television in Denmark has a much longer history with DR recently celebrating 50 years of producing television for children and youth of Denmark. 50 years of bringing to life colourful characters to the children (and now their children) of Denmark. Characters such as Bamse & Kylling, which translates to Teddy Bear & Chicken, the names undoubtedly working better in Danish, are perhaps the most well-known children’s TV characters in Denmark. And are still very

21

much part of the Ramasjang family, although taking a slight backseat now and only coming out on special occasions (although you can still find them on the Ramasjang app as well as on replays).

For a smallish country, Denmark packs a punch when it comes to children’s TV, no doubt in part helped by the significant investment by DR, a government funded organisation. THE-INTL

THE BASICS EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW

➥ Denmark has two TV channels dedicated to children. The first is

Ramasjang aimed at three to six year olds and the second, DR Ultra for

seven to 12 year olds.

1 July to 9 August

➥ One hour of Ramasjang content = 100 hours of play time. Check out

their website https://www.dr.dk/ramasjang and download the

Ramasjang App to maximise learning opportunities for your children.

➥ You’ll find NO advertisements on the Ramasjang channel ➥ If you tune into the Ramasjang channel after 8pm, you’ll find a

slightly odd TV phenomenon of sleeping adults in costumes. Played from

8pm to 5am every night to encourage children to sleep, you’ll perhaps

also find it slightly mesmerising and a great party trick to show your next

visitors to Denmark.

➥ Throughout December they show special julekalendar (Christmas

calendar) shows every day.

Staying in or around Copenhagen this Summer?

And, looking for a fun-filled programme for your kids?

Then, make sure to sign-up for our Summer Programme.

During the six weeks your kids can look forward to a fun-filled, active and engaging time of learning delivered by ISH teachers and caregivers.

➥ If your children are already watching Ramasjang then congratulate your

self that their screentime allowance is being used on some of the world’s

highest quality children’s television.

You do not have to enrol for the full time ...

You can choose from a number of

To download your personal reference guide to the main characters of

weekly camps and care activities.

Ramasjang then head to my blog www.bilingualbackpackbaby.com

KERI BLOOMFIELD WRITER & BLOGGER Keri Bloomfield is a connector, writer, event manager and blogger currently living in Copenhagen.

Originally from New Zealand she was lured to Denmark by a Dane and has since been employed by her daughter (Bilingual Backpack Baby) as editor, writ-

er, photographer and social media manager documenting some of their adventures living in Denmark. Whether you have children or not, her blog is a great source of entertaining and accurate information about finding your way in Denmark.

Prior to life in Denmark, Keri navigated a corporate life in New Zealand and England working in the field of event management and people management.

She is now on her way to becoming bilingual (she hopes) and is the co-organiser of ‘Post A Letter Co-

penhagen’. A monthly event held in Copenhagen where attendees can write and post letters for free.

You can read and follow Keri’s adventures in Copenhagen with her Danish partner and daughter and learn more about Post A Letter Copenhagen at the following: www.bilingualback packbaby.com www.postalettercopenhagen.com

Summer CARE

for children aged 3-10, with daily activities such as crafts and educational games organised in a childcentred, interest-based setting.

Summer CAMP

for children aged 7-17, with a series of thematic camps within a variety of areas such as music, art, science, dance, exploration, English as an additional language, sports and more.

REGISTER ON OUR WEBSITE AT www.ish.dk FROM WEEK 15 - THE 2nd WEEK OF APRIL The International School of Hellerup is a Not-For-Profit IB World School with over 500 students, aged 3 to 18, representing more than 50 nationalities from around the world.

International School of Hellerup Rygårds Allé 131, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark. + 45 70 20 63 68 info@ish.dk Find and follow us on Facebook and Instagram Copyright ISH 2019 (03.19)

APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

22

JUTLAND

INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED AARHUS Aarhus and Eastern Jutland is home to many internationally-minded companies and organisations that all contribute to the internationalisation of this particular area.

International Community will take you by the hand and show you the diverse scene on which internationalisation is built. This month we are visiting AARHUSMAKERS. PHOTOGRAPHS AARHUSMAKERS / ISTOCKPHOTO

A

AARHUSMAKERS CAME TO life in May 2017 when Dan-Vlad Cobasneanu (Moldovan) and I (Juanjo Keena, Spanish) were finishing our Bachelor in Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Business Academy Aarhus. We built our own company to get experience and apply the theories we had studied over the past 18 months.

Today, in addition to Dan and myself, we are seven people in the team, which consists of Kate Antonas (Australia), Timi Juhasz (Hungary), Ben Culpin (UK), Katrina Bolshakova (Latvia) and Emma Holtet (Denmark). As you can see we are striving to be the next United Nations!

aci during the Capital of Culture 2017. The End of The line has rapidly gained momentum in this unusual area and it has been brought to the community in a public-private partnership with 4Improve Consulting, Ovartaci Museum and Incuba.

Since we opened to the public in January we have had around 800 visitors in the gallery, hosted three exhibitions and developed a creative program that will last for the remainder of 2019. This will consist of nine more exhibitions, as well as happenings and parties. We can’t wait for the public to see what we have in the pipeline!

SO, WHAT IS AARHUSMAKERS?

WHY IS AARHUSMAKERS RELEVANT FOR INTERNATIONALS?

We are an organisation that works with cultural catering, art and other creative experiments. The goal of AARHUSMAKERS is to expose upcoming artists and grassroot cultural projects taking place in Aarhus to the local community.

Our current focus is the “END OF THE LINE” cultural programme. This is an ever-changing cultural space that aims to present the city’s emerging art scene through a multi-disciplinary program of exhibitions, performances, events and creative experiments.

Situated in the industrial scape of Skejby, beside the Aarhus Universitet Hospital Letbane station, it connects the community and industries of Aarhus with upcoming artistic talents.

The black box was previously home to Ovartaci Fields - a satellite museum to house pop-up projects from Museum Ovart-

As international creatives in Aarhus we realised it can be tricky for newcomers to find their own niche and build contacts. We want to facilitate the process for newcomers to find a network of creative people to chat, collaborate and create new things together, we are grateful for how the different communities of Aarhus have opened the doors to us and we want to do the same for anyone that knocks on our door.

In terms of the value we bring to the city, we organise and curate regular cultural events throughout the year, from our END OF THE LINE gallery in Skejby.

Here guests have the opportunity to experience the latest exhibitions, workshops and events from Danish and internationals - often working together in collaboration.

As well as this, we are in the midst of creating a new project - KULT - which will be an English-language journal bringing news,

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TEXT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AARHUS

trends and articles on the cultural scene in Aarhus to internationals and Danes alike.

HOW DOES AARHUSMAKERS CONTRIBUTE TO THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF AARHUS? When you count the core team and the community of creatives that work with us in a regular basis we have a total of 12 nationalities involved in our organisation.

For us, internationalisation is a default and the best way to make sure we have fresh perspectives to develop new and exciting cultural projects in this city that we all call home.

In essence, at the forefront of AARHUSMAKERS’ motivation is to encourage and nurture the contribution of internationals to the cultural scene of Aarhus. THE-INTL

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY We offer a wide range of events, seminars and online activities that help internationals get settled in Denmark.

Learn more on our website or follow us on: @internationalcommunityAarhus @internationalcommunityaarhus

www.erhvervaarhus.dk

AARHUS MAKERS TEAM (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)

JUAN, BEN, EMMA, DAN AND TIMI

www.international community.dk

23

THE CHANGING FACE OF BUSINESS Olga Sterkhova Nissen is Managing Director at Accenture, head of European IT M&A practice and the former only ever female partner with Mckinsey & Company in the Copenhagen or Danish office.

Olga sits down with Claire to talk future opportunities, women and diversity in business.

PHOTOGRAPHS WWW.ACCENTURE.COM

TEXT CLAIRE ROSS-BROWN

WOMEN NEED TO BE TWICE AS SMART AS MEN TO GET TO THE SAME LEVEL – AS MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAID: “THE WORLD HAS A LOT OF P L AC E F O R M E D I O C R E M E N B U T Z E RO P L AC E F O R MEDIOCRE WOMEN”

O

OLGA IS A top Management advisor.

She has worked with the world’s leading international organisations to help them shape and execute their strategic priorities.

I met Olga when she was giving a talk about women and diversity at Saxo Bank about four years ago, and really loved her energy and sincerity in wanting to help other women to reach the top in their careers. Olga and I went on to work with one another, and I have followed her passion for advising organisations in achieving new heights in inclusion and diversity, as well as helping talented women to become business leaders.

Q

WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING MCKINSEY’S ONLY EVER FEMALE PARTNER IN THE 16 YEARS THAT YOU WORKED AT THEIR COPENHAGEN OPERATION?

In a way it’s quite lonely to be a woman working with business leaders, as the majority of them are men. Though I must say that the gender balance is improving. When I came into Denmark in 1999 I looked at the list of C20 (largest Danish companies on the Stock Exchange) and their CEO’s and management team, I was surprised to learn that majority of them were Danish men.

This didn’t scare me though, quite the opposite – I was excited to take on the challenge. Now I meet more women and foreigners among top managers in Denmark. Companies are becoming more inclusive and now it is a great time for more women to aim for the highest positions. The recipe here is not to worry too much about if you are a man or a woman – just do your job and be the best at it.

Q

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED COMING FROM RUSSIA?

I wouldn’t consider myself (despite my Russian background), Russian in my way of working and leadership style. I left Russia when I was 25 years old and only returned again for four years, between 2008 and 2012. I consider myself cosmopolitan with my working style, even though I have taken some of my cultural heritage with me. When I was younger my superiors gave me feedback that I was very Russian in the way I communicated and did things and at that time, this upset me. Now I understand that it was just a perception of when one encounters

- O LG A S T E R K H OVA N I S S E N

an ambitious and goal oriented woman. However, over the years, I have turned this to my advantage and embraced it. As Oscar Wilde once said; “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

Today is a better time to be different, to stand out as the world talks about Innovation and people start appreciating colleagues with different backgrounds, educations, culture and mindset, as they can be a really valuable asset.

Q

WHERE ELSE IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN DENMARK DO YOU SEE THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING A FOREIGN WOMAN?

I am working a lot with top management, on the topic of adopting new technologies to achieve their companies’ competitive advantage. This is also an area where companies need to look with different eyes at their business and operating models. Here people like myself, with a different education background (I studied to be a “rocket scientist” in the USSR) and worked a lot across different industries, could help to foster cross pollinations –borrowing ideas from one industry or culture to another – from different areas of business and social interaction. A lot of solutions can be found here. We seldom cross the boarders, from one to another and I personally, not just geographically, have constantly crossed many boarders. It is these experiences that I want to share.

Q

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING WOMEN IN TOP MANAGEMENT?

Men and women have differences in their leadership style and in the way they make decisions. I believe that the mix of those differences could be very powerful and leads to better outcomes. For example, women are more risk adverse, they are more thoughtful about potential consequences of decisions, whereas men often tend to become very excited about an idea, underestimate the risk factors and leap into making a decision too fast.

Women are much more “farming”, while men have a stronger “conqueror” instinct. I believe that this combination can be a huge advantage for a company to have, in creating a more balanced view, successful strategies and executing them to their fullest potential. THE-INTL

CLAIRE ROSS-BROWN BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINTECH COMPANY CASHWORKS Claire has over 26 years', experience working as both a business consultant and actress/singer. She has worked as a Headhunter in London city with Investment Banks, produced an album and invests in companies. Claire is a true Londoner, yet considers Denmark her home, where she lives with her family. She loves to run, box, snowboard and wakeboard. Her column in The International is about Entrepreneurship, interesting businesses and key business people, board member of www.boernogungeinoed.dk www.cashworks.ch

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24

DIGITAL SELF-CARE WELLNESS APPS THAT WILL HELP YOU WORK TOWARD A BALANCE OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND NUTRITIONAL HEALTH. PHOTOGRAPHS VARIOUS

TEXT SUZAAN SAUERMAN

Our smartphones and wearables have become essential to helping us track our health and wellbeing. We are all more aware of the importance of tracking our wellness and becoming more aware of self-care, making it a priority and a necessity. The physical body requires movement to thrive, while our minds need mental rest through meditation and enough sleep.

Here’s a short list of apps linking together all your wellness needs within a digital health space.

SUZAAN SAUERMAN TECH CONSULTANT & INVESTOR Suzaan has spend the past 19 years working around the world for various technology brands, leading & transforming global marketing organisations, developing innovative product portfolio’s, driving digital transformation and consumer driven product experiences. Today she is a consultant, advisor & investor, working within consumer technology, helping various brands to create experiences & products that impact & improves everyday lives. She is also a tech columnist writer

HEADSPACE

8FIT

STREAKS

SLEEP CYCLE

Meditation and mindful-

This app takes an all-en-

This is a to - do list that

Do you feel like you con-

ness is made super sim-

compassing approach to

helps you form good habits,

stantly don't get enough

ple with Headspace, an

health and f itness – al-

and an essential app to hold

sleep or that your quali-

app that literally gives us-

lowing users to personal-

you accountable to all your

ty of sleep isn’t that great?

ers a workout for the brain,

ise their workouts to their

daily/weekly goals. The

This app could seriously

led by a former Buddhist

strengths and weaknesses,

app allows you to track up

help. Tracking your sleep

monk. The premise is to

teamed with healthy ad de-

to twelve tasks you want to

cycle throughout the night

take ten minutes a day to

licious recipes. Essentially,

complete each day and the

based on movement and

listen in and clear your

an online personal trainer

goal is to build a streak of

sound analysis it works to

mind. Tried it, and it def-

that you can tailor to your

consecutive days. Get goal

wake you up when you are

initely supports better at-

own needs.

chasing!

at your lightest sleep which

tention span, alertness and

(IOS & ANDROID)

(IOS & ANDROID)

means you’ll be much less

instant calm.

groggy and grumpy rising.

(IOS & ANDROID)

(IOS & ANDROID)

& keynote speaker/panellist.

She has been travelling, working and living in Africa, UK, USA. Her biggest driver in life is curiosity, both professionally and privately. In her spare time she likes to keep fit by running & training at The Wolfpack Gym. She has a passion for food & wine, and always scouting the best cup of coffee when travelling to new cities.

Suzaan lives in Copenhagen, was born in South Africa and is a British citizen.

Follow her on:

@suzaansauerman @suzaansauerman @linkedin.com/in/suzaan

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25

OUR DIGITAL

BEINGS

It was almost 30 years ago that the World Wide Web was invented, and little did we know that this invention would lead to our children being labelled as “Digital Beings”.

PHOTOGRAPH COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

TEXT

ALISON BLACK-STORM - COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

C

CHILDREN OF TODAY seem to have an innate sense

you do not have to look far to see the headlines in all manners of educational journals, health and wellness publications, newsp ap e r s a n d p a r e nt i n g blogs. There are strong c o n n e c t i o n s ( m a ny o f which are research-based) being made between the use of digital media and mental health and not all of these are positive. Increased rates of depression, self-harm and anxiety are noted. In our school community, we see these impacts to various degrees as social media, gaming and other media takes its toll on our students social, emotional and personal wellbeing. Specifically in the middle school, we might see students suffering from lack of sleep, less developed interpersonal skills, negative body image, low self-esteem and cyberbullying.

Digital media, with both its positive and negative influences, is here to stay. Only time will tell how our digital beings will continue to adapt and respond. I personally believe that when schools partner with parents to provide support for our digital beings through education, positive role-modeling and boundaries then we increase the chances of our digital beings being happy beings. THE-INTL

of navigation when it comes to technology and digital media. Where adults might feel clumsy and challenged around technology, they seem fast, nimble and always excited; they just can’t get enough of it. In fact, when it comes to adolescence, digital media is quite frankly an integrated part of their life.

LIFE AS A DIGITAL BEING As a school counselor, I see how digital media has found its place amongst our students. It allows students to connect with their families and classmates from afar. It allows them to express themselves freely, learn new things and access information. I see how playing Fortnite with their new classmates gives them a place in the social circle and how the internet and social media chats can provide support and hours of entertainment. Yet, I worry about adolescents and digital media. I know how much they seek acceptance during this period and I worry how much rejection, judgement and disappointment takes place online. Indeed, brain research related to adolescence reminds us of the intense structural changes that are taking place in the brain during this time. It tells us how the adolescent brain’s combination of heightened emotional sensitivity and protracted development of their reflective and decision making ability can make digital media challenging to manage.

So yes, while the many benefits are enjoyed, they must be managed and this can be the where the challenge lies for our young digital beings. Consider the online chats on social media. The constant “bzzz bzzz” of instant messenger that brings about the smiles, the laughs and the tears. It is fun, but also it is time-consuming and a definite pressure to keep up. Yes, this is 24/7, and if the device is in the bedroom - there goes the sleep. Then there’s the additional distractions online as a message arrives when you are trying to focus in class or on homework (oops), and the pressure to constantly post pictures and stories on Snapchat or Instagram (and not always of the real you, maybe more the older, sexier, funnier you). Then don’t forget the constant check up afterwards (how many Likes?). Consider the emotions, part of the adolescent journey which can be heightened by the

"WE KNOW THAT MANY DIGITAL intensity of online behaviours. We know that many digital beings are making the choice to go online rather than interact in person. Socialising online is reducing the opportunity for students to learn the key skill of empathy.

And let us not forget the video game that is so much fun that it just can’t be switched off, not until the next level is achieved and then... the dark eyes the day after, when no sleep has been had.

Schools, parents and society must however support our digital beings in their use of digital media. The truth is,

BEINGS ARE MAKING THE CHOICE TO GO ONLINE RATHER THAN INTERACT IN PERSON. SOCIALISING ONLINE IS REDUCING THE OPP O RT U N I T Y F O R S T U D E N T S TO LEARN THE KEY SKILL OF EMPATHY." - ALISON BLACK-STORM

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26

A NORTHERN SOUL:

MOVING FROM AFRICA TO ESBJERG A MOVE FROM THE TROPICS TO THE NORDICS COULD MEAN A BIG CULTURE SHOCK, BUT OUR NEW ESBJERG-BASED WRITER FEELS RIGHT AT HOME. PHOTOGRAPHS JULIBEHRENDTBEXKENS.COM / LINDSEY SCAIFE / UNSPLASH.COM

TEXT CATRIONA TURNER

W

WEST COAST RAIN is tipping down from a grey sky as I write, and squally gusts of wind dash it sideways on to the window.

I LEFT TROPICAL AFRICA FOR THIS. AND I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER!

Life in the Republic of Congo certainly had its charms, not least of which was never having to bundle up the kids in thermotøj; shorts and sandals were all we needed. Another was the intensity of our encounter with the local culture, as well as our children becoming bilingual in a French-speaking country.

But after three years there, which followed a spell in Uganda for the family, and a posting in Nigeria for my husband, we were ready for a continental shift.

A SCANDI DREAM I dreamed of northern climes, with changing seasons, a cosy Christmas, and a multi-layered wardrobe. I had enjoyed tropical living, as well as the warmth of southern France, but I was missing these elements of my Scottish ‘normal’.

Top of the wish list was Denmark. Scandinavian living held a strong appeal, and I’d been fangirling for years over Danish TV, since The Killing (Forbrydelsen) became a popular export.

When my husband told me that the magical posting had come down from his company’s HR department, I barely even heard the part where he said, “But it’s not Copenhagen.” I didn’t care. I was going to live in actual Denmark, learn to speak like Sarah Lund, fill my new home with Danish design, and wear coats and boots again, like the real me always did.

ESBJERG’S ENERGY When we tell people we live in Denmark now, they often say, “Oh, it must be great

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CATRIONA TURNER WRITER AND BLOGGER

Catriona is a writer and blogger currently living in Esbjerg. In the decade living in Copenhagen!” Beyond these shores, Esbjerg is one of those places that you only know if you have to. It’s Denmark’s youngest town, with no medieval history or famous citizens to sustain a major tourist industry.

But it’s been the perfect international landing.

Esbjerg calls itself the ‘EnergiMetropol’; besides the dominant presence of the wind and oil and gas industries, there’s more energy in the push for growth and newness that hums away beneath the surface. The kommune’s Newcomer Service is a dynamic resource, and within days of arriving we already felt warmly welcomed, and part of a bustling and diverse international community, also served by the growing international school.

WEST COAST AND BEYOND Surrounding the working hub of the town, many impressive attractions do draw visitors from further afield: picturesque Ribe, the oldest town in Scandi-

navia; the immersive Viking Centre; the world-class Tirpitz museum; the wide west coast beaches showcasing stunning sunsets; and the home of a certain plastic brick is less than an hour away.

We are surprisingly well-connected here. Everything is relative of course: for me, simply living on mainland Europe makes me feel like everywhere else is just around the corner! I can jump on the train to Copenhagen any time, and many other cities are just a longish drive or a short flight away (thanks to Billund airport). And after years of living at least two flights, a day’s travel, and thousands of euros away from home, it’s a near-miraculous thing that a direct flight takes us from Esbjerg Airport, just ten minutes from our door, to our home town of Aberdeen.

I’ll share more with you in the coming months about Danish and international living over here in Esbjerg.

For now, never mind the weather. My northern soul is very comfortable in its hyggelig new home. THE-INTL

since leaving Scotland, she’s also lived in France, Uganda and the Republic of Congo.

On her blog, The Frustrated Nester, she writes about Danish living, travel and the expat life. Her writing has been published in the anthology

Once Upon an Expat.

She’s currently working on a memoir of what home means, and is also a freelance copy-editor and proofreader.

Follow The Frustrated Nester: www.thefrustratednester.com www.facebook.com/thefrustratednester @thefrustratednester

27

AN ALTERNATIVE BREXIT REALITY With no end to the speculation of what might happen when the UK cuts itself off from the EU, we take a look at some of the scenarios that may play out.

PHOTOGRAPHS COPENHAGEN MEDIA CENTER / ISTOCK PHOTO

TEXT JASON HEPPENSTALL

D

DID YOU SEE that Black Mirror TV series Bandersnatch, where each story has several different plausible outcomes based on the idea that we are living in several alternative universes all at the same time? I only mention it because I am writing these words in the UK ahead of the date when Brexit is due to take place – and nobody seems to know what is going to happen, or whether anything will happen at all.

In fact, as you read these words it’s possible that I’m sitting atop a smoking pile of e-waste, fighting off red-eyed rodents with a stick as I bleakly survey the lines of emaciated figures stretching to the horizon. Upon that horizon sands a single large tree, its form tattooed starkly against the twilit sky, adorned as it is with the swinging rope-hung silhouettes of well-known politicians.

Either that or I’m sitting comfortably in an American style diner (they seem to be everywhere now) chowing down on a huge plate of chlorinated chicken and GMO French fries – sorry, freedom fries – while the jukebox plays Taylor Swift’s You Belong With Me. Positioned up on the wall is on one of the huge flat screen TVs China gifted to the UK as a trade deal sweetener, on which I am watching the new Prime Minister, Nigel Farage, deliver a tub-thumping speech about making the metric system illegal and reintroducing caning.

Or, more likely, Brexit was delayed or fudged, and only kinda happened, and nothing much has changed except that the political theatre has amped up to 11.

There are more forms to fill out (although nobody seems to know the correct procedure or which one you need), Mars bars are a bit thin on the ground and people everywhere have ruined their keyboards hammering out angry comments on Facebook.

Who knows?

JASON HEPPENSTALL CURRENCY ANALYST AND ECONOMICS WRITER, TORFX.

Jason spent almost 10 years living and working in Denmark as an English teacher and news editor. With a de-

FOREIGN PROPERTY OWNERSHIP Anyway, moving swiftly onto Denmark and property prices, it came as a surprise to find out that a third of fixed rate mortgages in Denmark are in fact owned by foreign investors. This is surprising as – it is often said – Denmark enjoys relatively low property prices as the domestic market is ‘protected’ from foreigners, who like nothing better than to park their wealth offshore and create property bubbles (see Canada as a prime example of this).

But it turns out that foreign investment in fixed rate 30-year mortgage bonds is incredibly popular – especially among German and Japanese investors.

These AAA rated bonds are snapped up whenever they are offered. But Timothy Smal, of Jyske Bank in Silkeborg, is not impressed with the way things are heading, perhaps fearing that there might be a knock-on effect that could cause damage to the Danish economy: “The fact

that Denmark probably isn’t their main place for investing might make it easier for them to exit the market.”

While we are on the subject of shocking news I read recently that Denmark produces more electronic waste on a per capita basis than nearly every other country in Europe. In fact, only Norway and the UK produce more, with the average Dane chucking out 24.8kg of e-waste every year.

This might seem at odds with the country’s self-regard as an eco-utopia, but the figures don’t lie. E-waste is notoriously hard to recycle, with most countries content to simply ship it off to some distant corner of the world and let them deal with it. The result of this out of sight, out of mind approach is landscapes of smouldering e-waste, with streams and soil contaminated with heavy metals and other goodies. Sounds a bit like one of my Brexit scenarios above … THE-INTL

gree in economics and years of experience in writing for the The Express, Jason also has a thorough knowledge of expat life in Denmark, and can convincingly say rød grød med fløde to the satisfaction of the average Dane.

He is married to a Copenhagener and they live together in Cornwall, UK, with their two children.

www.torfx.com

Sources: zerohedge.com

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28

DANISH MOTHER GROUPS WE TALK TO THREE MOTHERS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND THE UPS AND DOWNS OF BEING PART OF DANISH MOTHER GROUPS.

PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCK PHOTO / DANIELA TRIFILETTI

TEXT DANIELA TRIFILETTI

I

IN DENMARK, NEW mothers are encouraged to join mother groups - a setup with other women who have given birth around the same time of the year, and who live in the same area of the city.

Most municipalities across the country facilitate this set-up, but it is not often that international mom's get or take up the opportunity to join these groups. I chat to three mothers who have been lucky enough to join such groups, and ask them to share their impressions with me.

The mothers interviewed - besides agreeing that it is substancially beneficial to be part of these groups – portray three different experiences. All of them are first time mothers, in their early 30s, living in Denmark. Jannie, 31 is Danish, Eva, 32 is Portuguese with medium/ high Danish language skills and Ju, 33 is Chinese with medium/low Danish language skills.

Q

WHAT WERE YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS AFTER BEING INVITED TO JOIN A MOTHER GROUP BY YOUR HEALTH VISITOR? JANNIE: I considered it overall a positive initiative as it has potential to be a proactive way to reduce the feeling of loneliness present in new mothers.

EVA: Honestly, a bit weird, yet I thought it could be fun to meet up other moms going through the same as I was.

JU: There were many questions. What is the purpose? Is it going to help me recover? How should I communicate? Will they accept me as a foreigner? What if I don’t like the other mothers?

Q

DID YOU HESITATE TO JOIN THE GROUP?

JANNIE: Yes, a little bit. I was part of a private birth and post-birth group. We

APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

DANIELA TRIFILETTI "I consider mother's groups to be an overall positive initiative as it has potential to be a proactive way to reduce the feeling of loneliness present in new mothers." - Jannie met quite often in the weeks before and after birth and to me this had sort of fulfilled that part. Yet, since we didn’t live so close to each other it made sense to be part of the other group.

EVA: Ye s , b e c a u se o f t h e l a n g u a g e .

Though I understand it I do not feel very confortable speaking. I thought about the possible akward moments as sometimes I either get lost or don’t understand what is going on.

JU: Yes. I had all these questions I was yet to answer.

Q

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER DOWNSIDES OF A DANISH MOTHER GROUP?

JANNIE: You can easily feel a bit “wrong” in motherhood – or make others feel wrong, even though this was never your own or others’ intention. It’s difficult to not compare both your own and your baby’s strengths or challenges.

EVA: The expectations set from other moms. It can happen that the group becomes competitite and ends up creating stress to the mom, as she thinks she needs to have it all figured out.

JU: We all have different backgrounds and personalities. It can be hard to try

to find a topic with other mothers with completely opposite interest and personalities. Meeting them before delivery could have been better.

Q

EXPAT FAMILY EXPERT BLOGGER AT MY DANISH FAMILY Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Daniela came to Aarhus to complete her education in Journalism in 2013. Life, however, had better plans and shortly after she became the wife of a multicultural Dane and

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS TO OTHER MOTHERS-TO-BE IN DENMARK?

the mother of two multilingual children,

JANNIE: Yes. It gives a possibility to meet

tions, writing and cultural understanding

with others in a similar situation and to pass the sometimes long hours alone with a baby. It also gives a broader idea of the different baby-friendly possibilities in the neighborhood and the comfort of going there with someone you know beforehand.

EVA: Yes. The support is really nice as you know someone else who is going through the same challenges. This is a huge eye opener and very reconfirming to new moms.

JU: Yes. It is a very good information resource. New moms should not be isolated and being part of the group helps greatly. You can learn from other mothers regarding how to take care of newborns as these are brainstorming sesions for common challenges. THE-INTL *Names have been changed for privacy.

thereby making Denmark her new home.

Her passion for human and social relashaped her everyday life as it is today. Besides running her online community and blog at My Danish Family, she is an active member of large international communities in Denmark, engages actively in internationalisation initiatives and loves drinking coffee with new people.

www.mydanishfamily.dk

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B e s t BEAUTY BUYS

SPRING BEAUTY MUST-HAVES A FIRST LOOK AT THIS YEAR’S SPRING BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT. Some have been updated, revamped and upgraded from the top selling OG’s we’ve come to love, others are fresh from production ready to be placed in your beauty cabinets. These are the best lipsticks, concealer’s and the freshest setting sprays on the market.

6 SENSATIONAL SPRING BEAUTY BUYS #1 BEAUTY BLENDER RE-DEW SET AND REFRESH SPRAY

My all-time favourite brand who brought us the legendary make-up applicator ‘The beauty blender’ (award winning numerous years in a row), now give us this make-up setting spray.

It boosts moisture, helps to set the make-up, leaves skin looking dewy and revives make-up at any point. It’s a 2-part liquid, and when mixed together gives the feeling of liquid silk on your face. DKK 249 / BOOTZT.COM

2

1

#2 EDITORS PICK! MAKEUP FOREVER ULTRA HD SELF-SETTING CONCEALER

ED'S PICK!

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This concealer is a real game-changer! 2018 was the year of having to touch-up your concealers throughout the day and set with powder. Well, Makeup Forever’s latest addition to the HD collection line has come up with this genius concealer which needs no setting powder thanks to the ingredients of amino acid coated pigments that instantly attach to skin like a second layer. Lasts up to 12 hours, with no creasing and no caking – its win-win. DKK 230 / SEPHORA.DK

#3 BOBBI BROWN CRUSHED LIQUID LIP

This creamy lip balm is silky and smooth, and has epic pigment of normal lipstick, rich in colour and consistency. There are 14 shades to choose from, something for everyone as colours range from subtle nudes to powerful vivid.

DKK 225 / BOOTZT.COM

#4 BENEFIT ROLLER LINER

If you want clean perfect wings this spring, add this to your make-up collection. Once this baby sets, its stays on for 24 hours – no more smudged liner. It creates super precise lines and is available in black and brown.

DKK 225 / LOOKFANTASTIC.DK

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FABRIC FOUNDATION BALM

6

A delicious blend of waxes and oils gives this foundation a balm like consistency. Once applied on the skin, it turns to a cream and then to the perfect matte finish, just like magic. With roughly 15% pigments it gives a complete coverage with very little effort. DKK 528 / LOOKFANTASTIC.DK

#6 YVES SAINT LAURENT BEAUTÈ TOUCHE ÈCLAT HIGH COVERAGE RADIANT CONCEALER

BARBARA MENSAH BEAUTY EDITOR & MAKEUP ARTIST Barbara was born in England, London and relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark in 2017.

She has been a professional International Makeup Artist for 11 years and a professional Lash Stylist for 3 years.

After moving to Copenhagen, Denmark, Barbara became the owner of Barbara Mensah Beauty Studio. Her stylish, cosy and chic studio provides a welcoming, comfortable space for clients to spend their time getting glammed and pampered for those special moments and occasions.

All bookings for Lash Extension and Makeup can be made via her social media or tel: +45 53564504

barbaramensah. beauty@gmail.com @barbaramensahbeauty @barbara.mensah. beauty

The Original Touche Èclat has been re-vamped, boosted and now packs punches on the concealing side of its magic. Whilst the old version was the finest on the market at one point for brightening and slight concealing under eyes, this new version has a higher concentration of pigments to cover those dark circles and other imperfections around the face.

DKK 299 / BOOTZT.COM

APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

30

LIVING IN

PURRRFECT HARMONY Understanding your feline friend – unpacking the complex nature of cats.

PHOTOGRAPHS UNSPLASH.COM

TEXT TAREK ABU SHAM

believe that cats use purring to calm themselves, keep fit and healthy, or even cure themselves. Statistically cats have much lower instances of osteoarthritis and joint problems. Could it be that the vibrations from purring also heal cats in addition to communicating their affection?

I KNEAD YOU Cats have many ways to show that they love, appreciate, and trust you. One way is through a kneading action, mimicking what they did as kittens when nursing. Another sign of relaxation and comfort is when cats lie on their backs, calling out for attention, treats, or dare we say, a belly rub. But beware! An exposed belly doesn’t always indicate an invitation to have you touch your cat.

Look for other signs that indicate discomfort like ears pinned back or an active tail.

T

THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS worshiped

them, but you still can’t figure out why they sleep all day, destroy your furniture, and appear to want nothing to do with you like a moody teenager. Cats.

They are curious creatures and their relationship with humans can sometimes be puzzling. While science doesn’t have all the answers to explain cat behaviour, we have come to learn a lot.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when communicating with man’s feline friend:

YOU’RE THE CAT’S MEOW Have you ever noticed that adult cats don’t meow with one another? No, they reserve that behaviour for their human mommies and daddies. Kittens meow for their mothers. Scientists believe cats later outgrow that behaviour once weened and no longer in the care of their mothers. They then learn to re-use it when communicating with their human parents. It’s believed that cats develop unique meows for different needs. You may have noticed the long and short meows with varied pitch frequencies. Your cat learned quickly that a meow elicits attention from you and has developed a subset of meows for specific needs like food, cuddling, or help.

GOOD VIBRATIONS It’s commonly accepted that purring cats are happy cats, but that may not always be the case. Cats sometimes also purr while injured or sadly, when passing on to kitty heaven. Purring is a vibration that is felt throughout the cat’s body and some scientists

APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

TAREK ABU SHAM OWNER, THE PET-AGREES Tarek was born in Amman, Jor-

HISSING, GROWLING, AND THE WHIP OF A TAIL

dan and from an early age has

Speaking of discomfort, there’s no mistaking a cat’s hiss or growl.

This is a signal to keep your distance and usually indicates unhappiness, anger, aggression, fear, so general displeasure. Watch the tail, as well. A tail that whips back and forth could mean fear or aggression while a puffed up tail making the cat appear bigger also can indicate a severely agitated state.

had a love for animals.

OTHER PUZZLING CAT BEHAVIORS: ➥ Bunting, rubbing the head to release pheromones and mark territory, otherwise saying “You’re Mine”; ➥ Blinking slowly to indicate trust and comfort; ➥ Scratching furniture (usually) and rarely the scratching post to designate boundary lines and mark territory; ➥ Chattering teeth to mimic prey or indicate anticipation or frustration; ➥ Squeezing into a box, bag, or anything else small and cramped to feel safe and secure; ➥ Sprinting about in a random burst of energy, well, just because they do!

Cats are complicated and you need to evaluate all of these communication methods to help inform your understanding of what kitty is trying to tell you.

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU! The Pet-agrees is not just about providing exercise and attention for your pets while you’re busy or out of town. By choosing us you’ll have the advantage of having a veterinarian look after your pet. The Pet-agrees is owned by a trained veterinarian. Send us a message today! THE-INTL

He met his spouse in Amman and then soon embarked on an expat lifestyle that took him to Dubai, Prague, and now Copenhagen. Originally a veterinarian, Tarek reinvented himself professionally and decided to launch his own company.

With The Pet-agrees, Tarek has combined his veterinary experience with his entrepreneurial spirit. He cares for pets in the Copenhagen area, offering services including pet-sitting, walking, and more to come soon. www.thepetagrees.com

31

THE FUTURE IS NOW Science fiction is a genre that many either love or hate, but it is very diverse and often way better than its reputation. Give the following titles a go, and see what the future has in store for you.

SUSAN JESSEN SPIELE LIBRARIAN Susan is a librarian at Roskilde Library, and in charge of the English section. She does English events all year; everything from expat dinners and pub quizzes, to karaoke nights and book talks.

She is also busy with Roskilde Horror, a club dedicated to scaring the town.

A GREAT FIRST OF FOUR

GRISLY MURDER IN SPACE

DEFENDER

BY G. X. TODD

FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON

BY CHRIS BROOKMYRE

Seven years ago many people heard voic es telling them to kill themselves or each other. As a result America is a dangerous and p r e tty e mp ty p l a c e .

Lacey, a 16 year old and Pilgrim, a solitary bik-

Nikki "Fix" Freeman is not thrilled to have Alice Blake, a new uptight government broom, riding shotgun in a murder investigation on her space station. Fix has plenty to hide but as the prob-

er, travel to her sister's

lems and bodies pile up,

house 600 miles away.

needs must.

BEAUTIFUL HEARTBREAKING CLASSIC L.A. CONFIDENTIAL

BY DANIEL KEYES Charlie has an unusually low IQ and has been chosen as the perfect subject for an experimental surgery that researchers hope will increase his intelligence, l i ke i t d i d f o r a l a b mouse named Algernon. The experiment is a success, until Algernon suddenly deteriorates.

BOOK REVIEW!

LOST AND FOUND OF SELF

DID YOU KNOW?

Most libraries have a service called “Book a librarian”, and it is ex-

MIDDLE DISTANCE

BY HEATHER GARTSIDE

actly that! You con-

A woman struggles to keep

ther in person, by

everything together in the

phone or mail, ex-

aftermath of an accident

plain what kind of

that leaves a family in limbo, waiting for a husband to return. In this state, the yoga

tact your library ei-

help you need, they will get back to you

she practices every day be-

and arrange a meet-

comes ever more important

ing. That way the li-

and she later travels to In-

brarian can research

dia. *Review by The International Denmark

and then present the results to you. And it’s free.

APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM

32

Yakult is a delicious fermented milk drink with at least 6.5 billion unique Lactobacillus casei Shirota cultures in each little bottle.

Introduced in Japan in 1935 and now consumed by 39 million people in 39 countries and regions around the world every day.

In Denmark Yakult is exclusively available at your nearest MENY supermarket and can be found in the dairy section. For more information please visit our website via www.yakult.dk Every day is a Yakult day.

APRIL 2019 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM