By Elena Bjerre Nielsen
It has been a while since we packed up and left the Beach, Toronto to return to Denmark. We had three wonderful years in the Beach and it wouldn’t have been the same without you!
Now we are back in Copenhagen and pretty much back into the old routine of two full-time jobs, children in kindergarten and daycare and the logistics of everyday life.We both work in the city and have short commutes; 15-20 minutes bike rides door-to-door.
Outdoor Kindergarten
Peter started in his outdoor kindergarten and loves being outside most of the day. We drop him off at the bus that takes him and 25 other children about 15 kilometres north of the city to the kindergarten. It is located in a former estate which was donated to the state when the family had no more heirs. The donation came with a clause that it should benefit children for many years, it was an orphanage, now it is an outdoor kindergarten with lots of space for the kids to play ball, climb trees, grow vegetables, dig, build and also go for walks in the forest. The children spend most of the day outside, but also do crafts, have music classes and story time inside especially now when everything is covered in snow they spend the afternoons indoors.
Downsizing from a house to an apartment
We moved back into our old place, 1050 sq.foot apartment on the fourth floor. It’s been quite a challenge to downsize and Peter was not happy to be sharing his room with Louise. Peter misses having a garden and not having to walk up the stairs. The building was built in 1900 and has no elevator. Originally it was a hospital run by catholic nuns and between they relocated in the 1940s and the building was converted into apartments in 1983, it has served as a dormitory for the nearby university campus, a brothel, studio apartments and a hotel.
We still have few things to do and a few boxes to unpack.
This is our living room view on a nice November morning and on a snowy November afternoon.
Daycare
Louise started in daycare down the street on the same day as I joined the workforce. My husband had the pleasure of breaking Louise into the new routine. We seriously considered dropping her off with a ton of ear plugs for the teachers; she screamed at the top of her lungs whenever I left her and we feared the daycare debut would rock the building.
Since I started working again, my partner has spent much time with the kids as I spent almost as much on the road as in the office. I work in the beauty industry for Christian Dior Perfumes and Cosmetics and I am responsible for marketing in the Nordic region (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, The Baltic countries and Iceland).
Elena lives in Copenhagen, she is mother of two children aged 4 and 13 months. Although Elena grew up North of Copenhagen in an area resembling Muskoka, she had to move to Canada to realize she is an outdoors person.
More similar articles
Living on a houseboat from Amsterdam
Where to Enjoy Nature With Kids in Los Angeles
Growing up Down Under
