Sofie Lindholdt Andersen had never set foot in Vejle, when she moved from west Jutland to live with her partner. Within a few days, she had discovered her favourite places in the city, which she refers to as 'gold nuggets'.
The green lawns and trickling water of Byparken in the center of Vejle is one of Sofie’s favourite places to relax. In the summer, she enjoys lying on a blanket and soaking up the sun away from the traffic and bustle. In the winter, she likes to just walk around the town or sit on a bench.
“The city park is so cozy, calm and well maintained. Several times I’ve seen a dance troupe walking by on their way to a performance at Musikteatret (the music theatre). It's pretty amazing. My first home in Vejle was in the youth housing behind the park, so we used the park as our backyard,” says Sofie with a smile.
In 2020, Sofie packed her moving boxes in her hometown of Højmark near Ringkøbing and headed for Vejle. Back then, she had never been to the city before. She says with a laugh that she’d probably driven across the Vejle Fjord Bridge but she didn’t know anything about the city itself.
First trip to the harbor
It was going to be different. Sofie's partner, Sarah, had started studying to be a kindergarten teacher in Jelling. Sofie was ready for an adventure so moved with her. She got a cleaning job at a housing association, where she cycled around from task to task. Her two-wheeled trips quickly gave her an idea of the city’s side streets and passages, and in their spare time she and Sarah went on many walks exploring the town.
“On our first trip, we went down to the harbor, which I thought was so nice. That building out in the water is absolutely amazing and very different. I think I fell in love with Vejle in a week,” says Sofie, who later found out that the special building out in the water is called 'Fjordenhus'.
Sofie also discovered the beach at Skyttehushaven gardens, Dyrehaven nature park and other green spaces, which she loves.
“I grew up in the countryside with lots of space and tranquility. So I knew that when I had to leave home one day, it wouldn't be to a big city like Aarhus or Copenhagen. I didn’t want too much concrete and tall buildings. That’s why Vejle is absolutely perfect and filled with gold nuggets, as I usually call my favorite places,” she says and laughs.
Dreaming of own her business in Vejle
After a year in Vejle, Sofie decided to apply for the Service, Hospitality and Tourism Management education at UCL. She entered a class with a good sense of community. During the introductory days, the students went on a 'Vejle Walk', which included competitions and other fun activities. Sofie still feels good about the class and the study environment around UCL in general. She has therefore decided that she wants to continue her studies and take a postgraduate in innovation and entrepreneurship at UCL.
“My goal is to start my own business sometime. I dream of buying a farm in the countryside and running a bed and breakfast. And this is where Vejle is the ideal location, as it’s so well placed for Denmark and Germany,” says Sofie, who can’t, however, tempt her partner out to the countryside for the time-being. Therefore, to begin with they plan to buy a house in Vinding or Mølholm on the outskirts of Vejle.
“You can do so much in Vejle. If you want to eat well, there are lots of options. If you want to be active, there’s the forests, beach and treetop climbing at the Gorilla Park. If you want to experience something cultural, there are lots of nice museums,” concludes Sofie, who also speaks warmly of Vejle to her friends back home in west Jutland.
“My best friend and his partner are actually considering moving over here. I’ve also said good things to them about the city. I can't find anything bad to say.”
Translated by Tony Langford (Influentsy ApS)