Living Abroad Shifts the Meaning of Home for Scandinavian Expats

Living abroad for years changes how people define home. The Local editor Becky Waterton shared her experience of living in Scandinavia. She moved to Denmark as a university student in her early twenties. Later, she lived in Sweden as well. She still feels at home in all the cities she lived in.

Waterton often travels between Malmo and Copenhagen by train. She remembers missing Danish rye bread with fish fillet and remoulade. She also missed Faxe Kondi soft drinks and canteen pastries. In Sweden, she enjoys crispbread and weekend sweets with her daughter. She also enjoys Danish crisp brands and snack vegetables for packed lunches.

Living in multiple places does not divide a person's identity. Instead, it creates multiple homes and new annual traditions. At Christmas, Waterton craves Danish aebleskiver, Swedish saffron buns, and British mince pies. Returning to Copenhagen still feels completely natural to her. She easily remembers her old shortcuts across the city.

The column also highlighted upcoming November developments in Denmark. A new European Union rule adds a two euro processing fee on small parcels. This fee targets cheap imported goods from outside the block. Denmark is also discussing student visa rules for accompanying spouses. This story was reported by media outlet The Local.