I came in Denmark exactly three years ago! It was a decision I made pushed by the desire to experience the educational system in one of the civilized countries on this planet. Nothing more; just study! This was in my mind when I got here.
I had to say that before the autumn of that year, 2012, I visited Denmark for one week only in 2010; but, you know how it is when you visit a place for the first time, it’s all about holiday: relax, fun, easy-going etc., nothing serious, no hard feelings, and all these because you know you will be there for only a limited period of time. But the situation may change slightly when it comes to moving to a foreign country for a longer time; changes which help you speed up the process of getting integrated in the country’s culture, and to discover the country better; at least this is my story; a love story with a cold partner; a love story with all it’s ingredients; with fantastic moments, but with hard times as well.
However, even if I would like to, I won’t be able to put on paper all the aspects of my “relation” with Denmark; not even all the most important. Therefore I will just mention here some random aspects that struck me so hard that I can easy remember them now.
One of them was the weather. I am coming originally from a country with four seasons, from which a very hot one called summer. When I got here, in September, in my country the temperature was around 28 degrees; but in the same day a bit north, the temperature was 18, beside the wind which was blowing everywhere and everything, and made me wear cloths that in my country I would usually wear in the late autumn. The worst thing about my relationship with the Danish weather, is that since that moment I have been trying to get use with the temperatures, which make it looks like there are only to seasons here: autumn/winter (from August til June) and spring (in July, when the temperature goes up to 25 degree). This may make it easy for anyone to realise that now a jacket is as important to me as socks or underwear; I wear it almost year round here in Denmark.
Another thing about Denmark, that created turbulence during my stay here, is the Danish language; it is amazingly difficult to learn it, especially if you have other activities around it (like school and a full-time job, in my case). Of course, it is admirable that in Denmark are institutions, in every district, where you are taught Danish for free, from the beginner level to the level which is mandatory for receiving the permanent residency in Denmark, or even to the level where, after finishing it, you can study, at a university level, programs taught in Danish; and again all these for free. Yet, to get these opportunity is for everybody, but to get to speak Danish language it is not (or not so easy and so soon). The most annoying thing about the Danish language and it place in one’s experience with Denmark, is that without it is very hard to do many things, like getting a job, friends etc.
Because I just mentioned for a couple of times about working in Denmark, I have to say that from this point of view, Denmark is a wonderful country; because there are jobs for everyone, and also guidance/help to get one; there are not jobs only for the ones who don’t want to work. In my case, I could find a job very soon after my arrival in Denmark; so, at the middle of September, at not even two weeks since I arrived in Denmark, I got a job. Of course I wanted to get a job, because I came in Denmark with money to be enough for only a couple of months, so from this perspective it didn’t even matter what kind of job it was; only to get paid. So, I got a full-time job as a cleaning assistant, in a hotel, and in order to be able to attend classes at my school, I had to take only the night shifts; so night at work, day at school, evening Danish classes (only two times a week). What was good about this job, it’s that it allowed me to go to school; it wasn’t addressed only to Danish speaking persons, and the salary was good enough to cover the monthly expenses for two persons. And here I come to the point where I release the fruit of love in my relationship with Denmark: it offers me money, I give “her” hard work, time and patience! I hope, in this way our relationship will be a long and healthy one.
Spot'n'go! 