Kay Xander Mellish walks through what to pack and expect when moving to Denmark. Bring cash and OTC medicines, since pharmacies stock few over-the-counter options and the public health system doesn't cover glasses or dental care for adults. Apartments must be returned spotless and repainted, and you'll need to supply your own refrigerator and washer-dryer.
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Hello and welcome to the How to Live in Denmark podcast. I'm Kay Xander Mellish. Well, I'm not an authority on the Danish visa or immigration systems, I'm often asked for practical tips about moving to Denmark. So here are a few things to think about when you're packing your suitcases, or if you're doing a corporate move, packing your shipping container. Number 1, make sure you bring money. Denmark is an expensive place to live where you will own less stuff but better stuff. That said, there's no need to bring much furniture, even more so if your furniture is nothing special. You can easily purchase basic pieces from IKEA, either in Denmark or right across the water in IKEA's homeland of Sweden. And there's also the option of buying that famous Danish design furniture cheap at local secondhand stores or flea markets. Bring lots of casual, warm, and waterproof clothing. You don't need huge polar jackets because Denmark rarely goes below 0 Fahrenheit or -15 Celsius. You won't get a lot of wear out of halter tops or suede shoes. When it comes to business clothing or student clothing, blazers, sweaters, and trousers in subtle colors are usually your best bet. Maybe one formal or semi-formal outfit for special occasions like attending a wedding. But you will not dress up a lot in Denmark. Pack extras of any beauty brands or personal care brands you can't live without. Items sent from anywhere outside the EU to Denmark require substantial postage plus withering customs and administration fees. Plan on at least $50 per item. In addition, if there are any over-the-counter medicine brands you find comforting when you're sick, Cold medicine, stomach medicine, period pain medicine, traditional medicines from your home country— bring it along with you. Danes don't do a lot of over-the-counter medicine. Their preferred remedy is a nap and a cup of tea. If you have a specific medical condition and have a specific prescription for it, check in advance to make sure it is available in Denmark. A lot of medicines In particular, expensive medicines are not covered by the Danish public health system. And if a medicine isn't available in Denmark, having it shipped from outside the country is illegal. You can get a fine and a police record. Better to have your local doctor help you find a Danish equivalent before you go. All legal residents of Denmark are covered by the public health system, but it's a basic system. Not a fancy system. It does not cover eyeglasses or contact lenses, or dental care if you're over 18. So you might want to visit your local optician or dentist before you leave home. It also doesn't cover many types of psychiatric care or counseling. If you have a counselor you like in your home country, it might be useful to see if you can maintain the relationship with video calls. Renting an apartment. If you rent an apartment in Denmark, be aware that it will need to be spotless and repainted when you return it. Some apartment buildings even want you to refinish the floor. Take timestamped photos on the day you move in to avoid arguments later. Many city apartments in Denmark do not have bathtubs, only showers. In some cases, you will need to buy your own refrigerator and washer-dryer for a rental apartment. Air conditioning is unusual in Denmark because the weather is rarely hot enough to require it. You can always open a window, but the windows have no screens. If you're coming from the Americas or East Asia, you should know that Europe uses a different electrical current, so check in advance to see if you can leave your blenders and mixers and hair dryers at home. If you bring them, you're going to have to constantly use them with a converter, which is a pain and a fire hazard. That said, if you have lamps you like, it is possible to rewire them, although you're going to have to get new bulbs. And while there's lots to do in Denmark during the long summer days, you may want to have some entertainment planned for the long dark winters. Board games in English or your native language are good, and so are DVDs if you can play them on your own computer. You might not be able to play them on Danish DVD players that have a different regional code. Streaming entertainment is available in Denmark, of course, although your favorite programs may be delayed and released on a different date than in your home country. Finally, if you like to cook, bring not just recipes but your own measuring devices— if you use a non-metric system like cups and teaspoons. And while there are great international groceries in Denmark, they're often lacking just that one ingredient you need for your favorite meal or holiday cake. Canned pumpkin, for example, or a certain type of chili. The truth is, you can try to prepare, you can make long lists of everything you need, but eventually you're not going to have something. You're just going to have to go with the flow. When you're moving to Denmark, there are always going to be a few things that you just can't take with you. And that's the How to Live in Denmark podcast for this week. Buy our books: How to Live in Denmark, How to Work in Denmark, Working with Americans: Tips for Danes, and Working with Danes: Tips for Americans. At Amazon, Saxo, Google Play, and Apple Books, and Barnes Noble Nook now. We just added Barnes Noble. And you can follow all our content at howtoliveindenmark.com or follow us on Twitter or Instagram at howtoliveindk. The two is a number. See you next time.
