The Living Library
Have a seat in the lounge, grab a piece of chocolate and get a one-on-one talk with fellow internationals from all over the world who have cracked the codes of living in Denmark.
The Living Library works just like a normal library: visitors can browse the catalogue for the available titles, choose the book they want to read, and borrow it for a limited period of time. After reading, they return the book and, if they want, borrow another. The only difference is that in the Living Library, books are people, and reading consists of a conversation.
Everyone visiting the Living Library for a talk with one of the 'living books' gets a copy of the coffee table book 'Living in Denmark' (as long as stock is available).
Thank you to International Community, The International Employment Unit, and Aarhus University for making the Living Library possible.
And an even bigger thank you to the lovely volunteers being part of the Living Library!
Name: Brigitta Horváth (Brigi)
From: Hungary
Occupation: Associate IT Engineer at LEGO
What brought me to Aarhus: Followed my husband when he got a job at Google
You can talk to me about:
- Pursuing your dream job and how to get help getting it
- Job interviews and work place culture in Denmark
- Establishing a life for your children and family
- Job searching for internationals
- Where to go for help
Name: Karthik Vasudevan
From: India
Occupation: Product Lead for EnVentus at Vestas
What brought me to Aarhus: Worked for Vestas in India, and was offered a position at Vestas in Aarhus
You can talk to me about:
- First impressions of Denmark
- How did I feel when I moved here permanently
- How to adapt to changes.
- How to be content and happy in Denmark
- Making Denmark home away from home
Name: Cristina Corti
From: Switzerland / Canada
Occupation: Lead Business Controller at Dynaudio
What brought me to Aarhus: Followed my husband as he started an education in Aarhus
You can talk to me about:
- Moving to the city and settling in: CPR nr, bank account, etc.
- Resources available in the help to get a job
- Volunteering
- Finding an apartment and buying a car
- Learning Danish
Name: Frederick James (Jim) Muller
From: South Africa
Occupation: Retired doctor - specialist in internal medicine
What brought me to Aarhus: My wife is Danish
You can talk to me about:
- Health services in Denmark
- Getting around
- Culture
- Exploring Denmark
- The Danes
- Politics
- Weather
- Music
- Volunteering
Name: Leila Henkes
From: Scotland, UK
Occupation: Looking for a position within Customer Services
What brought me to Aarhus: My husband got a job and the prospects of a Danish lifestyle
You can talk to me about:
- Tips for getting settled / logistics of setting up a life in Aarhus
- Public transport
- Steps to take to open a bank account
- Emigrating with school-aged children
- Finding accommodation
- Necessary registrations when living in Denmark
Name: Clara Capparelli
Occupation: Customer Engagement Coordinator
From: Argentina (moved to Denmark from the US)
What brought me to Denmark: Followed my husband, and landed a job
You can talk to me about:
- Being a spouse in Denmark
- Understanding the job market
- Job search “etiquette”
- The most valuable resources that helped me land a job in Aarhus.
Name: Carlos Rolando Fernandez Pulido (Junior)
From: Uruguay / Argentina and the US
Occupation: Ph.d. student in agroecology
What brought me to Aarhus: Danish lifestyle - found a Ph.d. position
You can talk to me about:
- University life
- The environment here in Denmark
- Healthcare system
- Paternity and mourning leave
- Bicycle infrastructure
- Kindergarten
- Experiences of not taking Danish classes
- My wife's experience looking for a job (dependent of me being the main visa holder)
Name: Simin Berenji Ardestani
From: Iran
Occupation: Postdoctoral researcher in Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University
What brought me to Aarhus: I came as guest researcher, continued at AU doing my PhD and later postdoc
You can talk to me about:
- Settling in Aarhus
- Adapting to Danish work culture
- Establishing a social network
- Making Danish friends
- The benefits of joining a sports club or being a volunteer
- Culture clash
- Being a PhD student and now Postdoctoral Researcher in Denmark
Name: Mathias Leiding Kølvraa
From: Denmark
Occupation: Co-owner of a biotech company
What brought me to Aarhus: Born and raised in Aarhus
You can talk to me about:
- Danish culture and traditions
- Danish workplace culture – e.g. the ‘julefrokost’ – Christmas lunch
- Being a student in Denmark
- Danish politics – present and past
- The digital Denmark – e.g. digital post, sundhed.dk and borger.dk
- What to experience in and around Aarhus
- Danish history
- Special outdoor experiences and hikes in Denmark
Name: Iulia Paun
From: Romania
Occupation: In search of a permanent position
What brought me to Aarhus: Wanted to explore the Scandinavian lifestyle with my family
You can talk to me about:
- Adapting to Danish work culture
- How to make Danish friends
- The benefits of joining a sports club or being a volunteer
- Culture clash
- Being part of the district community - Family club
- Being an accompanying partner
- Being an international parent
- Job search struggles, experience
- Danish Language school
- Kids, Kindergarten, and the process of finding a school
- Finding a house to call home
- The buddy program for newcomers
Name: Vincent Stöber
From: Germany
What brought me to Aarhus: University studies
Occupation: Founder of Access Tyskland, a Consultancy for Danish businesses entering Germany
You can talk to me about:
- Danish work culture
- Starting a company in Denmark
- University in Denmark
- Work in Denmark after studies
- Making Danish friends
Name: Mirjam Herrmann
From: Switzerland
Occupation: Administrative support at The Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Research Center at Aarhus University
You can talk to me about:
- Moving to Denmark with a family
- Settling in Aarhus with a child (nursery, playdates, places to go)
- Making friends
- Learning Danish
- Finding a job