Tips for internationals: Three ways to make the transition to a Danish everyday life
Hygge, windy weather, and liquorice with every dish you can imagine.
These are some of the first things you’re introduced to when moving to Denmark.
However, there are other transitions and discoveries to make when readjusting to life in a new country and also when adapting from being a student in Denmark to settling down.
We have gathered a few essential services for you, as well as some tips, to make your transition to life in Aalborg easier.
Language school
Learning the Danish language is essential for long-term plans. Your individual efforts can get you far, for instance by using apps such as Duolingo, or watching Danish TV shows with subtitles – and trying to put it to practice with natives will surely improve your skills.
If you are looking for a social space to practice Danish and to meet fellow people with the same goal, you can drop by Elsk Aalborg’s language café every Tuesday and Thursday at 14:00, or the main library’s language café in the city center on Wednesdays at 15.00.
Elsk Aalborg International
Hjulmagervej 28
9000 Aalborg
Tuesday and Thursday: 14:00 – 18:00
Aalborg Bibliotekerne
Rendsburggade 2
9000 Aalborg
Wednesday: 15:00 – 17:00
To ensure a steady improvement and a certificate of your knowledge, you can sign up to Aalborg Sprogcenter’s Danish courses.
They start courses every few months for different skill levels, and you can choose daytime or evening classes. To enroll in a course, you have to pay a refundable deposit of 2000 kroner.
Depending on your skill level, you will have two or three classes a week. The course is not only great in teaching you the language, but also to learn more about Danish culture.
Sprogcenter Aalborg
Strandvejen 35B
9000 Aalborg
Opening hours:
Monday: 10-14 and 15-17
Tuesday: 10-14
Wednesday: 10-14
Thursday: 10-14
Friday: 10-13
Driver’s license in English
Although it is very common in Denmark to bike everywhere, your job or other commitments may compel you to get a driver’s license. If you don’t already have a license there are some options in Aalborg to do it in English!
The ins-and-outs of driving are a little different wherever you go, but in Denmark there are a few things you should have special attention to which you might not expect elsewhere: for example the many cyclists, or the typical Danish weather conditions.
The driving courses (both the theory and driving) teach you how to handle all situations in English, and some online resources are also available to help you in learning, which are included in your package price when you sign up for a course.
1Gear offers a complete driver’s license package for 13.495 DKK, which includes the costs for everything you need to pass your driving exams, from theory classes to exam fees. The staff is perfectly fluent in English, and they are very helpful, friendly and professional.
As a new addition, you can even learn to drive an automatic with them in a Tesla.
1Gear
9000 Aalborg
Godsbanen 7a
Another place you can sign up for English driving courses in Aalborg is Ascot Driving School.
Ascot Driving School
9000 Aalborg
Vesterbro 34
Housing legal help
So you found your place to stay? Excellent, now let’s get to ensuring your tenant rights are intact and protected.
Whether it is moving to your first apartment in Denmark, or transitioning to a permanent place from your student accommodation, there is a way to protect your tenant rights without committing to a lawyer immediately.
Danish housing can be tricky, especially since legal documents in Denmark are most likely in Danish.
Even if your Danish is on a more experienced level, some legal jargon might get in your way of understanding what is exactly stated in your contract, or what is going on with your housing.
DIGURA is an Aalborg based company that helps tenants with their housing issues. You can sign up for their services with a monthly subscription fee to cover all your possible problems, or you can get their assessment of your case FOR FREE when you are in a legal pickle.
Best of all, they do this all digitally, so you can deal with your tenancy related issues from anywhere. They also guarantee a 24-hour window of replying to your case.
