The Story of Børge (Chris) and Birthe (Bea) Christensen (née Hansen)
My name is Børge (Chris) Christensen. I was born in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1931 and trained in the insurance business. My wife, Birthe (Bea) Christensen (née Hansen), was born there in 1934. She became a stenographer.
We met at an outdoor handball tournament. It was pouring rain and Birthe was covered with mud. But I was attracted and we were engaged the following year (1955).
I was restless and thought we should immigrate to Canada, where I had an uncle in New Brunswick. I promised Birthe we'd come back if she was unhappy, so she agreed.
We married in 1957 and headed to New Brunswick. We worked here and there but when Birthe announced she was pregnant, I had to find a stable job.
Getting Down to Business
Were my English skills good enough for the insurance business? Apparently yes––I was offered a job in Halifax.
Birthe stayed home with our baby. When we were transferred to Sydney, the only place to live was near the steel mill. Horrors––the diapers on the clothesline were covered with soot! We used the laundromat after that.
Birthe was homesick. Co-op Insurance offered me a job in Moncton, so I accepted. Birthe and the baby visited her mother in Denmark. She never saw her mother again.
On the Road Again
I worked for The Co-operators for 23 years, travelling constantly. We had three more children and several more moves. Birthe worked for Sears.
We ended up in Winnipeg, a city we love. In 1985, I became Manitoba Regional Manager for Cumis Insurance. By 1992, we were both retired.
Retirement
Now we travel together. In Winnipeg, we golf and volunteer with the Danish community. We recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of our marriage and immigration to Canada. We've never regretted either decision.
Adapted from the 2008 Heritage Book,with permission from the Federation of Danish Associations in Canada
More Immigrant Stories:
• Where were the earliest Danish settlements in Canada?
• Is there a skeleton in the Wiesmose closet?
