It can be hard to settle in as an international newcomer in Denmark. At least, that is what an international survey points out when comparing answers from international newcomers from 64 countries. Aarhus Kommune has initiated a number of actions, that aim to make newcomers feel more at home in Aarhus City.
By Simon Jensen and Nikita Fjorback
“It was summer, the people surrounding me were happy and I enjoyed a cup of coffee at Bills Coffee in Vestergade. Afterwards, I visited a music shop and played basketball in Mølleparken. It was my first day in Aarhus and I already felt at home,” Noah Plehwe says, when he looks back on his first time in Aarhus. He moved to Aarhus from Hamburg in Germany four years ago to study at Aarhus Erhvervsakademi.
We met Noah Plehwe at Graven in Aarhus on a regular day with a coffee in his hand. He is still enjoying the city of Aarhus and wonders if others feel the same as him. Is Aarhus really a nice place to arrive at as a newcomer?
We have travelled the city of Aarhus for a couple of days to find an answer – or try to – on the wonderings of Noah. We have interviewed citizens who have lived here for several years – others just for a month.
It can be hard to feel at home in Denmark
An international study – Expat Insider 2019 – from 2019 has shown that it’s harder for international newcomers to find friends and feel at home in Denmark than it is in other countries.
The study includes survey answers from around 20.000 expats around the world – and not every country in the world is represented.
Only 64 countries have received enough survey feedback to be included in the final report – and the defining conclusions are therefore not fully representative.
But the tendency in the report is that Denmark as a country is struggling to integrate newcomers in society when it comes to feeling at home and finding friends.
Not fully what Noah Plehwe and the three other students have presented earlier in the article – so what is Aarhus and Aarhus Kommune doing to make newcomers feel at home?
Aarhus welcomes newcomers with an annual event
Lene Hartig Danielsen is Chief of Citizen Service at Aarhus Kommune. She claims, that Aarhus Kommune does a good job offering several opportunities for newcomers to be integrated in the city of Aarhus and highlights Aarhus City Welcome as one of the good initiatives.
It is an annual event at Dokk1, where international citizens are presented with a range of activities and communities in Aarhus city. It can be anything from theater groups and sports clubs to public services.
“It is an event with about 800 participants. We focus on leisure and culture life, because it actually means something for people in order to feel at home. It is also a way for the city to show that we actually care and do something special for the newcomers,” she says.
Daniel Nielsen from the Netherlands was one of the international newcomers who attended Aarhus City Welcome last year. For him it was a nice way to be presented with Aarhus.
“It was an interesting event to learn about different activities you can join in Aarhus and also useful for looking for a job in Aarhus,” he says.
This year Aarhus City Welcome was cancelled due to coronavirus, which affects the newcomers who have just moved to the city. One of them is Michal Jaremczuk from Poland who has only been here for a month.
“I found the information all by myself. For example, I had to find my own judo club. There were no offers for that when I arrived here”, he says.
Internationals make a difference to the city
It is not for no reason, that Aarhus Kommune are making an effort to make international newcomers feel at home. In addition to the fact that Aarhus has the ambition to be a great city to any citizen, research has shown that an international workforce is an advantage for a city.
Chief for Citizen Service at Aarhus Kommune, Lene Hartig Danielsen explains that Aarhus needs international labor in order to take care of jobs that require skills, which are not necessarily found in Denmark.
“Internationalization makes a difference to our city, and we have a lot of international students, workforce and families, who all contribute with new inspiration and perspectives to the city and to the citizens who already live here,” she says.
Besides arranging their own events, Aarhus Kommune also collaborates with different associations who arrange activities for international citizens. One of the latest initiatives is Newcomers‘ Info Evening on Dokk1 which is created in collaboration with the organisation International Community whose purpose is to create networks between international citizens in the Aarhus region.
“We try to pick up on the topics that are important to talk about as an international newcomer. That can be anything from leisure life to pregnancy life”.
Real connections are not that easy to make
Even though Aarhus offers a lot of activities for international newcomers, Andreea Enea from Romania sometimes still finds it challenging to settle in because of the cultural differences.
“The city is peaceful and open minded, but has its own culture and community, which are not that easy to get into. The city offers a lot of diversity, places to go to and things to do, but real connections are not that easy to make,” she says.
“It is a city fully packed with students and life. It is quite a big city with a lot of young people. Although Danish youngsters are a bit closed and reserved,” Michal Jaremczuk from Poland adds. He thinks it is easier to make friends with international students than with Danish people.
Noah Plehwe from Germany agrees, that real connections are not always made in the activities and communities that the city offers. He has made a good network in Aarhus by seeking it himself.
“The universities and the academy have a lot to offer when it comes to creating a good network. Lydhavnen and Godsbanen have focused more and more on integrating international citizens as well. But the real magic happens when you just go to the nearest café and talk to many different people. They will definitely lead you in the right direction,” he says.
The future for the newcomers of Aarhus
Michal Jaremczuk has visited Aarhus City Center and the Botanical Gardens during the month he has been in Aarhus but he still hasn’t found a specific place or a community that really makes him feel at home in Aarhus. However, he has at least three and a half years left in the city, which is plenty of time to settle in according to himself.
“I’m someone who gets along with others very easily so I like meeting new people and I heard that international students are very open. Everyone who comes here is alone and in the same situation.“
Michal Jaremczuk has not yet decided whether he will stay in Aarhus or go back to Poland after he has finished his studies.
In the meantime, Andreea Enea, Daniel Nielsen and Noah Plehwe are planning to start a more permanent life in Aarhus. They recommend newcomers to join some international communities such as the Facebook group “Aarhus Internationals” or to visit international cafés such as Café Mellemfolk and Soulitate Chaibar.
In the map below you can read more about Andreea, Daniel, Michal and Noah’s thoughts on being an international newcomer in Aarhus. Are you a newcomer in Aarhus as well and want to share your thoughts? Then please post a comment and we will add you to the map.