Moving to Denmark has presented many challenges. Some I expected and many I did not. It has got me thinking about things I would do differently/ advice I would give to someone else entering the country.

1. Rent a room before you arrive. This does not have to be a forever home or a place you love. This just needs to be a place you can receive mail. Having this will enable you to register with the authorities, get a bank account, get a cell phone, etc etc

   Air BnBs are great for buying you time to get things sorted out but you can rarely have mail delivered (especially because your name needs to be on the post box)

2. Try to start learning Danish before you arrive. I was under the impression from my visit here in August that most people speak English. While that is true at the university and in most shops, knowing some Danish will be super helpful. Numbers, basic phrases, “excuse me, do you speak english?”, etc.
3. Double (maybe triple) the time you estimate to get things settled. I was fully prepared for 3-4 weeks. I was not prepared for 2-3 months. Mentally prepare yourself. Do everything you can before your home country to have access to funds, services, etc because it just takes time.
4. Research area doctors. When you do finally go to the registry, they will assign you a doctor. They ask if you have a preference. If you have not done any research, they just assign you someone.
5. Shop around for banks (and other services). After speaking with one bank, a few Danes, and other internationals, I have learned that banks will quote different fees to different people. This seems very strange to me but I guess it means that it is worth shopping around.
6. Don’t cout on mailing things. Denmark has one of the highest postage costs in the world and it is not the most reliable. While there are red boxes around town and you can buy postage online, in shops, and at the post office, if you aren’t willing to pay $6+ dollars, it will take 2+ weeks for your letter to arrive.

This is what I can think of for now. Perhaps once I finish the process, I will post an update.