Luciana Marta de Silva Rocha

Name: Luciana Marta da Silva Rocha
Age: 39
Nationality: Portuguese
Company: Lolland Municipality
Title/education: Pharmacy Assistant Technician, currently working as a Health & Social helper

I ended up in Denmark because

During the COVID pandemic, I was unemployed and stayed home with the kids. In Portugal, schools were closed, and it was a difficult time. I started to search for a job and found on the EURES website an open position as an unskilled or skilled worker in healthcare and elderly care on the Danish island of Lolland. I began to research, and after some days, I decided to apply. After a week, I heard back from the municipality, and after a Microsoft Teams call, I came to Denmark to visit Lolland. I was very surprised, both of the Danish healthcare system and the surroundings on the island. Ultimately, I said yes to the job and moved to Lolland with my husband and three kids. 

What surprises me most about working in Denmark is

The work-life balance. I have more time for the family, and I see my kids going to school. Working in Denmark makes me and my family more relaxed. There is a balance between work and free time. Work in general is more calm here and less stressful than in Portugal.

My Danish colleagues are

Helpful and supportive. It was hard for me in the beginning without knowing Danish, but again, it takes time. I began to ask questions if there was something I did not understand at work. I also experience a lot of support from my team leader, who checks in with me often to see if I need help.

Life in Denmark is

Calm! I can enjoy life, the little things, and nature. We are living in the countryside here, but we have everything we need. Whenever I miss the city life, I just take the train to Copenhagen. The language is still a barrier. However, as long as you are willing to learn, it will get better. It got easier as soon as my husband started working. He followed the advice from the international consultant of Lolland municipality and he was successful.

Getting settled in Denmark is a process. My family and I started learning together. You do not become Danish from the beginning; it takes time. We learn a little bit, one day at a time, about food or culture. As the Danes say, “stille og rolig," which means one day at a time.

I would recommend anybody moving to Denmark to

Start by finding a job. It is difficult to come without having a contract. You have to be aware that it is a rather expensive country, but you can get help from the international recruitment team of Lolland municipality to find a place to live. Getting support from your future employer helps a lot. I suppose it is more difficult to do everything on your own, without help. In the whole process of recruitment and settlement in Denmark, the international recruitment team helped me a lot!