A Leap into New Opportunities
Uddami is a doctor and Eranga is an engineer. They have chosen to leave their home country of Sri Lanka behind and start a new life in Kolding, Denmark, where they believe they can give their son the best possible opportunities for the future. The whole family is working hard to become part of Danish society so that Uddami and Eranga can put their professional skills and expertise to good use.
It takes a great deal of courage and determination to leave your home country and settle in a new country on another continent, with a completely different culture and way of life.
But that is exactly what one family from Sri Lanka has done.
In September 2025, Uddami, her husband Eranga and their 14-year-old son Sihela packed their bags and set off on an approximately 8,000-kilometre journey northwest to Denmark.
They chose Denmark because it offers opportunities for doctors trained abroad to apply to work here, and because they already knew people from Sri Lanka who had made the move. Several of Uddami’s fellow doctors from Sri Lanka have relocated to Denmark. Uddami herself has 15 years of experience working as a doctor in Sri Lanka.
“I want to work as a doctor in a country that offers more peace and political stability than Sri Lanka. Denmark is a peaceful country where people are very friendly and the political situation is stable,” she explains.
De gjorde deres hjemmearbejde
Before boarding their flight in Sri Lanka, the family had done plenty of research and preparation to make their transition to a new life in Kolding as smooth as possible.
“We found our apartment in Kolding before we arrived. I also contacted the municipality and explained that we have a son who we want to give a good education, so we wanted to learn more about the schools. Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful, and we were sent all the information we needed. We also looked into moving to Randers or Aarhus, but neither place gave us the same warm welcome or level of support. It was a really positive experience,” Eranga says with a smile.
He also researched Danish language schools, comparing their results to find the best option.
“And it looked like Kolding had by far the best language school of them all. Now that we’re attending classes there, we’ve seen for ourselves just how good it is. The staff are incredibly helpful there too,” he emphasises.
The whole family immediately began learning Danish, and Sihela started attending school at UngKolding. He is now in his first year of upper secondary school at Kolding Gymnasium.
“I think the Danish education system is really good. I enjoy going to school here because there’s not as much pressure on students. In my free time, I play football at KB and chess at Kolding Chess Club,” Sihela explains.
He recently came third in a chess tournament for players in his age group and has started making friends his own age in his new country.
“But I still miss my friends in Sri Lanka a little. On the other hand, I love the weather here in Denmark. It’s not nearly as extremely hot as it is back home.”
Masser af frivilligt arbejde
The whole family shares one big goal: to become as much a part of Danish society as possible. That’s why they’re all committed to learning the Danish language and getting to know Danish culture.
Both Uddami and Eranga volunteer at the Red Cross second-hand shop on Vejlevej in Kolding. Uddami helps out in the shop, while Eranga collects furniture donated by local residents.
Uddami also spends time at a nursing home in Christiansfeld. She initially started as a volunteer, but after just two weeks, she was offered a temporary paid position. She now combines her job with Danish language classes, all with the ambition of eventually working as a doctor in Denmark.
“I was told that working in a nursing home with elderly people would be a great way to improve my Danish. I have to speak Danish all the time, so I get to practise the language while doing something meaningful. Although I honestly don’t understand how they manage to understand what I’m saying – but somehow they do!” she says with a laugh.
“I absolutely LOVE working at the nursing home. It’s wonderful. Denmark really provides excellent care and living conditions for elderly people. For example, we take the residents on bus trips and go out for lunch together. They get so happy when we do things like that. It makes me feel good to do something for older people,” she says with a smile, adding that she misses both her own parents and her husband’s parents back in Sri Lanka.
Job som ingeniør
When Eranga first arrived in Kolding, he found a job at a laundry, where he worked for several months. Then, with help from Job Kolding, he managed to secure a job that matches his qualifications as an electrical engineer.
“Job Kolding has helped me so much. I’m really impressed. That would never happen in Sri Lanka,” he explains.
The whole family emphasises how happy they are to be living in Denmark. In fact, they don’t have a single negative thing to say about their new home. But when asked about Danish food culture, they can’t help but smile.
Eranga points out that Danish food isn’t nearly as hot and spicy as the food they’re used to in Sri Lanka. In fact, they sometimes struggle to find all the spices they need when cooking their favourite dishes at home.
“But we actually think Danish food is quite good. We’re even practising eating rye bread, although I haven’t quite got used to liver pâté yet!” Uddami says with a laugh.