8 years in Denmark - why am I still here?

It was the summer of 2006 when I first moved abroad. I went to Nebraska, in the US to be an exchange student - live together with a local family and go to the Emerson-Hubbard High School. At 16 years old, I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into, but everything got real when I had the flight tickets in my hand.

I had an amazing year and a great host family - I could've not asked for more. (Okay, maybe a bit bigger city than 600 inhabitants). I've been in contact with my family ever since and next summer I’m going to attend my host-sister Blair’s wedding in Alaska.

A year later in 2007 I returned to Estonia to finish high school. Due to a exchange, I had to repeat a year, so I was finished with the gymnasium in 2009. As many of us, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study so I decided to take a “gap year” and went to Australia to be an au-pair - for the four-year-old Dean and two-year old Kate on the picture below.

I returned to Estonia in June, 2010 and told my family over Skype before I was back in the Singing Country:

“I’m going to Denmark to study. In August. I mean in two months. I have already sent it my papers and got accepted.”

Years later, my mother told me that when I came to her with this “I’m going to Denmark” topic that we would actually sit down at home, with the whole family and discuss this. You know, “Who? Why? and What?”, but as always, I already had it all covered - my mind was made up.

I had never been to Denmark and the only things I knew about the country were LEGO, lots of big windmills and bicycles - that’s it.

EDUCATION

I studied in an international class with 15 different nationalities where my days were filled with inspiration teaching, teamwork, company cases and writing projects.

Also as part of my studies, I had to have an internship. I was offered a grant that allowed me to have an internship abroad and I chose Tanzania. Without that grant, it would have never been possible.

I had a bit messy start regarding my internship. I found a company in Kenya and made an agreement with them. I had booked tickets to Kenya. Yet, when I wrote them about my arrival and who will come and meet me, I never heard back from them.

With all that uncertainty, I agreed with my tutor that I’ll have to find another firm. As my school had many collaborations with different companies in Tanzania, I was still able to find a new one at a short notice. Two weeks before the take-off, I found a company in Tanzania and I joined the group of Danish students in Dar Es Salaam instead.

It was a ’once in a lifetime’ experience in every way. The way everyday life works in Africa would never work in Europe. If you would like to accomplish something in Africa, you need more than three months because things just take a VERY long time - efficiency is not the same as in Europe. And time there does not equal money - there’s always a tomorrow. Literally. Would you like me to give you an example?

1. One day at the office, my former boss George asked one of his employees to go to a shop and buy more toilet paper. The guy came back, with a big smile on his face, a block of copy paper, in his hands...

2. We were in Zanzibar in a small hotel and ordered breakfast in the morning around nine. We were the only guests at that accommodation. They said “of course, of course” and when we got our breakfast it was around 12 (noon). And the same happened at dinner time - we waited many hours and by the time we received our food, our stomachs were gurgling as loud as lions at Mikumi National Park.

This was my last day at the internship company. I decided to surprise them and make fresh buns - they loved it and were very happy! ??

I also learned more about the Danish culture by living in the same household with eight Danish guys. I had a separate room which was called the “Princess room” ?? Why? Because the all other guys slept in two remaining rooms, on the mattresses on the floor.

Being in Tanzania wasn't completely a smooth ride either. I was robbed two times which meant that I had to start writing my Bachelor thesis from zero and I lost all the pictures from about 10 years of my life - memories from the choir and basketball: travels around the world and all these experiences - I was more sad about losing my pictures. Luckily, I still have all the memories with me ??

WORK (and life balance)

From my second week in Denmark, I was working my butt off. I got a job as a cleaner for the office - so I cleaned in the evenings and weekends.

I didn't get SU and had to make my own living, which was completely fair. I was happy I could survive on my own and not ask my parents for money every month - I couldn't live like that! I came to Denmark to take care of myself and I managed. It wasn't my plan to become an office cleaner, but that was the only option at the time, without any language skills nor a network.

During the last years in the college, I was also working as a student assistant at the International Office in my school where I got to work with many amazing colleagues, organize events and Intro programs for the new Erasmus students.

Now, years later, after some experiences in different Danish companies, small and big, startups and corporate, what I really enjoy and appreciate is the balance of life here. You can have a challenging job with great colleagues and at the same time, enjoy life - have time for friends and family. I’m a champion in hygge so you know what I’m talking about.

AARHUS, MY LOVE??

I still remember my first days in Aarhus. I flew from Tallinn to Copenhagen and then to Aarhus. Wow, that airport was tiny! And then a girl named Laura came to the train station to meet me and then we went to my new "home" in Ryslingevej, in H?jbjerg. 9 m2 room. I was excited to have a place to live, close to school actually as well - some of my classmates were sleeping in the school's library or train station in the beginning.

On my first trip to the city, to buy some necessities, I discovered S?strene Grene. I remember thinking “This is my kind of store" and I still do - I go there at least once a month. This orange bowl and yellow coffee mug were my first buys from there.

That time, I got 2000 DKK in cash from my dad when travelling to Denmark and after that first trip to the city I realized that it won't last long ??.

This city has given me so much and not only a place to live. Actually I've moved quite a many times within Aarhus. From H?jbjerg to Sk?de to Hasle and to Viby.

Aarhus has also given me an education, a new language, a new network, new friends for life and countless new experiences. And it keeps growing on me!

I've met so many inspirational people through different volunteering events. For example, this one above was at Startup Weekend Aarhus, where I was the lead organizer. It was such a great event with a great team and participants - that is why I also decided to participate many times as a volunteer.

Volunteering at the first Internet Week Denmark, together with Camilla. Now, many years later, she's one of my close friends.

Du ka’ ta’ pigen ud af ?rhus men du ka’ ik’ ta’ ?rhus ud af pigen

I've only been living away from Aarhus a bit less than a year and already so much has changed in the city - I love how new buildings and businesses are arising. Every time I'm there, I notice something new - that's incredible!

I'm currently living in the southern part of Denmark and I'm so excited to move back to my beloved Aarhus again!

BIKING

I fell in love in biking, no - seriously! On this picture above, it was -8 degrees that day and if you would've told me five years ago that "I'm going bike in -8 degrees weather", I would've laughed at you!

I discovered biking for myself also many years after being in Denmark, simply because it wasn’t an option, the distances for me were too long. But once I started working in the city I got so used to it. The freedom of being able to bike and not being dependent on public transport - that was SO liberating. How did it take me that long to get the “bike bug”???

Biking 10 km a day was a 'piece of cake'. Plus, it gave me extra good feeling and positivity to start a day. Yes, even if it was raining.

Actually - did you know that on an average, in one year, it rains the most in Aarhus? So no wonder every second time I speak to my parents, it’s raining, and then I hear the usual speech about “Are you sure you shouldn’t move? All that wind and rain is probably not good for your health”.

THE LANGUAGE

I'm glad that I've learned this crazy, 'kartoffel i munden' (in English: 'hot potato in mouth) language so I can have conversations and discussions with people around me. It took me five years before I started speaking and no doubt it's been helping me a lot in many ways.

Which Dane doesn’t like if you speak their language? ?? Det er s? hyggeligt!

???? DANES AND DENMARK ????

I’ve made sacrifices to be here, but I have also received a lot back from the country and its people.

I think I've 'cracked the Danish code' because my life doesn’t go by without:

• Fredagsslik
• Celebrating an occasion with a cake at work
• Volunteering and helping
• Black/White/Gray clothes - girls, you know what I'm talking about.

"How to spot a Danish girl abroad?" -> It's not hard, because she's probably wearing black ??

• Loppemarkeds because who doesn't have too much stuff that they don't use
• Rundstykker with p?l?gchokolade on a Sunday - yes, please!
• K?hler, Royal Copenhagen, House Doctor - can you get too much of design?
• Scandinavian minimalistic style at my home
• Did I already mention biking?
• Traditions, celebrations, and the Royal Family - with the ???? of course!
• Hygge - candles, a good book or a group of friends - I'm the biggest 'hygge' exporter to ???? (And after all, Dannebrog fell in Tallinn in 1219 and Tallinn means “The Danish city”)
• Walking in the forest and beach
• Saying "Hej" and smiling at a person if they pass by
• Running - haha, NO WAY! - I’m going fitness instead ??

I'm very grateful that I've been able to get a free education in Denmark and live the life that I am now. All the hard work has paid off and I have developed myself incredibly lot. After all, Denmark is the country where I've spent most of my adult life.

With many ups and downs, in both my private and professional life, have proved to me that I’m a tough ‘cookie’ - it would take a lot to bring me down.

For the many more years to come,

??Greete (pigen fra ?rhus)