Moving to Denmark

Winter Blues?

2011-02-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

Living in a cold weather it is definitely a challenge, especially for those who come from a tropical weather or simply a much warmer one.

Having lived in different countries had taught me to deal with that situation more efficiently, so let me give you few tips about it.

Have you ever noticed a mild depression, or a lack of motivation to do anything, perhaps low energy? These are the common characteristic during a cold weather, most known as Winter Blues.

If you are a healthy person, but are experiencing these unattractive symptoms without knowing why, don't let it pass. Luckily, there is a lot you can do to avoid or to suppress winter blues.

Exercising is extremely important not only to keep us fit, but to release stress. If you are not the type of person who likes to exercise, take advantage of one of the most important ways of transportation in Denmark. Do you know what I'm talking about? Bicycling! Even if it's only to take your bicycle to the train station. If you make it a habit, you will enjoy it so much. So do not hibernate, go out and take a walk, enjoy the snowing days, perhaps a snowball fight with your friends! What about ice-skating? Doesn’t it sound good? In Copenhagen you can ice-skate in many public outdoor ice rinks for free if you bring your own skates, or you can rent them.

1. Blågårds Plads' ice rink, free admission, DKK 40 per hour to rent skates

2. Frederiksberg Runddel's ice rink, free admission, DKK 40 per hour to rent skates

3. Genforeningpladsen's ice rink, free admission, DKK 40 per hour to rent skates

4. Elsinore C02-friendly ice rink, free admission, DKK 30 per hour to rent skates

5. New ice skating ring at Toftegårds Plads, Valby, free admission, DKK 45 per hour to rent skates

After doing all of those activities, go home and drink a nice and warm Hot Chocolate. without whipped cream, hot coco, it's a good and healthy alternative to sweet your cold days.

Indoor activities are also fun. What about catching up with your favorite book. I can suggest one I'm reading now Alexandria Link. It is a really good book if you enjoy history and fiction. (a lot of the action happening in the book, takes place in Copenhagen) What about a movie you couldn't watch during the summer, because you were outside all the time, or fixing your house can be a good project during the winter, and finally do some handicraft activities.
Eating well and healthy is very important during all seasons, but during the winter, especially, our bodies crave sweets and fats that are not necessary. So keep an eye on that subject. Fats are extremely important to our diet, but not all, since they give us the boost we need to be active. Omega 3 fatty acid is the responsible for our hearth wellness and cellular repair. Omega 3 fatty acid is found in fish such as salmon and in our famous Danish fish herring. Eating fish 2 to 3 days a week will make it up. Nuts, cheese, vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, are also good sources.

So remember, get out of your comfort zone and let your brain be creative. Enjoy the winter days, the snow, the amazing frozen lake view, your friends...

Herlev, Denmark

by Gabriel Cuellar.

What About Some Danish Numbers?

2011-02-10T08:58:00.000-08:00

Have you heard something about Vigesimal System? it is a system used for Danish numbers. Vigesimal means that numbers occur in intervals of 20. In a simple way to put it: 50 in Danish is halvtreds, numerically is 2.5x20. I know it's not too simple, because we are used to a 10 base system. As it is the case of most European (France is an exception) and western countries. But this is only to understand its system, you don't have to do the calculation every time, simply memorize it, learn it, and finally say it.

Few weeks ago, I read that the University of Aarhus is trying to propose that Danes adopt a simple way to count (cphpost.dk), but until it happens, we must find a way to get familiarized with it.

It doesn't matter where you work or what you do, if you live in Denmark of course, I suggest learning it. At some point you will have to use the Danish number way, even if you mostly live in an English environment.

CARDINALS

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

en

to

tre

fire

fem

seks

syv

otte

ni

10.

20.

30.

40.

50.

60.

70.

80.

90.

ti

tyve

tredive

fyrre

halvtreds

tres

halvfjerds

firs

halvfems

Studying and memorizing numbers from 1 to 20 perhaps is the easiest part, because when you continue with the count, it gets a bit more complicated.

After number 20 you have to read numbers backwards, so instead of saying:

*25 you say five and 20 (5&20=25) fem og tyve

*32 you say two and thirty (2&30=32) to og tredive and so on... Basically inversion takes place.

If you need some help with number's pronunciation click on the link (Speaking Danish). This is a nice and interactive site, with lots of games, and brain training systems that will help you learning numbers easily. Good Luck!

FYI: Besides the Danish classes I'm taking at IA Sprog, I additionally help myself with a Rosetta Stone program and it absolutely works. Sneak a peek.

Places to visit in Copenhagen for free

2011-02-05T04:04:00.000-08:00

In Copenhagen, there are several attractions to visit and many other things to do for free. Let's start by naming few places you can go for as much as "FREE."

Ny Carlsberg Gliptotek, art museum of international statue in the centre of Copenhagen. It has amazing art, a beautiful garden, and a cozy coffee bar. At Ny Carlsberg you will learn from Mediterranean, French, western, and Danish art. It is mix of culture. Don't miss it, it is free on Sundays. NCG is located on Dantes Plads 7

The Open Air Museum, is one of the largest and oldest in the world. It has free admission and it's definitely a place you need to visit if you like to learn about Denmark's history and how its people used to live on times of Hans Christian Andersen. The museum is located on Kogens Lyngby

National Museum of Denmark, once upon a time, a beautiful mansion was home of a royal family, now this classical 18th century mansion houses the National Museum, located in the center of Copenhagen. If you enjoy history, this is the perfect place to go. There you will find Denmark's history right from its beginning until its present. Admission is free. Natmus.dk

The Royal Gardens, The kings garden (Kogens Have) at Rosenborg castle is one of the most beautiful and popular in Copenhagen. There you will find the Hercules Pavilion, and Hans Christian Andersen statue. The garden is located on Øster Voldgade. Admission is free. Kogens Have

Strøget, it is Copenhagen famous pedestrian shopping area. This street dazzles you in every single season of the year. It offers you street art and music performance along the way, besides that it is recognize as one of biggest shopping streets in Europe. If you are not interested on buying anything, take it as an attraction. You'll be very close to various popular streets as Frederiksberggade, Gammel Torv, Nygade, Vimmelskaftet, Amagertorv, and finally Østergade.

One of the most popular methods of transportation is the bicycle. The city of Copenhagen offers a free service of them. You simply use a 20Kr coin when you pick it up, and get your coin back when you return the bicycle. For more information click on the link Bycykle.dk

Take advantage of free transportation with S-train on the first Sunday of every month. for more information follow the link DSB

Useful Words and Phrases in Danish

Hello: Goddag/Hej (polite/informal)
Goodbye: Farvel
Yes: Ja
No: Nej
Thank you: Tak
Excuse me: Undskyld

What's your name?: Hvad hedder du?
My name is ...: Jeg hedder ...
Where are you from?: Hvor kommer du fra?
I'm from ...: Jeg kommer fra ...
How old are you?: Hvor gammel er du?

Places to Visit in Copenhagen

2011-01-22T05:47:00.000-08:00

Once you move to Copenhagen there are some places that you definitely have to visit to get a real essence of the Vikings land. Even though Denmark is a small country (43,093 sq km or 26776.75 miles) there are endless things to do and places to go. Let’s start by saying that Copenhagen is a city buzzing with life, with a classic and modern style that characterizes it, astonishing architecture, lots of museums, sculptures, amusements parks, etc.

Exploring Denmark is a pleasure. Its streets, its people, even its weather makes it a magic place to visit. Below you will find few spots that will dazzle your mind.

Attractions and sights to suit every interest:

The Little Mermaid: Hans Christian Andersen wrote a fairytale about her, and a statue was built in her honor. She is one the most visited statues in the world. The Little Mermaid is situated on Langelinie Copenhagen's water front Harbor.

Tivoli Gardens: It is the oldest amusement park in the world. Tivoli is a vibrant place that includes history, tradition, and modernism. It is located on Vesterbrogade 3
1630 København V, few minutes’ walk from Central Station

Amalienborg Palace: The royal winter residence. At Amalienborg you can see the changing of the guard daily at noon and the equestrian statue of Frederick V thrones in the middle of the castle square. It is located at Chr VIII's Palæ, 1257 København K, five minutes walk from Kogens Nytorv metro station.

Kronborg Castle: Renaissance castle, known from Shakespeare Hamlet, also one of the most famous castles in Denmark. It is located at Kronborg 2 C, 3000 Helsingør.

Canal Tours: You definitely have to take a tour canal. It is one of the best tourist activities to do, because it takes you through the entire city and its best sights. Canal tours, the Netto boats, and the water bus will be available. For more information follow the link Canal Tours.

The National Museum: Largest museum of cultural history, where you can go all around the world from Greenland to South America. Don't miss it! It is located on Ny Vestergade 10, 1471 København K. For more information follow the link National Museum

These are only a few spots in Copenhagen that I highly suggest to visit. Check out Lonely Planet Denmark to find more about the culture,gastronomy, and places to visit.

Opening a Bank Account in Copenhagen!!

2010-12-13T11:51:00.000-08:00

Opening a bank account is one of the most important things to do when you move to a different country. First, because you don't want to pay high international fees, and second because there are some places that don't take international credit cards, as it is the case of you neighborhood discount store.

Opening a bank account requires following certain steps such as:

1. Have a legal residence permit

2. Bring your passport for them to make copies

3. Provide your CPR number

4. In some cases you will be asked to provide a tenancy agreement as proof of your address

In Denmark as in many other countries is not a good idea to carry with you large amounts of money, so opening a bank account gives you a lot of benefits.

In Copenhagen, there are several bank institutions where you can open your account. Some of these are: Nordea, Danske Bank, Nykredit among others. All of these banks follow the same steps mentioned above to open an account.

When opening your account make sure to mention that you would like to have paperless or e-banking service, so you don't get charge every month for a monthly statement they send to you, because you can check your account balance online. In addition, you can also pay your bills directly via e-banking. It is worth to mention, that you will save time and money by handling your own transactions any time of the day, and finally you will help reduce paper consumption. So don't be afraid to ask, unless you don't mind paying fees every month.

Bank Hours:

Bank opening hours are usually from 9:00 to 16:00 from Monday to Friday, with a 'late' opening until 18:00 on Thursday nights. Banks do not open on Saturdays. At Copenhagen’s Central Station banking hours are from 7:00 to 21:00 - 7 days/week.

ATMs:

ATM machines are provided outside every bank in Copenhagen and in major supermarkets. Mostly all ATMS accept international credit cards.

You can use your bank's ATM for free, but if you withdraw money from another bank's machine you will be charged a fee.

Beginner's Danish with 2 Audio CDs

Best Price $9.99

Nete Schmidt

Best Price $9.99
or Buy New $19.19

It is important to learn and understand a culture, you can start it by learning some Danish, and not only for the benefits it brings, but for the great insight you get when you start experiencing a language interchange. Don't wait the time is now!!

Knowledge is Power!!

Administrative Divisions

Five regions:

1. Northern Jutland

2. Middle Jutland

3. Southern Jutland

4. Zealand

5. Copenhagen

The regions are divided into 98 municipalities. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are part of Denmark but have separate self-government and administrative divisions.

Grocery Shopping!

2010-12-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

As we have seen in many west side countries, especially USA, and now many South American countries, shopping for groceries is not a problem. There are huge supermarkets, several franchise stores that offer an endless list of things in different sizes and quantities. On the other hand, if you have moved to Copenhagen, the idea of wholesale warehouses will be completely different, because Denmark laws limit the sizes of supermarkets and department stores.

In Copenhagen, you will find the neighborhood discount stores as the most popular places to do grocery shopping.

Netto, Aldi, and Fakta are some of the most famous grocery shops in Copenhagen. Even though they are small shops, there you will find a variety of items, starting from vegetables to cleaning supplies. In addition, you can also check the more upscale supermarkets Føtex, Irma and SuperBrugsen. They normally have good quality meats available. You will notice their normal prices are quite expensive, however they almost always have good offers going on.

Plastic Bags!!

Something important to know is that to go grocery shopping you have to bring your own bag, or buy it when you are paying. In addition, you have to bag your groceries yourself. Don't wait for the cashier to do it, because you will be there forever.

Paying!!

If you haven't already process or open a Danish bank account, make sure to bring cash to pay for your groceries. Most discount stores don't accept international credit cards. So avoid yourself from an awkward moment.

Bottle and can deposit!!

for those who enjoy buying a nice and cool beer, perhaps a soda, or simply a bottle of watter, be aware that you have to pay a deposit in addition of its regular price. It may sound not really nice, but it has a good purpose. Incentives make everything work better. Every time you return a bottle, you receive back a deposit you paid previously. So it not only pay you back to return your bottle but also it helps with recycling, it helps the environment.

Knowledge is Power!!!

Famous Danes

* Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875): Probably the most famous of all Danes. Writer of fairy-tales for children.

*Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A mythical figure that Shakespeare introduced in his play of the same name which is now the most acted out performance in the theater world.

*Viggo Mortensen: The American movie star who made it big with the Lord of Rings trilogy. Yes he is Dane!!

Cell Phones!!

2010-11-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for a cell phone that is affordable, reliable etc? I may have a solution for that. Copenhagen has a lot of different companies that offer great deals and depending what your plans are, either if you are going to live for a long time in Copenhagen or if you are staying temporarily, there are some options for you.

If you have brought a phone from your country:

Make sure that it is unlocked and that it has the option to use a SIM card.
It is necessary that your phone works with GSM 900 and 1800 (Frequency band)

If that is your case and you don't want to get into a contract, you can buy a new SIM card with a number for 100 Kr and get minutes (pay as you go) basically anywhere. All supermarkets, convenience stores, and kiosks cell minutes. This works, for the greatest part, for anyone, but especially for those who are staying temporarily.

If you have moved to Denmark and will stay for a long period I suggest to get a subscription. Subscriptions are for a minimum of 6 months, and you will need to have a CPR number in order to sign up. There are several mobile shops in Copenhagen, one of those is Fona, they carry different models and offer good prices. Telia, TDC, and Telenor offer different options as well. Shop around, look for good prices, and stay connected to the world!

"In Denmark knowledge is Power..." -Morten Strange

Official name: Kingdom of Denmark

Capital: Copenhagen

National Anthem: There Is A Lovely Land.

Time: Greenwich Mean Time plus one hour (GMT + 0100) with an hour extra during daylight savings.

Country Code: 45

Electricity: 220 volt AC in 50 cycles

Learning Danish!!

2010-11-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Learning Danish it's not an easy thing to do. For many foreigners (including myself!), especially those who come from the west side, a Danish sound may not be as familiar as a French, Italian, or a Spanish one. As many of you may already know, learning a different language takes a lot practice, reading, and most important patience, since some days you feel that you have progress, and other days you feel that you don't know anything. (Personal experience) If you speak English it is easy to get around, because most Danes if not all of them, speak it. However, if you are planning on staying for a long period, I suggest, that in order to experience better the Danish culture and not to mention that you will get better jobs, it is completely necessary to learn the language.

When my husband and I arrived to Denmark (two months ago), I got a great book at the hotel The Copenhagen Book where I found a lot of information about the city, but most important, I found a great list of Danish courses. Going through all the Danish courses, I found out that as foreigners residing in Denmark, adults have the right to up to 3 years to attend Danish lessons at a language center of your own choice, without paying, if you have a CPR number of course. If not, you will have to pay initially for the class and then your money will be reimbursed, as soon as you get a CPR number. This, is a great benefit you have to take advantage of, if you are interested.

There are many schools you can go to such as ia Sprog, which is the one I'm attending now, (it is great), CLAVIS, Studieskolen among others. All of these schools require a good English level, since the courses are thought initially with the help of English. Further, in order to get admitted, first you have to pass an interview and in some cases you will have to take an English grammar test. So get ready for it!

After you have decided what school you are attending, and you have been admitted by the school, you will receive a letter that you have to take to your kommune (municipality) to get approve. It means that the municipality will give you a financial grant. Make sure when you take that letter to the kommune, to bring also your passport because they have to rectify that you are eligible for this benefit. Once you have received the letter accepted and stamped by the kommune, you have to bring it back to the school, so they can put you on the system.

For more information about learning Danish refer to Language Teaching.

A good advice to learn a new language, carry with you at all times a dictionary. A dictionary should become your best friend.

"Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten." -B. F. Skinner

Transportation in Denmark

2010-10-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

One the best things about Copenhagen is its public transportation. You will find out that its transportation is efficient and reliable. It will take you anywhere in the city and of course all around the country. Its transportation has been developed with the purpose of not having a necessity to use a private car.

The city counts with metro, train, buses, and taxi service. (Taxis are not the best choice, as it will always be more expensive) Once you are settled, using a bicycle is probably the transportation option, but I will cover that topic later. Something very important to know is that the city is divided by zones, and depending where you live and where you have to go on a daily routine, prices will vary.
For example if you live in Kastrup, which is zone 4, and you need to go to København H (Central Station) Zone 1, you will need to buy a ticket for 3 zones. However, something that nobody tells you is that each ticket from a clipper or if you buy an individual one, is valid for 2 zones. It means, going back to the example, that you have to buy only 2 tickets instead of 3, since, there is not a clipper for one zone only.

I highly recommend finding out how many zones you travel every day, before you decide what ticket option works better for you.

DSB (Public transportation Company) offers different choices to fit your transportation needs. You can either buy a single ticket for one hour, a ticket for 24 hours, a 10 trip card, or a flex card for 7 or 30 days. Remember that zones will determine what fare you have to pay!! There are different places where you can buy a ticket or a card, such as ticket machines that are available at the entrance of every train or metro station. (image on the left) Also you can purchase it in many supermarkets, service stations, kiosks and newsstands.

NOTE: If you travel without a valid ticket, in any public transportation, you will be fined. It is not worth taking that risk, besides that fines are really expensive..

In addition, transportation schedule is another important topic to talk about. My husband found out a website that gives you exactly the time buses, metro, and train runs. Follow this link Itinerary and don't wait outside on the cold weather for your train to come, instead get couple more minutes of sleep and be always on time.
"By the way! Every first Sunday of the month you can ride the S-trains for free, Take advantage of it, and visit places out of your zone scope"

Send me an email and I will send you a complete map with all the zones of Copenhagen.

Ticket Prices

Individual regular tickets are valid for one hour only.

Here is a list of prices for regular tickets.

* 2-zone ticket bought from a machine will cost 23.00 kroner.

* 3-zone ticket bought from a machine will cost 34.50 kroner.

* 4-zone ticket bought from a machine will cost 46.00 kroner.

* 5-zone ticket bought from a machine will cost 57.50 kroner.

* 6-zone ticket bought from a machine will cost 69.00 kroner.

* 7-zone ticket bought from a machine will cost 80.50 kroner.

* 8-zone ticket bought from a machine will cost 92.00 kroner.

* All-zone ticket bought from a machine will cost 94.50 kroner.

* 24 hour ticket for all zones is 125.00 kroner

Klipperkort tickets are valid for 10 trips. Each one is valid for one hour only. It means that you can ride any transportation, as many times you need within an hour.

Prices for Klipperkort tickets:

* 2-zone klippekort will cost 135 kroner

* 3-zone klippekort will cost 175 kroner

* 4-zone klippekort will cost 225 kroner

* 5-zone klippekort will cost 275 kroner

* 6-zone klippekort will cost 325 kroner

* 7-zone klippekort will cost 375 kroner

* 8-zone klippekort will cost 415 kroner

* All-zone klippekort will cost 430 kroner

For more information go to DSB Tickets

Finding a Place to Live in Copenhagen!

2010-10-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

The most important thing when moving to a different country it is definitly finding a place to live. Dont you agree? However I must tell you! based on my own experience and the experience of many others, finding an apartment or a flat in Copenhagen is definitely a hard task. But dont get discourage! I know it takes time and a lot of patience, but with the right contacts, websites, and tools you'll find a place that fits your budget and all the requirements that comes to mind.

Copenhagen is a very atractive city and it seems that everyone wants to live here.

It took us about 15 days to find our place, we thought this was too long, however, talking with others it seems quite a good average.

Some of the websites my husband and I used to find a place are listed at the bottom of this post.

* http://www.boligportal.dk/ This website has a fee of about 400 DKK (60 Euros), I know it is a little expensive, but it is definitely worthy paying that money.

* http://www.dba.dk/ This one is for free.

* https://www.kollegierneskontor.dk/ Free as well

If you are in a tied budget, make sure you find a place far from the city, It is much cheaper. In addition, when looking for a place, you must check the apartment has close access to the train station, so you can move in and out easily.

* http://www.dsb.dk/english check this website out, before you make any decision.

Just moved to Denmark?

2010-10-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

As you may already know, moving to a different country it's a hectic adjustment to acquire! Learning a different language, a new culture, finding a place to live, learning about transportation, directions, where to do grocery shopping, etc and the list goes on and on. This is indeed a stressful process, the good thing is that it will eventually cease with time.

On the other hand, if you are lucky and know someone there or someone who has been living there for a long time, you'll have an idea about how it is, and what to expect (perhaps you can share some of your experiences here). However, if you don't know anyone, like in my case, then get on your toes and start planning.

Hey! but, don't worry! It's not the end of the world, you'll survive just like I did.
So if you are a newly comer in Copenhagen, I will provide you with some useful tips and information that will help with that uncomfortable transition and settlement period.

Don't forget before you move or if you already did, to check this book out: "Denmark (country guide)" by "Lonely Planet" It will give you an insight about the country, its culture, its people, food, places to go, sports etc.
Really nice book, I definitely recommend it!!

Follow the links below to find more information about how to live in Copenhagen. Every week I will be posting new information.

* Finding a place to live in Copenhagen!
* Transportation in Denmark!