Living in Denmark
Life in Denmark
Denmark is a very organised, safe and quiet country. It is relatively easy for families with children to manage the daily family logistics and to have some time together. Danmark is well known for the concept of “hygge”, a cozy time spent alone, with family or with friends doing some relaxed activity or doing nothing at all.
Getting to know the Danes
The big challenge for many foreigners arriving to Denmark is to build up a network of friends and acquaintances. According to foreigners, the Danes are quite closed, maybe due to the fact that they often develop life-long and very close friendships. Nevertheless, there are of course ways to get to know the Danes.
Many foreigners feel very welcome at work and start looking for friends there. However, their attempts to invite their colleagues to some activity outside of work are often met with a polite rejection. This is because most Danes prefer to keep their work lives and private lives separate. A more promising approach is to look for some hobby or leisure activities which will allow you to get out and meet people. The Danes often socialise in the local football club, the hiking group, etc. If you have children, then kindergarten and school are good places to get to know other parents.
The Danish language
Most Danes speak excellent English and you can manage your life in English. However, if you plan to stay in Denmark for more than a very short time, then learning Danish will improve your life a lot. The Danish language will make it easier to build up your network, you will be able to understand the small-talk at work and the Danes will respect the effort you are doing to learn their language.
On the next page you can read about Relocation to Denmark.
