Grocery Shopping!

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!!

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!!

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

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!

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?

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!