Family from Ecuador found a balanced life in Kolding
Ricardo from Ecuador works as a civil engineer at HILTI, giving him and his family a great opportunity to travel the world through his work. When the opportunity arose to move to Europe, the family chose Kolding as the ideal place to settle down.
It was in early spring, when the leaves on the trees and bushes were just turning light green, that Ricardo, Nicole and their young son Alonso set foot on Danish soil and wheeled their suitcases into an apartment in southern Kolding, their new family home.
Ricardo works for the international company HILTI, which gives the Latin American civil engineer and his family excellent opportunities to experience other continents, countries and cultures in a completely different way than when travelling on holiday.
Ricardo and Nicole have also lived in Mexico and Panama. Most recently, they spent five years in Panama, where their son Alonso, now four and a half years old, was born.
“We wanted to experience Europe, and then an opportunity came up for me to transfer to Denmark to work as a civil engineer at Øglænd in Haderslev. It is the HILTI Group’s hub for offshore and onshore wind power solutions. We accepted the offer because we had enjoyed visiting Denmark and thought it was a lovely country,” Ricardo explains.
Kolding offers plenty of opportunities
Ricardo commutes to Haderslev for work every day, while Alonso attends kindergarten just around the corner from their home and Nicole attends language school to learn Danish.
“We chose to live in Kolding rather than Haderslev because Kolding is a slightly larger town with more opportunities. We are used to living in capital cities, where there are lots of people and plenty of chaos. But here in Kolding, we have found a good balance. There are things to do, while at the same time it is very peaceful and safe,” Nicole explains.
“In Mexico City, for example, Alonso can’t simply run outside to play because it is far too dangerous. Here, he can.”
The Danish language is an important cultural bridge
Both Nicole and Ricardo describe moving to Denmark as a major change and say it has been more challenging than moving from Ecuador to another Latin American country. In almost every country on the Latin American continent, Spanish is spoken, which meant that Nicole and Ricardo could communicate with their new neighbours and colleagues from the outset.
“The culture in Denmark is very different, and the language is really difficult for us. I have learned both Portuguese and Italian, which are quite similar to Spanish, so I found them relatively easy to learn. But Danish is nothing like any language I already know. The pronunciation is also difficult because many words are pronounced very differently from how they are written,” Nicole explains.
Nevertheless, she believes learning Danish is extremely important, and she is working hard at language school.
“It’s important because it is the only way we can truly get to know the culture and become part of society. When we arrive from abroad, we are like guests in someone else’s home, and learning the language is how we discover how people interact and live together here. Knowing the language makes our stay so much better,” Nicole says with a smile.
Ricardo plans to start Danish classes after the New Year, and Alonso is also learning Danish at kindergarten. He has already progressed to the point where he occasionally corrects his mother’s pronunciation of difficult Danish words.
They enjoy the changing seasons
Despite the language barrier, they are happy to be in Denmark. They have connected with other international newcomers from Latin America, who can share their experiences of settling in Denmark. They also enjoy their surroundings. The family lives close to Kolding Fjord, with green areas and fresh air right on their doorstep.
“We find it exciting that you have different seasons and that the length of the days and nights change throughout the year. It is very unusual for us because in Ecuador, which lies right on the equator, there are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness all year round,” Ricardo explains.
The snowfall in late November was a particularly special experience.
“It was absolutely amazing. We had never experienced anything like it before. It was beautiful, and Alonso played outside in the snow. But it was cold,” Nicole says with a smile.