Written exclusively for Expat Network by Victoria Berman of AvocadoPesto

Scandinavian life revolves around making sure the whole family enjoys active and social days together. Plus, with one of the biggest annual music festivals in the world, there’s not much more you could want from a city.

Your Guide to Being an Expat in Denmark

According to expat.com, Denmark is an open and welcoming country with a culture that expats find easy to adapt to.

Finding a Job Takes Time

Finding a job in Denmark isn’t a speedy process, so make sure you save up enough money before you move. Patience and resilience are vital here because employers only tend to get in touch with positive responses to job applications. Try not to sit around and wait for a response from one company — thoroughly research and apply to as many suitable roles as possible.

Find Your Perfect Work/Life Balance

One of the most appealing aspects of the culture in Denmark is the shorter workweek and emphasis on holidays. Employers are flexible in letting you pick up children from child care, and the average working week is 37 hours. Denmark favors a flat hierarchy, which means the boss isn’t usually dressed up in fancy clothes and sat in a separate office.

Sought After Skills in Denmark

The economy is strong here, so it’s not too hard to find a decent job eventually. The most in-demand skills in Denmark at the moment are in the following industries:

• Technology
• Pharmaceuticals
• Design
• Energy
• Agriculture

Life in Ultra-Modern-Yet-Historical Roskilde

With picturesque parks, an exquisite cathedral and the annual Roskilde Festival, you’re never short of something to do or see in this vibrant community-focused city. Increasing numbers of expats are choosing Roskilde over Copenhagen due to its relative affordability and family-oriented culture. It has lots of schools and universities within close proximity and an illustrious variety of activities and events for children and families, which I’ll discuss in detail later on.

Roskilde has a community spirit, and the people are dedicated to taking care of each other. Most of the infrastructure and amenities in the city are ultra-modern, and public services are excellent.

Internationals in Roskilde Facebook Group

Why not join our Facebook group just for expats living in the city? Internationals in Roskilde arrange a get-together on the first Thursday of every month, usually at Gimle Café. Absolutely anyone can come along, and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed.

How to Meet Fellow Expats in Roskilde, Denmark

Here are just some of the ways you can meet people in your new city:

• Roskilde Library arranges expat dinners every other month with celebrations such as pub quiz nights or Chinese New Year celebrations. These are great opportunities to meet people in the same boat as you
• Wybra is an app that makes it super easy to make new friends and connect with people you already know. You can use it to make Danish friends in your local area who share common interests or hobbies.
• Roskilde Festival has been going strong for 50 years, and it’s seen the likes of The Kinks, Bob Dylan, Tame Impala, The Arctic Monkeys are thousands more of the world’s most prominent artists. If music is your thing, it offers excellent opportunities for meeting likeminded people. They ask for a certain number of local volunteers to help each year in exchange for free tickets. At the music festival, you’ll find a wonderful camaraderie between the people who work there, so there’s every chance you’ll make some friends for life as well as seeing amazing bands for free!
• At Roskilde Youth School, children aged 14 to 18 can choose to attend free classes if they choose. Youth schools are open in the afternoon and evening, and they can take academic and creative subjects such as music, photography and ceramics. IT classes are a popular choice, and keen drivers can even learn how to ride a moped. Lots of these schools organize parties on Fridays.
• Roskilde Musical School (Roskilde Musiske Skole) includes a visual arts school and a music school. Every child from a baby to 24 living in Roskilde can gain admittance to the Musical School provided it fits in with the school’s economic framework. This means that children with talent and who work hard can receive specialist music tuition entirely free of charge.
• Gimle for børn (Gimle for children) is an association that takes place each Sunday between September and May. It includes children’s events, such as concerts and creative activities at the café Gimle.
• At Musicon, you can explore PIXLPARK, an interactive area that combines digital media with exercise in a fun and innovative way. You can also visit the Rabalderparken skateboard park, bounce on the trampolines or kick-back in one of the hammocks. Alternatively, you can attend one of Friday’s bars, dress-up for theme parties or go to a gig and see an up-and-coming band.
• Musicon Art Roskilde is a gallery that exhibits contemporary and traditional sculptures, paintings, pictures and craftsmanship.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art at Roskilde Palace exhibits video, sound, performance, conceptual media and installation art. It takes a modern approach to art that appeals to a wide range of people and serves as an inspiration for many children. Approximately every other week, the museum holds showings of documentaries and movies from all over the world. They usually have English subtitles — watching movies with subtitles is a great way to start picking up words in another language. The events are called Doxnights or Global view.

As the city of music, Roskilde delivers plenty of opportunities to enjoy the best events. It’s brimming with history and culture, with plenty of entertainment all year round. Young people, families — or anyone with a community spirit — will absolutely adore the pace of life here in Roskilde.