Glædelig Jul!

My cousin invited us to spend Christmas Eve at her house and it was a wonderful evening full of traditions, from rice pudding to dancing around the tree holding hands and singing.  Here are a few pictures from the last couple of Christmas filled weeks:

Christmas Eve
Liam, Freya, Mei, Ila, Thorbjørn, Gorm

Christmas Eve

present game at my aunt Karen's house

festive public transportation

baking at my aunt Kirsten's house

picking out some of my aunt Kirsten's crocheted elves

at Kirsten and Finn's acreage

Meanwhile, in Canada:

Dean and his gingerbread house

Rus and Dean with "mall Santa"

bad news

We had been waiting to hear back from the Esbjerg International School where Rus had his job interview, but found out a few days ago that it went to another candidate. Out of the seemingly endless job applications that were sent, this was the only one that showed any promise. So sadly, Rus will have to stay out of Denmark (and the entire Schengen area) for 90 days before he can return again. When I decided that Dean should go with him, I was thinking with my head instead of my heart. I wouldn't have been able to get him to school before having to be at work and I thought it would be easier on everyone. But I physically feel like a chunk of my heart went with them back to Canada. I won't get to see my little guy until March. I know that this is a reality for a lot of families around the world. Decisions are made every day by immigration officials that effect individuals profoundly. Some parents are forced into situations where they don't see their spouses or children for years. I can be grateful that this is not something that was forced upon me. We chose to take a risk and come here, hoping that Rus would be able to stay. We know that our children will have future opportunities through obtaining EU citizenship and that this experience will profoundly alter their perspective on life and their ability to adapt and adjust. It's just really hard to see these benefits sometimes and this mother misses her little boy.

my favorite chocolate and
 my favorite 7 year old

nu er det jul igen

Christmas is big here. Not over the top or tacky, but rich with tradition. All those little things my family did differently every Christmas are now surrounding me. I love it. My cousin stopped by for tea yesterday and she retaught me how to make paper stars, something I haven't done in at least twenty years. My aunt made me a greenery decoration which reminded me of the ones my mom arranged. Looking forward to doing some traditional Danish baking this weekend... 



The advent calendar selection is extensive...everything from chocolate and toys to beer, wine and lottery tickets. There is truly a calendar for everyone.

shopping for advent calendars in Germany

lottery advent

beer advent - I wonder if these are opened excitedly and
 consumed first thing every morning like the chocolate ones

Julemanden (Santa) came early to Kolding. He sailed into the harbour on a boat on November 29th, shook hands with all the children while his elves handed out candy and rode the Christmas train into downtown Kolding, where everyone sang Christmas songs and the big tree in the center of town was lit. Santa has now set up his workshop where kids can leave their stockings for him to fill and pick them up just before Christmas.  A lot of stores welcome stockings from children as well so there are stockings hanging in many of the small grocery and toy stores, waiting to be filled. We went to see Santa in his workshop (julemandens hus) and went for a ride on the Christmas train last week during the Kolding Light Festival, a wonderful way to spend the evening before Rus and Dean had to leave for Canada. Freya and Dean had their stockings hung up in Santa's workshop of course.

the boat

the train

the tree

julemandens hus - the ancient building that opens to the public during December

bedroom in Santa's workshop

the streets of Kolding

Nicolai Kirke during light festival

During the light festival, the church had an angel projected on their wall and you could get your face on it. Ummm, not what I was expecting as I entered the beautiful chapel. Maybe that was one thing that could be defined as over the top...was fun though.

Freya - that hair suits her

Dean - what a sweet angel

Koldinghus during the light festival

Freya and Dean - Koldinghus

climbing the castle tower stairs

red tape

The visa laws in Denmark are extremely complicated and difficult to navigate. Add to that, EU law, and it gets more confusing. Rus' 90 days tourist visa-free stay is expiring. He applied for an extension, which a spouse of an EU citizen is usually granted for three months at a time if they are with family in Denmark. But we found out that this does not apply to Danish citizens, only every other EU citizen. Whaaat?!? Yup. If I was a citizen of any other EU country, he could stay in Denmark with me under EU law. But because I am Danish, Danish law takes effect. The same is true for him being able to stay with me if I am working or going to school here. If I was another EU citizen, he would be granted a visa to live and work with me in Denmark, but because I am Danish, he cannot. It is frustrating to say the least. There is a family reunification option but that can take up to ten months and the qualifications are difficult to attain so we don't qualify.

Rus' only option is to be here on a study or work visa. He may eventually resort to taking his Master's somewhere in Denmark but it is expensive as a non-EU citizen. The best option is finding a job. BUT, it can't be just any job. It has to be a salaried position from a list of companies approved by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration or one that is on Denmark's positive list (a list of skilled professional shortages). Thankfully, Rus qualifies for a few of the positions on this relatively short positive list; educational assistant, social assistance worker, and childcare supervisor.

But there is hope. Rus had an interview at the Esbjerg International School (located in a small town north of Esbjerg called Guldager) yesterday afternoon that seemed to go well. The other candidates are being interviewed between December 10-12, so we will find out after that. Unfortunately, his 90 day visa free period expires before he hears back from them.
He is leaving the country (with Dean) tomorrow. He has to be out of the country for 90 days before he can come back again. If he gets this position, he can apply for a work visa and come back within 30 days and be able to stay for the length of his work contract.

Here are a few pictures from our job interview trip.  We can't go to a different town without Rus seeking out the oldest church buildings.  This one, Guldager Kirke, is from 1300. Also had to stop in at the Esbjerg public library of course...

Guldager Kirke, circa 1300

I think it's the thick crooked walls that I love the most

ancient collection box

Esbjerg public library

the children's section

the crime/mystery section

...and I can't be around book sculptures without climbing on them

work work work

It's been a while since I have posted anything and I am being asked about our job situation frequently so I would like to report that I have found plenty of work. There are other not so positive things we are trying to figure out with Rus' Visa right now, but we can at least celebrate the fact that I now have steady income.

I have three part time jobs:

1. Cashier/Sales Assistant at Freeny Collection - A family owned store in downtown Kolding selling fine leather goods (wallets, purses, jackets, etc.). Only 2 shifts per month. I work when the owners have doctor appointments or when a little extra help is needed. Only completed one shift to date but there will probably be more during the Christmas shopping season.

Flags in the window indicating sale! sale! sale!

2. Maid at Hotel Kolding Apartments - Small modern apartments rented nightly, weekly or monthly. 60 hours per month.  My brother and his wife and son actually stayed at this hotel several years ago on a visit to Kolding. The work is hard and I am sore every day but the women I work with are great and the fresh air from going between buildings all day is nice. Also, the view is amazing on my walk to work and looking out the windows while at work.

*Definitely check out the link to this one, they are very cool*

My walk to work at Kolding Hotel Apartments

View from one of the apartments

3. Sales Assistant at Bilka in Bilka-To-Go department - like Walmart if it was owned and regulated by a socialist country (= better).  At least 7 hours per week and more to be added later. I had my first day of training today and will be filling online orders, gathering ordered items from the store and sorting and packing them for pickup. This one I think I will enjoy. There is a cafeteria for employees with free food on breaks and we get half price at the local movie theatre, so you know, totally awesome. There are other perks that I can enjoy too after three months of loyal employment.

I love that everyone spells my name right in this country.

Flensburg

Flensburg, Germany is where Danes go to fulfill their need for shopping, especially junkfood. If it wasn't for my conscience (actually my daughter's voice) telling me that products with palm oil are destroying the orangutan's natural habitat, I would have come home with several enormous containers of Nutella. Instead, I bought peanuts and soup. And chocolate. And advent calendars. I'm sure something somewhere is being harmed by the purchase of them as well but I am blissfully ignorant so far.
One of those advent calendars was a Lego one, which was quite a bit cheaper in Germany, even though Lego is a Danish company. So I went to Germany to save money on something Danish. Flensburg itself is very Danish however, as it has been a part of Denmark previously and now lies just a few kilometres south of the border.
Enough about shopping, here are some pictures of cool things we saw while walking the streets and visiting Museumberg Flensburg.

Museumberg Flensburg - it was a bit of a rainy hike to the front door but it was worth it.

I always love the taxidermy section. The deer in this part of the world are tiny!

Closeup of one the interior walls of an old farmhouse.

A sewing chest

This thing is old - circa 1400

This sucker is even older - circa 1300 

Our English friends make fun travelling companions - "peace" signs are for my benefit, despite what the gesture might signify in the UK

Interiors of old farm houses like this one were dismantled and put back together in the museum. They were at least 400 years old, full of beautiful paintings and carvings.

The rainy streets of Flensburg

The conductor let the kids sit in his chair before the train ride home. Dean was in heaven!

fame without fortune (and Halloween)

My family has this funny habit of appearing in local newspapers and publications. I joined a Kolding Facebook group and inquired about Halloween in Denmark. It received a lot of response and discussion which led to a reporter from a newspaper contacting me. He came to interview Rus and I about what Halloween traditions meant to us in Canada and what we will be doing for Halloween here. A photographer came and did a photo shoot with us, which was definitely not within my comfort zone, but still fun.

We didn't end up going treat-or-treating on Halloween night but Rus took Dean to Halloween in Legoland a while ago and we all went to an awesome Halloween parade (with fireworks) in the neighbouring city of Vejle on the weekend.
We decorated our front window a bit to let trick-or-treaters know that we were open for business but only six kids came. We all miss the good Halloween night vibe of Canada, when everyone is out in the streets, eating junkfood, showing off their costumes and meeting neighbours. It is considered an American holiday here, and has only just caught on about ten years ago.

That's Freya's head that this creature is eating!