Sima moved from Teheran to Fredericia to find the dream job, she chose Denmark because of its leading role in electrical and energy engineering. Her dream was to work with green energy and for that, Denmark was perfect.
-Denmark was an obvious choice, especially because of my field of work, electrical and energy engineering. In this and the development of green energies and electrical networks, Denmark is a leading country, so it was of course my first and best choice, which fortunately, I managed to reach. I was lucky to be successful, to get a very exciting job and live and stay happily in Denmark. I really like it here.
Working in Denmark
-I found a job at Energinet, here in Fredericia. Where I work with electrical power systems, which is my interest area. I really admire the workplace culture in the company and my colleagues are very helpful and welcoming to me. Even though they do not have that much experience with internationals, they do a lot to make sure I am settling in and learning the language.
-At first I was a bit worried about not speaking Danish and with the fact that there are not that many international employees here, but people at the company are very open-minded and helpful. The company provides individual Danish lessons for international employees, something I have not really seen anywhere else. I believe this shows the great attitude there is at the company, it is very impressive and effective. I try to practice my Danish, both at work and at home. My coworkers are both helpful and patient and they only switch to English, when they feel that I am not comfortable with speaking Danish.
-In Denmark, considering both work and life cultures, I have found a place where I can develop personally and professionally, which is my purpose for living abroad. Here I experience a great environment and a very good atmosphere for that, so it could be a very nice place to stay. And I can actually use my Danish in both everyday and work situations now, which is really great.
A city by the sea
-The first thing I thought about Fredericia was that I really liked the city. It is cozy and I can experience living in a very quiet and peaceful place, but I also have access to everything that I could want. It is a nice place to live because, though I do not live in a crowded and big city, I have easy access to everything. It is also very convenient to travel from Fredericia. It is in the center of the country, trains going everywhere all the time and it is not too far from the Billund Airport. At one point I actually visited two or three cities in a weekend, it is very easy from Fredericia.
- Someone once asked me if I felt bored in Fredericia. I do not feel bored at all! I have so many different activities and things to do after work. I have joined some different communities in Fredericia and started doing many activities. Of course, I do not feel bored. Actually, it is tremendous for me that I can participate in various activities and communities and at the same time, I can have peace and quiet when I want to get rest and relax. I can experience both sides in Fredericia; it is quiet when I need it and hectic when I want that, so that is great. One other thing that is great about Fredericia is that I live close to the city center, but also close to the beach. I even have a view of the sea, which is something you do not get in that many places.
-I think it is important for a person who comes to live abroad to be active, in contributing and looking for communities and activities. There are many opportunities in Denmark, as I have seen in Fredericia and at work. It is important that you try to take the opportunities that present themselves to you, and make the most of them. It is possible to be forthcoming, active and there are many things to do and to love in a new life situation. Just as I have found.
