We Have Time to Hold Hands Here

Charlotte and Søren fell head over heels in love with Samsø in 2014, when they celebrated their magnificent wedding on the island. They lived a busy life in Ringsted at the time, until the day they felt like they had to change the course their lives were heading.

 
Darkness is also Nice
Not long time after their wedding, Charlotte and Søren bought a holiday cottage in Ballen, which they frequently used all year round. “When we first bought it, we stayed there during the darkest period of the year. In fact, this was a great baptism of fire as we soon learned that we were very comfortable with the visible seasonal shifts, and we never worry that it might be too dark and gloomy,” Charlotte says.

The couple soon found out that friends and family were keen to travel from Jutland and Zealand to visit them, “and there’s no doubt, this expediated our change from part time islanders into full time residents,” Søren recalls.

God, You Have Guts!
As Charlotte, Søren and their daughter Sofie visited their breathing space on Samsø more and more often, their dream of a new life started to take shape. “I needed a new challenge in my career, and we needed a less stressful family life in general. We simply chose to give higher priority to each other,” Charlotte explains.

They never planned for Samsø to become the permanent home of their small family, but then, before they knew it, the removal boxes were all packed! ”Of course, it was an important and wild decision. I quit my job and moved to Samsø without having a new job. Sofie had to change school leaving her friends behind and missing her father. We still had a house in Ringsted that we hadn’t sold yet. We didn’t even know exactly what we were moving to, but still knew it was the right decision. Our friends were pretty impressed by our courageous decision. Many people dream about changing their lives for something new, but very few actually do it,” Charlotte says.

The Pieces Falling into Place
So far the family has experienced a great start to their life as islanders. Sofie has started her schooling at Onsbjerg Lilleskole, safe and cosy with only 70 pupils. ”Everybody knows one another, and i have already made a lot of good friends who often come home with me,” Sofie, the fourth former, says.

Sofie loves dancing and music, and Charlotte takes her to the town of Odder once a week for disco and hip hop lessons. Apart from that, there isn’t much that Sofie misses while in her new life on Samsø. “Well, an H&M shop perhaps!”

Charlotte and Søren quickly discovered the closeness that was one of the reasons they moved away. “People on Samsø care for each other. Everybody is so helpful which certainly contributes to the sense of belonging here,” Søren explains.

The couple has also put a lot of effort into creating a new social network. Søren has joined the Lions Club and Charlotte has already made friends with many of her new colleagues: ”The day before the removal van left Ringsted, I was so lucky to get a job at Samsø School. It is as if everything just worked out like magic,” she concludes happily. With less than 100 metres to the beach and with all of the nature of Samsø just around the corner, the family has brought an element into their life that gives them a peace of mind they didn’t feel before: “Everything seems to be less busy, less intense. We often sit at home holding hands. We didn’t do that often in our old lives,” says Søren. He has even now found the energy to take up winter swimming.

Island of Opportunities
Søren works at a large lightning manufacturer, working three days a week at the office and two days at home, which is the ideal arrangement for him. ”Distance is no problem at all as it is quite easy to use the time on the ferry to work. This is impossible when you spend hours in queuing traffic on the mainland´s motorways. In fact, this arrangement has given us more time, and complete peace and quiet in the evenings,” Søren explains.

Beside his full time job, Søren is also what he calls a modern traditional-Danish-style musician. “During the weekends, I often play at parties or other events, so it is very convenient to live at the very centre of Denmark. In addition, I’m getting more and more musical assignments on Samsø, which is very nice indeed,” he tells us.

Charlotte and Søren are also planning to set up a small business – SamsøByStage – and they agree that the island is ideal for the fulfilment of such dreams: ”If you have entrepreneurial ambitions, Samsø is a great place, as there is already great drive and lots of potential here.”

Ambassadors
In fact, the small family has come to appreciate their new Samsø life so much that they often encourage their family and friends to do the same, and someone has already taken our message to heart.” My mother and her husband are due to move to Samsø soon. They have found themselves a nice flat in Brundby Gl. Skole with a view of the fields and the sea.

Last updated: 11/08/2020 14:05