ScandAsia Singapore

APR 2015

How to

pick a school

ScandAsia.dk ScandAsia.fi ScandAsia.no ScandAsia.se

Open House

Register at www.sais.edu.sg

Friday, April 24 th 2015

Future

Market

Analysts

Required

Ages 2-18

Stamford American is

pleased to announce their

Live Trading Floor.

An in-depth understanding of the workings of a

trading floor is pivotal in many careers in finance.

We go further – with a state-of-the-art trading floor

which challenges students to develop innovative ideas

and test them in authentic scenarios.

We are ready and waiting to meet your budding Analyst.

Please introduce us.

Stamford offers an outstanding international

education for students from 2 to 18 years.

We offer the rigorous IB Program –

enhanced by American standards and

a focus on languages – to equip your

child for global citizenship.

Stamford American International School CPE Registration Number: 200823594D Period of Registration:

August 10, 2014 to August 9, 2018

Inquiry Hotline

+65 6653 7907

Your No. 1 Choice

With almost 40 years of experience in Asia, Handelsbanken provides a full range of

corporate banking and treasury services.

We believe that all key banking decisions should be taken close to the customer.

This means that you can always count on a high degree of flexibility and quick

decision making.

Make us your number one choice in banking.

Beijing – Hong Kong – Jakarta – Kuala Lumpur – Mumbai – Shanghai – Singapore – Sydney – Taipei

www.handelsbanken.com

Coming Events

Swedish - Norwegian

Sportsday

Copyright:

Fedori Nataliia /

123RF Stock Photo

Your FREE

ScandAsia

Magazine

in Singapore

ScandAsia is the only magazine

that covers all the Danish, Finnish,

Norwegian and Swedish residents

in Singapore.

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine

in China, Thailand, and the rest

of South East Asia.

The Sportsday of the Norwegian / Swedish Church

has moved home to the Church on the hill - and

a “hill run” has been included among the sports

disciplines of the day. As visitors to the Church will

know, the road leading up to the Church is steep

and winding so this could be a real challenge.

The rest of the day will be fuin activities for

the whole family.

When: Saturday 11 April 10.00 -14.00

Church Hill Race: 13:00

Where: 300 Pasir Panjang Road

MRT: MRT Circleline to Haw Par Villa and five

minutes walk.

Steinar Dale Wessman practicing

running up the Church hill.

(Copyright: sjomannskirken.no/singapore/)

Rumble in the Jungle

Members of DABS, SBAS, NBAS, FBC will have

the opportunity to be introduced to the CEO of

Nordea Bank since 2007 Mr. Christian Clausen

with a “Rumble in the Jungle” - an early morning

11 km run in MacRitchie Park. The run will be

followed by breakfast in the Mushroom Café and

meet & greet with Christian Clausen.

Get your own

FREE copy:

scandasia.com

Publisher :

ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd.

211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29

Prasert Manukitch Road

Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao

Bangkok 10230, Thailand

Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8,

Fax: +66 2 943 7169

Teenage afternoon @ Sentosa

When: 7am – 10am, April 20, 2015

Where: MacRitchie Nature Trail & Reservoir

Park

Editor-in-Chief :

Gregers A.W. Møller

gregers@scandmedia.com

Assistant Editor:

Joakim Persson

Joakim@scandmedia.com

Advertising :

Frank Leong

frank@scandmedia.com

Finn Balslev

finn@scandmedia.com

Graphic Designer :

Peerapol Meesuwan

Peerapol@scandmedia.com

Distribution :

Wanvisa Rattanaburi

wanvisa@scandmedia.com

Printing :

Advanced Printing Services Co., Ltd.

Photo: Ken Eckert

Members of SWEA invite all 13 to 20 year old

Swedes in Singapore to an informal afternoon

on Palawan beach on Sentosa island on Friday 17

April at 17.00. It will be an afternoon of games,

sun and swimming. Your parents will obvisously be

welcome, too.

Sign up with: maria@redaktionen.nu

WHAT IF ...

AUGUST

2015

APPLICATIONS

OPEN

Xander returns to the start of his trip to the Himalayas

…SOME JOURNEYS WERE TEN YEARS IN THE MAKING?

Would a sleepover in their classroom in Grade 1 prepare

students for trekking in the Himalayas in Grade 11? At

UWCSEA we believe it does. That’s why our Outdoor

Education programme begins with a night in the classroom

when students are just six years old, and challenges them

further each year.

Take Xander, Class of 2014, whose five-day trip to Taman

Negara in Grade 5 helped to give him the determination,

adaptability and resilience he needed to trek for two weeks

and homestay in Ladakh, North India in Grade 10. In Grade

11, he planned and completed an independent trip to Laos,

where he helped rebuild an animal sanctuary. For Xander,

the adventure began when he joined UWCSEA and spent a

night away from his family for the first time.

At UWCSEA students learn that they can stretch

themselves further than they thought possible. Through our

Outdoor Education programme, they discover, in the words

of the UWC movement founder, Kurt Hahn, “there is more

in you than you think.”

What if your child joins UWCSEA?

Visit www.uwcsea.edu.sg to find out more.

UWCSEA Dover is registered by the CPE CPE Registration No. 197000825H Registration Period 18 July 2011–17 July 2017

UWCSEA East is registered by the CPE CPE Registration No. 200801795N Registration Period 10 March 2011–9 March 2017

136ADV-1415

News Brief

Ambassadors on road show to Sweden

During the first week of March 2015

Sweden’s Ambassadors to Southeast

Asia went on a road show together

with Business Sweden to make their cause

for increased Swedish trade and investment

with the ASEAN region, each ambassador also

representing their particular country as a business

destination.

Their road show visited Lund/Malmö in

southern Sweden, Gothenburg on the Swedish

west coast and finally the capital, Stockholm.

“Plenty of interest from Swedish companies

to do business in Cambodia and in ASEAN,”

reported the Ambassador in Cambodia, Anna

Maj Hultgård on social media!

The kick-off for road show took place at Ideon

Science Park in Lund to talk about investment

opportunities in Asia. Ideon is Scandinavia’s and

one of Europe’s most successful meeting places

for visionaries, entrepreneurs and for venture

capital.

The aim with the road show was to attract

more Swedish companies to invest in “the world’s

most dynamic region.”

In an open letter in the daily newspaper

Göteborgs-Posten, the ambassadors jointly also

wrote:

“The basis of our Swedish society builds

upon Swedish export. Sweden has for a very

long time been a successful exporting country

and the ambition of the political decision-makers

remains high. However, we live in a changing

world where the wheels roll faster. For Sweden

to be able to maintain its position, it requires that

we speed up and are ready to meet new needs

on the market.”

And highlighted Southeast Asia as the

market for the future: “With almost 660 million

inhabitants and an expected growth of around

five percent every year, the region is looking into a

very exciting future. Despite this, Swedish export

to Southeast Asia only counts for around two

percent. This trend has to stop.”

“We need more companies who dare to

make investments in this region. It is not enough

that most of our major established global

companies are investing. We also need to attract

small and medium-sized companies to take the

leap over to Southeast Asia. The potential is

huge but of course it is not without challenges.

To be successful in this region, it requires

perseverance and patience. A company that

believes it is possible to recoup an investment

in one year are often too optimistic,” the

ambassadors adviced

“On the other hand, companies who have

patience and ability to build up relations will be

able to succeed. In many countries there are

challenges with corruption, and that weakens

the CSR transcendently, but exactly therefore

it is important that Sweden shows business

presence. Many of the large multinational Swedish

companies have successfully been established

in Southeast Asia for decades and it has also

improved the business environment, transparency

and working conditions. Through Swedish

entrepreneurship, we can contribute to a positive

development.”

In the end of 2015, the ASEAN inner market

AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) will be in

force, creating improved conditions for ASEAN

countries to generate growth.

“In Southeast Asia, there is significant

capital with a very well-functioning financial

market in Singapore. The big economies of

Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines

and Malaysia have a growing middle class and

all the ASEAN countries are making huge

investments in infrastructure. Where is the

Swedish construction industry?”

ASEAN countries have a combined GDP that

is 25 percent larger than that of India, has more

than 600 million consumers and is the world’s

fourth largest exporter. Asia is not just China and

India, but so much more.

“Let us together meet the challenge of

increasing Swedish export. We will together

with Business Sweden, Swedish Export Credit

Corporation and the Export Credits Guarantee

Board do our best to welcome and support the

brave Swedish companies. We are wanted in

Southeast Asia, let us not miss the chance!”

Sweden’s current ambassadors are as follows:

Johanna Brismar Skoog, Indonesia; Bengt G.

Carlsson, Malaysia; Anna Maj Hultgård, Cambodia;

Håkan Jevrell, Singapore; Klas Molin, Thailand,

Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines; Camilla

Mellander, Vietnam.

Career day in Singapore

a great success

Tons of students in Singapore showed up at SMU School of Accountancy in

Singapore to participate in the annual event: the Career Day, organized by

ANSA, the association of Norwegian Students Abroad in Singapore on 25

March. Besides a full house of Norwegian students, there were speakers from major

companies such as Statoil.

The Embassy also participated with a speech about successfully conducting

business in Singapore.

“The day was a great success with more than 300 participants,” says Kristen

Lorraine Eilertsen, President of ANSA, about the event this year.

6 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2015

Condolences on the passing of PM Lee Kuan Yew

All the Nordic countries issued statements

of condolences to Singapore for the

passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the founding

Prime Minister of Singapore. Mr Lee passed away

peacefully on 23 March 2015, 91 years old.

HE Håkan Jevrell, the Swedish Ambassador,

extended his deepest condolences to Prime

Minister Lee Hsien Loong and to the people

of Singapore on the passing of former Prime

Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

“He was a visionary statesman who led

his country to independence, with remarkable

leadership and determination. He laid the

foundation for the Singapore of today, one of

the most prosperous countries in the world.

Our thoughts are with Mr. Lee’s family and the

people of Singapore during this difficult time,” the

Swedish statement said.

The Norwegian Ambassador, HE Tormod C.

Endresen stated:

“On behalf of the Norwegian Embassy I

wish to convey my sincerest condolences to

the Singaporean people and government for

the great loss your nation have sustained in the

passing of former Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan

Yew. He will be remembered for his visionary

leadership, his extraordinary contribution to

Singapore’s economic and social progress, and as

a remarkable international statesman.”

HE Berit Basse issued a statement, saying:

“On behalf of the Royal Danish Embassy,

I extend my sincerest condolences to the

Singaporean people and government for the

great loss your nation has sustained in the

passing of former Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan

Yew. He will be remembered for his visionary

leadership, his extraordinary contribution to

Singapore’s economic and social progress, and

as a remarkable international statesman. Our

thoughts are with Lee Kuan Yew’s family and our

many Singaporean friends during this time of

sorrow.”

Condolence boards were established in front

of the Istana by the Main Gate from 23 March to

29 March for those who wished to write their

tributes to Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Similar condolence

boards were also set up in front of Parliament

House. Many Singaporeans also laid down flowers

at these two locations.

Condolence books were opened at all

Overseas Missions for overseas Singaporeans

and friends.

Online, the Singaporean public expressed

their condolences and shared their memories

of the late Mr Lee at the official website,

http://www.rememberingleekuanyew.sg.

Call +352 43 88 77 77 to find out more about our service

For anyone with queries, a hotline was also

set up where people could call 24-hour

hotline at 6336 1166 or visit http://www.

rememberingleekuanyew.sg and http://www.

facebook.com/rememberingleekuanyew for

more details.

WEALTH PLANNING

You know where to go. We know

how to guide you there.

Moving abroad can be very complicated. There are many things to consider, including

the requirements of the different regulatory regimes to which cross-border wealth

planning is subject. Let us guide you through the legislative labyrinth, and help you

avoid unnecessary, time-consuming paperwork, as well as any unwelcome (and often

expensive) surprises along the way. No matter where life takes you, Nordea’s in-house

wealth-planners and their external network of experts can ensure that you are well

prepared to meet the challenges that moving abroad brings.

Visit us at www.nordea.lu/WP, call +65 6597 1083, or e-mail

haavard.farstad@nordea.sg

Making it possible

Nordea Bank S.A, Singapore Branch is part of Nordea Group, the leading financial services group in the Nordic and Baltic Sea regions. Some products and services may, due to local regulations, not be available to individuals resident in certain countries

and their availability may depend, among other things, on the investment risk profile of persons in receipt of this publication or on any legislation to which they are subject. Nothing in this publication should be construed as an offer, or the solicitation of an

offer, to purchase, subscribe to or sell any investment or product, or to engage in any other transaction or provide any kind of financial or banking service in any jurisdiction where Nordea Bank S.A., Singapore Branch or any of its affiliates do not have the

necessary licence. Published by Nordea Bank S.A., R.C.S. Luxembourg No. B 14.157 on behalf of Nordea Bank S.A., Singapore Branch, 3 Anson Rd #20-01, Springleaf Tower, Singapore 079909. www.nordeaprivatebanking.com subject to the supervision

of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (www.mas.gov.sg).

April 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 7

AD_ScandAsiaThailand_Haavard_WP_eng NEW.indd 1 14/08/2014 12:03

News Brief

KONE wins order for Sengkang General and Community

Hospitals in Singapore

KONE, an innovative leader in elevators

and escalators, has won an order to supply

elevators and escalators to Sengkang

General and Community Hospitals.

Upon its completion, the 1,400-bed integrated

hospital development will bring holistic, multidisciplinary

and patient-centric care to meet the

healthcare needs of the residents in northeast

Singapore. Sengkang General and Community

Hospitals will be situated closely to light rail transit

stations and have easy access to amenities such as

retail complexes.

KONE will be installing energy-efficient

KONE MiniSpace elevators, KONES

MonoSpace®machine room-less elevators,

KONE TranSys elevator, KONE TravelMaster

110 escalators and dumbwaiter elevators from an

external source.

All elevators and escalators will be linked

up by KONE E-Link monitoring solution

with remote management capabilities. KONE

E-Link provides real-time status updates of

the equipment performance and facilitates rapid

resolution deployment to ensure operational

quality. In addition, some elevators will be

equipped to interface with Automated Guided

Vehicles (AGV), ensuring smooth and on-time

delivery for meals, documents etc.

“We are delighted to be awarded the

contract for this new development. As an insightful

organization, we were able to understand the end

user requirements in a medical segment and

provide the right kind of solutions,” said Neeraj

Sharma, Executive Vice President for KONE Asia

Pacific and Middle East. “KONE’s people flow

planning expertise will enable patients, hospital

staff, and visitors to move smoothly and safely

within the hospital”.

The order was booked in the last quarter

of 2014.

Music festival with Swedish dance star Avicii cancelled

The MFA - Future Music Festival Asia

- should this year have taken place in

Singapore on 13 - 14 March featuring

among others Sweden’ electronic dance music

super artists Avicii. But in the eleventh hour, the

organizers of the event in Singapore were forced

to cancel the festival, because the Singaporean

authorities did not approve their application for a

license to perform.

According to local media reports in Singapore

the organizers, who had sold about 15,000 of the


20,000 tickets available for the two-day festival,

previously submitted applications for a public

entertainment license to the police in January

and February Both were rejected, with the Police

citing “serious concerns” over potential drug

abuse at the event.

They organizers then appealed to Minister for

Home Affairs but this was also rejected.

The festival, which had a three-year run in

Kuala Lumpur, had been marred by drug problems.

Concert organisers had to cancel the event on

its third day last year after six Malaysians died

of drug overdose and another 16 people were

hospitalized for drug-related conditions.

The cancellation is likely to be expensive

for FMFA. A total of 49 musicians were set to

perform, bringing international and regional

electronic, dance and indie rock talents together

into the festival. In a statement from FMFA it says:

“Full ticket refunds will now be made to all

FMFA ticket buyers, details of which will be made

available by Monday evening. We are also aware

of the many fans overseas that have made travel

arrangements into Singapore for the festival. We

are extremely sorry for the inconvenience you’ve

been put through.”

“At the moment, we have also set up a care

team to help answer your concerns directly.

Our care team can be reached at support@

futuremusicfestival.asia. FMFA wishes to thank all

artistes and event suppliers for their incredibly

hard work and support during the last few days.

To the fans, we thank you for your patience and

support. Refund details will be made known at a

later date.”

For fans of the Swedish sensation Avicii this

is yet another blow as it was to be the only show

this time around in Asia after another concert in

Jakarta had also been cancelled.

Future Music Festival was first held in 2006

in Sydney, Australia, and was branching out to

Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in 2007.

And since 2012, the festival has also regularly

visited Malaysia before coming to Singapore this

year.

Norway MFA

State Secretary

visited Singapore

On 13 March 2015 the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs in Singapore hosted a

visit by State Secretary of the Ministry

of Foreign Affairs of The Kingdom of Norway, Mr

Morten Høglund.

The Norwegian State Secretary called on

Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Grace Fu. Mr

Høglund congratulated Singapore on its Golden

Jubilee (celebrating 50 years as an independent

state in 2015.) Mr Høglund and Minister Fu

expressed satisfaction with the close cooperation

between Singapore and Norway and exchanged

views on regional developments. Later, Mr

Høglund and his delegation of officials from

the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs were

hosted to lunch by Second Permanent Secretary

for Foreign Affairs Mr Albert Chua.

News Brief

Magnus Böcker to end

tenure as CEO of SGX

Singapore

Magnus Böcker, who was

appointed to the prominent

position of CEO of SGX

Singapore in December 2009, is not

seeking extension of his contract

ending in June this year.

“It has been an honour to lead

the extraordinary people at SGX

for more than half a decade,” says

Magnus-Bocker in a statement.

“I am proud of our accomplishments in expanding SGX both in

Singapore and internationally, especially for Asian equity index derivatives.

But there is a time and season for everything, and it is now time for me

to take on new challenges. I am confident that what we have built at

SGX will endure and continue to serve the market well,” said Mr Böcker.

SGX Chairman Mr Chew Choon Seng says, the Board is moving

forward with its CEO succession plan and is assessing internal and

external candidates on a short list.

“We will work towards a smooth leadership transition.”

Mr Böcker has nearly three decades of leadership experience in

the exchange industry, including being president of NASDAQ OMX,

spearheading the creation of OMX (the Nordic Exchanges Company),

and subsequently playing a key role in the merger of OMX and Nasdaq

in 2008.

Mr Böcker is a member of the Shanghai International Financial

Advisory Council. He sits on the council of the Institute of Banking and

Finance in Singapore, and is Chairman of its Investment Committee. He

is also on the council of the Singapore Business Federation, and serves on

the Advisory Board of the Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

at Singapore Management University. In addition, Mr Böcker is the

Chairman of Singapore’s Diversity Action Committee, which champions

board diversity.

www.visage.com.sg


Meatless

Cusine

the Joie way

A

very refreshing restaurant located

at Orchard Central’s rooftop

garden, Joie (pronounced ‘joy’)

specializes in modern meatless

cuisine which is influenced by the

new wave dining trend in Europe and Taiwan that

focuses on innovative natural fare made with the

freshest vegetables, fruits and herbs.

The restaurant offers an elaborate set lunch

and dinner menus from which diners can choose

a six-course lunch ($38.80++) or seven-course

dinner ($68.80++) comprising of contemporary

dishes with Japanese-European sensibilities and

flavours. Helmed by Executive Chef Sherwin

Sim, formerly of Coriander Leaf Restaurant,

meat-lovers will be challenged to put aside their

misconceptions about meatless cuisine with his

refined and original creations.

Savour the Mushroom Gratin - button

mushrooms sautéed in herb garlic butter

enveloped by crisp and creamy mozzarella

cheekily served in an escargot plate with

Tennessee heirloom potato puree and

caramelised Belgian endive on the side. The

Rubik’s Cube Salad is a popular dish for its familiar

flavours yet creative presentation of compressed

red and yellow watermelon, cubed mint gelée

and feta cheese which are intricately stacked to

resemble its namesake. The Snow Pear and Napa

Cabbage Consommé, elegantly presented on a

Chinese tea tray with a clay teapot brimming

with a robust-flavoured double-boiled vegetable

stock which is poured over a tender poached

baby pear and Chinese almonds, is soup for the

soul for everyone.

Diners are spoilt for choice as they encounter

Jois’s impressive guéridon trolley stacked high

with an assortment of desserts from macarons,

mini tarts and candy for them to pick their choice

of five sweet picks and tea, coffee or even a

mocktail.

Joie is a sanctuary above the bustle of the busy

Orchard shopping district, affording sweeping

views of nearby Somerset and Orchard Road.

Diners can choose a seat along the plush leatherquilted

banquette, luxurious velvet armchairs or

at no additional cost, one of the six private rooms

which seats four to sixteen people.

Address

181 Orchard Road #12-01 Orchard Central

Phone: 6838 6966


Alkaff

Mansion

Ristorante

Alkaff Mansion is a two-storey

Tudor-style mansion perched

on top of Telok Blangah Hill and

was not only a family home of

the Yememi Alkaff family of spice

traders but also very well-known for being the

location of many high society parties in 1930s

Singapore. In 2010 the charming bungalow

underwent a major restoration and was

transformed into a beautiful and memorable bar

and dining destination known as Alkaff Mansion

Ristorante.

The restaurant’s Executive Chef, Simone

Depalmas, proudly showcases a comprehensive

menu that introduces a varied repertoire of

hearty Italian fare that promises to do justice

to the iconic heritage mansion. Chef Depalmas

hails from Sardinia, Italy and is a veteran with

20 years of culinary experience who believes in

making all his sauces from scratch and creating

dishes that are inventive but do not forgo the

natural flavours of authentic Italian cuisine.

Chef Depalmas’ Sardinian touch to his dishes

which uses specially imported produce from his

home province give diners a refined, gourmet

experience reminiscent of Italy.

The Italian-inspired culinary journey starts

with Fresh Octopus Carpaccio and Pan Seared

Hokkaido Scallops, two of the ten antipasti

available for diners to choose from. The pasta

selection features the signature Homemade

Squid Ink Tagliatelle, made daily with fresh squid

ink and loaded with clams, prawns, squid and

scallops in a robust tomato sauce.

A dish that involves Chef Depalmas himself

to serve diners directly is the Oven Baked Sea

Bass in Salt. Encased in salt, the fish is rolled

out guéridon style, flambéed tableside before

the salt is cracked open and the fish skilfully

deboned.

Diners will have to make sure they leave

some room for the desserts at Alkaff Mansion

Ristorante. Look out for the Fresh Mint Vanilla

Panna Cotta, a modern twist on the famous

Italian dessert or the Alkaff Mansion Tiramisu

that will please the traditionalists.

Address

10 Telok Blangah Green, Singapore 109178

Phone: 6510 3068


CHINESE

CLOUDS

Due to China’s internet explosion there is a growing

demand for efficient online services. Swedish

company eBuilder, focusing on cloud

based service platforms, established

its Beijing office in 2011. A new

contract with a domestic company

will add 20 million users to

eBuilder’s services this year.

By Jojje Olsson


Upon my first visit last winter to

eBuilder’s office in the midst of

Beijing’s commercial district, Ulf

Persson, Senior Vice President

for Asia-Pacific, was talking with

excitement about the prospects on the Chinese

market. The company established an office in

the Chinese capital already 2011, and soon

companies like Nokia, (now Microsoft Mobile)

and Sony Mobile started using eBuilder’s cloud

based platform to handle logistics like customer

returns and guarantee issues.

At the time though, Ulf Persson was still

waiting for a breakthrough in the shape of a large

deal with a big domestic customer. When I visit

the same office again in March this year, such

a contract had just been signed. On Christmas

eve, eBuilder came to terms with Qingdao Haier,

one of the world’s largest producer of electric

appliances, with about 200 million customers.

Haier will from this year on use eBuilder’s

platform to streamline their customer care process.

Haier’s sales executives will also be provided

with a broad picture of customer behavior, and

the company can also take advantage of the

application for marketing and sales of its different

products.

“Our service will help Haier and its customers

to communicate more efficiently. All data will be

integrated so that customer experience is the

same when using the platform on the web, as

well as on any mobile device,” says Ulf Persson,

adding that the negotiations went smoother then

expected. Haier is expanding very fast indeed, and

needs a flexible solution to handle its more than

100,000 daily customer errands.

Ultimately, Haier is aiming to strengthen its

own brand by improving the customer service

and create a close relation to customers in

general. ”Brand loyalty is an important upcoming

trend in China. Customers are getting increasingly

aware of brands, and the companies themselves

are responding by building a good brand and

customer loyalty, rather than just focusing on low

price as before,” says Ulf Persson.

Online revolution

This customer loyalty and branding trend is

particularly important online, as the number of

internet users in China has been growing from

100 million to 700 million during the last decade.

Even more stunning is the growth for mobile

internet; with a tenfold growth since 2007, to 557

million users in the beginning of this year. China’s

e-commerce is now the largest in the world, after

a 20 percent growth last year. Online payments

also grew with 17 percent.

This rapid development creates a strong

specific demand for open, scalable and flexible

online services. A service fit for today could be

outgrown by the market tomorrow. eBuilder is

still an unconventional company on the Chinese

IT market, as it sells not a physical product but a

service, be it that it helps companies to save both

time and money. ”For many potential customers

we are sometimes seen as a threat rather than an

asset to the IT department we try to help with

our services,” says Ulf Persson. Many Chinese IT

departments wants to develop everything by

themselves, and can be reluctant to use external

services as to not lose job opportunities.

That is why eBuilder began to work primary

with already existing Western customers like

Nokia (now Microsoft Mobile) and Sony Mobile.

Ulf Persson says that the younger generation

is more positive and open to new solutions,

than the older generation. They are slowly being

replaced, and you can notice how the market

here is maturing as a result:

“Chinese companies are realizing that they

don’t have to do everything by themselves. They

are now open for external solutions and have

other thoughts about service and customer care

than before. The customers are also starting to

appreciate personal items and are ready to move

forward on their own.”

Domestic companies can see how foreign

brands like Apple is enjoying customer loyalty in

China, thanks to its generous guarantee policy and

its ambition to even educate users in its stores on

how to use the products.

“The next for many Chinese companies

is now to go global, and to achieve that they

have to improve after sales services, rather than

just launch new products as fast and cheap as

possible,” says Ulf Persson.

Tech challenges

eBuilder has grasped this newly developing trend

and ambitions, and last year approached several

domestic companies with a new and customized

service, based on the earlier “after sales process”

but extended to include the entire sell and

product life cycle. Ulf Persson describes the deal

with Haier as “the first huge contract in China,”

which will multiply the users of eBuilder’s platform

several times, by adding 5 million users already

this summer, and at least 20 million before year’s

end. The Beijing office will hence be recruiting

during the spring.

A big challenge, obviously, is China’s slow,

censored and monitored internet.

“This prolongs the process of establishing an

office in China, particularly in our field of business.

But that’s not just for us, but for all companies in

our sector, and we have to accept the situation,”

says Ulf Persson.

Another aspect is that there are no smooth

solutions for server hosting in China - many

IT companies have to build and use their own

hosting centers locally - but eBuilder has so far

been able to avoid a lot of problems by having


the lion share of its technical infrastructure at

the head office in Sweden. One of the first

actions when establishing the Beijing office

was to install an own corporate virtual private

network (VPN) due to the lack of security and

privacy on the Chinese Internet.

Ulf Persson was based in China 1996-98

with Frontec AMT - an early forerunner to

eBuilder - and hence was prepared for the

odd challenges, that often comes with the

Chinese market: “The most common mistakes

done in China, we already did in the mid-90’s,”

he laughs. On the contrary, with an old set of

contacts eBuilder has been able to establish

in China quicker than many other Western

companies.

FACTS // eBuilder

• eBuilder was founded 2003 and its

headquarters is located in Kista, Stockholm,

where about 50 of the 220 employees are

based. The Beijing and Sydney office got

about 10 employees each, and the remaining

staff are based in Sri Lanka.

• eBuilder offers a cloud based, open and

scalable platform for companies to

streamline customer process. The platform

integrates processes, back end solutions and

service eco systems to simplify the customer

experience.

• eBuilder got hundreds of customers in over

70 countries and altogether more than a

half million users to its platforms. Among

the customers are the Swedish government,

Volvo, Saab, DHL, Nokia and Sony Mobile.

FACTS // Ulf Persson

• 48 years old, eBuilder’s Senior Vice President

for Asia-Pacific. His wife Sara is also living in

Beijing, as well as their 10 year old daughter

and 12 year old son.

• Educational background of systems science

and programming.

• Working experience from China 1996-98

with Frontec AMT, later based in Singapore,

Tokyo and Hong Kong 1998-2004, before

moving West to France (2004-07) and USA

(2007-11). Now based in China since 2011.

• Like with Beijing: The rapid, exciting

development in all aspects of society. At

the same time he also finds the old culture

fascinating, as it results in many interesting

cultural clashes.

• Dislike with Beijing: The often too slow and

inefficient way to handle the air pollution,

especially since he is also into running and

skiing.


Handelsbanken

opens Representative Office

in Jakarta

The Swedish bank Handelsbanken’s

new Representative Office in Jakarta

was inaugurated on Mach 12 by

Sweden’s Ambassador to Indonesia,

Johanna Brismar Skoog.

Handelsbanken is the first Scandinavian

Bank to open in Indonesia, taking its worldwide

network of offices to 25, more than any other

Nordic bank.

“We are obliged to follow our customers

to different markets in order to always meet

their requirements for financial services, and

we are very excited to now establish presence

in the largest economy in Southeast Asia,” said

Mr. Jan B. Djerf, Head of South Asia Pacific at

Handelsbanken.

Mr. Erik Milfors, former Trade Commissioner

for Sweden to Indonesia, is the new Chief

Representative giving Handelsbanken a broad

knowledge and insight of Indonesian business

and economy.

“Foreign investments in Indonesia continue to

AD_SCANDASIA_APRIL2015.pdf 1 26/3/15 1:38 pm

Mr. Erik Milfors, Chief Representative,

Handelsbanken Jakarta

grow from our home markets. Handelsbanken’s

new office in Jakarta confirms the importance

of Indonesia for Nordic companies as well as

businesses in UK and the Netherlands.” said Mr

Milfors.

Handelsbanken is a full-service bank with

a nationwide branch network in Sweden, UK,

Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands.

The Bank regards these six countries as its home

markets.

Since the early 1970s, Handelsbanken’s

organisation has been strongly decentralised

and operations are always based on the

customer’s requirements. This means that all

business decisions regarding individual customers’

relationships with the bank are taken close to the

customer.

Handelsbanken is one of the most costeffective

listed full-service banks in Europe and

every year during the past 42 years has had higher

return on equity than the average of peer banks.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

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First Thai

sex worker

on Danish stage

May 1 st , Thai sex worker Thanta Laovilawanyakul

enters the Danish stage in Copenhagen to

add a new perspective to the question; why

do Westerners travel around the globe to get

something as ordinary as sex.

By Louise Bihl Frandsen

One by one, people from the

audience will be lead onto the

stage to play different experiences

with sex worker Thanta

Laovilawanyakul at Betty Nansens

Theatre in Copenhagen in May.

The controversial play ‘Love-Theatre’ has

been developed by two Danish instructors: Tue

Biering and Jeppe Kristensen.

“The sex industry is a very unique ‘place’ to

see how we behave and who we are as citizens in

a modern time with capitalism and globalization,”

Jeppe Kristensen says.

In several years, the two instructors have been

curious about the phenomenon with Westerners

travelling around the globe to get something as

banal as sex. And they want to investigate the different

feelings, which they believe exist in this specific

industry – such as respect, self-esteem, fantasy

and the need of engaging in deeper relations.

“Our curiousity, and not our opinions, will

control the play to make us try and understand

what happens in this industry – and through this;

try and understand modern identity as well,”

Jeppe says.

A complex job

Thanta Laovilawanyakul plays one of the mainroles

in the play ‘Love-Theatre’ – the audience

plays the other. Thanta will choose who is going

with her on the stage. Through acting she wants

to show the Danish audience what men in the

industry are looking for.

“Clients want to feel comfortable. Some of

them do not want sex but just someone to talk to

and someone that listens. Some of them are even

looking for a friend,” Thanta says.

According to Thanta, her job as a sex worker

has many different aspects. She sees herself as a

professional giver of love.

“My job is about love in the sense of giving

care and support to customers. I allow them to let

go and be themselves, and it makes me feel that

my job is very important,” she says.

She explains and shows with her eyes and

bodylanguage, how she will connect with the

person, she brings to the stage. But laughs, when I

Thanta is helping her mother with her clothing store

in the city Korat.


ask her to act with me.

“Go see the play, and you will see,” Thanta

laughs while slightly blushing.

A real person

When the Betty Nansen Theatre in Copenhagen

recreated the movie Pretty Woman on stage, they

hired sex workers from the street to play the different

characters.

The play ‘Love-Theatre’ is different, because

it is not a recreation of a movie, but a recreation

of a lived life: The life of Thanta Laovilawanyakul.

“We want to know, what happens in that moment,

when a sex worker and a client meet. What

is love and what is theatre?” Jeppe Kristensen

explains and continues:

“It is quite essential for us that the actors in

the play are ‘normal’ people – not famous Hollywood

actors, but people who lived a life with

experiences, which they can transfer to the Theatre,”

Jeppe says.

Prejudice on prejudice

When Thanta Laovilawanyakul started as a sex

worker, she started feeling sad about what she

was doing, because she felt that society was looking

down on her profession.

“I remember people walking by the bar, where

I was working at that time, and they were looking

at us in a certain way,” she says.

Although she had many different jobs and

possibilities to do other things at that time, she did

not want to stop working as a sex worker.

“I found out that I was providing useful services.

I have helped people and they have been

able to move on with their lives, and that really

makes me proud of, what I am doing,” she says.

Thanta started working as a sex worker, when

she was 22. Today she is 43.

The right job

Although Thanta is happy with being a sex worker

today, she believes there is a long way to improve

the working conditions for sex workers and the

industry in general. The big challenge is to change

the society’s opinion about the profession.

“We are working in legal bars and nightclubs,

but still we are considered as outlaws,” she says

with a certain look in her eyes.

In her opinion, it is a process, like in any other

job, to become good at what you are doing. To

help improve the working conditions in the industry,

she teaches other sex workers – both men

and women, how to be safe and how to become

professional.

She hopes that by passing on her own experiences,

she will be able to help others, who choose

to become a sex worker.

“We have the right over our own body - it

does not belong to any society. The society and

the culture should no longer dictate what women

or men should do,” she says.

Thanta has also been writing a book about

the life of a sex worker called: “The Right Job”.

Thanta thinks that

when society judges

the sex industry, it

not only hurts the

sex workers’ feelings

but it also make their

profession unsafe.



How to

pick a school


Copyright: Igor Yaruta / 123RF Stock Photo

How do you pick the perfect school

for your children, when you move

to another country? It might not

be as easy as it sounds. During the

years, more and more schools are

established, and each institution offers different

courses and has different ways of teaching. Many

parents use social platforms like Facebook to

get advices from other parents. But there will

probably be no way around making your own

inquiry into each avaible option.

Local vs international

Are you looking for a local or an international

school? In most countries in Asia, it is possible to

sign your child into a local school – but it can be a

challenge, if your child does not have Asian roots.

Local schools provide your child with a local

environment and another benefit is that most of

the local schools are more affordable than the

international schools. One thing to be aware of

though, is that psysical punishment has not been

abolished in many Asian school systems.

If you go for an international school, consider

that international students grow up in an

environment that is much different to that of

your own. Known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs),

they often develop a different attitude. They will

develop other ways of thinking that might be very

different from their schoolmates at home.

Once this is said, many expat families decide

to go for the international school – at least

through primary school up to grade 9.

A few suggestions

As said before, many parents seek advices from

other parents. But in the end, it is your choice and

only you know what needs your child has.

First: Observe

Visit the schools you are interested in during a

regular school day. Ask to observe teachers in

class so you can get a feel for how the adults

treat the children, parents and one another. You

don’t have to be an expert to get a good sense

of what is - or is not - happening in a classroom

when you visit.

Second: Distance

Make sure the school is not too far away from

your home. Have in mind that in most big cities,

it is travelling time between your house and the

school that matters. Will you be driving your

child to school yourself or how will your child be

going there?

Especially in cities like Bangkok, the traffic is

hectic and you can easily use hours stuck between

cars, taxies and tuk-tuks.

Third: Reputation

Use your network in the city. Ask as many as

possible, what their experience with this school

is. Do not listen to people, who have no children

at the school themselves. And remember that

the age of the school is no sure indication either.

Nothing guarantees that the reputation of a

hundred year old school is better than a oneyear-old

school.

Fourth: Courses

The school’s courses and programs will most

likely be listed in the school’s informations

packages or on their website. They will talk about

British Curriculum and American Curriculum and

what most Scandinavians go for these days is the

IB Curriculum.

The IB Curriculum is an educational

programme managed by the International

Baccalaureate for students aged 3 to 12. Students

are required to learn a second language during

the programme.

Fifth: Supplementary courses

More and more parents find it important that

their children are receiving lessons in their mother

tongue language. On some of the international

schools, the different Scandinavian communities

have organized mother tounge language lessons

as a supplementary course.

It all depends on the needs of your child.

Many children already have a long day in school

with lessons in Thai, English and other courses, so

if the lessons are not included on the schedule, a

normal day in school can all the sudden become

very long and exhausting.

Stay involved

As a parent you might wish there were some

secret education-analyst methodology. No matter

how hard you do your homework, stay involved

with your child’s everyday life. Is your child happy

and motivated or tired and introverted? Talk

with your child about how school is and spend

more time together in the beginning. First period

will probably be as exhausting for your child as

for you – starting up your lives in a completely

different country.


Danmark

rækker ud over

klasseværelset

Samtalen starter med en let latter i klasselokalet. Dagens ord er

simpelthen for mærkværdigt til, at eleverne kan gætte det. “Så

‘snade’ er altså en pibe?”, bliver der spurgt. Og efter et par minutters

forklaring af ordets oprindelse ender emnet med at være, hvordan

det danske sprog har udviklet sig over tid.

Modersmålsprogrammet hos German European School Singapore er

mere end et ‘normalt’ fag – det handler nemlig også om identitet skabt gennem

idéer, diskussion og kultur. Elevernes danske baggrund er undervisningens

udgangspunkt. Vi skriver essays om at være ung og dansk i Singapore,

reflekterer over den danske kultur ved at gennemgå sange og digte med historisk

værdi, laver videopræsentationer af danske forfattere, lytter til populær

dansk musik og sammenligner vores internationale liv med livet i Danmark.

Undervisningen er tilrettelagt et modersmålniveau – ikke et fremmedsprog.

Derfor er niveauet højt, men dog ikke uoverkommeligt.

Vi vil gerne bringe Danmark ind i klasseværelset, men vi vil samtidig

også tage eleverne med til Danmark. Derfor har skolen arrangeret to udvekslingsforløb

i det kommende skoleår, 2015/2016. Første ophold er allerede

planlagt og vil give elever med interesse i musik muligheden for at komme

med på lejrskolen MusikStarter. Her vil både professionelle og berømte danske

musikere undervise. Det andet udvekslingsophold er mere traditionelt

og vil foregå i samarbejde med en normal dansk skoleklasse. Som optakt til

udvekslingen vil begge klasser blive undervist i samme pensum samt udveksle

breve og blogs om deres daglige liv og kulturelle forskelle.

Integreret dansk fra forskole til afgangsklasserne

Fra august 2015 vil undervisning i dansk som modersmål blive et integreret

element i skoledagen – fra forskolen og frem til overbygningen. For de tretil

femårige vil det betyde to lektioner af 90 minutters varighed hver uge i

tidsrummet efter frokost. For de seks- til 11-årige i grundskolen vil dansk

blive tilbudt som daglige lektioner, som alternativ til tysk, og læreren vil være

en dansk folkeskolelærer. Undervisningen vil ligesom vores modersmålsundervisning

i tysk være inddelt i PYP-enheder, men fokus i dette forløb vil

være kendskab til dansk sprog og kultur for på den måde at give børnene de

bedste forudsætninger for at forstå og være stolte af deres danske rødder.

Vores mål rækker udover blot at hjælpe børnene med at passe ind i det

danske samfund, når de en dag vender ‘hjem’. Vi vil også sikre, at de kan tænke,

lære og udtrykke sig selv fuldt ud på deres modersmål og føle sig danske

samtidig med, at de lærer at være verdensborgere i et andet land.


A home for

your mother tongue!

German European School Singapore CPE Registration Number: S72SS0010G Registration Period: 22.06.2011 – 21.06. 2017

Book a

Tour now

Learn at GESS.

One of our core strengths is supporting

home languages as we know that

students are more successful when

their mother tongue is provided for.

Our European Section, where English

is the language of instruction, offers

mother tongue classes in Dutch,

German and Danish, either in class

or after school. Further language

classes in Mandarin, Spanish and

French are offered as well. GESS is

an international, not-for-profit School

founded on European traditions,

educating students from 18 month to

18 years of age. We are an accredited

IB World School (PYP, MYP, DP) as

well as an Excellent German School

Abroad.

We give our students roots and wings.

www.gess.sg

Why iPads Work In The Classroom

Sharing Our Stories in a Digital Age

by Michael Black, Canadian International School Grade 4 Classroom Teacher

At the Canadian International School

(CIS) we place a key focus on the use

of modern educational technology

to support teaching, learning and

communications. We aim to integrate

technology to optimise and enhance studentlearning

experiences and deliver lessons in a very

hands-on, minds-on manner. With this in mind,

in 2013 the school launched the internationally

renowned One To World Programme where each

student in Grades 4 to 6 has their own iPad in the

classroom.

I am now in my second year of teaching in a

1:1 iPad classroom and there is no doubt in my

mind that allowing technology to become an active

tool within the classroom provides students with

a greater opportunity to create, communicate and

reflect on their own stories. Thanks to this, students

have begun to unlock potential that was previously

inconceivable with traditional education materials.

I’ve also noticed a deeper, more comprehensive

understanding of content amongst students as

well as a greater desire for them to share their

work due to what I believe is a more personal

connection to the learning process.

An important tool I turn to whenever I am

looking to design and infuse a digital learning

experience into the curriculum, is the SAMR model

developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura. At CIS, all 1:1

iPad classroom teachers regularly use the model

to reflect upon how we are integrating technology

into our classrooms. Is it an act of Substitution?

Augmentation? Modification? Or Redefinition?

Our ultimate goal is to climb the ladder to the

Redefinition level where through technology our

students have access to more powerful learning

experiences.

In pursuit of reaching the Redefinition level,

one app in particular has emerged as my favourite

for helping students further develop their creative

and expressive skills. The Explain Everything app

is an easy-to-use screencasting and interactive

whiteboard tool that allows students to annotate,

animate, narrate, import and export almost

anything to and from almost anywhere.

The advantage of this app over classical

educational materials such as pencil and paper,

is that students can present information using

multiple forms of expression (images, text, video

and audio) all at once. Work can then be shared

through a multitude of platforms and reach a wider

audience. I still shake my head in awe when I read

a comment on one of my student’s blogs from a

relative in a foreign country who has been able

to track and enjoy the student’s learning journey

throughout the school year.

Storytelling has been one of the most powerful

forms of education throughout the history of the

world. Whether you look back to the Middle

Ages when wandering bards shared their stories

orally from place to place or to the thirst for

knowledge following the rise of printing in the

1400’s, storytelling has been front and centre. As

storytelling platforms continue to evolve so will

the magnitude to which we can share our stories.

I see great value in students having an increased

sense of purpose when expressing their ideas and

when I consider the potential the digital medium

has for allowing students to create more personal

and captivating work, I can’t help but get excited

where their stories will take us.

To find out more about CIS’s One World

Programme and use of technology within the school

visit www.cis.edu.sg


Calling all actors,

linguists, scientists

and sports stars!

22 JUNE - 31 JULY 2015

For students aged 4 to 17. Give your child a summer to remember.

Register at www.cis.edu.sg/summercamp today.

Canadian International School Pte. Ltd. CPE Registration Number: 199002243H | Period of Registration: 8 June 2011 to 7 June 2015

ISS International School

was founded in 1981 to serve the

expatriate community in Singapore

ISS

is an authorised International Baccalaureate (IB) World School with a multicultural environment for

students from almost 60 countries with no dominant group. It is the ONLY IB World School in Singapore

specialising solely in the IB, incorporating IB Primary Years, IB Middle Years and the IB Diploma Program.

It is also the first to offer a one-to-one Apple Macbook program. ISS has a high percentage of IBO

workshop leaders, moderators and examiners among its staff, one of the highest in Asia.

ISS International School is:

• An established PYP, MYP and DP authorized

IB World School, with years of experience

offering each program.

• A truly international school with a

multicultural environment, comprising of

students from almost 60 countries with no

dominant culture.

• A school with outstanding student support,

including ESL, counselling and university

advising.

• The first international school in Singapore

with an Apple MacBook program.

• Known for student activities, including an

established CAS (Creativity, Action, Service)

program with an extensive list of activities,

field trips and the adventurous activity week

held each year.

Academic Program

• ISS is an authorized IB World School offering

PYP (Kindergarten 1 – Grade 5), MYP

(Grade 6 – 10) and DP (Grade 11– 12). The

Western Association of Schools and Colleges

(WASC) accreditation enables ISS to offer a

High School Diploma to their IB Diploma and

IB Diploma course graduates.

• ISS offers pre-IB Diploma skills and IB Diploma

subject preparation courses during the summer.

• Academic Year – August to June (Semester

1: August to December, Semester 2: January

to June).

Faculty

• Teachers from 19 countries.

• Predominantly trained in United States,

Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Many faculty members are IBO moderators,

examiners and workshop leaders.

Student Information

• Students from almost 60 countries.

• Class sizes – elementary school: 15-20

students, middle school: 20-24 students, high

school: 15-20 students.

Admissions

• Admissions staff are available year round

to meet with potential families regarding

admission for all three schools.

• Applications are accepted year round, subject

to places being available.

• Please refer to the following link for the

admission procedures: http://www.iss.edu.sg/

admission_procedures.php

• Students must pass the English language

proficiency test to be eligible for admission.

ISS International School

Elementary and Middle School campus

25, Paterson Road, Singapore 238510

Tel: (65) 6235 5844

High School campus

21, Preston Road, Singapore 109355

Tel: (65) 6475 4188

www.iss.edu.sg

Email: admissions@iss.edu.sg


We believe in

your child’s

potential as

much as you do.

Choosing a school is no easy task.

You’re searching for the very best

and a large part of your child’s

future is resting on your decision.

You know your child better than

anyone, you see the sparks of

brilliance where others can’t, you

see the scholar, and the artist and

what might be.

We’d love the opportunity to

welcome you to our school and

discuss how to make your

children soar.

Contacts:

Elementary & Middle Schools: +65 6235 5844

High School: +65 6475 4188

Email admissions@iss.edu.sg

We believe in your children as much

as you do, and we know what it

takes for them to realise their full

potential because that’s what we

do best.

ISS is registered by the CPE | Registration no: 20136975E | Registration period: 16 June 2011 to

15 June 2015 | www.iss.edu.sg


Avondale

The best Australian education

in an international environment

Expatriate Nordic families in Singapore

are typically well educated, middle class

professionals with young families. We

all want to make the best choices for

our children and identifying a school

in which our children feel happy whilst receiving

the best international education is central to any

parental decision-making.

There are many schools to choose from

in Singapore and sometimes the choice can be

overwhelming. If you are looking for a school

that recognises their students as individuals whilst

offering a world-class education you may want

to consider Avondale Grammar School. Offering

the Australian curriculum, Avondale delivers a

personalised education to children from all over

the world from Preschool to Middle School (3

-14 years of age).

Established in 2007, the School is a coeducational,

independent, international grammar

school based in central Singapore. It has

developed a reputation for delivering a highquality

education through a combination of small

class sizes, passionate teaching staff and a personal

approach to learning.

The Australian curriculum in an

international world

The academic programme is based on the

highly researched and internationally acclaimed

Australian curriculum. This challenging and highquality

curriculum promotes excellence and

equity in education. The rigorous, relevant and

engaging learning programmes drawn from this

curriculum, addresses each child’s individual

learning needs designed to support 21st Century

learning. One of the great benefits of this highly

researched curriculum is that it is flexible and

suits children from a wide range of international,

educational backgrounds and, if required, enables

a smooth transition into other curriculums.

Internationalism

As an Australian curriculum school based in

Singapore with students from across the


globe, the School is committed to celebrating

‘internationalism’. Avondale staff hail from over 15

countries – from Sweden to Singapore and bring

with them a global perspective. The Principal, Ms

Helena Soboulis is an expert in Third Culture Kids

(children whose parents are different nationalities

and raise their family in yet another culture) and

as such the School is as likely to celebrate Sveriges

nationaldag as St Patricks Day.

Personalised education

Avondale is committed to high quality teaching

and learning through understanding each

student’s educational needs. The School has

developed Personal Achievement Targets (PATs)

in which each student is assessed and learning

goals are identified and tracked. The PATs process

brings student, parents and teachers together as

a team to consider the student’s current level of

performance and goal setting. This individual goal

setting in addition to the small class sizes ensure

all students receive a high level of teacher-student

class time.

Mentor Programme

Each student in Middle School has an appointed

Teacher-Mentor. Students meet their Mentor

on a weekly basis where the student is invited

to discuss anything in a safe and constructive

environment. Avondale is unique in Singapore

for providing this amount of individual attention

for students. Research shows that this kind of 1:1

mentor time positively effects the development of

self-respect and identity.

Leadership Programme

The Avondale Leadership Programme reflects

the School’s belief in harnessing the talents of

individual children. Leadership opportunities exist

for all students from Year 2 upwards. All children

in Middle School have a Leadership position -

from House Captains to Subject Leaders. These

positions are integral in developing students’

sense of responsibility, management skills and

socialisation skills across the School.

Positive Education Programme

Avondale is an affiliated member of PESA (the

Positive Education Schools Association), which

endorses the professional training of staff and the

quality and relevance of the learning programmes.

Positive Education is exactly as its name suggests:

a pastoral learning programme that teaches

children the skills and attitudes they need to enjoy

a happy, healthy journey through life. It guides

them along the pathway to wellbeing.

‘Pos Ed’ lessons and activities emphasise the

benefits of a growing and optimistic mind and

a grateful heart. The programme also prepares

children for life’s challenges by strengthening their

problem-solving skills and resilience, or ‘grit’.

The advantages are lifelong.

Welcoming environment

Avondale is notable for its warm and welcoming

environment. From the Receptionists to the Head

of campus – students (and their siblings!) are

known by name. Students feel recognised and

respected at the School. Parents are similarly

warmly invited to join the Avondale community.

Before starting at the School all new parents

receive a personal phone call from the Parents’

Association and are invited to settling-in events

to ensure transition into a new school is smooth

and positive for the whole family.

Preschool & Junior School

Address:

318 Tanglin Rd, Phoenix Park

Singapore 247979

Primary & Middle School

Address:

304 Tanglin Rd, Phoenix Park

Singapore 247972

T: +65 6258 8544

E: enrolments@avondale.edu.sg

W: avondale.edu.sg

Avondale Grammar School is a co-educational, international school for expatriate children from

3 – 14 years of age.

We value each child as an individual.

Discover how your son or daughter can benefit from our small class sizes, personal attention,

outstanding teaching, welcoming community and seamless transition from Preschool to Middle School.

If you would like to attend our Open Day to discover what makes us different, please RSVP:

Avondale_communications@avondale.edu.sg or t: +(65) 6258 8544

Preschool and Junior School, Phoenix Park 318 Tanglin Road Singapore 247979

Primary and Middle School, Phoenix Park 304 Tanglin Road Singapore 247972

Tel: +(65) 6258 8544 E: enrolments@avondale.edu.sg

www.avondale.edu.sg

Registered by the Council of Private Education. Registration number 200514242C. Registration valid : 14 March 2015 – 13 March 2019


Education in

the Field

“

We see our students as future international leaders and policy makers

and we are happy to see Stamford’s Field Studies Program influence students

as they look toward the future. Dr. Scott Schumann, Secondary School Assistant Director

Stamford’s Field Studies Program aims to “Develop leaders who are

ecologically literate, compassionate, and engaged global citizens”.

Each year, students travel to destinations across South East Asia to

learn about environmental, social, and economic issues in the region, in

addition to discovering who they are as individuals and what it means to

be an effective communicator, leader, and problem solver.

Stamford’s unique program takes students through a progression of

field-based experiences, starting as young as Grade 6 and ending in

experiences where students are able to lead themselves. Integrated field

studies trips are far from simply travel experiences but rather, immersion

in genuine settings where students are required to step outside

themselves and work with their peers to solve problems and contribute

to other lives through service.

Research shows that well designed, field-based experiences can

produce learning which transfers from the field to home and school

environments. Students return with developed self-efficacy beliefs,

leadership traits, and communication skills which are salient to success

in today’s 21st century society.

Elin Apell, Grade 9 Student at Stamford American International School

recently visited Northern Thailand for a climbing and service trip,

she comments: “Rock climbing is something I wouldn’t have tried

normally and it was an exciting activity that showed people in my

group overcoming challenges in a really hard situation. It was nice to

see people to develop themselves outside school work. This trip made

me realize how important it is to experience other cultures and I found

it very educational, especially when I went to the art school in Chang

Mai and had to practice communicating with someone across language

barriers. Overall I found the trip really fascinating and rewarding.”

One parent remarked about their daughter who had returned from this

trip, “My husband and I looked at each other and said, ‘Wow what a

change! She has come back a stronger, more outspoken version of the

girl that left a week ago”.

+65 6653 7907 www.sais.edu.sg

The Camp operators

with over 40 years

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Looking for something special for the

summer? Come join Village Camps for a

summer of fun, friendships, and unforgettable

memories. Village Day Camps offers all this

in an exciting and engaging all day multi

activity summer program where children can build

self confidence, improve their abilities, and develop

better interpersonal skills all while having the time of

their lives.

The camp includes a range of sports and creative

activities such as basketball, swimming, arts and

crafts, and dance. These are rotated daily to keep the

children engaged and continuously exposed to new

experiences.

With over 40 years of experience running camps

for more than 200,000 campers, Village Camps

delivers on its philosophy of Education through

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Located at UWCSEA, East Campus, Tampines, only 20 minutes from the city centre.

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UK | France | Austria | Singapore | Switzerland | Cyprus | Canada | USA


Inspiring

students to inquire


The Australian International School’s

(AIS) Early Years philosophy

aims to develop cognitive, social

and emotional skills in children,

in preparation for a lifetime of

education. Our curriculum framework, the Swiss

IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) underpinned

by the philosophy of Reggio Emilia, guides children

from 2 years old, in developing confidence and

independence by facilitating learning through

activities based on the child’s interests. This

framework echoes the philosophy of Finnish

early childhood education, with the focus on

students “learning how to learn”. Reading and

mathematics are introduced through purposeful

play to encourage engagement through inquiry

into real-life contexts.

This approach equips students for success in

their continuing journey through the Elementary

and Secondary School. Finland’s success in

international literacy, mathematics and science

assessments is well documented and the IB

PYP curriculum, offered through Elementary at

AIS, aligns to this ethos of developing students

that are critical thinkers and inquirers. At AIS,

creative thinking is not seen as the preserve of an

artistic few, rather as a universal ability that can

be cultivated and developed to achieve academic

success. This approach allowed our 2014 cohort

to achieve ATAR scores 10.8% higher than the

worldwide average*.

Importantly, the notion of a holistic, rounded

education, cherishing the arts and sports as well as

academics, is integral to life at AIS. This approach

produces well rounded students such as Carissa

Sim, an AIS student for 14 years. Carissa achieved

44 out of 45 in the IB Diploma and represented

AIS in basketball and soccer alongside being an

accomplished pianist and violinist.

A globally focused pedagogical approach

ensures students from over 50 countries reach

their potential and thrive in an increasingly

globalised world.

AIS is registered as a Private Education

Institute by the Council for Private Education. CPE

Registration Number 199204405H, registration

period 6 July 2011 to 5 July 2015.

*Excluding non-university bound students

Open House

15 April

Register at www.ais.com.sg

Your child’s Future,

Ignited

Amelia Woodward

• First in grade – academic achiever

2012, 2013 & 2014

• Service Excellence Award winner

2013, 2014

• Active member of the Model United

Nations and Debating Society

• Elected student council representative

• Accomplished violinist, pianist and vocalist

Outstanding children deserve an outstanding school.

From the outset, the Australian International School offers your

child the very best environment in which to learn, achieve and

excel, not only in the classroom, but in everything they do.

Our perfectly balanced learning program results in independent,

well-rounded global citizens and life-long learners. Equally, it

develops students that are inquirers, using critical thinking,

refl ection and goal setting to drive improvement. We deliver

the worldwide perspective of the International Baccalaureate

Curriculum (IB), strengthened by the rigorous standards of the

Australian Curriculum and the structure of the IGCSE.

The choice of graduating with either an IB Diploma or the New

South Wales Higher School Certifi cate (HSC) gives your child

an even wider choice of international university destinations.

10 minutes

from Orchard

Book your personal visit today!

www.ais.com.sg

or call +65 6653 7906

Globally focused, distinctly Australian

AIS is part of the Cognita Group of Schools

www.cognitaschools.com

Australian International School Pte Ltd is registered by the

Council for Private Education. CPE Registration Number

199204405H. Period of Registration 6 July 2011 to 5 July 2015

Powerful personal

and social education

From the ascetics of the ancient East to

the athletes of the first Olympic Games in

Greece we can trace a fascinating history

of the complex relationship between

mind and body. In order to achieve the

perfect balance some ancients starved themselves,

others ran huge distances or built mighty muscles,

and another group - most famously manifest in

the Buddha sought a middle way.

But the pressures on our young people today

are multifold and evolving at unimaginable speed.

Parents are often busy; conversation at home is

sometimes confined to the mechanics, not the

possibilities, of life; extended families no longer live

near one another. And so the screen, whether it

is on a computer, a telephone or a gaming device

can too easily become teacher, friend and advisor

for good or ill. Young people are told, via their

screens, to conform, be different, be beautiful, lose

weight, succeed, buy a hair product, follow a tribe.

You don’t need a classroom – you don’t even

need to move. A chair or even a floor is enough.

The back hunches, the fingers and thumbs start

pressing and swiping, and a brave new world

is available. At the United World College of

South East Asia (UWCSEA), we believe a passive

response to this situation is unacceptable.

It is not enough simply to play sport and

“run off” your frustration. Of course sport is

an essential part of a UWCSEA education and,

unlike some schools, we encourage competition

as well as participation. However letting off

steam is not the same as channeling energy

positively, and that is why we have a Personal

and Social Education (PSE) programme that

seeks to promote safe, healthy and positive living.


We want our students to be secure, valued and

encouraged in their learning, growth and social

development, and we do not leave that to chance.

Our programme allows students to explore how

they are connecting to their learning, friends,

family, technology and the outside world.

Broadly speaking, there are three components

to the programme: individual, interpersonal

and global wellbeing. Age appropriate units of

study explore these areas and, crucially, we have

devised a detailed and modern PSE curriculum

that contains standards and benchmarks (learning

goals) that proceed logically from kindergarten

years through to Grade 12. Of course PSE can

never be assessed in exactly the same way as, say,

Maths, but our approach is no less rigorous for we

believe the programme to be just as important

as any core academic subject. The benchmarks

include digital citizenship: technology can all too

easily promote the trivial and demeaning when it

should help deliver our values.

Our parents are of course vital in this process,

and we ask that as well as maintaining as close

a relationship as possible with their child, they

help build resilience and promote learning from

experience. This last point is significant because at

UWCSEA we know our many small failures offer

as valuable a learning experience as our mightiest

successes. In every young person’s life, assailed as

it is with demands from so many sources beyond

the need for academic success, failure has to be

a tool for progress and not a shameful defect

to be hidden away. We ask that our teachers

and parents soothe, reassure, empathise and

listen to our young people, but we also ask

that they do not engage in platitudes. Saying

“everything will be all right” or “it will work out”

is often counterproductive if one is to encourage

a growth mindset. A much better position is to ask

“what have you learned from this experience?” or

“how would you do that differently next time?”

We offer no soft options: but we do present

opportunities to learn, to develop self-awareness

and become resilient in the future.

We must be vigilant. Many twenty-first

century children can be easily pacified with video

games, junk food and a promise not to keep going

into their bedroom. That is an abandonment of

responsibility. There is a short story written nearly

one hundred years ago by the English writer E. M.

Forster, called The Machine Stops. I won’t spoil the

ending, but the tale is set in the future where men

and women have little direct contact with one

another and instead they learn all they think they

need to know from screens. They have no need of

family or friends. And then, one day, the machine

stops. The results make for interesting reading.

So, the twenty-first century illuminates a

worrying disconnect. Young people’s phones

and computers are living up the dreams of

earlier science fiction writers, but our children’s

emotions, neurology and physical requirements

are no different from those of the ancient Indians

and Greeks. There is no easy answer to this

problem, but at UWCSEA, a sympathetic, modern

and clearly articulated Personal and Social

Education Programme offers an imaginative and

collaborative way forward in the development of

the mind as well as the body.

Chris Edwards, Head of College, outlines the holistic

approach to student well-being taken by UWCSEA.

In 2015 Tanglin Trust School celebrates

90 years’ experience of providing

a British-based education to the international

community in Singapore.

Community and Inspiration

This year Tanglin Trust School celebrates

its 90th Anniversary (T90) in Singapore.

The school was founded by Anne Griffith-

Jones OBE in 1925, in the grounds of

The Tanglin Club, with just five students.

Today, on its campus at Portsdown Road,

Tanglin is at the forefront of British-based

education, providing a unique learning

environment to over 2,770 students from

Nursery right through to Sixth Form,

representing over 50 nationalities.

Whilst the school’s academic traditions

and approach to learning are firmly

grounded in an enhanced and rigorous

English National Curriculum, there are

many aspects of school life that have a

global focus which is contextualised to

our location in Asia. The result is that

our students not only achieve excellent

results but are open-minded and

develop a natural ability to reflect on the

international environment around them.

Tanglin is a place where children can

thrive, inspired by passionate teachers

and supported by excellent pastoral care.

Our students are confident, articulate and

engaged and we are immensely proud of

all of their achievements and their positive

approach to all aspects of school life.

We are also proud of our high standards.

Tanglin is inspected within the British

Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection

framework, recognised by Ofsted. In

our last three inspections (2013, 2014

and 2015), our Infant, Junior and Senior

Schools were all awarded Outstanding, the

highest possible rating.

T90 is a wonderful opportunity to

reflect on our heritage, celebrate our

achievements, give back to the community

and also to inspire our students to make a

difference. To follow our exciting calendar

of T90 events or to find out more about

our very special learning environment, visit

www.tts.edu.sg

“Tanglin has been my home since

2001. In attending the school I have

not only developed an academic

curiosity, but also a social and

personal awareness. I’ve connected

with incredible people of all walks

of life and been able to develop

all of my interests thanks to the

vast opportunities that are made

available to me. The balance

Tanglin has given me has helped

to open many doors for my future

and has given me the desire to keep

achieving and making a difference

in the communities I become a part

of.” Head Girl

t: +65 6778 0771 e: admissions@tts.edu.sg w: www.tts.edu.sg a: 95 Portsdown Road, Singapore 139299

Tanglin is a not-for-profit organisation and is registered as an educational charity.

British-based learning with an international perspective.

Nyborg Gymnasium

has stx, hf, IB and

boarding school

A

Danish upper-secondary school environment with an international agenda.

Nyborg Gymnasium addresses the growing internationalisation with

programmes, study streams and a boarding school, which makes the ‘international’

the order of the day.

The students at Nyborg Gymnasium have an eye open onto the world,

and they are fully capable of exploring this in school. This happens, for example, if stay at the

boarding school with other young people from all over the world, or if they are students in the

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, where all subjects are taught in English.

Over recent years, Nyborg Gymnasium has expanded and rebuilt school facilities to

ensure that the framework for the tuition is updated and inspiring. The latest addition to the

school is a new building for the sciences, and a special ‘language’ zone. At the boarding school

the students have their own rooms, a strong community, and a kitchen, with focus on organic

cooking, providing the meals of the day.

Nyborg Gymnasium

….en route to the world

NYBORG

GYMNASIUM

International

Baccalaureate

- an alternative to the

Danish ‘Studentereksamen’

• internationally recognized

• gives admission to universities

all over the world

• taught in English

You can stay at Nyborg Gymnasium’s

boarding school.

Contact us for more information about

theprogramme and the boarding school.

International

School

of Bergen

International School of Bergen (ISB) is situated on

the west coast of Norway and offers an English

language learning environment to students

between the ages of 3 and 16. Our mission is to

provide an internationally accredited education

serving the business and Bergen communities.

The educational programme of the International

School of Bergen (ISB) has been developed to help

prepare its students for a successful future. ISB is

accredited by the Council of International Schools

and the New England Association of Schools and

Colleges in addition to being authorized by the

International Baccalaureate Organization to offer

their Primary Years and Middle Years programmes.

Our students and staff

All teachers hold university

degrees and appropriate teaching

qualifications. Classes are small, and

with students and staff representing

more than thirty different

nationalities, we pride ourselves in

having a welcoming and including

community.

ISB was founded in 1975, giving

us nearly 40 years of experience as

an educational institution.

International School of Bergen

Vilhelm Bjerknesvei 15, 5081

Bergen, Norway

Phone: +4755306330

Fax: +4755306331

Website: www.isob.no

E-mail: post@isob.no

www.nyborg-gym.dk

Tlf +45 65 31 02 17

ENGELSKSPRÅKLIG PRIVATSKOLE

FOR BARN OG UNGDOM

MELLOM 3 OG 16

• Få elever i hver klasse

• Trygt læringsmiljø med god individuell oppfølging

• God kontakt med foreldre

• Internasjonalt godkjente og utfordrende læreplaner

• Utmerkede resultater i internasjonale og norske nasjonalprøver

• Sentral beliggenhet med bybanestopp rett utenfor døren

Contact us for more information: www.isob.no eller post@isob.no


Saniya

More

7 Reasons to ‘IB’ it Up

By Saniya More, Grade 12 at KIS International School in Bangkok, Thailand, Class of 2015

KIS Students at a glance:

• KIS students score on average 34-35 points

on their IB Diploma, compared to the global

average score of 29.8.

• On average 91% percent of KIS students

taking the IB Diploma pass, compared to

78-79% worldwide.

• KIS students are accepted at excellent universities

around the world, often with substantial

scholarships.

As I come closer and closer to the

end of senior year and graduation, I

can’t help but look back on the last

(almost) 8 years of my life- into the

education system that I’ve been a

part of since the fourth grade: the IB program. Two

years ago, I began the IB Diploma Program- one

of the most respected, most difficult programs in

the world. We can all, as IB students, agree that

the IB is no joke, because pulling all-nighters and

finishing essays the day before they were due are

just some of the skills we have. But honestly what

are the benefits of this hellish program? Well, it’s

me so here’s another list (once again).

It’s a challenge- making it through the IB

program is no easy task because it is a very well

rounded curriculum. To do well in the IB doesn’t

mean just memorising a textbook of content or

being able to list all the facts- you have to be able

to apply what you know to new situations.

It helps you to develop excellent critical

thinking skills- from the beginning of the IB

program, we are pushed to have our own opinion

on what is happening in the world, as well as

attempt to understand the perspectives of the

people around us. IB pushes us to question the

world around us, and try to make sense of why

everything is the way it is.

It transforms you into an independent

learner- by carrying out independent research,

writing many investigative essays, completing

a personal project and writing an Extended

Essay, IB helps you develop the skills you need

to understand the world around you without

depending on anyone else.

It gives you your first taste of the real worldthree

words: Creativity, Action, Service- for me,

some of the best, more memorable parts of the

DP program have come from my CAS activities.

Whether it be volunteering at a local shelter,

or helping to host a yoga workshop for street

children in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (best spring

break EVER!), CAS shows you that the world

isn’t a perfect place, and there is a lot that we as

individuals can do to help society move forward.

It impels you to be a well-rounded person

with a wide variety of interests- throughout

the program, we are encouraged to develop our

talents, be able to express ourselves, but also write

good essays and learn theories. We are exposed

to a variety of subjects, and thus can discover our

own individual interests.

It helps you to develop a holistic, accepting

state of mind- most IB communities are

international, and being open and appreciating

about other cultures besides your own is definitely

an IB value.

It makes you a part of a global elite (and

very small) group of highly intelligent, talented

individuals- Globally, there are only about 1 million

IB students- it’s one of the smallest educational

minorities. IB is tough, and it’s definitely not a

program for the faint-hearted. But I’ve been a part

of it for 8 years, and yes although at times it has

been a real challenge, I definitely do not regret

being an IB student.

For more information please contact:

admissions@kis.ac.th, www.kis.ac.th


Stenhus Kostskole Sports Academy

Stenhus Kostskole Boarding School and Gymnasium is the right place if interested

in sports, the Sports Academy is based on both ambitious training and education

and all students are receiving customized training programs.

Different options

Football College

Coaches at the Football College are the former major league players Morten

Hamm and Morten Rutkjær.They both have UEFA A coach license and coaches at

Northwest FC Sports College (elementary education). Both have worked with

various Danish football elite teams.

• Football College from 8th to 10th class (boys)

Students live at Stenhus Boarding School where education and training are

combined in a professional and ambitious environment.

• Football College at Stenhus High School (boys and girls)

Students live at Stenhus Boarding School and study at the high school.

Basketball College

Coaches are Trine Tims and Jesper Sørensen who are both former national team

players and now coaches at Stenhus Basketball College. Trine Tims was between

Nov 2007 and Dec 2009 the coach of the women's national team in basketball.

• Basketball College (boys and girls and high school students only)


Badminton College

Christian Møller Madsen, former elite player, is one of the coaches at the Badminton

College.

• Badminton College (boys and girls and high school students only)


Stenhus Kostskole

DK-4300 Holbæk

Phone: +45 59 43 02 69

E-mail: admin@stenhus.dk Website: www.stenhus.dk


Danish Children

without home

language teacher

In Thailand, the Danish children have not the

same home language education as children from

the other Nordic countries. The parents need to

organize themselves like in Singapore.


While Finns and Swedes

are organizing mother

tongue language lessons

for their children at the

international schools in

Thailand, and Norwegians have private

teachers, many Danish parents are educating

their children themselves. It is not as effective,

secretary from Danish Supplementary School in

Singapore says.

Mai Ellegaard is Danish and her husband is

from Thailand. The older of their two sons, Eivind,

is seven years old. Like many children with

different cultural backgrounds, he is registered

at an international school - in this case NIST, in

Bangkok.

In school Eivind learns to speak Thai and

English. However, it is important for Mai that he

learns to speak Danish as well. But Danish is not

offered as a supplementary course at the school,

so she is teaching him at home with educational

materials from Danes Worldwide.

“The material is so well prepared that you

as a parent easily can adapt it. But if there was

a Danish teacher who could teach the children

with materials from Danes Worldwide, I would

definitely consider using that opportunity,”

she says.

According to Line Klitgaard, secretary at

Danish Supplementary School in Singapore,

there is a huge difference between educating

children at home and having them in classes with

other Danish children.

“I do not believe that home schooling with

your parents is as motivating and effective as the

interaction with other children in a classroom,”

the secretary says.

Line Klitgaard has two children herself and

is a former schoolteacher. Her daughter is registered

at one of the international schools in

Singapore and is taught Danish as a supplement.

Mai Ellegaard is using the material for distance

learning provided by “Danes Worldwide”.

Photo at top from www.danses.dk

Persistent parents

Mai Ellegaard is a volunteer for Danes Worldwide.

She meets a lot of Danish parents, who

want their children to maintain or learn mother

tongue language.

“I have been asking everyone; ‘Do you know

a Danish teacher?’, but it is difficult to find a well

educated one. Secondly there is a long distance

between the schools in Thailand - it makes it

even more difficult to arrange,” she says.

In Singapore mother tongue language has

become very popular.

This summer, two of the international

schools in Singapore, German European School

(GESS) and Overseas Family School (OFS),

will start a brand new scheme - mother tongue

language will now be a part of the schedule and

not just a supplementary course.

“It is a mixture of very persistent parents

and new scientific knowledge. The international

schools now see how important it is for a third

culture child to be taught in their mother tongue

language,” the secretary from Danish Supplementary

School says.

Line Klitgaard emphasizes that Bangkok is

much different than the city of Singapore regarding

traffic and distance, and that it makes it

difficult to organize a school network.

But she believes that if the parents really

want it, it is possible.

Not just a language

For more than 16 years, Holger Jensen was a

Danish schoolteacher in Thailand. He offered

both private lessons and had classes at the

international school NIST, who provides free

classrooms for foreign languages.

During Holger Jensen’s time as a teacher,

he had almost 700 students. In his opinion the

mother tongue language is very important for

the children.

“Danish has an unique status for many of the

children. The children were highly motivated -

although many of them received Danish lessons

after the schedule at the international schools

and therefore were exhausted,” he says.

But in June 2013, Holger retired. Since then

no one took over, and Danish children have been

educated at home by their parents - some have


Q&A

Torsten

Edens

Torsten Edens, 49, moved to

Vietnam with his wife Mona

and 16 year old daughter

Sophia in January 2014 to work as

Managing Director for Diethelm Travel.

Working in tghen travel industry,

Torsten has overv the years lived in

“around 20 countries”.

His daughter Sophia started at

UNIS in Hanoi and is going for the IB

program.

I decided to move to Vietnam...

because it was a great opportunity and I instantly

felt a great affection for the country

and its people.

Runnning a travel agency in Vietnam has

taught me...

not to judge the book by it’s cover, the Vietnamese

might not be smiling as much as the

Thais but they are fantastic, have a great sense

of humor and are hardworking and qualified.

In my spare time...

I try to see as much of Vietnam as I can, I do

trail running wherever I can and that is a great

way to get close to the nature.

It never ceases to amaze me...

when I drive to work every morning in the traffic

here in Hanoi and I don’t see accidents all

over the place. The traffic is almost organic and

every little piece of pavement is used.

I will never get tired of ...

the old Quarter in Hanoi with its constant life

and mixture of new and old.

The worst thing about doing business in

Vietnam...

is the constant change of rules and regulations

which means that you are never completely

certain of what the law says. Sometimes the

laws that are passed makes absolutely no sense

what so ever.

Reader profile of the month

When I moved to Vietnam I wish I had

known...

how cold it gets in the winter here in Hanoi,

actually it is usually colder inside the houses

than outside.

Living outside of Scandinavia has made

me realize...

how narrow minded and fixated with 1st

world problems we have become in Scandinavia.

Live and let live and don’t worry too much

about a bus that is 5 min delayed or if your

internet connection is a bit slow. Your rights

come with obligations and we become too

much focused on our rights and do not want

to contribute. It is a great shame and shows

how petty we have become.

Since I became an expat...

traditions like Christmas have become more

about quality and less about quantity. I love that

everything looks normal until 7 days before

Xmas and it is all removed the day after Xmas.

We don’t over eat in sweets and Danish food

and Xmas lunches with hangovers are - almost

- a thing of the past.

Finding a school for my daughter...

was relatively easy. In her age there was only

two options and UNIS was by far the better

choice, apart from that they have a great

reputation worldwide and doors to further

education will be open in all continents for her.

In Vietnam I have picked up the habit of....

smoking too much. But it kind of filters the

dust in the air.

The Scandinavian community in Hanoi

is...

relatively small. Actually, we have not been

seeking out Scandinavians so far.

To satisfy my social needs...

I go out for a Bia Hoi with my staff or run in

the Hanoi Hash House Harriers

I will return to Denmark when...

not really. I am enjoying it too much here!

been attending a three weeks summer school

- and some Danish children are not learning or

speaking their mother tongue language at all.

That is a shame, Holger thinks.

“A language is not just a lot of words, grammar

and some phrases. A language is a culture

courier.”

Mai Ellegaard agrees, and she believes that

Holger’s retirement has been a big loss for many

of the children in Thailand.

Approximate two years ago, she decided to

stop working to have more time with her children.

But she meets families that do not have the

same possibility to educate their children. And

that is a problem, she thinks.

“The children miss the opportunity to go to

Denmark and receive education, if they want to

do so one day - and they loose the connection

to their roots,” she says.

Exactly this is one of the main reasons, why

Holger Jensen thinks his students were so motivated

for learning Danish.

“They could see the meaning in learning

the language. The children cannot only use it at

home, but also in Denmark, when the family goes

home on vacation,” he says.

Holger also experienced that many parents

were very aware of returning to Denmark one

day, and that the children would have to go back

to a Danish school.

“The parents wanted to help their children

as much as possible,” Holger says.

Swedish success

Agneta de Bekassy has been working with the

Swedish school organization in Thailand for

a couple of years now. The organization was

established by a group of parents in 1970, and

it works closely together with Swedish Women

Educational Association (SWEA) and the Swedish

church.

Agneta is teaching children in four different

international schools in Thailand: Patana, ISB, KIS

and NIST.

“I cannot see any reason why Danes should

not be able to start an organization like ours. If

there are enough families who want their children

to brush up, start or just learn Danish as

beginners, I think they should do so,” she says.

All together the organization has around 25

children and five teachers.

A Danish teacher

It is important for Mai Ellegaard that the educational

material is approved by the Danish

Ministry of Education, because this makes

it possible for the Danish children to enter

the Danish educational system later on in

their lives.

She is now in contact with a potential Danish

teacher in Thailand, and she has been talking

with Danes Worldwide and the international

schools in Thailand about starting something up

together. It is still not as simple, as she thought

to begin with.

“And furthermore, I do not know, how many

parents would be interested, and I need other

people to help me organize it. I cannot do this

by myself,” she says.


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ScandAsia Singapore - April 2015

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