Moving to Denmark as an economic migrant has its ups and downs. Learning Danish as an expat too. Once you step on this land, you have to confront a different reality, culture-wise and language-wise. We are always curious about the journey of people that came to Denmark for a better life. Let us introduce you to Diana, originally from Romania. We can learn a lot from her about determination and discipline. Diana came to Denmark last January. Today she is a tattoo and piercing artist, trying to learn Danish and find her place in this society.
I thought that because the weather is cold, people would also be cold. The reality I found was different. I came to see rainy weather and people saying hello on the streets, although they didn’t know me. This reality helped me get used to Denmark very fast. Now it feels like home.
Adapting to a new country and making it feel like home is often linked to learning the language locals speak. Diana can be admired for starting her language learning process back in the days when she was still living in Romania.
I first started learning the language while being back in Romania, about half a year before coming to Denmark, using an app, and I made it a habit to pronounce the words the same way they were written. Therefore, the app was always showing that I am mispronouncing the phrases, so soon, I gave up on speaking and only continued working on the reading and writing part. Once I got here, I came to know about the option of going to a language school. It seemed that it would just take too long, so I never started.
Enlarging your Vocabulary is one thing, but the essential part in learning Danish as an expat is getting exposed to the language, hear what specific phrases do locals use and at which pace they are speaking it. Therefore, having Danish colleagues can be a game-changer.
I continued using the app for more than 500 days in a row and, as I work among Danes, I hear people speaking the language every day. This helped me to improve my pronunciation little by little. In the beginning, I was always asking them, “How do you say that in Danish?” so I learned a few things during the first months.
The tattoo culture in Denmark goes way back to the 8th century. And in case you didn’t know, Denmark is happy to have the oldest functional tattoo studio in the world! Diana is delighted to be part of Thor Tattoo Studio in Herning.
My experience with tattoos started back in Romania. I knew the basics and have tried a few times, but I was scared I am not using the machine right. So I thought that I would start as an apprentice here and see how it goes. It went well, and in a few months, I was already doing both tattooing and piercing.
At this stage, I am glad to be part of this studio and hope to have a long-term collaboration with them. It is easier to be a tattoo artist here than in Romania, as the tattoo culture is way more developed. People are less picky and appreciate different and multiple styles. At this point, I communicate with most of the clients in English. In case they do not speak it, my colleagues help.
Learning Danish as an expat
We design and conduct the Swap Language Danish lessons, always having the experience of Internationals in mind. Diana started using Swap Language during this quarantine period and shared some aspects of her language learning journey.
I got to know about SwapLanguage from a Facebook ad. So far, it has been very motivating. I like the way Nichlas teaches. His hair is lovely too. As I have to spend less time at work, I can afford to spend more time taking more lessons due to the current situation.
The fact that I can speak out loud during the lessons and not feel embarrassed helps a lot. The moment Nichlas said that I should stand up, push my chair and say it out loud, I did the same thing. It encourages you to stay happy and positive. Even when I access an intermediate level, I can still understand, as they speak slowly.
At the same time, we try to talk as much we can about Danish culture, specifics, and traditions. And when we are so thrilled when we hear that this helps blend in the Danish society.
During the day of Fastelavn, I took my daughter to the kindergarten, and we saw that all the kids were dressed up, so I went back home and brought her a costume. Watching the lesson about Fastelavn helped me understand what this is about when even Google didn’t provide a very clear explanation.
Diana’s advice for other beginners learning Danish as an expat?
Speak more. Speaking is the most difficult, but at the same time, the most important part of this language.
Indeed, it is hard to get yourself out there, and it is even harder allowing yourself to make mistakes and not letting any kind of embarrassment get in your way.
We thank Diana for sharing her experience on her way of learning Danish as an expat and wish much motivation and patience to all the language learners!
