Middle-aged white dude stereotype

How to share my immigration experience to Denmark without sounding like a douche

I have become the next middle-aged white dude stereotype by leaving the United States. I am now in Denmark and about to embark on my next adventure. I am struggling with how to share my immigration experience to Denmark without sounding like a douche.

Maybe I shouldn’t. We’ll see, but there will be rules.

Rule number one: I will never, ever, ever be an “expat.” I am an immigrant to this very old country. I am the new one here and I am not special. I will act accordingly.

Rule number two: I will never read, write or speak Danish above my weight. I am “conversational” at best right now and will use the language properly as I gain more skill using it.

Rule number three: I will not start a podcast.

Denmark wasn’t chosen at random. I’m aware that gaining permanent residency is one of the hardest in the EU, but I have had deep ties to the country for the past forty years. My children and grandchildren are also Danish citizens and more than half of them live here.

So, we shall see. I can’t leave while Denmark is accessing my resident-worthiness and it is not guaranteed they will let me stay, so this could be a very short chapter. They have up to seven months to decide and a month has already gone by.

The holidays are almost over and real life will begin shortly.