Ah, those Danish-Russian wedding traditions... Drinking from the shoe, cutting socks, hanging locks...

Lock your love inside the check lock on the bridge and throw out the key. Now none and nothing can break your love :)

Ah, those Danish-Russian wedding traditions... Drinking from the shoe, cutting socks, hanging locks...

It probably doesn't make any sense to you. Or it does but partially. That's if you are Danish or Russian and are familiar with the wedding traditions of Denmark and/or Russia.

Well, starting with that my best friend from Russia got married to a Dane and moved to Denmark to live only a few kilometers away from me! Good start, right?

All pictures here are actually hers. As you can see her name is Masha or Maria. In Russia we have an official name and a common, let's say, daily name.

Anyway, Masha and her husband had a great wedding! It was not a big one, only relatives and very few friends, including me featuring as

In Denmark for 25 years, but not feeling like I am a part of it...

In Denmark for 25 years, but not feeling like I am a part of it...

“I’ve lived in Denmark for 25 years, but don’t feel like I am a part of it.”

That’s what I heard a few days ago. Can you imagine living in another country without feeling like you’re a part of the society, of the culture?...

My first reaction was: “What?? How is that possible?? It must be really hard!”

But what do we really mean by “being a part of

Take Your Pet With You To Your New Home!

Kisyonysh a couple of years ago

This post is a continuation of How Does Your Lovely Pet Feel Abroad? and I am going to tell you how I moved my cat family member from Russia to Denmark (if you're moving you cat from another country check out here). Kisyonysh has lived with me for almost 5 years (she's 5) now and seems to be enjoying it :) 

No doubt it was quite a busy period when I had to figure out which documents I needed to have and what I had to do to relocate her here. It was especially complicated due to the fact that different authorities were telling me slightly different things. So every time I had to check and recheck twice. Which I also recommend that you should do.

Plus I worked at that moment and was busy with packing and getting ready for moving myself. So there was a little pressure back then, but I've never regretted it!

Kisyonysh didn't have a passport or vaccinations done by that time. So I had to make sure she got those. 

But first she was supposed to get a

Quality of Life. Progressive?

Once again a task at our language school gave me inspiration to write a post. We were supposed to write about Quality of Life (Livskvalitet); what it is for us and why we find those characteristics important.

Serious topic, ain't? :)

Honestly I had no idea what to start from. First, I had to figure out what the quality of life is in general, what stands behind this term. I think this short explanation gives quite a good overview over the term. 

Now when I knew an overall meaning, I had to find my own. But so many things were on my mind! I couldn't figure out how to put them together and explain to the others.

I really had to focus /sweat

“Focus is the key to the world.” 

- William Dinsmore III

Then it hit me. Focus! Of course! Focus on the present, be here and now, live this moment. That's the quality of life! Which surely has a lot of "subqualities", as I decided to call them.

I would especially name such subqualities as:

Share Your Knowledge and Experience in Denmark!

I’m going to make a presentation in our language school for foreigners in Denmark. We should choose the topic ourselves. I want to talk about how to stay open and positive in the new culture. Because I can see how many people get dragged down by new things they don't understand or refuse to.

For that I want to share my own experience, observations and ideas + give the other students ideas on which books they’d better read to understand Danes, their culture, traditions, workplace culture and so on.

So I've started gathering tips everywhere I can and would like to ask you, my readers, to add up to my short list below. It can be an online book, as well as a paper one. Please share a link if it’s an e-book. Short descriptions are more than welcome. It can be in English, Danish or/and Russian (please state the language).

Please advise only those books that you have read or those you were told about/recommended by a reliable source.

This list will help a lot of expats in Denmark! I’d very much appreciate your contribution :)

Here is what I can come up with now.

Paper books:

1. The Worktrotter's Guide to Denmark by German writer Dagmar Fink, who’s been living in Denmark for many years now (in English). I read this book when I’ve already been to Denmark a few times and just before moving here. It helped me a lot. For ex., I realized why my at-that-time-boyfriend behaved in a certain way :)

2. Business-Dances with Danes. Decoding Danish workplace culture again by Dagmar Fink (in English). Reading it now and so happy to have started it before I’ve found a job in Denmark. It simply broadens your mind in terms of what Danes are at work and what the Danish economy is.

3.         Your suggestions? :)

What Foods Do You Miss From Back Home?

What Foods Do You Miss From Back Home?

Sguschenka

A few weeks ago a Russian friend of mine came and visited me. What do you think she brought from mother Russia?? :) Sguschenka! Yeah! I'm absolutely sure Russians and Ukrainians know exactly what I mean :) For the readers from other countries a short explanation.

Sguschenka is a special milk product which Lena (i.e. me) has loved all her life and can't find in Denmark /wahaha

Ok, now seriously. Sguschenka or sguschennoe moloko is actually condensed milk which we

Name Change in Denmark

Name Change in Denmark 

You got married in Denmark (details are here) and want to have your spouse's last name? Or do you just want to have a new name? Then I recommend you to read further on.

First of all, you are not allowed to change your name before you obtain your residence permit (opholdstilladelse) and a CPR-number. 

If you are lucky and have got these within three months after the registration of your marriage, hurry up and