Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:03 Hi, Ola and hello and welcome to my kids. Think I'm cool, but podcast hosted by me, yours, truly Jackie I'm an American Filipino mom living in Denmark, trying to balance culture, raise international kids and learn the language all while trying not to lose my shit when I'm not parenting. I'm a working mom, aspiring entrepreneur and a podcaster by night. So get ready for an exciting season. Two of my kids think I'm cool podcast. This season, I will focus on international parents doing their thing from changing careers, starting a business all while trying to adapt to a new country. So grab a coffee or wine and listen, laugh and enjoy. Hello and welcome back to my kids. Think I'm cool, but podcast, I know I haven't been posting so much stuff regarding my podcast, but trust me, I am recording. Just trying to find time, because this is my love.
Speaker 0 00:01:06 This is my passion. I love meeting new people. I love interviewing people and also talking about my life here in Denmark. So don't worry, even though I don't post for a week or two or even a month, there is episodes coming out. It's just when I do it, it's usually in the evening or when I have time. And also there's so many amazing women mothers that live here in Denmark. So I love getting to know them, sharing their stories on starting a business, being a mom and even being here in Denmark. So I think it's so amazing. Everyone has such amazing background stories and motivation to start a new business. So for today's episode, I'm actually interviewing a photographer. She's from the us and moved here to Denmark. Her name is Rebecca joy L and she actually lives in Copenhagen with her family, uh, her husband's Danish, and she has two kids.
Speaker 0 00:02:07 And I wanted to interview her because she's is a photographer. She used to be a fashion photographer in the us, and I wanted to interview her just to get to know why she transitioned or why she moved to Denmark. And just really her experience on starting a studio and a business in Denmark. Luckily she stayed within photography cuz she loves photography. She just kind of changed her route because before in the us, she used to be a fashion photographer, but now she's changed her focus to taking pictures of families, kids, and she has a small studio in usable in, in Copenhagen. So definitely check that out. And now instead of me talking all the time, let's get to, to interview. So talk to you guys soon. Hi everyone. And I am here with Rebecca and we are going to just listen to her journey on how she moved to Denmark, how you know she's balancing parenting and also how she's managing her business, uh, that she started here in Denmark. So let's just jump into it. Hi Rebecca. Thank you for being on my kids. Think I'm cool, but podcast, can you tell the listeners a little bit about yourself?
Speaker 1 00:03:26 Yeah, sure. Hi Jackie. Thanks for having me on. So I am Rebecca and I am from the us. I kind of grew up all over the us in New York and then in the Midwest, in South Dakota and Iowa and then California and back to New York. And now I am here with my Danish husband and we have two kids, a little boy who will be four in July and a little girl. Who's 18 months.
Speaker 0 00:03:53 Aw, that's the same gap as my kids. I like that gap because they can actually, the older one also helps a little bit more with a big gap difference of uh, age.
Speaker 1 00:04:04 Yeah. It's a really fun age difference because they can play together, but they can also learn from each
Speaker 0 00:04:09 Other. Yes. My small son just learns everything from her older sister. Like he's already using the toilet cuz he sees the sister use the toilet. I was like, yeah, well head use the toilet. I don't have to do it. Your sister can train. You have to use the toilet.
Speaker 1 00:04:25 Yeah. It's amazing how the second one just kind of picks up everything. You don't have to do the same routines with them that you did the first.
Speaker 0 00:04:32 Yeah. Right. <laugh> I, I feel like my, my small daughter could just train him to do everything and I kind of just sit back and uh, watch.
Speaker 1 00:04:40 Yeah, it was really nice.
Speaker 0 00:04:41 So since this is a parenting podcast, can you tell a little bit about your experience being a parent here in Denmark?
Speaker 1 00:04:50 Yeah, sure. So, uh, I had both of my kids here and my husband and I actually moved here when we wanted to start our family, cuz we thought it's just, it's such a cozy place to have a family. And the work life balance here is all about family and it's, there's so many cool playgrounds and fun things to do with the kids and the maternity leave. It's an amazing place to have children.
Speaker 0 00:05:13 I didn't realize how amazing Denmark is for having kids until I had my own. And then I see my friends back at home having their kids, having to go back to school or work. And then, you know, just the daily hustle as a parent in us compared to Denmark. It's so different.
Speaker 1 00:05:33 Yeah. From the hours you work to going back to work three months after you have your babies, it's it's a different life. But here I feel like we're so lucky to be able to both have a career and have a family.
Speaker 0 00:05:46 I feel spoiled by Denmark. <laugh> don't
Speaker 1 00:05:49 You? Yeah, me too. Me too. Yeah. <laugh>
Speaker 0 00:05:52 But this is like my favorite question because everyone has such different culture shocks when they moved to Denmark. Can you just talk about what your culture shock was when you first moved to Denmark?
Speaker 1 00:06:02 Yeah, sure. I think for me it was all the, the little details that no one tells you about, but because there's so many traditions and people are very specific in the way they do things, they just assume everyone knows how they're done. So it's a, you know, from being at the grocery stores to how you have to put that little divider between your groceries, that if you don't do it, you're frowned upon and no one tells you to do it. It's just, everyone knows you must do that.
Speaker 0 00:06:32 Yeah. That does it the same in the us. It's like you can get your own
Speaker 1 00:06:36 <laugh>.
Speaker 0 00:06:37 Yeah, for me, that was also a thing that I never knew when people would also look at me. They're like looking at the little stick thing in I'm like, what?
Speaker 1 00:06:47 Right. You gotta put it there.
Speaker 0 00:06:49 Or also for me was the Rubal, you know, the stuff that you put in into book, they expect you to know what to put on top of that. And they didn't know there was actual rules for that. Yeah. And I was just, you know, putting everything on top.
Speaker 1 00:07:01 No, there's very specific rules and not just rules for it, but rules about the layering of it. Yeah. Like what, what goes on what level now? I do feel like I've mastered that and I actually love the open face sandwiches and the art of them is so cool.
Speaker 0 00:07:14 Yeah. I know. Same here. And then I actually take Rubal back to the us when I go visit because my daughter only eats Rubal <laugh> yeah. So I have to take that back home from me. And I have like three loafs of Rubal in my suitcase when I go home.
Speaker 1 00:07:30 I understand that because when my husband and I were living in the us, we had to bake our own because he needed to have it. And it was something that he really missed from back home. So we figured out how to make it ourselves.
Speaker 0 00:07:41 Oh yeah. I've actually talked to a few days that lived in the us and they said that they missed it so much. They had to make it themselves.
Speaker 1 00:07:48 Yep. Yeah. Cause you can't buy it
Speaker 0 00:07:50 So no, it doesn't exist. I didn't know what it was till I moved to Denmark. Before you moved to Denmark, what did you do before you actually moved to Denmark career wise? Or what did you do in the us?
Speaker 1 00:08:03 So before I moved here, I was living in New York city. I was working in house as a fashion photographer in a women's wear hand by company. And I was also doing freelance photography work. And then I was bartending at night.
Speaker 0 00:08:16 Oh you're busy.
Speaker 1 00:08:17 <laugh> yeah. Well, you know, to afford an apartment in New York, you gotta hustle.
Speaker 0 00:08:20 That's definitely the New York life though. I have friends that live there and they love the hustle, the big city busyness. And there's always something to do.
Speaker 1 00:08:30 There's always something to do. It's a really fun city. I love New York. I loved living there. But like I said, when my husband and I were talking about having kids, I just thought, I don't know how it be possible here because of how much you have to work, how much space you have in your apartment. And it's, it would be hard
Speaker 0 00:08:49 After moving to Denmark. I realized how many cars there are in the us compared to Denmark. Oh, you live in Copenhagen. So it's different. I live in pilot
Speaker 1 00:09:02 <laugh>
Speaker 0 00:09:02 OK. So it's so much different, but I didn't realize that it was just like, I would worry about my, my child going out in front because there's a lot of cars in Los Angeles, for example, it's not like I can just let them go out, but here you can kind of just let them out and they're on their own and they can come back whenever they want.
Speaker 1 00:09:21 Wow. That does sound really nice actually. No. Yeah. I live in the city so I wouldn't let them out on their own, but <laugh>
Speaker 0 00:09:27 Yeah. I live in violet. So it's just like, you just leave the door open and they just go out and it's horses and yeah, I live compared to Los Angeles. Cause everyone's like, you're in violet. It's like, yeah. It's a big difference.
Speaker 1 00:09:41 Yeah. That sounds nice to
Speaker 0 00:09:42 Go. Yeah. It, it, it is. I really appreciate it, but I, I do miss the big city life sometimes. And, and my daughter actually today, actually for the third time, this week she's asked me to move to California. Yeah. So she's starting to realize the two difference, but I ask her, I'm like, Hey, why do you wanna move to California? She's like, it's warmer there. Why wouldn't you wanna live in Los Angeles?
Speaker 1 00:10:07 That is true. Los Angeles. The weather is amazing. That's probably the thing I miss most, but I could not handle the traffic again.
Speaker 0 00:10:13 Yeah. And that's what I told her. I'm just like, we can move there, but you won't be able to see your best friend like you do now. And she's like, it's okay. I'm just come visit her. I'm just like, does it work like that? <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:10:27 No. You just need to visit LA.
Speaker 0 00:10:29 Yeah. And that's what, what I plan to do with her.
Speaker 1 00:10:32 Yes. Go there for the winters. That's what my brother lives in Southern California. And so my husband and I would often go there for January and February to just escape the gloom here.
Speaker 0 00:10:43 Yeah. Those are the two months I go to. Perfect. Those are like the must two months because I actually like Christmas in Denmark.
Speaker 1 00:10:49 Yeah, me too.
Speaker 0 00:10:50 So I like Christmas here. And then, because I feel like in the us, it's really about presents. Yeah. Here in Denmark. It's not really about presents. It's more about like, you know, <inaudible> staying in having to, you know, lunch, coffee, time, dinner, dance around the trees. There's more of a process. And in, in the us, I feel like it's more chaotic and just like everyone just opens, but maybe that's just my family.
Speaker 1 00:11:14 No,
Speaker 0 00:11:14 I cause every everyone's family's
Speaker 1 00:11:16 Different. Yeah. Everyone's traditions are different. But I do feel here. The, the Christmas is a lot about spending time with the family and eating good food. And of course there are presents, but they're a small part of the, the holiday.
Speaker 0 00:11:30 Yeah. It's not, the focus is present. It's the dance, the tradition of the same food, the dancing and the coffee time. It's all like all timed for some reason. Yes. And then in us it's just like dinner and then presents and that's all.
Speaker 1 00:11:46 Yeah. So what do you think of the real candles on the tree?
Speaker 0 00:11:50 Oh, that scared the shit out of me.
Speaker 1 00:11:52 <laugh> yeah. It's a, it's amazing. It's magical, but it's very scary. Especially with little children.
Speaker 0 00:11:59 Yeah. I could. I remember when I, my first time here for Christmas, my nieces, nephews are teenagers now, but they were little and they were just crawling around the tree. I could just see their hair like grazing the candle. I'm like, oh my gosh. That's just really fire hazard. <laugh> I wonder if like the firemen here are very busy during that time, but I guess not, it's not a big deal for people here.
Speaker 1 00:12:24 <laugh> yeah. It's just normal. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:12:26 Before you moved to Denmark, did you think it was easy to kind of get a job in Denmark or you knew it was gonna be difficult of what kind of experience that you were looking to get into or what your experience?
Speaker 1 00:12:39 Well, for me, I knew coming here that I wasn't looking for a traditional job, that when we came, I was gonna focus on starting our family. And I really wanted to be present with my kids while they were little and stay home with them. And then when I was ready to work again, it would be in the photography industry. And that probably meant I would have to create my own business.
Speaker 0 00:13:00 Yeah. And then what do you think was your biggest obstacle when you moved to Denmark after you settled? I had the honeymoon phase where it was really nice for the three months, but then I just got really annoyed by Google translating everything and yeah, I can't find everything that we usually find in the us very easily. Yeah. It doesn't exist here. So what do you think was like the biggest obstacle for you to when you moved here to Denmark?
Speaker 1 00:13:26 Probably just having the confidence to go out on my own and not understand anyone. Even though if, if you speak to someone they most likely can speak back to you in English, but just to go out and not know anything or be able to read anything or understand anything. And even the supermarket, the groceries are different. And of course I can see what different fruits and vegetables are, but all the packaging on products, I have no idea what anything was and I'm used to being independent. And all of a sudden I had to rely on my husband for almost everything.
Speaker 0 00:14:04 Yeah. Or Google translate. Right,
Speaker 1 00:14:07 Right. Yeah. <laugh>
Speaker 0 00:14:09 I remember I bought juice and it was the three, uh, 1, 1, 4, you know the,
Speaker 1 00:14:18 Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:14:18 But I didn't know you were supposed to add water because that doesn't exist in the us. So I thought, you know, I put a big glass of a SAAF and started drinking it and I was like, wow. Danes, really like sweet juice.
Speaker 1 00:14:37 Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:14:40 So that, that was a big shocker for me. And then I think I got found and then my husband was like, what are you doing? I'm like drinking juice. They're like, that's soft.
Speaker 1 00:14:50 <laugh> like, what is SA I don't understand.
Speaker 0 00:14:55 Yeah. I didn't know any of that. So, and in the variety of milk they have here, I just think it's just too much.
Speaker 1 00:15:03 Yes. And how the milk and the yogurt come in the same packaging.
Speaker 0 00:15:06 Yeah. And then canal milk. And these 8, 8 38 milk. I was like, what, what are these? I
Speaker 1 00:15:15 Think 8 38 is the yogurt.
Speaker 0 00:15:16 Oh, okay. <laugh>. Yeah. But there was just so confusing, like yeah. But now I think I'm good. I I'm good.
Speaker 1 00:15:24 Now it just takes so long to, to figure out all the little things that come naturally in your home country. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:15:31 It, it is. Luckily we drive on the right hand <laugh> so we have that going for us. Yeah. So where I was the turning point in your life, where you were just saying F it, I wanna start my own business and work for myself when you were living here in Denmark.
Speaker 1 00:15:50 So I just actually officially started my business probably back in October, when I first moved here, I did get my business license set up and plan to start the photography business, but just integrating and then having my kids. I never really got it going until recently. And it was, uh, the motivation to really get it started was when I was pregnant with my daughter, my second child. And I had a toddler at home who was kind of in that difficult phase where everything is wrong and they wanna do it themselves, but they need help. And just very, a lot of screaming and drama <laugh> at home. And then COVID happened.
Speaker 0 00:16:34 So sounds familiar.
Speaker 1 00:16:35 Yeah. <laugh> so I was home and isolated and COVID with a toddler and pregnant and I thought I need more than this. Yeah. So I really started figuring out how I was gonna run a successful business here and not just do a little photography here and there, but run flourishing business.
Speaker 0 00:16:57 Yeah. I feel like every mom goes through that where you have two kids screaming. You're like, what am I doing with my life? Has this my life become,
Speaker 1 00:17:07 Yes. <laugh>
Speaker 0 00:17:08 Changing diapers and getting screamed at.
Speaker 1 00:17:10 Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:17:12 But can you be more specific? Can you tell the audience? I think, I don't think we actually said that what you do in Denmark. I, you just said photography. So if you wanna clarify to the audience, what do you do and what business did you start in Denmark?
Speaker 1 00:17:26 Yeah, sure. So what I mostly do here is I have a portraits studio and I shoot kids, families, and babies. And then I do all sorts of photography, but my main business is photographing kids and families.
Speaker 0 00:17:41 Was this something that you always wanted to start? You said that you had a fashion background, but did you know that it would turn into taking photos of babies and children and families?
Speaker 1 00:17:53 Not exactly. And I love fashion photography and that's probably my passion, but here it was so hard to break into the market, not being Danish, not speaking enough Danish. And, uh, so I, I wanted to refocus and since I was a mom now I was very in that family stage. So I decided to kind of combine my background in, look, book, fashion photography with family portraits and create sort of a fashion experience for families.
Speaker 0 00:18:27 I feel like when we have kids, it just, it like this switch turns on and we're just like, okay, everything we do kind of involves the kids or what we like doing involves the kids.
Speaker 1 00:18:38 Yeah. You talk about your kids, you think about your kids at, so they're just, they're the center of your life. And so my photography had to change, focus to include that.
Speaker 0 00:18:50 Yeah. Uh, my husband and I, my family, we love traveling and we just kind of like, okay, we'll just take the kids and just kind of form take 'em everywhere where we go. It's just, we take them. Everyone's like, how can you take all your, both your kids? I'm like, we just do it. It's just, we enjoy traveling. Why not take the kids with us?
Speaker 1 00:19:11 Yeah. I think it's so cool for kids to grow up, seeing the world and traveling and going on vacations and
Speaker 0 00:19:18 Yeah. And exploring a little bit. And now I like that my daughter can actually look at a map and say, which country she's been in. Yeah. I remember when I was little, I don't think I even looked at a map till I was like maybe sixth grade when you're learning the maps in geography. So it's actually a five year old to actually show where she's been. It's actually really cool to
Speaker 1 00:19:42 See. Yeah. That's really cool.
Speaker 0 00:19:44 The thought of starting a business is, is really scary for some people it's just, you know, really stepping out of their comfort zone, but starting a bus business abroad can be completely different because language, and also just everything, the culture around business. But where did you find the courage to actually start your business?
Speaker 1 00:20:08 I don't know where I found the courage to start. Other than I just knew I had to do something I had to start working again. So I made it happen and I, I spent a lot of time figuring out what I wanted to do and then sort of testing it out. I invited a bunch of people to come, do test portraits with me. And then the business sort of just happened even when I wasn't quite ready for it to happen yet. I was still in the testing out phase, but I started getting real inquiries, wanting to book shoots with
Speaker 0 00:20:39 Me. So like the concept actually proved itself without you even like, oh, okay. <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:20:46 Yeah. It, it was really cool how
Speaker 0 00:20:48 It happened, but it was probably really relieving too, that this is something that you wanted to start and it's just, it's just working.
Speaker 1 00:20:56 Yeah, definitely. I think it's like, I, I found the idea. There's so many great photographers out there. Right. And there's so many amazing families photographers. So that's why I wanted to do the studio rather than the lifestyle portraits, because I feel like there's already amazing people doing that and I don't wanna be competing in that market.
Speaker 0 00:21:17 Yeah. And you're doing something different in that space.
Speaker 1 00:21:22 Yeah. Plus I don't have to deal with the Danish weather, which is a relief.
Speaker 0 00:21:26 Yeah. That sounds plus <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:21:29 Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:21:30 You could just be in your studio and have coffee and cozy time <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:21:36 Yes. Yes.
Speaker 0 00:21:37 Was it hard and also was language, Danish language, a big factor when you started,
Speaker 1 00:21:45 Uh, language was a mild factor. You know, my husband is Danish, so he can help me with all of the paperwork and the figuring out of things, uh, legal things. And then a lot of my clients are expats, so I don't have to speak Danish to everyone, but I have found that it was a little bit limiting to only be working with expats. So now I'm trying to up my Danish language skills so that I can communicate better because I work with kids and families. And while Danish parents can understand me perfectly that children can't.
Speaker 0 00:22:21 Yeah. And actually they're prob you're probably speaking in their level cuz I feel like I speak in not my daughter's level because she's, she just is much better than me, but my son's level <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:22:37 Yeah. I'm like at a three, three year old level, that's about yeah,
Speaker 0 00:22:42 Same here. And I feel like I can communicate with them without worrying, getting judged. But if I communicate with my daughter and her friends, they just look at me weird. Like I'm crazy. <laugh> like they say in Danish, she's like, what did your mom say?
Speaker 1 00:22:57 <laugh> yeah. Because even if you're speaking, Danish, your pronunciation, isn't quite there. Right. And so then they think you're just speaking nonsense.
Speaker 0 00:23:07 Yeah. And she wants play dates and she's at that age where she wants her friends to come over and everything and I get so nervous. I'm like, oh my gosh. Like I get like all sweaty. Like I know if I lived in the us, this would, I'd be like, all your friends can come over. No problem. But something about here in Denmark, I just, I'm not confident with her friends coming over because if you know, if something goes wrong, I can't mediate.
Speaker 1 00:23:33 Yeah. I understand that. And you don't wanna put that pressure on your daughter to be a translator for you, so
Speaker 0 00:23:38 Yeah. And that's why I'm actually back in Danish school.
Speaker 1 00:23:41 <laugh> ah, good job.
Speaker 0 00:23:43 <laugh> yeah. That's why when I came here, I was like to this interview, I was like, oh my gosh, I hope I'm not late because I'm trying to get, uh, through Dan I'm only in Danish four. So I have, did you finish your Danish?
Speaker 1 00:23:56 No, I haven't finished. I've only done, uh, one and two, so
Speaker 0 00:24:00 Okay. I'm ahead.
Speaker 1 00:24:01 <laugh> yeah. You're ahead of me.
Speaker 0 00:24:03 It's hard as an adult learning Danish. It's just, I can't comprehend, but eight years I've lived here. I can now at least understand a teacher.
Speaker 1 00:24:12 <laugh> that's good. I feel like the understanding comes before the speaking. Like I can't understand a lot of conversations, but I can understand simple things. And yet I don't feel as comfortable speaking Danish or I, I don't know if feeling comfortable is the right way to say it. It's like my brain can't come up with the words. I can understand it if you say it, but I couldn't come up with it on my own.
Speaker 0 00:24:40 Yeah. I always tell people I'm fluent in Danish. Cause I can say some words and then if I can't say a certain word in Danish, I'll just say in English and then I go back to Danish
Speaker 1 00:24:53 <laugh> yeah. Or you just say the word kind of mumbled yeah. And fast and then add a little, yeah.
Speaker 0 00:24:59 <laugh> it works. It does work.
Speaker 1 00:25:02 Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:25:03 Or just roll everything. You just roll. Yeah. Roll through the sentence and they understand what you say
Speaker 1 00:25:10 <laugh> but I do find with my work that it's actually amazing how much you can communicate with someone without words. So for directing people in the photo shoots, I can do a lot with just doing it myself and body language. And it's a, it's really cool to communicate without language too. I think
Speaker 0 00:25:30 Who is your inspiration that you wanted to get in photography?
Speaker 1 00:25:36 Originally? I got into photography when I was really little, I was in elementary school and there was, you could choose different elective courses and one of them was black and white photography. So I took this course in, uh, ever since then. I was like, that's what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 0 00:25:54 And you stuck to it.
Speaker 1 00:25:55 Yeah, I did.
Speaker 0 00:25:56 So you started a really young age.
Speaker 1 00:25:58 Yep. I did. Uh, in high school I started my first business. It was a senior portrait business photograph all the kids in my class and then it just evolved from there. I did go to college for studio art and art history and I specialized in photography. And then out college, I just started figuring out, uh, different photography, business models and shooting all different things.
Speaker 0 00:26:24 So you basically were made to do this here now. It's just different, uh, subjects, but you already knew this is something that you've wanted to keep going, even living in Denmark.
Speaker 1 00:26:37 Yeah, definitely. I always knew I wanted to be a photographer. It was just how to be a photographer and run a successful business.
Speaker 0 00:26:45 What would you, if there was other photographers or entrepreneurs that live in Denmark as are international, what advice would you give them? If they're really nervous to start or just are kind of on the fence about it?
Speaker 1 00:27:01 I would say just have to jump in and do it. If, if COVID has taught us anything, it's that this is our only life. Don't waste it. Wondering if you can do something, try it. And if photography is a field that it's quite easy to get into because you don't have to have a lot of investment, you know, you, you can try out a business without quitting your other job.
Speaker 0 00:27:27 Yeah. And it's just basically trying it actually just listened to a really good quote last night. And it was you, if you fail, is it something about trying and if you fail it's okay. At least you tried and you learn from something, you learn something from trying.
Speaker 1 00:27:46 Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:27:47 Yeah. I think it's really important for not just internationals, but in general for people to try on what they want and what they're passionate about and for you it's photography.
Speaker 1 00:27:59 Yeah. It, yes. I love
Speaker 0 00:28:02 Photography me actually. I didn't know. I liked podcasting until I actually started podcasting, but I like talking so,
Speaker 1 00:28:09 So why did you start podcasting?
Speaker 0 00:28:12 Just because I love, I love talking. No, I didn't even know. I talked a lot until I started a podcast. I just wanted to share other international family's stories because I know so many internationals that are so amazing, you know, changed careers. They were doing something amazing back at the us or, or Iran or somewhere, but moved to Denmark for a better life. But they had to actually change careers because their education didn't count here or they moved for love and their, they were a successful dentist, but they couldn't be a dentist here. And so it was just amazing how they actually changed careers or went back to school for another five years just to practice their specialists, their being a dentist or doctor here in Denmark. And it's just so amazing how internationals it's really hard work being an international.
Speaker 1 00:29:11 Yeah, definitely. I do feel lucky that at least my career, I didn't have to go back to school and I can get by without speaking Danish. And so I'm really lucky in that sense that I can continue to do what I was doing before, just in a slightly different capacity.
Speaker 0 00:29:28 Yeah. But you also had the courage to start, you know, actual portrait studio. You could have just went like, I'll just start posting on Facebook saying I'm taking some photos, but you started the studio and people are coming into your studio and that's just so amazing that you started that business in a different country.
Speaker 1 00:29:47 Ah, thank you. Yeah. Yeah. It was really a leap, but an exciting one. And I'm so glad I did it because it's been the best thing I've done here. I feel like it's the first thing I've done for myself. You know, I've been here almost five years, but I've mostly been focusing on other people, focusing on my kids, focusing on whatever, learning, Danish, integrating into the society. And this is something that's mine and my passion
Speaker 0 00:30:16 And it makes you happy. Yeah. And, and you're doing it in a another country and that's so, so amazing. And that's the reason why I want to start this podcast because there's, uh, people like you that just, you know, changed their whole life. And then they're like, wait a minute. Like I need to do something for myself and either, you know, quit a nine to five or change careers at mid life and how do they do it and how do they make that decision in their head and wanna encourage other internationals or international parents to kind of find themselves. That's the reason for my podcast. Um, one thing that, you know, now you wish you knew when you first started.
Speaker 1 00:31:01 Hmm. Well for the studio that I just opened, I don't feel like I've been in business long enough to have any regrets yet. But I would say in terms of being a photographer and starting your business, my advice would be to not take jobs that are not what you wanna do because then either you or the client is gonna be unhappy and I've done way too many jobs that, uh, I regret taking probably <laugh>.
Speaker 0 00:31:30 Yeah. So that's good to know when you would take a job, be happy and not. So you don't regret it in the future. Some tips for not just for a photography business, but for any internationals or anyone in Denmark that want to start a business.
Speaker 1 00:31:50 I would say researcher market really find out what's already being done. And uh, if the business you want is something new or different that there's a hole in the market that you can fill.
Speaker 0 00:32:04 That sounds good. And then my last question would be, you mentioned earlier that Denmark is so perfect for kid friendly places. Uh, I did start a blog where parents actually add their favorite place to take kids to. Can you name two or three place that is like your go to place to take kids in Copenhagen or anywhere, anywhere in Denmark actually.
Speaker 1 00:32:30 Okay. Sure. One probably my best tip would be that for weekend outings with the kids check out school playgrounds, they are the hidden gem of playgrounds because they're not crazy overrun, like all the other playgrounds and they're a new place. Your kids can't play during the week. So everyone's excited to, to have a little fresh place to play. We also really love going to experiment. It's uh, great for those dreary winter days or, uh, dark days. It has a indoor play area. That's for little kids and then also lots of stuff for all ages. So it's,
Speaker 0 00:33:11 It's a great, is that two or do you have one more?
Speaker 1 00:33:14 Yeah, that's my two. I don't know. I, I think those are probably my best steps. <laugh> yeah.
Speaker 0 00:33:21 That's OK. Yeah. That's yeah, no, I just, I just started this website go kid Italy because when I first had kids and also, you know, you're in a new country, you're like, where the heck am I gonna take you? Like, first of all, you don't think what the essentials you need when you go out. And so I just started this map or kind of a directory for parents to actually mark the places that they go to. So other parents can find it.
Speaker 1 00:33:50 That's great because it is really hard. And also if you're kind of Googling things and looking them up in English stuff doesn't necessarily come up if it's here in Denmark. So you, it's quite hard to find interesting places.
Speaker 0 00:34:05 Yeah. And that's why I actually started this website, uh, where it's an open platform and parents can, um, add their favorite places on there. I don't work on it so much because it's, it's just part-time and it's for fun. And it's for, it's just for parents to just find cool places to go to on there. And then my podcast is kind of tied to it, but it's there. And I actually asked all my podcast guests, I was like, Hey, where's your favorite place? And so I, I put it on there. So if anyone's in Copenhagen or in a specific area, they can check out these places that my guests have been to.
Speaker 1 00:34:41 Yeah. Then they can final the hidden gem.
Speaker 0 00:34:43 Yeah. Because we we're the ones that know where the places are because we've lived here, but you know, for a new parent coming in or just a new parent, they don't know. Like, I didn't know. They had like full on changing tables and baby rooms in the shopping malls that I was just like blown away how nice they are here in Denmark. Yeah. So I just want to inform parents that those are options <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:35:09 Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:35:10 But thank you so much for being part of a podcast. Any last words on for parents, uh, parenting in Denmark or starting a business or your photography?
Speaker 1 00:35:24 I think you just do what you love, spend time with your family and
Speaker 0 00:35:29 Live your life. I would say enjoy the sun when it comes out. <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:35:34 Always enjoy the sun when it comes out.
Speaker 0 00:35:36 You never, you never know how good sun is until it's taken away. <laugh> especially in Denmark.
Speaker 1 00:35:43 <laugh> yes. Yes. We've been so lucky lately. The last few weeks have been sunny and amazing actually the last few months, I think that I'm now starting to get a little worried that the sun's gonna go away for the summer.
Speaker 0 00:35:58 Oh, I know it came too early.
Speaker 1 00:36:00 Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:36:01 Because you know, in Denmark it's only like two months of sun. So I was like, did we just have the two months of sun we did? And then yeah. I hope it's longer. <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:36:11 Yeah. Maybe we're gonna be lucky this year.
Speaker 0 00:36:13 Yeah. I hope so. I hope it lasts till December <laugh> yes. But thank you so much. I'll have all of Rebecca's links, her Instagram and her website on the, my website and also where you guys can find and contact her. If you're in Copenhagen and wanna have your portrait taken your kid's portrait taken or your family portrait. So bye everyone. What did you guys think about that story? I thought it was really amazing. And also it was such a fun interview. Well, I think all my interviews are really fun because I get to know so many women, amazing women living here in Denmark. And this is why I love podcasting because I get to meet so many incredible, uh, women that are just so ambitious. So courageous for starting a new business abroad. So thank you, Rebecca, for taking the time to share your story to me.
Speaker 0 00:37:10 And also to my audience, if you guys, the listeners wanna check her out, she is based in the bowl. The address will be on my website and also her website, any Instagram handles or any social media handles that she has, I will have it on my website. And then she shared some really cool children's playgrounds or children, uh, things to do with their kids, the podcast too. So I'll have that on my kid.com. So you guys know where to find these cool places to do with the kids in Copenhagen? Well, I guess that is all, I hope you guys enjoyed this episode. Maybe learn something from starting a business or finding courage to do something that you love and try to make something of it. So this is a wrap for this podcast. So I'll talk to you guys next time. Bye.
