Wednesday, 24 November 2021

Singaporeans moving to Denmark - what you need to know ?

 “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” 


Moving to a foreign country is always full of stress and challenges as you cannot see what it is really like until you settled down. We faced the same issues too as we were full of uncertainties, especially we moved to Denmark at the peak of Corona Virus.


In this blog, I would like to share my personal experience to people who are like me, is moving to Denmark, what to expect in Denmark, and how to adjust your life in Denmark. I try my best to go into details therefore this is going to be a long blogs with a lot of photos. 


It was October when my husband, Terence got a job in Aalborg, Denmark. This is where one of the headquarters his company is base. The company has a few headquarters in the Nordic area. A "Relocation Agency "was assigned to us once Terence confirmed his new position, he is required to report for duty on the first working day of January. Which means, I only got two months to get everything done like applying our resident cards and packing our much-needed stuff especially winter wear. Winter is especially harsh in the Northern Europe. The weather in Denmark is a dream weather to me, the max is 28 degrees Celsius in Summer! 




We departed for Copenhagen in January 2021, it was the peak of Covid 19, Denmark was having lockdown. Changi Airport was literally empty, staff are more than passengers. It was such a sad sight. 



Our plane to Copenhagen was almost empty too, there are 5 passengers, 6 cabin crew and 3 pilots.

Copenhagen Airport was also almost empty, all shops closed. What an experience, I hope everything will go back to normal soon. 


Back to the origin of the blog, Denmark is one of the most expensive country in the world. The income tax for local is 45% and GST is 25% ! 

Denmark's information
Total Population:  5,748,769.
Currency: Danish kroner (DKK) estimate SGD1 = DKK5
Official language: Danish. But Faroese, Greenlandic, and German are also recognized as regional languages.
Time zone: CET (UTC +1), summertime, CEST (UTC +2) 
Country Number/Prefix: +45
Country Code: DK
Capital: Copenhagen (KΓΈbenhavn)

Aalborg, the capital of the Northern Jutland regions which makes up of total 16 towns. With a population of 217,075 (as of 2019), Aalborg is the third most populous in the country after Copenhagen and Aarhus. Glad that I had already been to Aalborg 2 years ago so I am fully aware the city itself. I remembered it gave me a good impression of a clean and safe place though the living standard is rather high. Aalborg traces its history back over a thousand years. Similar as Singapore, it was originally settled as a trading post because of its position on the Limfjord(means the shallowest part of Sea since Vikings Days). Aalborg is 45 minutes away via air, 4hr via train and also 4hr via car to Copenhagen. 

Weather in Aalborg (I strongly believe the most basic to know a foreign place is to know the weather first.) 
In Aalborg, the summers are comfortable and partly cloudy; the winters are long, very cold, and mostly cloudy; and it is windy year-round. 





Aalborg has with short, mild summers and long, cold winters. Even Spring is chilly as well that I put it under Winter. 
Aalborg is cool most of the year, with average temperature of 11 - 20 degree Celsius. Winter start in December, the coldest months are January and February, the coldest we experienced here was -15 degree Celsius.
Spring come in March; it feels like Winter even at the month of May. It is only until June then we pack the winter coat in the wardrobe, this is the time where people usually put on T-shirt, shorts, and slippers. The real Summer come in July which is also 3 weeks of Summer Holidays where the Danes flock the beaches. 
By August, the temperature starts to drop again to welcome Autumn in September

June has the highest number of hours of sunshine. The sun rises at 430am and set at 1030pm. Towards August, the sun set time will start to get earlier and earlier as the season change. The lowest number of hours of sunshine is at the peak of winter in January, the skies turn bright by 930am and turn dark by 330pm. Terence used to joke that during this period, he went work in dark, came home in dark. 

Therefore, do pack your clothes wisely, Denmark is in the Northern part of the globe. 



Snowing in Aalborg
Snowfall is less in Aalborg, even though it snowed, the snow does not stay long on the ground. After a heavy snow, the max it will stayed for 3-4 days before melt away. Heavy snowfall is very rare here. As for lighter snow, it can just melt away after a few hours. 
We were lucky that snowing was much more while we were here. There are times it even rained ice during strong wind. 



Love the snow so much though the snow is much lesser than Japan. I always love winter. 


What is needed to be a resident ?
We processed our Resident Permit in Singapore, once we got an approval, we must visit Citizen Service personally at Aalborg Kommune to report your entry once we arrived in Denmark. Resident Permit Card and CPR card (Yellow Health Card) are the most important National Cards needed for a local.



Danish Residence Permit
The two most important cards: A Danish Residence Permit and a CPR Card.
Everyone who lives in Denmark is required to have a civil registration number called a CPR number
All residents in Denmark need to have a CPR number. You need it to open a bank account, access your health insurance, borrow books from the library, pay tax, receive a salary and so on. The CPR number consists of ten digits. The first six digits are your date of birth (day, month, and year) while the last four digits provide a unique identification number for all citizens in Denmark. The final four numbers also indicate your gender, ending in even numbers for women and odd numbers for men.  
Most importantly, it acts as a ‘visa,’ your Danish Residence Permit proves that you are in the country legally. When traveling to and from Denmark, you may be asked to show your Danish Residence Permit at customs to prove that you have the right to come back into the country. Denmark is part of the European Union's Schengen Agreement, which means that you do not need to show your national ID card or passport when you are travelling to or from Denmark from another Schengen EU country. You are still recommended to bring your passport or ID card with you in case you need to prove your identity. Some airline operators still require you to present a passport even for travels within the Schengen area. The following countries are part of the Schengen Agreement: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.



Yellow Health Card (CPR)
This yellow card a.k.a CPR Card: ‘CPR,’ meaning ‘Civil Registration Number,’ qualifies you as a legal resident of Denmark who can access the Danish social system and receive free health benefits. If you have a Danish Residence Permit, you are obligated to have a CPR card. You will apply for this once you are in Denmark.
The yellow health card shows your name, address, your CPR number and the name and address of your doctor. The card is proof that you can receive medical treatment in Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. You must bring the health card when you see your doctor and to municipal offices. You can also use it at libraries, for identification in post offices and stores and in many other situations.




Covid in Denmark
Denmark ceased its lockdown from April 2021 onwards and FREE covid testing are provided for local citizens and residents when we have the yellow card, otherwise payment is required. The result is ready in less than 20 minutes. You do not need to wait for the results as you can retrieve your results via a link sent to you upon registration. Everyone can go for FREE covid testing whenever one feels like though the covid passport expires in 3 days' time. You are required to present a "negative" if you wish to dine in a restaurant, visit a museum or salons etc. ( private managed establishments). I feel safe in the restaurants and museum as I know the people surrounded me are "negative" too. 


The pregnancy kit lookalike.
This is the sample of the Corona Passport which last you 72 hours.  


15 minutes, check the link that was sent to you upon registered, there you can see that the test result is out. Simply just show this page to the staff of the restaurants or museums.


NemID (literally: EasyID) is a common log-in solution for Danish Internet banks, government websites and some other private companies. To put it simply, it is just like our "Singpass" in Singapore.
Everyone in Denmark who is over 15 years old and has a CPR Number is eligible for a NemID that can be used with their bank as well as public institutions. Anyone over 13 years old may use a NemID for internet banking. Users of NemID are assigned a unique ID number that can be used as a username in addition to their CPR Number or a user-defined username. For example, every time we want to authorize an online payment. NemID will seek for your approval over the app on your handphone. 


Income Tax in Denmark
Denmark has one of the highest tax rates in the world - On average, it is 45%, heard from local that the government is reviewing to 52%. Even pensioner is taxable too as it is considered as an income. The Government use the fund for free healthcare and free education. Part of the fund is used to invest "lifestyle" in Denmark. That is why Danes are the happiest people in the world. 
Not to forget housing tax, vehicle tax etc. if you wish to own them. 


Education is free and even at university level, there is no tuition fee. Meanwhile, every Danish student receives around $900 per month from the state. Heard from my neighbor that it is common to have a 60-year-old classmate in the class of the university. Above photo taken in the month of June where students are graduated from college. Truckloads full of happy students dancing on the trucks, cruising  along around the country. 


Bank Account
When you live in Denmark, you must have a bank account, which is also used as a NemKonto. Mobilepay is common in Europe so not to worry if you have no cash or no card with you.


My Danish Phone Card 
The good news is that it’s easy to switch over to a Danish sim when you arrive, and within a few minutes of buying and installing the sim in your phone you can be back online and connected with your friends. Fortunately, the country still has some decent pay-as-you-go options, so read on to find out which one is the best for you. 7-Elevens are always sure to have pre-paid cards and sims available.  



Voltage and Frequency                                                                                                      In Denmark, the standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. You can use your electric appliances in Denmark, if the standard voltage in your country is in between 220 - 240 V (as is in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa). Manufacturers take these small deviations into account. If the standard voltage in your country is in the range of 100 V - 127 V (as is in the US, Canada, and most South American countries), you need a voltage converter in Denmark. You can also consider a combined power plug adapter/voltage converter. However, Singapore and Denmark have the same voltage and frequency thus I can bring over few of my kitchen helpers.
This is type K


This is type E.

There is one thing we need to note about, which is the socket, In Denmark the power plugs and sockets are of type E and K. Thus just a few travel adapters will solve the issue



Tap water 
It is common to drink tap water in Denmark. Citizens of Denmark have no qualms about drinking straight out of their own sinks because the water is clean and trustworthy. The tap water comes from the underground, which contain varying amounts of calcium depending on the subsoil. 


These photos are taken from my tap. The calcium caked onto the surface of my boiler after a few boils. 


And here how my Osim humidifier look like. I think the pipes of my building is old because when I went to other places in Aalborg, or even to other cities, I do not see this particles floating. 

Eventually, our drinking water were purchased from supermarket which cost about SGD0.90 for a big bottle.



The Cycling Culture
All Danes start to learn cycling as early as they start walking. Based on statistic, 9 out 0t 10 Danes own a bike, there are 2.1 million of cars in Denmark where the total population of the whole Denmark is 5.8 million. 



The Danes enjoy cycling in all types of weather and at all the time of the day. 






Bicycles are used for pleasure, commuting, transport of goods and family travel and the extensive networks of bike lanes and the bike highways makes cycling much more accessible to the nation. Bicycle's pumps are easily located in most bicycle parking. There are countless companies offering rentals in Copenhagen, but you might want to try the hi-tech City Bike scheme, which has been running since 1995.


Recycling Culture
It is no secret that recycling can be confusing. Especially when moving to a new country and when that country is as sustainability-minded as Denmark. Recycling and reducing any kind of waste is a big deal in Denmark and most households do it not because it is mandatory, but because it is the right thing to do. Local authorities are currently responsible for collecting all household waste as well as all industrial waste for incineration and landfilling, while industrial waste for recycling is separated at source and collected and treated on general market conditions. Most types of recyclable wastes are reprocessed abroad, but many Danish enterprises, private and public, separate and pre-treat the waste before it is exported. Waste is primarily collected and transported by private companies.



Deposit-refund system

The ABC system or “Pant A”, “Pant B” and “Pant C” stands for the various bottles and cans that can be returned using the "Flaskeautomat" (bottle return machines) located at certified grocery stores. All soft drink bottles and cans in Denmark have a fee that is paid upon purchase:

  • Pant A = DKK 1.00 (less than 1L glass bottles and aluminium cans)
  • Pant B = DKK 1.50 (less than 1L plastic bottles)
  • Pant C = DKK 3.00 (1-20L bottles and cans)



When the bottles and cans are returned to the machines, a receipt is printed. You can get the money back by a purchase at the store or choose to donate the money to Charity upon printing the receipt. Below are the videos of how the recycling machine works. 


There are similar machine in Singapore as well, I think it his programme is newly launched

These are the recycling bins for our usual waste : Green is for bottles, Blue is for paper, Grey is for general. Saw the smaller yellow bin that is attached to the green bin, it is for batteries. It is a common sights in most estates here or supermarkets. 


Every day, 3 different trucks will come to collect them via crane. Check out the video above.



Public Transport                                                                                                                  Most of the locals own their own transportation cards - "Rejsekort" which is just like our Ezlink in Singapore. 

Rejsekort is an ticketing system for travelling by bus, train and metro. This card unites the different transport operators, travel zones, ticketing systems and discount schemes into a common system, which makes it easier for the passengers to use the public transport services in Denmark. 
"You start your journey by putting your transportation card on the Blue Point of the check-in card readers. Once you hear the "ding" sound, means it is done. If you have dogs or bicycles with you, use it with "Extras" written in the corner of the reader. Once you reached your destination, remember to check out by tapping your transportation card against the Blue Point on the check-out card reader. Once the "ding" sound is heard, you can see the price of your trip and the balance of your card will displayed. If your "ding" sound is different as usual, it is probably reminding you that it is the time to top up your card otherwise you might not able to start the next journey. Usually, we recharge our card online and the card will be ready to use by the next day."
 

Taking a bus in Aalborg
Face mask is mandatory for all public transports in the whole country at the time I was there.
Aalborg Busterminal on John F Kennedy Plads , located right by the station is a large regional hub for long distance, regional and local buses. 



This is how the buses look like here. New and comfy, 3 doors with wheelchairs or prams accessibilities. 







Taking a rail to other cities
The national railway company of Denmark is called DSB (Danish State Railways - Danske Statsbaner).  Eurail Passes valid in Denmark are also valid on trains operated by the following railway companies: Arriva, DSB S-Tog and DSBFirst. With its extensive railway network, Denmark is ideally suited for exploring by train and DSB ( Danish National Rail Company ) is ready to welcome you onboard. If you are planning to travel between cities or different regions of Denmark, the train is the obvious choice. The train is a perfect way to observe the beautiful Danish countryside and during the journey, you can relax, read a book, take a nap, or surf net as free WIFI onboard


This is the train from Frederikshavn to Skagen.




Personally, we did take train from Aalborg to other cities. Due to covid, new rules kick in for taking the rail. Here was our experience... 
1) It is mandatory to reserve you seat as the train run at the right capacity to fight the Covid. There are zones for you to choose : Family or Silent. We chose "Silent Zone" and your silence is really appreciated.
2) Social distancing onboard is observed onboard. All passengers will be arranged to be seated by the window.
3) Mask is mandatory once you enter the train station until you alight and out of your destination's station.



Taking a metro - in Copenhagen
Riding the Metro in Denmark is the easiest and quickest way from the airport to central Copenhagen. Not only that, the metro is more convenient than the train since it runs constantly. You rarely have to wait more than a few minutes for the metro to arrive. There are now 4 lines called M1, M2,M3 and M4. There is no metro in Aalborg. 









Shopping in Aalborg
The Centrum area is the most popular shopping streets in Aalborg. It is made up of a few streets ... Algade , Bispensgade, Nytrov and few smaller streets. Aside individual shops, departmental Malls like Salling, Friss & Magasin are found here too. 
Usually, people will come here for a stroll, dine and shopping. 

Just a highlight, the shopping tax is 25%, though it is high but to compare branded products, it is still cheaper to buy in Denmark than in Singapore. 








While strolling around the Centrum areas , look out for these little alleys, they are so Instagram friendly





The other place I like to go is Storcenter shopping mall, which is in Skalborg, I need to change another bus at the Bus Terminal to reach this place where IKEA is nearby too. Aalborg Storcenter, biggest shopping center in Aalborg, has 75 specialized shops and cafΓ©s. My favorite hypermarket - Bilka is here too. 






Supermarketing
It is not cheap to dine out in Denmark, per person per meal can easily cost SGD30 excluding the drink but buying from the supermarkets and cook at home is much much cheaper. Not only me, but even Danes also prefer to cook at home too. 

Here is the basic stuff cost in the supermarkets :

Estimated SGD1.40


Estimated SGD2.40

Estimated SGD2.00

Estimated SGD2.40

Estimated SGD6.00

Estimated SGD5.00

Estimated SGD5.00

Estimated SGD7.00

Estimated SGD5.00

Estimated SGD5.00

Estimated SGD8.00

Estimated SGD10.00

Estimated SGD10.00

Most importantly, organic food is easily access in the supermarkets too. The price is very low, even lower than those supermarkets in Singapore. 

Organic Chocolate Bar - Estimated SGD4.00

Organic Milk Powder - Estimated SGD16.00


Organic Baby's Food - Estimated SGD2.00

Organic Cheese - Estimated SGD4.60

Organic Yogurt - Estimated SGD3.20

Organic Yogurt - Estimated SGD7.00


Organic Milk - Estimated SGD2.20

Organic Butter - Estimated SGD4.00

Organic Eggs  - Estimated SGD5.60

Organic Chocolate Wheat Milk  - Estimated SGD3.20

Organic Soya Milk  - Estimated SGD4.40

Organic Ham - Estimated SGD4.20

Organic Bacon  - Estimated SGD4.00

Organic Smoked Salmon  - Estimated SGD6.00

Organic Cereals - Estimated SGD4.60

Organic Coffee Capsules - Estimated SGD7.00

Organic Coffee Powder  - Estimated SGD9.00

Organic Tea Bags - Estimated SGD5.00

Organic Cookies  - Estimated SGD5.00

Organic Pasta  - Estimated SGD4.00

Organic Dried Cranberries  - Estimated SGD5.00

Organic Corn Flour  - Estimated SGD1.60

Organic Jasmine Rice - Estimated SGD3.60

Organic Wheat Flour - Estimated SGD2.80

Organic Apple Cider  - Estimated SGD7.00

Organic Olive Oil  - Estimated SGD18.00

Organic Blueberry - Estimated SGD9.00

Organic Chilli Sauce & Organic Soya Sauce & Organic  - Estimated SGD3.00

Organic Peanut Butter - Estimated SGD6.00

Organic Mayonise  - Estimated SGD3.00 to SGD4.00

Organic Tomato Pasta Sauce  - Estimated SGD2.00

Organic Baked Beans  - Estimated SGD1.40

Organic Kidney Beans - Estimated SGD1.60

Organic Olive - Estimated SGD5.00

Organic Salad  - Estimated SGD2.00

Organic Mushrooms - Estimated SGD5.00

Organic Watermelon - Estimated SGD7.00

Organic Grapes - Estimated SGD6.00

Organic Banana  - Estimated SGD0.50

Organic Potatoes  - Estimated SGD2.40

Organic Onions - Estimated SGD2.00

Organic Tomatoes - Estimated SGD3.20

Organic Apples - Estimated SGD5.00

Organic Lemon - Estimated SGD2.80

Organic Pears - Estimated SGD4.00

Organic Kiwis - Estimated SGD2.60

Above are the samples of the organic products in the supermarket. Whenever I am cooking, I will surely try my best to get all organic stuff for the ingredients.




SmΓΈrrebrΓΈd - Pronounce as 'smurr-brull', Denmark's classic open-faced sandwiches are a traditional dish that every visitor should try. SmΓΈrrebrΓΈd comprises thin slices of rye bread topped with ingredients like pickled herring, fried plaice and chicken salad. This local delicacy is easy to find throughout the whole Denmark, I always bought them for lunch from Super Brugsen supermarket near my place here in Aalborg. And these are my favorite choices : Another


Stjerneskud / Shootinhg Stars





Translated as the shooting star, Danish stjerneskud is one of the most famous smΓΈrrebrΓΈd varieties. This open-faced sandwich consists of various seafood ingredients such as fried fish fillets, shrimps, caviar, and salmon, carefully arranged on top of sliced buttered bread.


Flaeskesvaer / Crispy Pork Lard


Another common snack which is easily found in supermarket or restaurants, cafes and bar.
Crispy Pork Lards - who does not love but trying hard to avoid ?

Stegt Ribbensteg / Roasted Pork



I heated up in air fryer

Needless an introduction, every Singaporean knows what this is. Though roast pork is very common here as much as in Denmark, but the texture and the way of cooking is totally not the same.


Tarteletter



Danish tarteletter are crispy, pre-baked puff pastry shells used as containers for various fillings. They initially appeared in the late 19th century as a sophisticated dish which slowly became popular among all social classes. Even though these shells are typically associated with sweet fillings, Danes prefer to complement them with different savory ingredients such as meat, seafood, and vegetables. 
Through history, tarteletter were incredibly popular and served at parties and banquets. Even though their popularity has recently diminished, they are still a beloved Danish dish enjoyed as a quick snack or a filling appetizer.


LGBT in Denmark - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) rights in the Kingdom of Denmark are some of the most extensive in the world. Same-sex sexual activity was legalized in 1933, the age of consent has been set to 15 since 1977 regardless of sexual orientation or gender. Denmark was the first country in the world to grant legal recognition to same-sex unions in the form of registered partnerships in 1989. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation was entirely prohibited since 1996. LGBT people are also allowed to serve openly in the Danish military. Copenhagen has frequently referred as one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world. It is famous for its annual "Pride Parade" which is held annually in August, it is the largest annual Human Rights festival, focused on LGBT issues. Denmark's oldest LGBT organization - LGBT Danmark was founded in 1948.

Lastly, I like to highlight strongly on the Public Holidays in Denmark:
1) New Year's Day on 1st January
2) Palm's Sunday - Sunday before Easter Sunday
3) Maundy Thursday - Thursday before Easter Sunday
4) Good Friday - Friday before Easter Sunday
5) Easter's Sunday - March/April
6) Easter's Monday - The day after Easter Sunday
7) The General Prayer Day - The 4th Friday after Easter
8) Ascension Day - 40 days after Easter
9) Pentecost - 7th Sunday after Easter
10)Whit Monday - The day after Pentecost
11)Constitution Day - 5 June
12)First Day of Christmas - 25 December
13)Second Day of Christmas - 26 December


These days are usually stay home days, visiting friends or families at their homes or visit public places. During these days, all supermarkets, shopping malls, most restaurants, most retail shops or even museums and libraries are closed. Therefore, please remember to fill up the fridge. 


With these little tips, at least you will have the insights of what to expect when you move over to Denmark. I enjoyed myself very much, the weather is awesome, the people are so friendly that strangers who walk past you will smile and say "Hej" to you. I ever experienced that I received at least 10 greetings in a span of 20 minutes. Though the living standard is high, but I feel safe alone in the streets. 

Should you have any questions which I missed out here, please feel free to ask me, I will surely reply you whether I know the answer or not. I have a True Blue Danish brother in law. 

πŸ’‘This blog is specially dedicated to my sister who happened married a Dane, who is a colleague of my husband. Though they are both staying in Singapore now but he is a Dane after-all, I believe one day they will might return to Denmark to spend the rest of their lives together. So I hope this blog is helpful to her when the day come.πŸ’‘

We have come to the end of this blog, to find out how much we enjoyed our lives in Denmark, please visit my other blogs as per below: 


1) Relocation from Singapore to Aalborg, Denmark  

2) Settling down in Aalborg - A Resident's View  

3) Exploring Saeby @ Denmark    

4) Lindholm HΓΈje @ Aalborg - The Ancient Burial Grounds for the VIKINGS  5) One Day Silkeborg @ Denmark      

6) Explore Copenhagen @ Denmark     

7)Explore Aalborg @ Denmark      

8) Summer Holidays in Saeby Denmark             

9) Top of Denmark : Frederikshavn      

10) The NorthenMost Tippest Tip of Denmark : Skagen  

11) Explore Aalborg @ Denmark  




Meanwhile, if you are keen to know more about the trips I had made, please browse through the content on the main page and please like my page. πŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒ


Cheers and Good Luck πŸ’“