Francois Picard

Name: Francois Picard
Age: 39
Nationality: France
Company: Teknologisk Institut

Title/education: Software engineer

I ended up in Denmark because

I am one of the numerous members of the I-followed-my-girlfriend club. At the time, she got a mission to work 3 months in Odense, mission that finally lasted 3 years. At some point, I decided to join her in Denmark. A very classical story.

What surprises me most about working in Denmark is

The balance Danes manage to create between their private and the professional lives. One does not have to justify how she or he manages her or his time. Coming from France where it is “good” practice to stay at work as late as possible, it was definitely a surprise at first to see one colleague leaving work from 15 o’clock because kids needed to be picked up or declining a morning meeting invitation because he was celebrating his daughter’s birthday this morning and that he was arriving later this day. Time is definitely more flexible at work here in Denmark.

My Danish colleagues are

By day coworkers and collaborators who make my job really exciting, and by night my friends with whom I'm often gladly sharing a meal and a glass of wine. Additionally, they are my main and very helpful source of information and answers regarding any kind of challenges I can have in Denmark.

Life in Denmark is

Peaceful and comfortable and one can easily get used to it, forgetting how lucky it is to live in Denmark today. People do have time besides work, take advantage of the many social benefits the society implements, and enjoy how diverse duties, especially the administrative ones, can practically, and mostly digitally, be dealt with.

I would recommend anybody moving to Denmark to

Be ready to be independent. Danes are, socially, and do not spontaneously help nor meddle in other people's business. If you don't actively ask, nobody is going to do things for you. But if you do (in Danish, even better) then you'll get all the support you can get.