For George

Sunday morning 0800, 18C

Hi George,

I don't want mozz you (or me) but this is Copenhagen at the moment: the weather is superb and has been for two weeks and about 18-20C every day. It's light from 5am till 10pm and it's not even summer. Everyone speaks English - even when you speak Danish to them. The world around us has also literally comes alive with lush, brilliant green leaves and it rains every now and then just to touch it all up. The people are healthy, attractive and easy-going. It is, honestly, magnificent at the moment. So much so, my partner informed me on Thursday night, we may never leave. This is coming from someone who is always reluctant to travel too far from ‘home’.

Now, before you madly start packing, keep this in mind. Last year there was apparently no summer. Then, also take note that you will spend at least four months of the year in what feels like near darkness. While this is...dark, the Danes do have the skill of making life quite cosy at this time of year so it is still quite enjoyable, even though by the end of it, I had almost forgotten what sunlight looked and felt like.

Danish: notoriously hard, even for me who did Swedish back in Melbourne years ago at university. BUT, one does progress and my partner is literally flooring me with his ability at the moment and he's never learned another language. People sometimes look at me oddly when they hear me destroying their language but three people have said I look Danish so this confuses them. Try not to look Danish.

Danes: Not that dissimilar to Aussies - or Melbournians as far as I've experienced. They're, on the whole, pretty friendly, if a bit reserved but I haven't seen any signs of that aggro edge we seem to have developed in Melbourne. They are *very* family oriented and you will see fathers dashing off from work to pick up their kids on 'their day', which one never sees in Melbourne.

The down side: whatever you do, make sure you get a CPR number as soon as you get here. Usually, you can only get it if you have a job but, given that you're a lecturer and therefore on what they call the 'positive (visa) list', you may be able to organise one with the Consulate in Sydney before you come. You can't get a bank account without one usually nor even join Blockbuster.

Beware that outside the actual city centre, which amounts to about a kilometre square, very few establishments accept international credit cards and even, in my frustrating experience, Danish credit cards other than DanKort. DanKort can also be a VISA card but it has a microchip in it. This is important as it literally opens up Denmark to you and, without it, you feel like a stateless person after WWII. This situation has seriously nearly sent me to a lunatic asylum. But, I now have the papers to get one and I can't tell you how excited I am. I will be almost Danish when it arrives! Sleep with whomever you must to get one - god will understand!

Even if you find a job for squillions of Kronor, be prepared to wave half of it goodbye (although you may be eligible for a nice tax cut being on the positive list, which lasts three years). But, you do get much for it: free health care, efficient public transport and infrastructure and no poverty.

Finding somewhere to live can be problematic. My suggestion is to try this company: Hay4You as they offer the most reasonable short-term rentals and are very friendly. Speak to Sita or Jakob. A month in a short-term apartment will give you time to find a real place to live. I actually found a very reasonable re-location agent: Hands-on Relocation Her name is Louise.

Good luck! And, if you have any questions, let me or Crown Princess Mary know. She’s the only other 'Australian' I know here ☺