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10 Things I’ve Learned from my Danish Husband @littlemisskessa

By Two Monkeys Travel - Contributor October 2nd, 2016 Posted in Europe Travel Blog, Inspiration and Love Stories, Travel Blog 38 Comments

I met my husband in a website where foreigners are looking for Filipina brides. There I said it! I would often see eyebrows raised when I share our love story in the past but I am glad that the tide has changed and instead of getting knowing looks, I am now inspiring other women in my circle to believe that love is out there, if not around the corner then might be across the oceans.

10 Things I've Learned from my Danish Husband

I’ve had my profile in that site since 2004 and I have met and talked to quite a few – mostly from the United States, one from Belgium, another one from Canada, and the last match I talked to in 2011 was from Denmark. Yes, I can say that after being in the site for  more than 5 years, I’ve gotten pretty good at weeding the undesirables and those who  aren’t one bit serious at all as well as the “catfishes”.  My “Great Dane” was the last because after a little over a year of knowing each other we decided to take the leap of faith and get married. On the 24th day of October this year, it’ll be our 4th anniversary.

Our story was a cookie-cutter example of 1 plus 1 equals 2. I was in the dating site to look  for my future husband and he was there to look for his future wife. I must admit though that if our relationship did not work, I was ready to raise my arms up and say goodbye to dating altogether. It’s not true that online dating is easier than the real world scenario. In fact, it is a little bit harder because apart from the risks involved, it took a lot of work to communicate with someone on a different time zone. It took a great deal of adjustment and it ate a good chunk of our time. To cut the long story short, my online match booked his plane ticket from CPH to MNL after only two weeks of talking to each other and I brought a friend with me on our first date. I’m glad he was okay with it and we’ve been together ever since. It wasn’t all bells and whistles, it wasn’t even love at first sight but because we both had good intentions, we just hit it off.

We knew that as soon as we decided to get married, our lives will never be the same again. Our lives just became more interesting, more challenging, more fulfilling. But there’s a twist! My husband works as a seafarer and I had a corporate job in the Philippines. Who’s going to move to another country? Who’s going to sacrifice more? Who’s going to give up his/her career? See, marriage is no joke and really and truly life-changing. Neither my husband nor I gave up our careers. My husband decided that since he is not always home in Denmark and that he would be sailing for 2-3 months at once, the best decision was for us to build our family in the Philippines and travel as often as our finances permit to Denmark. In retrospect, I think we made the right decision.

10 Things I've Learned from my Danish HusbandFour years into our marriage and we both still feel like we just got married yesterday. We even have an insider joke that we will forever be on a honeymoon stage until he retires from his job. It might be an exaggeration but it’s the best way to describe how wonderful it is to be married to that one true love that I waited for 29 years. Today, I am going to share the things that I’ve learned from my Danish husband.

Monkey Dividers1. Long distance relationship works.

Yes, it does and distance is what keeps our love burning. We always look forward to seeing each other again and we use the time apart to enrich ourselves by pursuing our individual interests which in turn makes us feel more complete. Being away from each other also sharpens our communication skills because we aim to communicate effectively from afar to avoid any petty misunderstanding. Distance allows us to appreciate each other more. We also do not fret over small things, small bumps along the road,  and small hiccups we encounter because our situation has taught us to look at the bigger picture more often than not. Oh and yes, I don’t feel guilty being alone when we are apart when my husband is hard at work in a tanker ship’s deck because I get to appreciate the value of the time we spend together more. I remember watching Sex and The City about how guilty Carrie felt when she asked for two days from Mr. Big so she can write her article for Vogue Magazine but later realized that the time they spent apart allowed her to think and be more productive and seeing her husband again made her love him that much more.

2. Appreciate the Danish cuisine.

My husband loves his smørrebrød (open-faced sandwich made with rye bread and different toppings) just as much as I love my adobo (pork or chicken cooked with soy sauce and vinegar) and sinigang (seafood or pork cooked in tamarind-based soup with vegetables). And of course, he loves potatoes and I am having a hard time breaking up with rice. But I always remind myself that I specifically included to learn how to cook Danish food in my wedding vows so I have to love the food he grew up loving because it is the only way for me to be able to cook authentic Danish food. The Danes have so much pride in their cuisine and so I beam with so much joy when my husband appreciates the food I serve him. After all, the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I believe that with conviction!

3. No mobile phones at the dining table.

My husband sent me an e-mail telling me that he would want us to do away with our phones on the dining table when eating. He wants us to enjoy our food and be able to talk and be physically and mentally available. He wants us to be able to connect and he wants us to show our little daughter appropriate table manners. I find it endearing that he had to tell it to me via e-mail. He actually did it because he thought about it while he was in his ship cabin and didn’t want to forget about it.

4. Explore the world through travel.

Travel expenses take a huge chunk of our budget. We see to it that we travel to Denmark and other neighbouring countries at least once a year. Traveling allowed me to immerse myself deeper in the European culture. See travel is an important part of a Danish family and so we do it. When our daughter is a little bit older and we’re done building our house, we plan to do a bit more traveling so we could collect more memories and not material things.

10 Things I've Learned from my Danish Husband

5. Collect memories, not material things.

Yes, you probably saw this coming after reading about why we make it a point to travel. When we travel, we enjoy long walks and talks, as well as getting in touch with history and indulging our interests. Shopping is not on top of our list so to speak. My husband has instilled in me that you feel a different level of happiness when you gain intangible things through the pursuit of gathering memories and not after buying new shoes for that matter. Ever wonder why Denmark has always been the country of the happiest people on Earth? Now, you know why.

6. Affection can take many forms.

My husband is not the most expressive man on Earth and in fact he does not say “I love you” every day. However, he finds different ways to show me how much he loves me. Knowing that made me appreciate even the littlest things he does for me. Voluntary back or foot rubs, words of encouragement, letting me decide what clothes he should wear sometimes, doing the dishes among other things are a few of his languages of love. There is no mold for the perfect love therefore it is important for us to learn how to show our affection early in the relationship and in turn appreciate our spouse’s languages of love.

7. Be emotionally and physically available for your spouse.

In marriage, it is easy to get lost into the swing of things so much so that at some point we neglect to provide the intimate needs of our spouse. My husband has thought me the value of always making yourself available to satisfy this need. That does not mean that you have to do it for hours on end but sometimes a kiss or hug is all that matters. Being emotionally and physically available makes your partner feel more special and appreciated. Of course, there will be times when you just don’t feel like doing it and when that time happens do not just simply shrug it off or shoo your partner away. Find a way to communicate so you don’t directly hurt each other’s feelings.

8. Respect each others privacy.

I am puzzled why some wives insist on knowing their husband’s Facebook password or demands access to their husband’s email account. I don’t! It’s not because my husband doesn’t want me to check on him but because my husband did not and does not give me any reason to doubt him. My husband has taught me to feel 101% secure in our relationship through his actions. Through him, I learned that love is respect and respect is love. Privacy is very important in marriage but secrecy is not so learn to distinguish between the terms and you’ll be set.

9. Appreciate what is there and dont worry about what is not.

I learned through time to never ever compare your relationship to another couple’s relationship because what works for them may not necessarily work for you and I apply that to my marriage. I put more focus on the things that we agree upon and I do not dwell on trivial things. My husband has taught me to love him for who he is because he loves me for who I am. We don’t keep a scorecard of what we do for our spouse in the same way that we don’t keep a tally of each other’s faults and shortcomings. We feel that if we appreciate what we have, we would be in a happier marriage. In that way, we get more out of our relationship.

A great marriage is not when the perfect couple comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.Dave Meurer

10. Happiness is a choice.

I know I need not marry to know this but my husband has reinforced this in our marriage. Sulking and being bitter about anything will not do you any good. He may not know this yet but he made me realize that I don’t own all the problems in the world thus I deserve to be truly happy and in order to be happy I have to choose the positive instead of the negative all the time.

Being married to my Danish husband also helped me discover that I am capable of giving and receiving a selfless kind of love. A love that doesn’t make me lose sleep because of worry but rather a love that continue to nourish me to look forward to each tomorrow and just as we vowed to each on our wedding day – all our tomorrows will be for each other. And to that I say skål (cheers) to happy ever after.

10 Things I've Learned from my Danish HusbandNote: I am not a relationship expert at all. I’m also not saying that you have to marry a Dane to be truly happy or to find bliss in your marriage. Maybe I’m just lucky that I found “The One” and couldn’t be any happier that “The One That Got Away” got away. What I am saying is, relationships should always be a two-way street, full of giving more than taking and yes, long distance relationship can work if you make it work.

Monkey DividersAbout the Writer

10 Things I've Learned from my Danish HusbandKESSA THEA NIELSEN

http://littlemisskessa.com

[email protected]

Kessa has retired from the corporate world and is now a full-time, stay-at-home mom who dabbles in blogging, graphic design and daydreaming about her next travel destination. Kessa grew up in the southern part of the Philippines and moved to the country’s central business district after finishing her degree in Accounting. She loves to cook and bake and watching Masterchef is her guilty pleasure.  She’s married to a Danish national and is a doting mom to her daughter who’s a bundle of energy. She loves hiking in forests, supermarket shopping, mixing spices, kneading dough and collecting beautiful stationery and porcelain.

Monkey Dividers

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38 thoughts on “10 Things I’ve Learned from my Danish Husband @littlemisskessa

  1. I am currently chatting with this Danish man who is workibg as US marine assigned in diff country, he is vocal that despite of our age gap, he is seriously asking me to have a try having relationship,, i am afraid he might be scammer becuse we only communicate thru whatsapp.. How to know him better, i just know his name his job though we constantly sending pictures and his videos at work,, still afraid but i like him and beginning to fall because though he is 6yrs younger tha me is really matured.

  2. Kit
    Amaizing Story..i do found a Danish Guy…but still new we keep in touch only thro FB messenger on Video Calls..yes every day we communicate…but i wan to get 100% sure of his trustful…what shall i do to know him well? Eversince i dont have his mobile number…still look wearding tho….i start loving him
    .and is it normal to do online sex with them?? Or he just wan use me nd dump?? Am so scared i did once..but i dont wish to repeat again…he always says..Maggie please trust me…but am stl worries..of online dating..kindly advice i dont want to lose him

  3. Thank you for sharing your inspiring love story Kessa. I regret to not have found this blog of your sooner. But i hope its never too late for me. 🙂

  4. Hi there I also met a Danish man online and he’s planning to visit me this August 2020 he said i’m his gf online but he wants to meet me soom. Its quite far to travel from Denmark to Philippines. Do you think he’s serious with me?

  5. Hi good to hear,am also dating a danich guy and he checks on me every morning ,during the day and night..he tells me that he want to marry me…we have been talking for 5 months now…am in Kenya he’s in Denmark.do he really mean it

  6. Oh wow thus sweet girl…am dating a denish guy but it a long distance relationship being in Kenya and him in Denmark.he tells me he loves me but am not sure about long distance relationship.he checks on me every morning and during the day and night…tell me something..

  7. Hi, glad to read your story. I am also dating a danish Man and am from Kenia. its now a month, are they serious people? am hoping to meet him. Email more sites. should he travel to Kenia or i to dane

  8. Hi, glad to read your story. I am also dating a danish Man and am from Kenia. its now a month, are they serious people? am hoping to meet him. Email more sites. Thanks for the advice. which is the safe thing to do me traveling there or him coming to my country

  9. I am a widow and met a wonderful Danish man on a dating site. He is everything you wrote in your article. We have a long distance relationship full of respect and a growing love. He is amazing and I have never been happier
    Thank you

    1. Carol
      I’m currently dating a Danish man and he is so much like this and more, I’m lucky enough that we live in the same country..I just had to reply because this is all new to me, and reading other stories give me more hope and more incite into what Danish men are like and there ways.. I wish you the best of luck with your journey

  10. Hi Ms. Kt, thank you for your inspiring story it makes me inspire to having a danish man, but can i ask you an advise how to be able to get a visa for denmark bec i was refused last time and makes us disappointed and stressed..hoping your reply thanks,
    Michelle

  11. I am so inspired with your story Kessa. I am praying that i will have the same fate as yours with my Danish boyfriend.

  12. thanks to this article Ms K
    I’m learning a lot coz I also have Danish boyfriend for 17 months long distance already.looking forward to have the same story as Yours.

    1. It is true that to married of Denish guy can loose 24000 pesos in government law Denmark… WHAT do you think.. Can everybody answer this question or he just said this cos he doesn’t like to be married.. He only like to be played… what do u think guys

  13. Hi Ms.KT, I’ve read your blog and I have been reading blogs on “Filipina marrying danish man” I’ve also met this guy online, at first, I am not really interested on this him but he is very kind, patient and persistenti. It took days for me to answer back his mails yet he is patiently waiting for me to respond. Until one day I realized, he’s really that serious. Now, he is planning to visit me by next month and I feel a little nervous on meeting him. Your story gave me the courage to finally meet this good danish man, I just hope, everything will turn out well…

    1. Hello Rochel! Thank you for reading my article. Please send me an article so I can send to you the site along with some other advices. 🙂

  14. Wow im crying while reading this, im one of the woman eho dream to meet a my man soon, same as you im into different dating sites to meet my soulmate im almost giving up of it because its not easier than i think, but this story is reminding me that i should never give up because true love waits, and im sure i can meet my future husband too, thank you for inspiring me through your wonderful love story ????

  15. Happy 4th anniversary Ms. K. Met my Turkish husband in a dating site too. Distance and the huge cultural difference made it hard at first but we were able to make it work. We’ve been together for a little over 2 years and will be celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary next week. ?

    1. Lou Anne, I miss you! I see you are really enjoying your new home in Turkey with your husband. Thank you for reading my article. Happy anniversary to you and your hubby also.

  16. I am married to a Danish guy too and I totally agree. All of those things you said made a lot of sense. I can totally relate. We might have a different “how we met” story but after reading your blog, it made me smile a lot. ? My husband is exactly like that and our relationship is just as happy… I wish you both the best.

    Happy anniversary.. ?❤

    1. Hello Carol! 🙂 I am glad you were able to relate to my article. When I was in Denmark a couple of months back, I met a Filipina who is also married to a Dane. Hope to meet you when we go back next year.

  17. Met my Italian fiance in a dating site too. And yes. We’ll be on our 3rd yr by december. Thanks for some tips. I will remember them.
    ?

    1. I’m ecstatic that you were inspired by the story that I shared. Keep the positive vibes always! We need it in this crazy world. Hehe!

    1. Thank you Jackie dear. We’re both lucky to have found our Danish husband. What’s meant to be is meant to be and it’s up to us to work on keeping the love alive always no matter the distance. Hugs to your little Sophia. Hope to meet you soon.

      1. I dated a Belgian guy I met online. We’ve known each other for 2 years before he managed to visit the ph. sadly we broke last aug. your story keeps me believing the commitment is possible despite the distance. So, what’s the dating site? ?

        1. Hello Maria Carmela! Thank you for reading my story. I’m so sorry to hear about your break-up. Hugs! However, I would like to let you know that even if it’s a cliche this is true – “If it’s meant to be, it will be.” Be strong and know that the love of your life is out there waiting or probably searching for you right this very minute.

          Please email me so I can share the dating site. Wink!

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