Menaul School is back on the road! Follow the pennant around the world.
Laura Hille, International Admission Director, was recently in Denmark, Sweden, and Romania, meeting with parents and students at a variety of school, expos, and information sessions in different cities: Copenhagen, Odense (Denmark); Halmstad, Malmö, Linköping, Jönköping, Gothenburg (Sweden), and Bucharest, Romania.
Thank you to BlueChip, GE, and Integral for organizing great events, and thank you to the other wonderful boarding schools in attendance (always lovely to be in great company)!
Congratulations to Denmark…
Which was just ranked #2 of the world’s happiest countries!
Laura Hille learned a few reasons why Denmark is such a happy place! Read the full list of fun facts here.
- They have a special word for being cozy and a sense of togetherness: Hygge. It’s described as the feeling of wellbeing, the mood you have in warm/inviting atmospheres during get-togethers with friends and family.
- Danes bike everywhere…and there are no hills, so it is an effective mode of transportation! 9 out of 10 Danes own a bike.
- What we call a Danish is actually a pastry invented in Austria! However, Laura can confidently say that Danish pastries are truly delicious! 😊
- Denmark’s education system has a special gap year built in. Students typically spend one year in an “efterskole” (literally afterschool), a unique type of residential school that focuses on a variety of interests, such as sports, theater, dance, etc. Students get to learn about what they are passionate about at a young age – another source of future happiness! Laura was able to participate in the efterskole fair in Odense, Denmark!
- Denmark has 26 Michelin-starred restaurants! Great food brings happiness!
What do you think about when you hear Sweden?
When Ms. Hille first arrived in Sweden, she was given a book (see pic below) and a bag of original Swedish fish candy as a welcome gift. Both came in handy on long bus rides driving between cities on the recruitment roadshow (stops included Halmstad, Malmö, Linköping, Jönköping, and Gothenburg.)
Here are some fun facts:
Swedish artists may be responsible for more American pop hits than any other place. Sweden is the home of pop super stars such as Abba, Roxettte, Ace of Base, and more! But did you know Brittney Spears, J Lo, NSync, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Pink and others have their songs written by Swedish artists!
Swedes love coffee! They have scheduled ‘fikas’ (coffee breaks to enjoy a cup of coffee, perhaps a pastry or something sweet, and good conversation). According to the coffee break report, Fikarapporten, Swedes take 268 hours worth of coffee breaks per year, or approximately 11 full days!
Besides Swedish fish and other gummies, Swedes enjoy various flavors of salted licorice (we have some in the admission office now). They also are home to the candy cane!
The first IKEA store opened in 1958 in Älmhult, Sweden. Now there are 465 stores worldwide.
Thanks to BlueChip for a great roadshow and for guiding us through Sweden! And special thanks to the other wonderful boarding schools in attendance (always lovely to be in great company – Montverde Academy, Maumee Valley, The Harvey School)!
On to Romania…
The world changed a lot from when she left to when she returned. The last stop was Bucharest, Romania, where people are welcoming their Ukrainian neighbors in, and doing everything they can to help them during this crisis, including providing food, shelter, medical attention, and schooling. They are setting up fundraising sites, Facebook groups, ride sharing, and more.
It is powerful to witness human kindness in this format – assisting a stranger, making sure they can access essential needs that every person should be entitled to. This is happening in Romania across villages and big cities; the country united to help a worthy cause, their neighbors. This was meaningful and inspiring to see.
Note from Ms. Hille:
Thank you to the wonderful people of Romania. I experienced amazing hospitality and was safe and secure! The student recruitment event was fantastic. I had great conversations with families and met terrific students.
Thanks to GE and Integral for organizing!
