Expat: Greenland

The Sunday Age

Sunday July 27, 2003

Paul Edwards

The odds of finding an Australian running a Chinese restaurant in the frozen wastes of Greenland are not good - but that's where Paul Edwards found David Dukes and his family.

Are there any other Aussies there?

Not in our town of Sisimiut, which is the second largest in Greenland, with 5000 people.

So what are you doing there?

I am a project consultant specialising in international joint ventures. The first is a Chinese restaurant using mainly local meat and seafood. You can find it at www.misigisaq.gl. I have also set up an incoming tourism business.

Why Greenland?

We came here for the business opportunity, and because we love the Arctic.

What do you like best about it?

The amazing nature, good climate and fresh air, lovely scenery, outdoor activitie, and the interesting Inuit culture.

Who's there?

My wife and two children are with me. We've been here a year.

How often do you get back to Australia?

Not very often. We haven't lived there since 1990.

What is your accommodation like?

We live in a rented house with a beautiful view of the sea - Davis Strait - and the mountains.

How well do you speak the language?

I speak a bit of Greenlandic and read Danish quite well.

What do you miss about Australia?

We both come from families that are very close, and it is hard to be so far away from them. We miss our friends, and we miss our colleagues from work. We miss Sydney Harbour, and Canberra, and Australia's mountains, especially the Snowy Mountains and Blue Mountains. We miss our synagogue in Sydney. We miss the Gelato Bar on Bondi Beach, with its big portions of continental cakes and Hungarian food.

How much is a beer, a hamburger and an ensuite hotel room?

Small bottle of beer $8.50; hamburger $7; three-star hotel room $160.

How much for a three-bedroom house?

Housing is in short supply so prices are high: between $300,000 and $500,000.

What is your favourite local delicacy?

The local meat and seafood is nearly all great: caribou, musk ox, and probably the best lamb and mutton in the world; from the sea there are giant snow crabs, shrimp, wild salmon, sea trout, and cod. Whether you like seal and whale meat is a matter of taste. The locals' favourite delicacy is whale fat, but it is a bit chewy for most foreigners.

What are the summers like?

Cool. There is daylight for nearly 24 hours. Everyone stays outdoors all the time fishing, camping, berry picking, hunting, hiking and boating.

Winters?

February is the coldest month, with temperatures between minus 10 and minus 30 Celsius. In March and April the days are already getting very long but the snow is still everywhere and the lakes and fjords are frozen. People are active in winter, too: dog sledding, snowmobiling, cross country and downhill skiing (there are two ski lifts in town), tobogganing, hunting or just walking in the fresh air.

Is it safe to walk around after dark?

You have to - sometimes it's always dark. But yes, it's safe.

What's the best time to visit?

If you don't like cold weather, May to September. But there are so many things to do and see in every season, visitors can have a great and interesting time here in any season.

How's the traffic?

Well, there's no traffic light in town. There is quite a lot of traffic considering the town's size, but dog sleds have right of way.

Where do you go for holidays?

We cycle or ski or dog sled into the surrounding countryside.

Is health care expensive?

No, it's free.

Have you made many local friends?

Quite a lot. The inhabitants are divided into two broad categories: the majority Inuit and the short and long-term Danish population (about 10 per cent). The relationship between the two is very complicated. We try to be friendly with everyone.

How do you keep abreast of world news?

It is not easy. We read the news on the internet. Danish TV news is shown every evening, but it is very parochial. Greenland TV news is also on every evening, but it focuses on the local and lively political scene.

Local attractions?

In every season, a walk around Sisimiut town is fascinating, and must include the hunters' and fishermen's market. In summer, hiking, boating and fishing. In autumn, summer activities plus berry picking. In winter and spring, dog sledding, skiing, ski-dooing, accompanying hunters, watching Northern Lights.

Local sport?

The Inuit are great sportspeople. The favourites are snow boarding, skiing, soccer, handball, badminton and table tennis.