Copenhagen - The Awakening of the Irish Gypsy Nomad

It was the summer of 1987 - Copenhagen was to be my first trip outside of Ireland (not counting camping with the parents in Enger-land).  With only a week left before departure, the original five adventurous college classmates eager to spend a summer overseas and earn some cash dwindled down to just two. The night before we were due to depart, the last brave comrade in arms phoned to tell me he 'lost his passport' and wouldn't be able to go.  I had already quit my prestigious part-time job stocking shelves in a supermarket, so I had little option but to go it alone.

I was a shy, innocent, clueless Irish Paddy heading off to the unknown.  My sisters boyfriends brother was supposedly aware of my imminent arrival so I least I had a contact on the ground...or so I thought.  On the plane to Denmark, I chatted with an Irish girl (Kathryn) next to me and told her of my plight.  "Who is supposed to meet you at the airport" she asked.  "John H.", I responded.  "I doubt it she said - sure isn't he away for a week at the Roskilde Rock Festival!"


I should probably write something eloquent like "on comprehending my imminent dilemma my heart sank...blah blah blah", but in reality I nearly shat my pants.  I was to arrive in a strange land with nowhere to go and no one to help...FECK!


On seeing my concern she said - "but there's a spare room above our flat where you can stay a few nights and I'll introduce you to the Irish Burger King crew".

It was only recently I thought about what a pivotal moment that was.  Without her contacts and hospitality, I might well have been back home in Dublin a week later with my tail between my legs and possibly never have been keen to leave the ol' sod again.  Instead, I got a job at Burger King <- [click me], and met a ton of wonderful people and gained an appetite for wandlust that continues to this day. Thanks Kathryn wherever you are..
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Tags: ..Copenhagen, Denmark..

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Burger King Copenhagen København Denmark Facebook Group

This is the Original Burger King Copenhagen Group set up in August 2007.

For more information and to find old Burger King friends click here

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14240500252

Working abroad was often the only option for a lot of Irish / English people back in the 80's and early 90's. If you had money you headed off on your holidays to canary islands but as a student sometimes the only way to make some dosh during the summer holidays was to head abroad and work so as to have money to pay for books (ok beer) in the coming semester. It was first time away from home for many of us and we tended to run riot with the new found freedom away from the shackles of 80's conservative Ireland. Copenhagen was a popular destination for many and we ended up working in cleaning companies, paper rounds and restaurants or basically the shi_te early hour work the Danes didn't want to do.

One such place was Burger King. I worked in the BK on Vesterbrogade for a summer in '87 and another stint in '88. It seemed like home away from home as besides the Danes that worked there most people were Irish and the majority from Malahide including the management.

The work was mind numbingly boring but we made our own 'craic'. You'd start out bottom rung of the ladder, cleaning the restaurant and work your way up to the broiler, fry station, whopper table, sandwich table and maybe even as a cashier if you could memorise 'dobel whopper med ost'.

It was shift work and many of us did 5pm-3am which involved dismantling all the kitchen stuff for a thorough cleaning. I can still smell the grease tray from the broiler - yeuch! Afterwards it was party time with a trip down to Rio Bravo pub (game of Mia) which was open until 5am and then on to the English Pub or some place where we usually ended up dancing on the tables at 8am.

We often ended up in Christiana for a side 'trip' at 10am and before you knew it you were back in work after only a couple of hours sleep - oh to be able to hack the pace again! - anyway if you were there around then or have any experiences to share - post a note or upload a photo to the Facebook group here why don't you?

Tags: Burgerking Copenhagen, Burger King Copenhagen Danmark, Burger King Copenhagen København Denmark Facebook Group,Irish, Burger king Irish
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