Hej!
I’m the author of Nothing Like a Dane—a title chosen in the spirit of the infamous Danish humour: a little dry, a tad ambiguous, and sometimes completely misunderstood.
At the heart of my work is a simple but powerful belief: how we welcome people matters. Whether it’s into a workplace, an event, or to a country, the experience of being welcomed shapes how people settle, contribute, and belong. My previous career in people management is what sharpened this focus—and continues to drive my work in this area.
My work will resonate if you:
– are finding your place in a new country
– live with or love someone from another culture
– are new to Denmark or connected to it in some way
– appreciate honest insight with a dose of humour
Because what if settling into Denmark isn’t about becoming Danish? What if it’s about sharing a different perspective and learning how to live well when you’re nothing like one? Let’s talk.
Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram , Facebook or send me an email.
Work with Keri
are you curious to better understand the reality of living in denmark as an international?
‘What if we shared the reality of life in Denmark as an international with our Danish colleagues or students? How confusing it can be living amongst Danes when you are nothing like a Dane? Could you retain your international colleagues for longer, or foster greater cultural awareness with your students, if locals understood what it was like to walk in an international shoes? If only for a day?
This presentation is your starting point to begin raising awareness within your organisation, gymnasium or association (for both Danes and Internationals) that “We all think we’re normal until we live in another country”.
nothing like a dane - the book
‘Nothing Like a Dane’ has been described as ‘a book that hasn’t been written before’ sharing the honest and at times ‘laugh out loud’ reality of moving to the ‘land of hygge’. Ideal for:
an on-boarding gift for new employees in Denmark (has been described as “A manual for Denmark and should be given out at the airport to all new arrivals!”)
employees of international companies in Denmark to build greater understanding of the reality of living in Denmark as a foreigner
your next long weekend read
a ‘Welcome to Denmark’ gift for friends or family
book club selection
speaking & writing
With trademark humour (also known as ‘a twinkle in the eye’) Keri is available for speaking and writing commissions on all things Denmark and the reality of integrating and finding your place in a new country.
If her keynote presentations (We all think we’re normal until we live in another country) and (A real-life search for hygge) doesn’t quite fit your group's specific needs, then send me a message and we can work on one that does.
Clients include:
The Danish concept of hygge is a wonderful thing. Even if most fail miserably when they try to pronounce or explain its true essence. Unless you’re a Viking of course.
As Keri stood in the departure lounge of Auckland International Airport with her four-month-old baby, searching for her flight on the board, hygge wasn’t on her radar. In hindsight she agrees it probably should have been.
But she’d never imagined a chance encounter with a Dane in a crowded bar in her home city of Wellington would lead her here, a mother, about to circle the globe, with no knowledge of when she'd return home.
“Nothing Like a Dane is a truly accurate depiction of the first year living in Denmark. A must-read for anyone planning on moving to the country, anyone who has moved to Denmark, and even for Danes to see the other side of a foreigner's experience.”
— Jara
The Bilingual Backpack Baby Blog
I shared my early adventures in Denmark on my Bilingual Backpack Baby blog. The blog is now retired, but you can still find all of my articles there. Designed to help internationals learn the importance of layering your rye bread correctly (trust me, it’s important) or help with the art of sitting at dining room table for 6 hours (it happens more often than you think).
