About Us

Get in touch

If you want to get in touch with us you can write an email to hej[@]hejsonderborg.dk. Or you can leave us a comment at the end of the page.

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Ann Fenech-Andersen

I got a job at Danfoss at the end of 2011 which is why we moved to Sonderborg and you are reading this blog. I am from Malta, a Mediterranean nation the size of Als. I have now been living here for around 5 years. When not on maternity leave with our son, I work as a Materials Consultant, which means engineers in other departments can ask me about the chemistry of things.

Before getting to Sonderborg I got a PhD at University College London (UK) in Heritage Science looking at the lifetime of colour photographs in mixed archival collections, in collaboration with The National Archives (UK). During this time I wrote about my work and life on my personal blog, research blog and university webpage.

Michael Carøe Fenech-Andersen

I am a web developer at Reklamehuset a Sønderborg-based advertising agency.

Before arriving in Sonderborg I have been a freelance web developer living in Copenhagen, Prague and London looking for wifi and interesting things to do.

My interest in software stuff goes back to my university days in the good city of Aalborg. Moving to Sonderborg is in a way of coming full circle as I grew up in the southern town of Toftlund, so after many years my mum’s frikadeller are again within easy reach should I get a craving for them.

If I am not hunkered over my computer I am probably out on my bicycle getting lost or running around with my camera shooting pictures. I have my own blog that gets updated once in a blue moon, where you can see more about my exploits through the years.

If you want to see more about me have a look at these:

35 thoughts on “About Us

    1. Michael Post author

      Keep up the good blogging, I enjoy both “This Indonesian” and “Only in Denmark”.

      Well hopefully we can increase your knowledge of Sønderborg then. There is a lot of interesting things to tell.

      Reply
  1. Peter Hveisel Hansen

    Thanks very much for a brilliant blog. It can really open the eyes for newcomers to discover how much this city really contains. Keep up the good work. We will expose your blog to all new students at the business academy in Sønderborg.

    Reply
  2. Steven Crombie

    I am a member of the Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society. We are aware that an ex Lincoln Leyland PD2 Bus is resident in Sonderburg. The bus has the UK Registration RFE415. We understand that it has been converted to Open Top format and painted London Red, and is kept at a hotel in Sonderburg.

    Could you help us confirm the bus exsists and if possible which hotel it is kept at and who owns it. Have you seen this bus in your town maybe. We would like a photo or two of the bus if possible. Any help that you give us would be greatly appreciated, as we have being trying to confirm the exsistance of this bus for many years now.

    Reply
    1. Michael Post author

      I’m not sure I can help. I have asked the question on a facebook group that shares old photos from Sonderborg. And so far what we have found is a old British bus made open-top that now works as a hotdog stand. You can see it’s Facebook page and some photos here. Would you be able to tell which brand it is if its not the RFE415?

      https://www.facebook.com/Papashotdogstube
      You can follow my question here (in Danish): https://www.facebook.com/groups/486398188051990/permalink/746048838753589/?stream_ref=2 I’ll email you again if someone comes back with something else that could be of interest for you.

      Reply
  3. Daili

    By chance I found the blog and it is amazing! As a newcomer to Sonderborg your stories impress me so much. I am motivated to design my own to-do-list to explore the city, and hopefully may join you two for some interesting events. Cheers!

    Reply
  4. Debi;

    I am doing research on my family history which so far is back to Augustenborg. I have enjoyed reading your blog posts very much and have a better understanding of the culture and a bit of the history. The main I believe to be my 2nd great grandfather was the overinspector for the Duke of Augustenborg prior to the 1864 war and during a time of much turmoil. It is fascinating to read about the history explained simply and in English! THANK YOU! I wish you well in your continued adventures. I hope someday soon to return and spend time actually getting acquainted with the area beyond a few archive libraries!

    Reply
  5. Tove Stakkestad

    I just came across your blog from the Expat website. I grew up in Augustenborg and am now living in Florida – blogging as well. Your observations about Sonderborg (where I went to school) brings back such warm memories. You are spot on! Thank you for sharing – I will be following you from now on – not in a creepy way! ha ha ha

    Reply
    1. Ramona Snowden

      I’m born and raised in FL, now living in Sonderborg…what I wouldn’t give from some Florida weather right now!

      Reply
  6. Harvey Metcalf

    Thank you. It is great fun reading and very helpful (buying property). Stayed at the Youth Hostel 3 years ago (recommended), and now a B&B in Nordborg (even more recommended) before travelling to Fynshav and Aero. I do appreciate that priorities are different with small babes, but this area is one of the finest sailing environments with so many small and safe harbours.

    Reply
  7. Pam Cole

    The information you explained on buying a property is exactly what I have been looking for, without any luck, until I clicked on your website. It is very, very helpful to me, especially the tip about the one website that lists properties a day prior to the other. This may explain why, when we try to buy a place from the one website, it is already sold. My daughter lives in Copenhagen and I am trying to help her find an apartment or co-op to buy, but I live in America and don’t understand their process. The other links to sources of information are also very helpful. Do you know what we need to do to get our request to buy a place accepted? Do we need to meet with the co-op association? It seems that if we contact the agent, we never hear anything. Is it normal to offer more than the asking price? Thanks again for your information.

    Reply
    1. Michael Post author

      Hi Pam

      Sorry for the late reply. I am guessing you have gotten further in the process of finding something for your daughter in Copenhagen. I don’t have much advice to give other than I would suggest you to seek advice from a local real estate agent. Coop housing is an interesting form of real estate and it can make it affordable to get your own property. But there are some pitfalls to take caution about. Buying into a coop you buy into whatever loans the association has set up and there has been a few cases recently of some toxic rent-swap mortgages gone bad during the financial crisis.

      If you end up having some advice to share for others about the process you have been through I would love to hear about it.

      Reply
  8. Kim

    We are coming over to Denmark (Als) in September to see where my husbands family came from. Are you able to do any history tracing for us if we give you any details (not much unfortunately)?
    Kim

    Reply
    1. Michael Post author

      We can’t really help in looking into Sønderborg genealogy. A couple of places you could try to contact

      http://www.sdbglokalarkiv.dk/ – Local archive – run as a volunteer organisation
      http://www.hsaos.dk/ – Local history club – run as a volunteer organisation

      https://www.facebook.com/groups/684769441596500/
      A facebook group dedicated to old photos from Sønderborg and area. If you have a photo you need help in identifying you can try and upload it there and see if people can help.

      Reply
  9. Marc

    Hej,

    I’m from South Africa and just recently accepted a job offer at our Head Office in Sonderborg, so I’ll be moving my family there (wife and two girls, 7 and 3) in the next few months.

    The practicalities and logistics of moving from one country to another are staggering, but we’re all looking forward to settling in Denmark. Your site is proving very useful, thank you.

    I’m trying to find information about three main things at the moment:

    1) I would like to bring my car over. It’s a 10-year old right-hand-drive Landrover Defender. I’ve written to SKAT, Landrover DK, and to the Motoring Federation, but have not received any replies. Do you have any idea who I can contact? I need to know about the cost of importing my personal vehicle, and also what legislation exists around older cars that are right-hand-drive.

    2) We value our privacy, and would prefer to live in a more remote area, away from the city center. From what I’ve seen when I visited Sonderborg, you can get very nice rental properties not too far from the city, but which are quiet and basically in farmlands. Is there a website or someone I can contact about this sort of property? Would these also fall under the postcode of 6400?

    3) I am a keen sport shooter. I have contacted the Danish Hunting Association about importing my firearms, but have not received an answer. Do you know of anyone else I can contact?

    In my previous visit to Sonderborg, I just LOVED the restaurants I visited. I guess that my Eastern European bloodline makes me genetically predisposed to herring 😉 I also really liked the fact that just 15 minutes from town you are in pretty rural farmlands that are really beautiful. I’m really looking forward to this move.

    Whatever info you are able to provide will be very much appreciated.

    Best regards,
    Marc and Rae

    Reply
  10. Susan Welkenbach Lerdo

    I had been to your lovely town many years ago and have fond memories. I will be staying in Flensburg this coming week with my family and as I was researching things to do there, came across your blog. Very interesting and informative. Thanks for the info.

    Reply
  11. Lei

    Hey Dear

    I think all your posts are very helpful for the foreigners to understand the culture in Denmark, I am a chinese who living in Denmark for 4 years, and back to China in 2006, and right now I am planning to move to Denmark again, really like the life there. I’ll have a lot of questoin on my head, hope can get in touch with you sometime when you free. 🙂

    Thanks.
    Lei

    Reply
  12. Sandra L Newman

    Don’t know if anyone told you that the term Realtor is a registered trademark owned by the National Assoc of Realtors. Not sure that agents in Denmark are part if that association but if not then they are not Realtors, a name only used to describe agents in that association. Other than that they can only refer to themselves as real estate agents.
    Informative and interesting article. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.
    Sandra Newman, Realtor

    Reply
  13. mark gould

    ive just come across your blog. very good…

    Could i ask if you could recommend a web site or company in Denmark that can advise us on a small piece of land to buy to develop as a small holding to ground our own fruit & vegetables plus build our own off grid house.

    or of other people doing the same as we`d like to do..

    many thks Mark.

    Reply
    1. Michael Post author

      Thanks for your question. I don’t have a great suggestion of where to start but there is a facebook page called Off grid Denmark and there is a family living in a tiny house that might have some insight.

      Can I ask why you want to do that in Denmark?

      I must say I don’t understand why you would choose to live off-grid here. In general real estate is rather expensive although you might find cheap land in the more remote areas.
      There is a lot of regulation for houses and farming and I think you will run into a lot of issues trying to stay off grid.
      Denmark is an expensive country so if you live off your land you will have to sell a lot of produce to pay for stuff from the surrounding society.
      There is a reason why most farms here today are mini-factories – in order to make a living you need a huge amount of livestock/land to support a normal family. I grew up around dairy farms and in my life-time I’ve seen the amount of cows needed to sustain a family go from 60 to 150-200. To turn this on it’s head and try to make a good life from living off-grid in Denmark doesn’t seem feasible to me.

      The climate is quite harsh for someone living close to nature.

      If I were to go off-grid I would opt for Central or Southern Europe if it has to be here or even better some stable country in South America or elsewhere with a better climate for year round farming.

      Reply
  14. Maud

    Hej Ann & Michael. We are a French family of 4 considering moving to sonderborg this year. We stopped by your blog by gassed first when one article was the exact answer to a question we had and now the project is becoming more more and real we always end up referring to your blog for tips and advice! Thank you soooo much so far and we would love to get in touch if dream gets closer and closer to come true!
    Happy New year 2018!!!
    Maud & Olivier

    Reply
  15. Debbie Hiskins

    Hi Guys,
    thank you for your blog. My daughter is a 17 year old exchange student from Australia and is a living in Sonderborg for the year. Your blog has helped me learn a bit about the lovely city and country which she will call home for 2018.
    Deb – Queensland

    Reply
  16. Tiffani Howard

    Hi, I saw a tv report some years ago about how Denmark was the safest and happiest place on Earth. Ever since I saw it I was seriously considering moving to Denmark from the US. Tonight I decided to Google “Life In Denmark” and it brought me to your blog. The title 46% of Foreigners Don’t Like Living in Denmark “forgive me I’m paraphrasing, was an eye opener. I really thought the Danish were more progressive and found a utopian way to live without violence and the petty primitive ways we face in America. As a black woman hearing there is some unchallenged racism in the media, hurts the most. I always pray for humanity to shed this flaw that uselessly divides us. The only color that should matter is the color of ones soul. I hoped Denmark was finally a place where character was highly regarded and a priority. I’m not saying that all the Danish people are guilty of the actions of the few but when will we as a species unify and evolve? I truly want to live in a place of peace, compassion and love for all. I guess that place only exists in Heaven. My sincere thanks to the authors for their candor and honesty. It takes a strong and sincere heart to tell the truth, even about your own kinsmen.

    Reply
  17. Darron

    Great site!
    I live in the UK But lived in SDBG for a brief time 35 years ago as a young man. I revisited 10 years ago and felt like a ghost…at that time was planning to take the spirit boat from the harbour to Neunkirken just across the Als – but it must have been closed down? Do you know what happened to this pleasure boat, it only cost a few krona and was great fun. I left DK in 1988
    x
    Darron

    Reply

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