Surviving a Danish winter

“I will need your advice on how to deal with 16hrs midnight sky. What is this???” 🌚Quote from an international manager who arrived in Copenhagen in May. She is now challenged by the steel grey sky – on its seventh day. 🥶

I will happily give advice. 🤓

Advice no. 1: Be assured you are not alone. ❄️Everyone suffers a bit in Denmark over the Winter. And certainly, the first winter in Denmark is cruel.

Advice no. 2: Ask a Danish colleague to go for a bite to eat after work - to ensure adequate socializing in the dark months. Danes may say no. Pick another one and keep on going. And: 🌯 Ignore the fact that you are not hungry – appetite comes with the eating, even at 17:45. You will need to suffer a bit in order to get a Dane to socialize. Once they hit the sofa you cannot get them to go out again.

Advice no. 3: You need light! 🌞 Go for a walk in the middle of the day. It is a human right. It doesn’t look like it is day but it is. And you really do need the ‘light’. And the exercise. And: Join some sort of “forening” - including exercise. It will do you, your body and your network good.

Advice no. 4: Do as the Danes do. 🎄❤️ Go full on the hygge – lots of decorations irrespective of your religious leanings. Lots of good and rich foods and warm clothing. Invite people for made-up-holidays and say it is a tradition from your local region.

Advice no. 5: Develop your pet anthropologist 👩🏻‍🔬and be a keen observer of Danes in the Winter. Such as: Stopping in their tracks when there is a ray of sun. Literally. As I did today on Dronning Louises Bridge in Copenhagen, see below. It is not a sun cult. It is just a Dane deprived of sunlight.

Advice no. 6: Remember why you moved here. 🌍Keep on repeating it to yourself all the way to April. It will get better. I promise! ❤️