Music became Madara’s key to a new chapter of life in Denmark
Madara came as an exchange student from Latvia to study a semester at the Aarhus Music Conservatory. She went all-in learning Danish and became a church singer so she could hold on to her love for music while practicing her Danish. She exchanged her music studies for a Danish teacher education, and in a surprisingly short time, she went from being a language school student to teaching Danish to students at UCplus.
Madara came to Denmark from Latvia, and in a surprisingly short time, she has gone from being a language school student to teaching Danish to students at UCplus.
Music, Belly Dancing, and Danish Summer School
From a young age, Madara had a special interest in Arabic music and belly dancing. At the conservatory in Latvia, she had a dream of using her knowledge of Arabic culture to help Syrian refugees. To pursue this dream, she was accepted as an exchange student at the conservatory in Aarhus in 2016. However, fate had a few other twists in store for her.
“I never imagined that I would be teaching Danish,” Madara says with a laugh, explaining how she became a language consultant.
Madara’s first encounter with UCplus was as a student in the summer of 2017. UCplus in Sønderborg offered a “Danish summer school” where students received intensive Danish lessons and went on excursions in and around Sønderborg.
From student to teacher at UCplus
Madara was so pleased with the course that she kept in touch with UCplus while studying to become a teacher in Haderslev. When she saw in 2021 that they were seeking new language consultants to teach classes in Sønderborg, she immediately called and offered her help.
Today, Madara teaches a beginner class with students who are young international students at SDU, and it’s a perfect match.
“I understand their challenges very well because I have been in their situation. I know that coming as a young student to Denmark can be a big upheaval, where everything is different from what one is used to, and the language is difficult. I ensure that they feel comfortable in the lessons so that we have a good and safe learning environment, enabling them to better learn the language. And we focus on topics that are relevant to them.”
A very happy ending
Even though Madara chose to pursue a teaching career in Denmark instead of a conservatory-based career, music continues to be an important part of her everyday life.
In addition to her job as a language consultant at UCplus, Madara is also the choir conductor for a women’s choir in Sønderborg, which meets up every Monday evening. To create new connections, Madara invited the international students she teaches to spend an evening with the choir.
It was a great success, where the students had the opportunity to speak Danish and sing a classic Kim Larsen song with the choir, while the choir members gained insight into what it is like being a young foreign student in Sønderborg.
Madara became a church singer in 2018, both because she needed an income alongside her teacher studies and because she saw it as an opportunity to pursue music while meeting more Danes and improving her Danish. It turned out to be a very good decision because not only did she quickly become proficient in Danish, but she also found love at the church where she sings, and she is getting married to her chosen one in August.
Learn Danish at UCplus and unlock new opportunities
Madara’s determination and perseverance in learning Danish have given her opportunities she never expected.
You can also give yourself a good start in Denmark, and UCplus can help you along the way.
We offer the three official Danish Language Programs, and you start at the level that corresponds to the number of years of schooling you have and your qualifications.
You also have the opportunity to learn Danish online.
Read more and sign up here.