APRIL 2020 Business:
Swedish AI-specialist in Singapore
Community:
SSS 100 Years: Party of the century
Personal Development: Attitude is everything
International Schools theme
April 2020
ScandAsia Stories
14 Danish maritime companies to get new financing opportunities 15 Scandinavian countries among most innovative 46 More mindful citizens, please 50 Celebrating Fastelavn in Bangkok Corona virus creating a mess in international travel and domestic economies worldwide
How to choose the right school
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15 16 Party of the century: Scandinavian Society Siam celebrates 100 years
20 Rebecka Lundin: A Swedish entrepreneur in Hong Kong
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Anna Frummerin: Attitude is everything 4 ScandAsia • April 2020
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Editorial
Covid-19 - do our home countries care about us?
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he world is facing an unprecedented global health emergency. The containment of the Covid-19 pandemic is the utmost priority and the Nordic countries and their companies all over Asia are in each their way committed to support all measures taken to curb the outbreak. The COVID-19 outbreak has brought our world to a standstill with unparalleled and unforeseen impact in our lives, our economies, our societies and our livelihoods and there are growing risks of a global recession and a massive loss of jobs. Any assessment of the impact of this unparalleled crisis is quickly surpassed by the fast-changing reality. Based on the latest developments (quarantine measures, travel bans & border closures in most of Asia and Europe, which represents 50% of international tourism, tourist arrivals in Asia could decline by 20% to 30% in 2020. This would translate into a loss of hundreds of billion of US-dollars in international tourism receipts and will send a ripple effect into every corner of every national economy. What we don’t know is, when we will we see the end of this crisis? What we do know is, that millions of jobs are already lost or at risk of being lost. What we do know is, that we need to protect the most vulnerable segments such as SMEs, self-employed, women and start-ups. That we need to create survival mechanisms for companies.
We know we need strong support in navigating the unparalleled social and economic impact of COVID19. In the immediate, we need urgent fiscal and monetary measures that help protect jobs, sustain the self-employed and support companies’ liquidity and operations and accelerate recovery in the future. The challenge is that the more we do to flatten the infection curve, the more we are also worsening the economic recession curve We do the right measures to save human lives, but the same measures cost the lives of many businesses. Reviving dead businesses is just as difficult as reviving dead people. What we do know is, that countries in Asia will tend to rescue their own SME’s before tending to business run by foreigners. What Nordic companies in Asia needs urgently is attention and fiscal support from our home countries which we have never before asked for help. We need shor t term soft loans of max. 3 percent interest for Nordic related companies and Nordic self employed and start-ups operating in Asia. Do our home countries care about us?
Gregers Moller Editor in Chief
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6 ScandAsia • April 2020
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Care for ambition April 2020 • ScandAsia 7
News brief
Denmark airlifted Danes stranded in the Philippines
The chartered flight DK9025 was an Airbus A330-243 from Thomas Cook.
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total of 236 Danish individuals were registered as needing assistance in returning to Denmark from the Philippines as of 24 March 2020. To provide home transpor tation for them, the Danish Foreign Ministry in collaboration with the travel industry and the Filipino authorities established an airlift using dedicated planes. The first flights took off on 28 March 2020.
In preparation for the airlift, the Foreign Ministry had sent a team of helpers to the Danish Embassy in Manila, to assist the Danish passengers, who were instructed to find accommodation near the two international airports Mactan-Cebu International Airpor t and Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport, so they could be ready for boarding on short notice.
The Cebu flight had left Denmark to Phuket, then changed crew there for the flight Phuket-CebuPhuket. Finally the flight left PhuketCopenhagen with the first crew. The passengers had to pay for the tickets for the flight. The Danish Foreign Ministr y stressed in the press release that Danes, who are currently in a foreign country and wishes to return home, should not expect that a similar airlift would be arranged for them. Instead they were encouraged to search for commercial flights to return home. “We have to prioritize the places, where the health- and security situations is a challenge,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod said. “The Foreign Ministry can only try to install our own exclusive flights in extraordinary situations, where no other solutions are available.”
All Nordic countries closed their borders
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ll the Nordic countries announced one after another restrictions on traveler s visiting their countries to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. The first country was Denmark which decided to close the Danish borders as of 13 March 2020. The Norwegian government made the same decision 16 March 2020. The day after, the Swedish- and Finnish governments announced that both countries would close their borders as of 19 March 2020. Although the borders are formally closed, all Nordic countries still allow some movements, in particular regarding their own nationals. For most of the countries the measure was to block entry from countries 8 ScandAsia • April 2020
outside the EU. “Today’s decision is in line with the European Council and Commission’s advice to EU member states to introduce a temporary ban on inbound travel to the EU from third countries,” said the Swedish Minister of Internal Affairs Mikeal Damberg in a statement when announcing the closure of the Swedish borders. The last Nordic countr y to take the drastic measures was Iceland which on 20 March 2020 announced that it would only allow foreign nationals from EU (+EFTA) and UK nationals to enter Iceland. All other travelers will not be allowed to board transportation to Iceland. The ban was set to expire on 17 April 2020.
No tears: All passengers to Europe passed check-in
News brief
By Sofia S. Flittner-Nielsen
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e are in Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. The time is almost 22.00 on Friday 21 March 2020. In a few minutes the check-in counters for Thai Airways flights to Europe will open. We are here to see, if any passengers are refused boarding because they do not have the required documents or sufficient reason to travel. There are fewer people than on an ordinary day. Some seem to bee cool, strolling around and taking their time. Others are power walking as they frantically look for the right check-in counter. Some sprint ahead off the others to secure themselves a good place in the queue in front of the check-in counters. When they get there, they are greeted by a buzzing sea of people waiting for the check-in to open. The clock ticks as it nears 22.00 and the two lines grow longer and longer as families, friends and solo travelers’ race to join at the end of the queue, clearly desperate to not be the last person in the growing line of people. Most trolleys are stacked like towers with suitcases and colorful backpacks. Children use the suitcases on the trolley as a seat as they play on their phones while their parents whisper and check their boarding passes. People frequently clean their hands with hand sanitizer as they slip masks and gloves on.The air quickly becomes thick with the bitter smell of sanitizer. Suddenly the line star ts to move, just a few meters, as the first travelers hurry to the counters. The many faces are painted with relief as the line continues to move – but slowly. And as seconds turns into minutes the relief transforms into impatience. People tap their feet to an unknown beat, children ask their parents when they will get to the
counters, people begin to wander around restlessly while constantly keeping an eye of the staff – some people make an attempt to cut the lines to get to the front quicker but are told to find the end of the queue. A man wipes down his suitcase with hand gel and sanitizer. It seems irrational as the suitcase will surely pass many hands before it reaches his destination – why not save it to the moment when he takes it off the baggage band then? The air fills with an anxious tension under the white fluorescent lights of the airport. The closer people get to the counters, the more ner vous they look. Their eyes flicker as they swallow. Some take their annoying masks off, rapidly talking to their co-travelers and frequently checking their passports. The reason for their anxiety is that Thai Airways can deny people access based on a list of instructions and criteria provided by the Embassies in Thailand. As the
clock ticks, the tension intensifies: people want to go home. Will they allow me? But despite the tension, checkin goes smoothly. People walk away from the check-in counters as they smile and hurr y towards security. Some people sprint away from the counters through the hall to purchase passage for an either overweight or over-sized luggage. The palpable tension peaks when the speakers cut through the low buzz of the last people waiting in line to announce that check-in is closing soon – and boarding to several flights has begun. The line isn’t long but the last few people begin to pace restlessly around their luggage trolley, their feet and hands tapping away. But this evening ended smoothly – smooth as silk. Nobody were turned away at the check-in counter, everybody got their boarding tickets. No cries tonight – everyone got on their flights to Europe in time. April 2020 • ScandAsia 9
News brief
Nordic countries contribute funds for Covid-19 vaccine research
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orwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Minister of International Development Dag-Inge Ulstein appealed already in Januar y for donors to support the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to quickly develop a vaccine against the novel coronavirus. “Several countries are now suppor ting Norway’s appeal for funding the development of a vaccine against the Covid-19 virus. Germany, Sweden, Finland and Denmark are among the countries that are now pledging millions,” said Minster of International Development H.E. Ulstein.
“Never theless, we are still USD 1,7 billion short of the funding we need to reach our goal of USD 2 billion in contributions to CEPI. It is important to get more countries and other actors on board so that we can work together to improve global health security,” he said. CEPI needs the funds to enable it to expand the number of vaccine candidates, to increase the probability of success against COVID-19. It’s ambition is to have at least three vaccines in development to submit to regulatory authorities for general and emergency use. CEPI has outlined ‘five funding phases’ to help it achieve its mission. An initial $100m is needed to help fund phase 1 clinical trials of eight vaccine candidates, and then a further $375m by the end of March 2020 to prepare four-six for phase 2/3 trials. This will be followed by $400m by the end of June 2020 to take at least two candidates into phase 2/3 trials and prepare for trials to be car-
ried out in a number of locations. At this stage, the investment will also be used to scale up the manufacturing process for up to six candidates. Lastly, CEPI says that $500m$750m in 2021 will be needed to suppor t the global manufacturing capacity, with tech transfer, to geographically distributed locations of up to three candidates. This will also allow for the completion of clinical testing and the preparation of regulatory submissions for emergency authorisation and licensure submission. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) was established after the Ebola crisis to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics faster than has previously been possible using traditional approaches. CEPI is headquartered in Odlo, Norway, and key contributors in establishing the organisation was Norway, Germany, Japan, India, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation and the Welcome Trust.
LEGO to expand in China despite coronavirus
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EGO, the Danish toy giant, opened 80 new Lego-stores in China in 2019 and the plan is to expand with another 80 stores in 2020 – making the total number of LEGO-stores in China 220 stores spread across 55 Chinese cities, according to Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of LEGO. “The shor t-term uncer tainty, the coronavirus has brought, won’t make us change our long-term goals and the investments we have planned,” tells Niels B. Christiansen.
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Despite the coronavirus causing a temporary shut-down of the Chinese LEGO factory and several LEGO offices across China the CEO reports that the company has not experienced a significant decrease in sales in China. “We can see that the purchases of LEGO has not been in the stores but rather on our website instead. But it’s too soon to predict if it will affect our total sale of 2020,” tells the CEO of Lego.
Photo: Just2Good.
Norway stepped up home transport arrangements
News brief
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any Norwegians travelling abroad found themselves in difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic and asked for help returning to Norway. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs scaled up staffing at its operational centre and received more than 5 500 inquiries in just three days leading up to the closure of the Norwegian borders. “It is becoming harder for many Norwegian citizens to return home because more and more countries are closing their borders and airspace and introducing states of emergency,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Ine Eriksen Søreide. “The Government wants very much to help Norwegian travelers get home safely to Norway and we are working closely with SAS, Norwegian and Widerøe airlines to help Norwegian citizens who are now on trips abroad.” The Norwegian government
informed the airlines Widerøe, Norwegian and SAS that the Norwegian state would step forward to cover additional costs of maintaining certain flights bringing Norwegians home that the airlines would otherwise have cancelled, or of making essential extraordinary flights to carry Norwegians who are travelling home through 31 March 2020. Flights information were made available on the airlines’ websites and the airlines charged normal payment from travelers. The airlines would be attempting to limit additional costs.
“I am grateful for the good cooperation we have had with the airlines,” Minister of Transport H.E. Knut Arild Hareide. “They are the ones who will be administering this, and people trying to get home must contact the airlines directly. Our common goal is to allow many travelling Norwegians to make it home, and we are looking in particular at places where there are many of them. I would like to thank SAS, Norwegian and Widerøe and their personnel who are pitching in to make this collective effort work.’
Qatar Airways offers discount to fly home from Jakarta
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atar Airways extended in March via NordCham in Indonesia an offer that members of the chamber and their family members could receive a 10% discount on economy and business class flights to return home. The offer is valid for bookings and flights until 15th April 2020.
The special offer is a result of NordCham’s par tnership discussions with Qatar Airways over some time, says Magnus Ramstad Dahl, NordCham Indonesia. “Nordcham would like Qatar to be the Chamber’s airline partner with up to 20% discounts on flights, flexible bookings and cancellations,
accelerated loyalty points accumulation and transferring members from other loyalty programs to Qatar’s loyalty program at the same membership tier.” Magnus Ramstad Dahl adds, that these discussions have temporarily been but on hold due to corona but will resume once the situation returns to normal. Qatar Airways operates two daily flights between Jakar ta and Doha with connecting flights onward to Scandinavia. QR955 departs daily 25 minutes past mindnight from Jakarta to Doha while QR957 departs daily 20 minutes past noon from Jakarta to Doha. April 2020 • ScandAsia 11
News brief
Salmon ocean farm built in China on its way to Norway
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floating salmon farm to be put into production off the coast of Norway is now on its way from China to Norway where it is expected to arrive during the summer.
The farm has been named Havfarm 1. It is designed by NSK Ship Design in Norway and built at Yantai Shipyard, a city in the Shandong province of China. “Although this area is quite
some distance away from the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, extended Chinese holidays and selfquarantine regulations began affecting the project at an early stage. The situation in Yantai is now fairly normalized, but Chinese travel restrictions have recently been implemented to prevent new outbreaks,” says Lars Fredrik Martinussen, Communications Chief in Nordlaks which is the customer that will operate the salmon farm. A timeline for the completion, final launch, and testing of onboard equipment is currently hard to estimate, the firm said. During this phase of the project, Nordlaks relies heavily on personnel from multiple suppliers, and strict travel restrictions to and from China are creating uncer tainty regarding the completion process.
The Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Singapore closes temporarily – but offers social solution
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ue to the novel coronavirus the Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Singapore is closing its doors temporarily, announced the Church in its newsletter 26 March 2020. The closure will last until 13 April 2020 to prevent the spreading and reduce the risk of infection by the novel coronavirus by not gathering many people together. “We still wish to be “open” and to be of service to the Norwegian 12 ScandAsia • April 2020
colony in Singapore,” states the Seamen’s Church in the newsletter. Since the Church has closed its physical premises, the Norwegians in Singapore were invited to try to join an online coffee-meeting 31 March 2020 using the app Zoom Cloud Meetings. (https://zoom.us/)
International ski conference in Pattaya moved
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he International Ski Federation FIS has decided to move its world congress planned for May 17-23 in Pattaya, Thailand due to the corona crisis. The Congress gathers every year over 1000 participants from national skiing federations around the world. Norwegian Ski Federation’s President Erik Röste has from the beginning strongly opposed holding the congress in Pattaya, saying it hurts the reputation of the FIS. Outgoing President Gian Franco Kasper has defended the selection which came after the first choice Marrakesh, Morocco opted out, saying that “Pattaya is not only sex tourism, but also normal tourism.”
News brief
The Congress should have taken place at Royal Cliff Grand Hotel with participants staying also at Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, Royal Cliff Beach Terrace and Royal Wing Suites & Spa. The Norwegian Ski Federation is hoping that the Congress, which will now take place in the autumn, will endorse Trondheim as home for the 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships. Trondheim is not known for its prostitution.
April 2020 • ScandAsia 13
News brief
Danish maritime companies to get new opportunities in China and Singapore
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enmar k’s Expor t Credit Agency (EKF) have teamed up with the Danish Trade Council, the Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing and Embassy of Denmark in Singapore to develop an alliance, which will give small and mediumsized Danish companies more op-
portunities to offer and deliver maritime technologies for shipyards in China and Singapore. The alliance will be dubbed “The Maritime Shopping Line Alliance” and will be open to all Danish companies within Maritime technology and innovation. The alliance aims to present a collective image of Danish technology and solutions as suppor tive, reliable, relevant and worthy. The alliance will be supported by Denmark’s Export Credit Agency, who will offer Chinese and Singa-
porean shipyards- and owners’ access to pre-approved credit, as this will make the action of purchasing Danish solutions easy and comfortable. “The alliance with businesses will offer Danish companies and businesses the oppor tunity to receive orders, that normally would have been too small for the businesses banks to fund. This alliance will create opportunities for export that normally wouldn’t be possible,” says Marek Zandberg, Chief Underwriter at EKF.
Sweden and Cambodia to cooperate in education of human rights
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he Embassy of Sweden in Cambodia signed an agreement with Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law 12 March 2020. The agreement aims to strengthen human rights education at the kingdom of Cambodia’s educational institutions, repor ts the Cambodian newspaper Khmer Times. The agreement will last from 2020 to 2022 with Sweden pledging $3.2 million to the cause. The economic aid will allow the RWI to continue suppor ting human rights education for the next generation of Cambodian decisionmakers, stated Raoul Wallenberg Institute in a press release. This will include research in different areas on the spectrum of human rights, such as gender and environment among others. The research aims to stimulate betterinformed debates and increase co-
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Samuel Hurtig, Head of Development Cooperation at Embassy of Sweden in Cambodia (left) and Morten Kjarum, Headqueater Director of RWI. Photo: RWI. operation between different sectors of the Cambodian society, added the institute. The Head of development cooperation at the Swedish Embassy, Samuel Hur tig, acknowledges the RWI’s activities as a significant contribution to improving knowledge of human rights and gender equality among citizens and the public sector
in Cambodia. “We are pleased to par tner with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute. The support is in line with Swedish government’s strategy for development cooperation with Cambodia and drive for democracy, with the promotion and protection of human rights at the core,” said Samuel Hurtig at the event 12 March 2020.
News brief
Danish Church in Thailand sponsored by Grundfos and ScanProducts
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he Danish Church in Thailand has secured sponsor support that will help the church economically in the future. The two sponsors are Grundfos, a global and well-known pump manufacturer, and Jens Bergsoe from ScanProducts, a local business that specializes in sale of Danish Design. The combined money donated from the two new sponsors will allow the Danish Church economic freedom to maintain the cultural and social services the Church offers. “We’re very pleased to have come to an agreement with Grundfos and Jens Bergsoe from ScanProducts. The Church offers a lot of services and social events that need sponsoring, so it’s an economic relief,” says Peter Sand, Chairman of the Church Council. Kenth Hvid Nielsen, Grundfos
Thailand, says the decision to support the Danish Church was an easy choice. “The Danish Church is playing a very important role regarding of social responsibility, and we want to support them, so they can have better conditions to execute their work,” he said, referring to the work the Church does in helping elderly, lonely or troubled Danes and visiting
imprisoned or hospitalized Danes in Thailand. Jens Bergsoe, ScanProducts, agrees. Both Danes highlighted also the Church as a social and cultural gathering point. “It’s not just the Church, we’re sponsoring we’re also sponsoring the Danish Community and unity. It’s a thing worth supporting”, said Kenth Hvid Nielsen.
Peter Sand, Chairman of the Danish Church in Thailand, with the Danish vicar, Christa Lund Herum.
Singapore, Denmark, Sweden and Finland in top 10 of the worlds most innovative countries in 2020
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recent repor t of a study made by Bloomberg shows the most innovative countries in the world based on criteria within research and development spending, manufacturing capability and the countries’ concentration of high-tech companies. The list of criteria makes up a 100-point ranking system, according to the statistics firm Statista. While Germany and South Korea took first and second place Singapore swooped in on third place with 87.01 points out of 100 points
– jumping three rankings up compared to 2019. Sweden took fifth place with 85.50 point – jumping two rankings up. Finland dropped four rankings to a seventh place with 84.00 points out of 100 points. Denmark finally entered the top 10 list of innovative countries with a eighth place, jumping three rankings up compared to 2019, where the Nordic country was close to becoming number 10. April 2020 • ScandAsia 15
Party of the Century: Scandinavian Society Siam celebrates 100 Years
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candinavian Society Siam celebrated its 100 Year Anniversar y in magnificent style on 5 March 2020 - exactly on the same day as Dansk Samfund Siam was established one hundred years ago in a completely different world. The location was God's gift to the organizers: The Glass House in old Nai Lert Park Heritage Home garden was perfect with its beautiful transparent structure surrounded by century old rain trees and willows. It was made possible with generous donations by key companies in the Nordic community. This was a once in a lifetime occasion and it should have been jumped upon by any Nordic person lucky enough to be in Thailand during this spring. But with only 100 participants, it appears that not everybody looked at it this way. Personally, I enjoyed meeting almost everybody that I had hoped to meet at this unique party - only a few were sadly not there for a variety of individually very reasonable reasons.
The menu was not extravagant but exquisite and to the point. There was a seafood starter. It was followed by the most tender duck breast that I have ever tasted. And for desert we had a crispy layered cake with raspberry compost in between. There were fancy names for it all on the menu card, but I forgot to pocket one. Wine and beer was free flowing. So was coffee throughout the night, which was very nice. We heard a very informative speech by the Chairman Lasse Stalung, introduced by the cool MC Kim Alexandersen wearing a huge bowler with an extra wide brim that gave him the looks of a traditional Roman Catholic clergy. In his speech, Chairman Lasse took us on an entertaining journey through the 100 years and highlighted interesting facts he had stumbled upon in his research on the subject. See some of the slides above.
April 2020 • ScandAsia 17
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We also heard an entertaining speech by past Chairman Tom Sorensen, whose talent as a party speaker is legendary - and he didn't fail us this time either. Somewhere in the middle, the party broke down during the distribution of door prized, as is usually the case. Now, we have another hundred years before the next grand anniversary to learn how to handle this. We were all, however, jolted back into attention with the solo performance of the amazing Adrian Angelico, the Norwegian mezzo-soprano whom I had had the pleasure of sitting at the same table with, seated next to his childhood friend, the Norwegian Author Anne Marie Stamnestrø. On stage, Adrian's pleasant and distinct conversational voice suddenly exploded into the evening’s greatest thrills, his rich voice effortlessly filling the hall at whatever dynamic without a microphone. Amazing, if only too short. Back at the table, I - by the way - finally got the explanation why he spoke so flawlessly Danish. As a child, his mother had lived together with Charman Lasse for two years in Denmark!
We also heard interesting speeches from Honorary Member Dr. Kristian Boe and from Palle Havmoeller, whose father had been one of the founders of the Dansk Samfund Siam. And we cut a genuine Danish "kransekage" to mark the anniversary. Just in time to kick the party one notch higher, the Swing Kings Band took over the stage and had us all up and dancing the night away, giving the Chairman and the Grey Eminence of the party, past Chairman Eid Alexandersen a moment to breath. The success of the night was in the bag and she and past Chairman Leo could relax and enjoy the rest of the night as any other participant. Enough words. Chairman Lasse Staalung has uploaded lots of more photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YMzRR6gaceBMwvCJ7
April 2020 • ScandAsia 19
Rebecka Lundin:
An Environmentally Aware Swedish Entrepreneur in Hong Kong
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Rebecka Lundin is proud of her Swedish heritage and she visits her homeland regularly. She owns a country house outside Stockholm and loves to spend as much time as possible there, with all her family around. She has a high regard for Stockholm and recognizes it as a leading player in the fashion industry. By Colin Rampton
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heung Wan is an interesting area of Hong Kong. Just one MTR stop to the west of noisy Central, it is totally different in character from its modern and bustling neighbor. Sheung Wan contains old Chinese medicine stores, antique and curio shops, the Man Ho temple and the famous Cat Street market. The labyrinth of streets and alleys, many very steep, has not changed for years. It was after climbing the steps of well-named Ladder Street, that I arrived at a bar in Hollywood Road to keep my appointment with the charismatic Rebecka Lundin.
A Busy Lady
Rebecka lives in Sheung Wan and catches a double decker tram in the mornings to her work in Wan Chai. These trams are unique to the North of Hong Kong Island and they have been slowly trundling along their narrow-gauge lines for more than 100 years. Perhaps her slow journey to work is Rebecka’s thinking time, for to say that she lives a busy life is an understatement. As well as working as a sourcing manager for a well-known Swedish fashion brand, Rebecka finds the time to run three businesses, and to also sing in different choirs and attend a class in the mysterious Chinese Art of ‘feng-shui’. The largest of her three companies is called Chinese Whispers. This is a successful online sales forum and Rebecka was a founding partner with her local friend Carol Lee.The company sources and supplies home decoration such as ginger jars, porcelain stools, lamps, artifacts and jewelry from various locations around Asia. In her own words: “It’s an ideal webstore if you are looking for that perfect leaving present, milestone birthday present or special occasion gift.” Rebecka also founded her Footprint Sock company in 2016 after realizing there was a gap in the market for hard-wearing yoga and Pilates socks. She used her cre-
It’s an ideal webstore if you are looking for that perfect leaving present, milestone birthday present or special occasion gift.
ativity in fashion design to come up with a unique grip and anti-slide system that is used by no other sock on the market. The socks have proven to be popular and are sold in yoga and Pilates studios and chiropody practices in various parts of the world.
Natural Body Care
But Rebecka’s first creation and perhaps the one nearest to her heart is Swedish’s Handmade Bodycare which began in her kitchen but has expanded considerably. Rebecka has many friends with different nationalities and her local nickname is “Swedish”. This seemed an appropriate prefix for her body care business. She is intensely proud of the purity of her ingredients and the naturalness of
April 2020 • ScandAsia 21
keeping with her life philosophy, she researches clothing factories to ensure that the highest standards are maintained, that rules are obeyed, and exploitation eliminated. Her current employer has a high reputation for its care of the environment, and it encourages the use of sustainable and organic fabrics. As well as Sweden, the UK, and Hong Kong, Rebecka has spent short periods of time living and working in China and India.
Early Days
her products which have no chemicals or preservatives. “This means you need to consider my products as you would do with food. They are all freshly made and have an expiry date.” The desire of more and more people to want only natural, pure oils has encouraged Rebecka to produce an increasing number of items -shower-gel, lip-balm, handcream, makeup remover, soy scented candles and many more. As well as selling on-line and to loyal customers, Rebecka is a regular participant in temporary “Pop-up” shops, Farmers’ markets and Christmas fairs. She enjoys chatting to other vendors at these events.
International Experience
Despite her youthful looks, Rebecka has a wealth of life experience, including living in five different countries. After her early days in Stockholm, she relocated to London and studied for a BA (Hons) at the London College of Fashion. She lived in London for 10 years working as a designer in the fashion industry. Her itchy feet, her adventurous nature and the knowledge of the ‘opening up’ of China led her to Hong Kong. Skills honed in England were invaluable, and she secured a job as a product developer at the Hong Kong office of a large Swedish retail company. Over the years she has worked on many different levels within the fashion industry with several well-known retailer brands on her merit list. Her sourcing and product development roles have led to significant travel throughout Asia and involve regular trips to Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. In 22 ScandAsia • April 2020
Rebecka grew up in Stockholm within a loving family, one of three daughters. She has a fraternal twin and a sister just one and a half years older. She was educated at a Waldorf School, which follows the innovative educational principles of Rudolph Steiner. She fondly recalls walking to school with her sisters through a forest. She feels that the freedom and creativity which was encouraged during her learning at the Waldorf school, helped her to develop an independence and confidence which have stood her in good stead during adulthood. Rebecka comes across as an articulate, intelligent lady with high principles. She clearly likes to get things done and does not waste time. Her achievements are impressive. Rebecka is proud of her Swedish heritage and she visits her homeland regularly. She owns a country house outside Stockholm and loves to spend as much time as possible there, with all her family around. She has a high regard for Stockholm and recognizes it as a leading player in the fashion industry. “Often hairstyles and fashion choices develop in Stockholm before London or even New York.”
The Future
Rebecka’s experiences in some of the poorer parts of the world have made her humble and appreciative of the life she leads. She is grateful for her heritage, and she feels lucky that she is from a country where people are well educated and health conscious. She misses Sweden’s clean air and beautiful countryside as well as her mother’s home cooking. But she does not miss the cold winters when darkness descends at 2 o’clock in the afternoon! For the foreseeable future Hong Kong is her established home and despite the recent political troubles, she has no plans to leave. She was not fazed when she arrived here alone 15 years ago. The intervening time has seen her make many international friends and to share her passion to provide people with good quality goods, while caring for the environment. After a very enjoyable couple of hours in Rebecka’s company I descended Ladder Street to Sheung Wan MTR station and set off for home. It was a pleasure to spend time with this talented and exuberant Swedish lady. For more information about Rebecka’s Hong Kong enterprises, please visit: www.swedish-handmade.com www.chinesewhisper.se www.footprintsock.com
Your Move. Our World. - Moving Services - Relocation Services - Visa & Immigration - Home Search - School Search - Orientation
www.asiantigersgroup.com April 2020 • ScandAsia 23
International Schools
How to choose the right school To decide on something as important as your child’s education and well-being might be the toughest part about moving to another country. 24 ScandAsia • April 2020
A good start is to ask other parents of your own nationality which school they have chosen and why. You will find many associations and institutions for your nationality in your country on the website www.scandasia.com under “Contacts Directory”.
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By Gregers Moller hoosing a new school when moving has become increasingly difficult for parents. There are more and more schools established all the time, and each institution has its own unique philosophy and attributes. Comparing what they offer with the needs of your child is no simple task. A good start is to ask other parents of your own nationality which school they have chosen and why. You will find many associations and institutions for your nationality in your country on the website www.scandasia. com under “Contacts Directory”. You will find that they have chosen different schools and for different reasons but if you ask why, you will find that they all can be analyzed in the triangle “child needs - family needs - school offerings.”
Local vs International
First choice is if you are looking for a local school or an international school? In most countries in Asia, a local school is an option - although certainly a more challenging option for your child. If you child is mixed Scandinavian - Asian this may, however, not be so frightening a prospect. And mostly it will have an economic silver lining as local private schools are less costly compared to international schools. However, physical punishment has not been abolished in many Asian school systems, so talk to the school how they administer physical punishment and ask if they can make an exception for your child if you are not comfortable with this. If you go for the International school, consider that international students grow up and evolve in a cultural environment that is vastly different to that of your own. Known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs), they often develop a very different attitude to many issues compared to their former friends back home and even you yourself. If you are uncomfortable with this prospect you may prefer
to look into the option of choosing a local school or a boarding school back home. Once this is said, most expat families decide to go for the international school, at least through primary school up to grade 9, where other options may come into play. At this point, not only boarding schools in Scandinavia but also boarding school in Asia may be considered.
Family needs
In the triangle “Family needs - child needs - school offerings” the situation of the family must necessarily come first - even when you always say “the child comes first”. These include your family’s financial constraints, your need for child care during non-school hours, transportation, coordination if you have several children under education, etc. Every family brings different capabilities and constraints to the table. Be honest with yourself about your family’s aspirations and requirements. You must start with a true and clear picture of your family needs, and trust yourself to balance these with your child’s needs and with your search for a good quality school. April 2020 • ScandAsia 25
Child needs
Now, your child’s needs must be considered. Ask yourself what strengths, challenges and other characteristics really stand out about your child. Consider (a) what your child likes or is able to do well, (b) what your child does not like or has difficulty doing, and (c) how your child works and interacts best with adults and other children. All children need a school that will appropriately challenge and nurture them to succeed in core academic subjects, but research shows you can significantly improve your child’s life and school performance by choosing and working with the right school, so you have plenty of reasons to give it your best effort. There is also the curriculum to consider - what your child should learn and achieve at school - and how it fits with the school system back home if you should ever go back to Scandinavia.
School offerings
School offerings is the third element in the triangle. Repeated, unbiased research shows that all truly outstanding schools adhere to certain principles. While all are important, the two most important factors are: 1. The school has high expectations for all students. It means all students are expected & helped to meet high minimum goals; goals are raised for individual students as soon as they are ready to learn beyond grade level Avoid schools that make excuses for kids who are behind academically. If your child struggles, they may make excuses rather than help your child, too. Also avoid schools that pretend none of their students struggle. All schools have more than a few students who face learning challenges at some point. You need to know in advance how the school will respond 26 ScandAsia • April 2020
2. The school monitors progress and adjusts teaching. It means the school assesses individual student progress often and changes teaching approaches to ensure that every child locks onto learning. Avoid schools that say, “Our grade level work is tough enough for all students” and schools where everyone makes grade level, but few kids score far above grade level. Both academically gifted children and motivated “typical” kids miss out in a school that is focusing on grade level only. Here are a few more suggestions to help you make up your mind: Talk to people as much as possible to learn about a certain schools reputation. If many say the same it is probably true. But don’t listen to opinions expressed by people who have no children at the school themselves - those parents are often quick to seek confirmation of their own choice by adopting opinions about the competing schools. 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 one year old school. Is the native language and culture of your child taught as optional learning. It is important for your child to keep his or her ties to your cultural background. It is also important for you. Ask questions about the tests and exams which are offered and used as evaluation method. If your child is already a secondary school student, ask how well the graduating students do in getting accepted into major universities both in your current country, back home and elsewhere overseas. Talk to some of the existing students if possible. Are they happy there? Do they look motivated to learn? How
will the school help your child get started? Do they assign so-called “buddies” (another student from the same country) for new students? How is the relationship between the school and the parents? You will obviously not be able to monitor your child in school. The teacher will have to be your eyes and ears. You must be notified of your child’s functionality regardless of grade, and regardless of whether it includes bad behavior or progress your child has made. Make sure that you can get informed as often as possible. You may join a parents’ volunteer program if available. Some schools may offer activities for the whole family as well.
Watch your child!
Never mind how diligent you do your homework - and maybe the above list is a bit excessive - you will never be able to foresee if your child will thrive at the school. It is therefore important that you make a habit of spending more time than you used to be back home talking to your child about how school was today. What they did in class, and what they did outside. Let her or him tell about their new friends. Listen. All may initially sound fine and uncomplicated, but that may just be a honeymoon period.This is the most important step of them all. If your child develops in any way you find disturbing or even develops signs of discomfort with going to school, you should think twice before you tell your child that “this is life - it is not always pleasant!”. A change of school at the right time might be the single most important decision to make to put the future of your child on the right track!
Top Ten Signs of a Great Fit Between Your Child and School 1. Your child is eager to go to school and energized and happy at the end of most school days 2. Your child regularly has to work hard to learn and perform in school work 3. Your child regularly experiences success learning and performing in school work 4. You see big progress in your child’s overall development – academic, social, emotional and physical 5. Your child is learning and performing academically at the level of which you think (s)he is capable 6. Your child’s teachers really understand and appreciate your child’s strengths 7. Your child talks about school positively, using words like “fun,” “interesting,” or “cool” 8. You and your child feel positive about your child’s health, behavior and personal well-being at school 9. Your child has friends and acquaintances who like, accept and treat your child kindly at school 10. School work and friends are important, but not allconsuming, parts of your child’s life
Top Ten Signs of a Bad Fit Between Your Child and School 1. Your child is hesitant to go to school or worn down and unhappy at the end of most school days 2. Your child has made little progress in the past year — academically, socially, emotionally or physically 3. Your child is not performing as well academically as you reasonably think (s)he can 4. Your child says “school is boring” or expresses little interest in what (s)he’s learning 5. Your child learns more in a core subject outside of school than in school 6. Your child’s teachers do not seem to understand your child or appreciate your child’s strengths 7. Your child doesn’t seem to have any close friends or friendly acquaintances at school 8. Your child regularly makes poor choices at school, such as befriending bullies, choosing work of little interest, focusing on weaknesses rather than strengths — and school staff does nothing to intervene 9. You or your child are worried about your child’s health, behavior or personal well-being at school 10. Your child shows symptoms of stress only when school’s in session (e.g., sleeplessness, fatigue, excessive clinginess and whining, new nervous habits, regressing to younger behaviors) Source: Picky Parent Guide: Choose Your Child’s School with Confidence, available as at PickyParent.com at $13.57 April 2020 • ScandAsia 27
Harrow Bangkok.
The place where the Jürgensen boys are growing up happy and confident.
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By Richard Green here is plenty of choice of schools in Bangkok. Naturally, this gives lots of opportunities but it can be daunting choosing the perfect one for your child. Denmark born Kim, and his Thai wife Pinya spoke about their choice of international school for their boy’s Victor, 12, and Jacob, 9: Harrow International School Bangkok. Kim Jürgensen is a 20 year resident in Thailand. He works in the audio-visual industry currently, as Live Sound Manager for ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand for US based QSC, a global leader in networked AV and pro-audio solutions. His wife Pinya, Aye, taught at Kasetsart University for 15 years. After her boys were born, she set up a now thriving consumer research and consultancy company. When it was time for their two boys to go to school, Kim and Pinya chose Harrow International School Bangkok. Victor joined in Pre Nursery and Jacob in Toddlers.
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From their perspective, the quality associated with the Harrow brand, through the ties with Harrow London’s iconic identity, was particularly important. Alongside this is a more long-term benefit for their sons: ‘When our children go somewhere else in the future and are asked Where did you go to school? Harrow carries its own name, recognition, reflecting the quality of the school,’ explains Kim. Being Danish, the European style British curriculum was also important to Kim and Pinya. Their boys may choose to study in Europe after Harrow Bangkok so they prefer the European outlook, the way of teaching and attitude. ‘A more European mind-set has a huge influence on how your children will grow up, their manners, speaking, outlook on life,’ Kim believes. Now, ten years later, Kim and Pinya are still happy with their choice of school and the holistic education their sons receive there. ‘They come out after school
A more European mind-set has a huge influence on how your children will grow up, their manners, speaking, outlook on life.
smiling every single day. The school always giving challenge to the students. They love that, we love it. They feel very happy and confident,’ explains Pinya. The school facilities too are an asset to their boy’s education. ‘I can definitely see that the musical department has helped a lot, ICT and Design Technology too.’ After-school activities have allowed both Victor and Jacob to grow. Initially, they were both in the swim team. ‘That really gave them self-discipline,’ says Pinya. Nowadays basketball is both boy’s passion. ‘Parents from other schools ask ‘Why does your son and his friends from Harrow Bangkok play basketball and smile all the time? I answer they are happy, they are confident, they are independent. They’re just reflecting this,’ states Pinya. Victor plays football, softball and T-ball, both boys learn about robotics and coding. Victor has also joined Model United Nations (MUN) and is in the school performance. Jacob is enjoying learning to play the piano.
Ultimately the whole family are very happy with all that Harrow Bangkok offers. The boys are happy and thriving and Kim and Pinya confident in the high-quality education their sons are receiving. Harrow Bangkok is a popular and successful British curriculum school catering for boys and girls from 18 months to 18 years. Based in Don Mueang District in North Bangkok, close to Don Muaeng International Airport, the school has a 35-acre campus and offers day and boarding education. The curriculum leads to IGCSEs and A Levels and school graduates move on to highranking universities in the UK, US and worldwide. The school has close affiliations with its namesake Harrow School in England, a 450-year-old British institution. Harrow Bangkok has its own legacy of over two decades of successful alumni. Visit www.harrowschool.ac.th to find out more.
April 2020 • ScandAsia 29
Supporting Learners at Home: Helpful Tips for Parents
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n Thailand, and around the world, we have seen a number of schools move to virtual learning out of necessity in the recent weeks. There are many benefits to the virtual format and it has gained momentum as a credible and effective way of engaging learners. However, virtual learning is a different experience and a different learning environment. At International School Bangkok (ISB), we understand the sudden transition to Virtual School can come with any number of challenges for parents. Supporting your child’s learning, while also managing the demands of your regular daily routine is difficult. Ensuring support and resources for your child’s home learning are integrated into your normal home environment is the first step in creating a smooth transition. To ease this transition, we have listed some tips below that include advice on caring for yourself during this time as you support your child’s learning in the best way. 1. Remember to reach out to others. You are not going through this alone. Reaching out to share ideas, concerns and frustrations can help you manage your own feelings and find new ways to support your child. Many people around the world are experiencing the same challenge as you right now and everyone could use the support. 2. Craft a new routine. A consistent routine creates a sense of order and reassurance in the face of uncertain circumstances.Try building your new routine around the hours put forward for Virtual School. Ensure your routine is achievable and that “less is more”. Allow room for flexibility and relaxation time for both you and your child.
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3. Create a learning space. An allocated quiet space will help your child to shift into learning mode more easily.This will reinforce your new routine and allow for a clear distinction between learning time and free time. Important Tip: avoid the bedroom when establishing your learning space! 4. Get the whole family involved! This is a great time to bond and collaborate as a family. Older siblings can support younger siblings and parents can share responsibilities around their work schedules. For those fortunate enough to have family members nearby: assign them tasks as well! Learning at home is a great way of supporting your child’s learning in your home language. Encourage conversations about your child’s learning in both English and your home language to boost development of concepts. 5. Develop self-awareness. As you navigate change, try to develop an awareness of your limits and those of your child. Take a few minutes each day to connect with yourself; ask yourself how you are feeling and whether you need support. Encourage your child to do the same. Open and honest communication with your child will help preempt any challenges in adapting to change. 6. Forgive yourself. Many will experience temporar y frustration and confusion as they manage the substantial amount of new information and unfamiliar routine associated with home learning. Forgive yourself for the inevitable mistakes that will be made along the way. Take each task as it comes and remember there are many people there to support you.
Learning about knowing in the IB Diploma
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By Daniel Trump, DP Coordinator at KIS International School, and enthusiastic ToK Teacher for the last 15 years!
heory of Knowledge, or TOK… Anyone familiar with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme will have heard of this mandatory course in the IB, but few of us know exactly what it is and may wonder, what’s the point? It’s an obvious cliché that if you want to be exceptional in any field you have to think, and do, things differently from the rest of that field. If you want to solve problems in any field you need to think, and do, things differently from how people have previously tackled the problem. Theory of Knowledge (ToK) is the course which teaches different ways of thinking.ToK is part of the mandatory core for all IB Diploma students;ToK could be called “The Exceptionals Course”. Theory of Knowledge is the study of how Knowledge is made. It asks the questions “How is that idea constructed ?” , “How and why did someone conjure up that idea ?”, “What would have happened if that knowledge had never been created ?”. Some of the ‘classic’ cases of knowledge creation that ToK students will consider are: 1. Darwin’s development of the Theory of Evolution, and survival of the fittest. 2. Marie Curie’s discovery of radioactivity, and invention of x-ray. 3. Alexander Fleming’s 1928 ‘discovery’ of Penicillin. 4. Vincent Van Gogh and The Post Impressionist Movement.
5. Claudius Ptolemy’s role in the paradigm shift from Geocentrism to Heliocentrism. These examples are just starting points, which may run the risk of tending towards platitude, but they also provide stark examples into the oft found contradictions of knowledge construction. As such, I would sum up ‘the point’ of ToK with 5 main benefits: 1. ToK helps us to develop better original and critical thinking skills. 2. ToK helps us to become better academics, and will help us to produce ‘better knowledge’ in the future. 3. ToK helps us to play an active role in tackling local and global problems. 4. ToK helps students to better understand their other DP subjects, and therefore helps them to get better scores. 5. ToK helps us to better understand how we have created the world as it is, and therefore can create it in a different way should we so wish. There is no other subject like Theory of Knowledge taught in most high school curricula, it is one of the main reasons that I left the British Curriculum to join the IB 15 years ago. When we think carefully about “What is the point of ToK ?” we start to realise that ToK is about learning how to be a better human. Learn more about TOK and the IB Diploma at KIS, visit https://www.kis.ac.th/the-ib-diploma-programme For questions, please contact admissions@kis.ac.th KIS International School www.kis.ac.th Tel 02-2743444 admissions@kis.ac.th April 2020 • ScandAsia 31
Environmental Initiatives with an Impact International recognition for efforts to promote child-led environmental change.
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nspirational young people have brought concerns about our damaged planet into the mainstream. And youngsters are leading calls for more sustainable lifestyles, greener approaches to business and government action across the world. International schools are challenging themselves to tailor the education they offer to prepare their students to tackle the environmental problems we face. “Educators must make all young people aware about sustainability as it’s now a significant par t of the culture students are growing up in. Moreover, children are increasingly interested in it,” said Paul Schofield, the headteacher of St Andrews International School Bangkok, a Nord Anglia Education School. “If schools don’t get this right, where will we be in 15 or 20 years time?” he asks. Young student leaders at St Andrews fueled the initiative to develop an action plan focusing on the changes they would like to see which would have the greatest impact on sustainability in their school and community. The 7 to 11-year-olds worked tirelessly during after school club time to put their plans into practice. For example, after learning about the environmental effects of animal agriculture, children met with the school’s catering company to discuss lowering meat consumption. The students explained their reasoning to fellow pupils, teachers and parents during assemblies and
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events. All children provided feedback on the new menu and St Andrews became the first school in Thailand to implement Meat Free Monday. The children were also fully involved in the launch of the country’s first school-based zero-waste shop. Members of the community can now buy snacks, toiletries and household cleaning products in refillable and re-useable containers eliminating the need for single-use plastic. The students submitted designs for the layout of the shop, helped choose the shop’s name (‘Little Steps to Zero Waste’), and created an instructional video for parents showing how to purchase items in this special shop. The children encouraged other students to take part in Precious Plastic, which is an ongoing project that supports a local NGO campaign to collect plastic bottle tops for recycling. To engage and maximise participation, a competition between the St Andrews Houses was introduced and promotion and collection sites were located around the school. The project organisers even brought their recycling machine into school for a special set of lessons. The work of the students and the support of the school community was recognised at the 2020 International School Awards ceremony hosted by ISC Research in London this January. St Andrews International School Bangkok won the coveted International School of the Year Award for supporting the far-reaching, communityengaging, environmentally-focused initiatives. Congratulations to these students who, as future leaders, promote responsible, environmentally-conscious choices to help drive the transition to a sustainable society.
April 2020 • ScandAsia 33
The Four Essential Skills to Prepare Your Child for Their Future
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hildren today, whether they know it or not, are in an incredibly exciting and unique position. Gone are the days where exam results alone dictate your success – so how to prepare your child for what lies ahead? Canadian International School (CIS) focuses on four key areas to ensure that their students are ready for their future, no matter where they end up in life.
Making Connections
These days learning is all about making connections – whether between theory and practice, or intention and action. One of the ways CIS brings lessons to life and allows students to connect their classroom learning to real world examples is through outdoor learning; a fundamental part of the school’s approach to a balanced education. Students experience the Open Minds Programme – a unique hands-on learning experience which takes place in locations such as Fort Canning Park and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve – as well as field trips and excursions around Singapore.
Asking Questions
CIS teaches students HOW to ask questions, and to process the answers by connecting, analysing and surmising. Just like in real life, local and global issues are examined in relation to the curriculum, and lessons span across subject areas. An inquiry-based teaching style encourages students to ask questions, and develops their ability to problem solve, think critically and find creative solutions. 34 ScandAsia • April 2020
Creating and Implementing Ideas
‘Imagine if we could build a….’ Well, at CIS you actually can! CIS not only teaches students how to come up with innovative and fresh ideas, but also how to take those ideas and turn them into action. CIS’s unique STEAM programme (science, technology, entrepreneurship, arts and mathematics) is integrated from Kindergarten to Grade 12, and allows students access to stimulating maker spaces, where they can use traditional and cutting edge equipment to work together on projects.
Communicating Effectively
Communicating well has never been more impor tant, regardless of age or industry. Whether it’s writing, speaking, or being bi-lingual, these are essential skills that cut across industries and allow students to effectively shape the world they will eventually lead. CIS students are required to study an additional language from Junior Kindergar ten, and take daily classes in either Mandarin, French or Spanish. They also offer two bi-lingual programmes in Chinese-English or French-English. CIS constantly strives to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to adapt and navigate the world as it changes – to find out more contact their admissions team on (+65) 6734 8088 or at https://www. cis.edu.sg/admissions/inquire.
WORLD CHANGING
— one MUDPIE at a time.
Our students are learning math and science concepts as they pour, measure and explore volume while playing in the mud kitchen or sandpit. Preparing your child for a changing world.
Book a personal campus tour to explore our kindergarten learning spaces and meet our team at www.cis.edu.sg/kindergarten.
As an IB World School, CIS offers the PYP, MYP and IB DP. Canadian International School Pte. Ltd. CPE Registration No: 199002243H. Period of Registration: 8 June 2019 - 7 June 2023 April 2020 • ScandAsia
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What is Your Child’s Learning Style? Cath Okill, Head of Early Years at Shrewsbury City Campus explains how seemingly unusual behaviours in our children can give us an important insight into their learning and development.
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ave you ever noticed that your child likes to line up all their trucks in a row, and then becomes distraught when someone moves them? Or that your child is far more interested in the box that a present came in, rather than the gift itself? These kinds of behaviours point to what is known in child development as ‘schemas’. Schemas are a way of organising knowledge. Evidence of schemas is particularly apparent in a child’s early years. Young children will often display repetitive types of behaviour, such as (but certainly not limited to) hiding their toys, organising food on their plate by colour or simply rolling around on the floor. All these habits can point to particular types of schemas. These kinds of repetitive actions allow your child to find meaning in what they are doing, and to form new pathways in their young brains. There are 8 widely acknowledged forms of schematic behaviour: Enclosing : Children are fascinated by spaces, boundaries and order. Positioning: Children like to arrange objects in rows or patterns Transforming:Children like to explore cause and effect Connection: Children will investigate how things join together or come apart Rotation: Children love to play with things that rotate Enveloping: Children are interested in space and capacity Transporting: Children will focus on moving themselves and other objects from place to place 36 ScandAsia • April 2020
Trajectory: Children will be interested in how things move and respond One of the boys in my class has a trajectory schema. He is fascinated by the flow of the fountains in our splash pool. He loves the climbing tree in our Early Years garden. It is my job to respect and extend his schema, by allowing him to explore and investigate in his own way. During the school day, I will bring the learning to him. For example, I may want to do some maths with him while he is climbing. Rather than asking him to come down into the classroom, I’ll simply climb up the tree and teach maths with him and his friends in the branches. Perhaps your child is a transporter, an enveloper or a positioner. Children need to know what happens when they pick up and move a big handful of mud. Or when they fill up a glass of water and it overflows. Or when they want to eat their food in a certain order. We must allow our children to make these discoveries by themselves, to allow them to develop their confidence, their own problem-solving skills, and their understanding of the world. Understanding schemas is a vital part of our early years teaching at Shrewsbury. The research gives our teachers a framework to celebrate the uniqueness of each of the children in our classes. It is also important for parents to be aware of the research surrounding schemas, to help their child develop in the very best way. Shrewsbury International School Bangkok City Campus is currently accepting applications for children aged 3-11 years. Places are limited. To contact the school’s Admissions team, please visit: http://bit.ly/2PEQDGB
Sukhumvit-Rama 9
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The Outdoor Classroom Holds Many Wonders for Primary Students
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he Outdoor Classroom at Bangkok Patana School offers real-life experience in a functioning bio-diverse eco-system on campus for students from Nursery through Year 13. The younger students love the opportunity to get out of the classroom and learn about nature first-hand. Foundation Stage students have used their visits to the Outdoor Classroom to create their own natural jungle in the classroom and inspire artwork based on nature.Their teachers said the children’s most recent visit to the Outdoor Classroom kick-started some fantastic scientific thinking and develop the children’s curiosity to investigate further by asking questions such as “How do plants get food”. Older children in Primary learn more about Biology and how plants grow. Year 3 students germinated seeds and then planted them in the garden area of the Outdoor Classroom to study the growth patterns of beans and herbs. Inspired to help, the students donated the delicious results to the guards and gardeners. Year 6 students used their visits to the Outdoor Classroom to discover what nature means and to use digital photography to explore that more closely. Further inspiration came to produce artwork using natural items around them, they also used the outdoor space to focus on mindfulness, what it means and what it looks like. Of course, Science was important, as the students also studied microorganisms such as algae and fungi in the Outdoor Classroom as part of their Biology lessons. Having studied the various organisms found, they then returned to the classroom to create their own plasticine models of bacteria, algae, protozoa and fungi. 38 ScandAsia • April 2020
Being on the same campus as their classrooms makes it easy for teachers to plan visits to the Outdoor Classroom. The area with its closed canopy forest, combination of native and invasive plants and the fauna found from pond dipping give students ample opportunity to delve deep into the science nature presents. Students also study the solar panels in the Outdoor Classroom, learning about renewable and sustainable energy sources. The area’s newest residents include a small family of chickens which ties in with the mission to show how natural eco-systems can coexist with human systems such as small scale vegetable gardens and animal rearing operations. More than just an educational experience, more than just an outing from the indoors, the Outdoor Classroom gives students a chance to interact with and study nature in a functioning mangrove eco-system in the heart of Bangkok.
April 2020 • ScandAsia 39
An inspiring world of education.
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campus tour at any of our St. Andrews International Schools,Thailand could easily induce a feeling of envy in people who were educated in my era. Whilst the St. Andrews Schools are all slightly different, for instance Green Valley (Eastern Seaboard) and S107 (Near BTS Bearing) are for 2 to18 year old children, all through British Curriculum & IB schools, whilst the other two Bangkok Schools Sathorn and Dusit are primary schools following a British Curriculum.Yet, the 4 sister schools are absolutely united in ethos and attitude to learning, and steadfast in our desire to offer a personalised, character based, joyful learning experience and to ensure every decision we make considers our learners first. We are part of Cognita, which is a world leading international schools group, currently encompassing 72 schools across the UK, Europe, Latin America and SouthEast Asia. Cognita employs some 4,000 teaching and support staff in the care and education of around 27,500 children and there is one simple aim that unites all 72 schools. Cognita’s key aim is that we give the students ‘an inspiring world of education’. At S107 we believe that delivering an inspiring world of education demands constant change. Our belief is that children should not come to any school and ‘fit in’. The school should be so flexible that it should wrap itself around the child no matter their interests, abilities or aptitudes. We have changed our curriculum each year and the offer is broadening. We offer 3 strands in secondary with additional individual adjustment depending on the child. In 2020-21 we will begin offering Pearson BTEC qualifications as part of the IB Career-related Programme (CP) course, with initial career focus options in Business and Sport (this is very rare 40 ScandAsia • April 2020
and we are the only school running the IB CP in Bangkok). It is often said that the happiest children in a school are the youngest and, whilst I am not sure this is totally applicable to S107 children, we do believe the play-based, child focussed, flexible approach in the early years should be a feature throughout the school so this is expanding into Year 1 and then Year 2. Yet at the same time for some of our most able students, we are unashamedly academic. Our highest achieving students obtain IB scores in the 40s and we aim to get every student into their preferred further education institution no matter what and where they are aiming for. As a result, all four St. Andrews schools give children access to a school counsellor so that every child succeeds and Cognita puts well-being at the top of the agenda for all its people. At all the St. Andrews schools, learning takes place all year round and for many S107 children, holidays already encompass a four-week summer camp, 2 weeks of drama workshops, spor ting camps and this will expand to include university preparation weeks, leadership courses, foreign language classes and English booster classes. On an average weekend during term time, there can be IB Film students in working on their coursework, students on the sports teams, basketball team training, drama rehearsals and academic booster classes. At Team S107 we genuinely believe in our strategic intention, ‘Everyone Succeeds in a Community of care’, and every day we check whether what we are doing fits this. If it does we should think about doing more of it, if it doesn’t we should stop it, and if we are not sure we should find out from the students! Dr. John Moore, Head of School, St. Andrews International School, Sukhumvit 107.
April 2020 • ScandAsia 41
10 Reasons Why Parents Trust DBS Denla British School
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A good education is a precious gift that parents choose for their children, because knowledge and skills will always be a child’s most important acquisition.
BS Denla British School implements an Enhanced British Curriculum from the best practices of UK independent schools. Here are 10 reasons why parents would want their children to study at DBS. 1. DBS uses today’s best educational platform: The Enhanced British Curriculum is the perfect platform to allow students to achieve their potential. This curriculum has been implemented in world-renowned independent schools where students are challenged, and later they are successful in their careers. 2. The Personalised Learning method is intrinsic to the Enhanced British Curriculum: DBS Teachers don’t believe in ‘One Size Fits All’ and focus on Personalised Learning, based on a deep understanding of the child, by concentrating on each student according to their skills and preferences. 3. The Extended Day system - a key to success: An additional learning period for students to spend time studying and engaging in activities. At DBS, students will have 1 hour per day more school time than students in other schools, adding up to 5 hours per week. At DBS, we offer intense Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) from over 60 courses and activities. 4. Learning many subjects: Beside the initial core of English, Maths and Science, the Enhanced British Curriculum offers Computing, Geography, History, Music, Art, Drama, PE, Well-being and languages for students to learn too, like Mandarin. 5. Concrete assessment: Other than daily, termly, and annual internal assessments, there are assessments for English, Maths, and Science called GL Assessments to measure against the world’s average. These results help teachers to accurately plan for each student’s academic excellence. 6. Our classrooms facilities are world-class: They are 50% larger than normal international schools. The 40 facilities located throughout the school include, a FIFA standard artificial grass football pitch, a world standard running track, a large indoor swimming pool (salt water), tennis courts, a golf pitch, music rooms, an art studio, exhibition halls etc. 7. House System as in UK Schools – a strong foundation of relationship and networking: DBS 42 ScandAsia • April 2020
implements the uniqueness of the UK ‘House System’ very strongly. There are 4 houses at DBS; Buckingham, Sandringham, Windsor, and Balmoral. All students stay in each House, and know other students from different years and classes. That’s why students at DBS have many friends from within their class and beyond. 8. Pastoral Care as in UK schools: Class Teachers, and Form Tutors for the older students, look after the individual students in their class or form.The role of these teachers is to nurture and guide. They are a vital link with parents, too. Other than the Class Teachers and Form Tutors, all teachers and Learning Assistants work together to create a nurturing team of carers. 9. Apple Distinguished School: DBS uses the best technology for education, and looks to the future. The school has laid excellent and efficient foundations for IT, using Apple products for teaching and learning. DBS has a Mac Lab and Maker Space rooms, so that students can use the technology to create innovations 10. Guaranteed by world-class standards from ISAT and CIS, which are the leading institutions that assess the quality and certification of educational standards of international schools globally. CIS praised DBS in a huge number of areas, including the quality of the teaching, the facilities comparable to leading British independent schools, and relationships that are well-developed between teachers and parents. DBS is reputed to be a leading international school that prepares students fully for the future, which is in line with the school’s vision: “Nurturing Global Leaders.”
ENHANCED BRITISH CURRICULUM THE BEST OF UK EDUCATION
“ENROLLING NOW” 2-14 years old
• Enhanced British Curriculum. • 100% Native English-Speaking Teachers. • World Class Facilities. • Friendly and Welcoming Community. • Enormous Land of 60 Rai.
“NURTURING GLOBAL LEADERS”
King’s Bangkok preparing children for an exciting and successful future
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s parents, we want one thing: for our children to be happy. This isn’t about giving them sweets and chocolate so they are content for five minutes, it’s about giving them the tools to be successful throughout life. We also want this success to be achieved with kindness and empathy because we know that having a great heart leads to true wellbeing. So how does King’s Bangkok look to develop happy young men and women? At King’s Bangkok, we have a clear vision to ‘engage, inspire and extend’ each child in all aspects of school life. We do this because we know that we are happiest when we can feel that they are doing well and making progress. To ‘do well’, students must be engaged by what they are doing and inspired to give their best. Once students have produced work that they are proud of, they must be encouraged to go further so they can see their own progress over time and build self-esteem. The more self-esteem a child has, the harder they will try and the better they will do; the better they do, the more selfesteem they will gain and the virtuous circle of progression continues. Our curriculum is adapted from and approved by King’s College School, Wimbledon which is one of the world’s most academically successful schools. Many parents are surprised by how much sport and art we have each week. Some even make the mistake of assuming the school is less ‘academic’. However, at King’s Bangkok we 44 ScandAsia • April 2020
realise that students are highly motivated by having a day filled with different things to do. The results are very easy to see: around 25% of students from King’s Wimbledon achieve places at Oxford or Cambridge each year, with further going on to study at Ivy League universities in America. I would say that we have very high academic standards! While there are countless ways to ‘engage, inspire and extend’ to achieve success within our curriculum, we realise that choice is a huge factor in our wellbeing. Therefore, we have built a comprehensive co-curricular programme to allow every student to choose activities at the end of the school day. These can be creative, academic or sporting and are run by our own teachers or trusted external providers to ensure they are taught with the same educational vision and focus on student wellbeing. On top of this, we have a rotation of activities built into the school day which we call CCAs, as well as clubs and societies during lunchtimes. The curriculum and the co-curricular programme are powerful forces in developing happy young men and women who will have the tools to lead a successful life once they leave King’s Bangkok. We are accepting boys and girls aged 2-11 for August 2020 entry as well as ages 2-14 for August 2021 entry. If you would like to find out more, please visit our admissions office in RatchadaRama 3 or join our ‘Meet the Heads’ event, details of which are coming soon.
School life is about the journey and not the destination.
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t Varee Chiangmai International School (VCIS) we aim to help our students create a journey they wish to be on; one in which they are invested and that exceeds their expectations. Our par ticipation in the Duke of Edinburgh International Award is part of that journey and has been completed by over 8 million 14-25 year olds worldwide since its inception in 1954. VCIS offer hiking, sailing and winter sports expeditions as part of this International Award. Throughout these expeditions our students have the opportunity to improve their physical strength, social and emotional development, and planning and critical thinking. Nowhere has this been more evident than in our recent sailing expedition to Krabi. In February, 16 VCIS students aged 13-17 headed south to undertake six days of intensive sailing instruction, adventurous training, passage planning and camping. Starting the week as absolute beginners, they divided into crews of four and quickly gained confidence and technical understanding in all elements of sailing a Platu 25 yacht. By the end of the second day they were
independently tacking upwind and gybing downwind, passage planning, navigating and demonstrating a clear understanding of wind, weather and tide. They then undertook an independent sailing voyage across the open seas of Thailand’s Andaman coast. All crews successfully navigated their way westwards from Krabi, landing at an isolated beach before sunset. The following morning they broke camp and returned to Krabi in difficult sailing conditions, showing themselves to be extremely competent sailors and navigators. Needless to say, upon arrival at Krabi they were extremely proud of themselves and of their accomplishments on this Expedition. As a result of this fantastic experience, plans are well underway for our 2020 Expedition.
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More Mindful Citizens Please By C. M. Rubin, The Global Search for Education
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he Dalai Lama once said, “if every 8 year old is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” Mindfulness has become much more relevant and effective in a constantly changing environment. Clinical psychologist Dr. Addie Wootten insists that inducting young children into the principles of mindfulness early on in education allows them to focus more in class, improve their learning outcomes and build healthier and more constructive relationships with all those around them. Addie is a well-known leader in delivering innovative programs to promote wellbeing. She is also the CEO of Smiling Mind. The Global Search for Education is pleased to
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welcome Addie to talk about the numerous benefits of practicing mindfulness, the challenges to implementing good programs in classrooms, and how good practice can help every mind thrive in a modern world. Mindfulness has been used by clinicians to treat stress, anxiety depression, eating disorders and addiction.Why isn’t mindfulness an important part of every student’s education? We are passionate about bringing mindfulness into every classroom for exactly that reason. We envision a world where every young person has the skills and resources that they need to thrive. Mindfulness provides the foundation for young people to be mentally healthy and to
build strong and compassionate relationships. It is this strong foundation that supports learning and academic success. Over the last 5 years, there has been exponential growth in schools’ interest to implement mindfulness programs. However, this implementation has varied widely according to each school. It ranges from one teacher who is passionate about supporting their class using mindfulness techniques, to more systematic and structured programs spearheaded by the school leaders. We consider both approaches as equally important.Yet, it has proven to be passionate individual teachers who have been invaluable in helping us achieve what we have. Right now, we have over 45,000 Australian teachers subscribed to our mindfulness programs and resources to enhance their classrooms. Nevertheless, our aim is to eventually provide support to schools as institutions, rather than just individual teachers. Research shows an entire school participating in mindfulness techniques will yield a much larger impact. This will positively affect students, the culture and climate of the school, and teacher wellbeing. We even hope to reach beyond schools by encouraging parents to use mindfulness practices at home. At the moment, wellbeing initiatives are often seen as secondary to a student’s academics. With such a large focus on educating students in STEM, most believe that mindfulness programs only detract from other, more important, areas of learning. On the contrary, mindfulness programs have a positive effect on students’ ability to perform in an academic context. We can only focus when our minds are calm and therefore our learning is opti-
mized by improved mental health. I hope to see a change in attitude where mental wellbeing can be appreciated as supportive to academic learning. Thinking of today’s context versus the past, what do you believe are the new skills youth need in an age of search, robotics and AI? How are the goals of your framework aligned with social and emotional learning in the age of AI? Our modern world is more connected and unstable than ever before. The skills that students require are fundamentally different to the skills needed only a few generations ago. There has been a decrease of the stable and defined professions that had shaped the working world. Moreover, the development of Artificial Intelligence has rendered many jobs obsolete. As a result, there is an
C M Rubin and Addie Wootten
“It’s amazing to see the impact that mindfulness has on young people, and how it encourages students to support each other.” – Addie Wootten April 2020 • ScandAsia 47
“We should look for opportunities to integrate mindfulness across the learning environment.” – Addie Wootten
“We can only focus when our minds are calm and therefore our learning is optimized by improved mental health.” – Addie Wootten
increasing need for students to develop general and transferable skills that can apply to the multiple different career paths. The future of work will rely on our ability to adapt, innovate and work creatively without defined borders or even stable workspaces. Our programs are designed to encourage students to develop these skills while they are at school. These skills underpin essential social and emotional learning. We want to foster a growth mindset in children that makes them resilient and open to new experiences.
interacting with their friends and when they’re at home. It’s amazing to see the impact that mindfulness has on young people, and how it encourages students to support each other.
Is mindfulness something that can be taught with toolkits and slides in a classroom? How do real world experiences enhance/amplify the learning? Toolkits and slides are just the beginning. Initially, students need to be introduced to the foundational concepts and discuss them with their peers. Although peer-to-peer learning and debriefing is very important, it’s not until students are able to apply these concepts to the real world that they are able to appreciate the potential positive impact that mindfulness has on their life. Therefore, alongside meditation practices, we recommend mindfulness activities that clearly link mindfulness with everyday activities. This can be as simple as spending time in a garden or mindful movement activities, or more complex such as activities designed to build social relationships. We also encourage teachers to encourage students to use mindfulness more informally such as when they are 48 ScandAsia • April 2020
What are the mindfulness learning skills needed at different points in a student’s learning journey? Our programs are designed to support students of all ages. We recently launched our new Mindfulness Curriculum for primar y school years. Our programs for young students are more focused on emotional awareness. These younger level programs provide foundational mindfulness skills such as focusing your attention, tuning into your emotions and listening to your body. As students mature we incorporate a variety of practices such as emotion regulation skills. Finally, as they mature into their senior years of school we focus on the integration of these ideas and concepts into real world experiences like exams, managing relationships and exploring personal values. Curriculum is “overloaded” and many believe kids are “overstressed” with required material. Do you see mindfulness education as another “add-on” or should it be part of school culture? This is one of the biggest barriers for many teachers; there is already so much required material that they can never find the time for mindfulness programs. I hope that
“We want mindfulness to be as common as brushing your teeth!” – Addie Wootten
more teachers and school leaders will begin to consider mindfulness as inherently par t of their school culture and teaching way, rather than considering it an add on. Schools that have been successful in doing this have actually found that it helps save time. For instance, schools that begin with a mindfulness session every day have displayed a significant decrease in the time needed to gather the attention of students across all subject areas. Teaching quickly becomes more efficient as students are focused and there are often less behavioral disruptions during class time. Personally, I don’t think we have to choose between traditional curriculum and mindfulness sessions. Rather, we should look for opportunities to integrate mindfulness across the learning environment – even at the start of science or math class! The movie, Room to Breathe, illustrates to me that not only do students need help with mindfulness education, teachers and parents who care for them need it too. In what ways does your framework nurture more of a community learning experience? We believe strongly it is most effective to involve an entire school – that includes encouraging teachers to use mindfulness in their personal time when we train them, and also allowing parents to use techniques home with their children. Parents and teachers are hugely influential and we hope they will become mindfulness role models.
It’s not until you feel the benefits of mindfulness yourself that you can truly teach young people to imitate you. Also, if we believe that mindfulness can help young people, why wouldn’t we want teachers and parents to reap the benefits as well? We have therefore committed time to developing programs and resources to support mindfulness in schools, in the home and in workplaces. We want mindfulness to be as common as brushing your teeth!
The Global Search for Education Community C. M. Rubin is the author of two widely read online series for which she received a 2011 Upton Sinclair award, “The Global Search for Education” and “How Will We Read?” She is also the author of three bestselling books, including The Real Alice in Wonderland, is the publisher of CMRubinWorld and is a Disruptor Foundation Fellow. Dr Addie Wootten is the CEO of Smiling Mind and a Clinical Psychologist by background. Addie has been using mindfulness meditation as a part of her clinical psychology practice for many years, and also has a strong personal mindfulness practice. Follow C. M. Rubin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@ cmrubinworld April 2020 • ScandAsia 49
Jazz, candy and barrels: Celebrating ‘fastelavn’ with the Danish Church in Thailand
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astelavn’. An old Danish tradition originally celebrated with alcohol and partying that with time have evolved into a child-friendly tradition filled with fun and candy. The celebration of ‘fastelavn’ of 2020 took place at the Church of Christ in Thailand and included a church service by the Danish priest Christa Lund Herum, followed by a small party and the famous barrel whacking called ‘at slå katten af tønden’ – directly translated this means “whacking the cat off the barrel”, as there originally was a live black cat in the barrel, when ‘fastelavn’ was celebrated in the olden days. At 1PM priest Christa Lund Herum welcomed the 35 attendees and invited to prayer. In the following speech the priest talked about the histor y of the Danish celebration and its impor tance to the Danish people.
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Most of the participants were children who were dressed in a variety of costumes; from ever ything from a tiger, a gymnast, a unicorn, a firefighter, Spiderman, Superwoman to a boxer. Looking at the children and their costumes, priest Christa Lund Herum, told a valuable lesson. “Sometimes, we subconsciously dress up in costumes that show our innermost wishes and desires. When we dress up as a superman or superwoman, we want to be strong and save the world. When we dress up as a unicorn, we want to bring peace and calm. When we dress up as a tiger, we want to be fierce and brave”.
Fastelavn er mit navn…
The ser vice was followed by a musical performance by the renowned Jazz duo, consisting of vocalist Yasmin Kierkegaard and saxophonist Jakob Dinesen. The duo played traditional Danish ‘fastelavn’ songs such as ‘Fastelavn er mit navn’ and ‘Kan du gætte hvem jeg er?’ and invited the kids and their parents to sing and dance with Yasmin Kierkegaard. To show the kids that ‘fastelavn’ can be celebrated in multiple ways the duo also performed the song ‘Jamaica’ and a Brazillian carnival song, while leading the crowd of participants into the co-joining room where the party took place. Barely had the party started before a new wave of guests joined the party, making the number of participants 50 people. The parents were talking and enjoying their hotdogs and a traditional cream bun, while the
children were playing with balloons and confetti, buzzing with excitement to ‘slå katten af tønden’. As the clock turned 2:20PM, the moment the children had been waiting for finally happened. It was time to ‘slå katten af tønden’. The children raced outside where the barrel, filled to the brim with candy and goods, hung on the basketball course. After 20 minutes of taking turns to whack the barrel, a boy dressed as a hurt footballer finally manage to whack the barrel open, candy and goods spilling out for the kids to enjoy. The boy proudly received his crown as he became ‘the king of cats’. The last event of the celebration was to crown and announce the child with the best costume. And with a unanimous jury hailing girl-power, it was a girl dressed as a boxer. April 2020 • ScandAsia 51
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10 steps to improve your life:
Attitude is everything
Leaving the safe, known and secure life in your native home country is never easy. Harder for some than others and most often the “follower” in the family gets to tackle questions and issues that they never had to think about before.
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By Anna Frummerin oving to Bangkok 4 years ago with my husband was a big step for me. It has changed my life in so many ways, mostly to the better. One of the upsides is a way more active social life than what I had back in Sweden. As the President for SWEA in Asia and Australia, an Executive Coach and a passionate networker I meet a lot of people, both men and women. I often get questions from these people following their spouses for their job. These are most often women, but I have also come across a couple of men in the same situation. “What happened to me?” “What will I do “when I grow up”?” “I worked before but now I don’t know what I can do for work anymore. I am not even allowed to work.” “Who am I?” “What would I like to do?” The common ground behind these questions is the feeling of being lost in life, that no one really understands their situation and that their self-confidence has decreased year by year. I read a facebook statement the other day about an EXPAT housewife here in Bangkok and her view on her life in Bangkok. She claimed that it is the most difficult job she has ever had. No routine and no pay-check fully dependent on your husband. Living abroad a long way from your friends and extended family, adapting and dedicating all of your life to your husband and children. The last part in the posting was about the her job to manage the nanny, maid and driver, in the end she clarifies that she was writing because many people wonder about how the EXPAT life is and she answered the question by saying; “Life here is not easy, one adapts but life here is not easy.” I have seen so many powerful, exciting, fun and stunning women that in some ways sadly become more and more invisible and lose their self-belief as the year passes by. Living as a man in Bangkok seems a lot like the time when I was a young woman living in the South of Italy. Continuously being in the centre of attention by hand-
some men. This was a way more intense experience than what I was used to back in Sweden but still it was men wooing women. I was not used to the number of men and the intensity but I was used to men giving me attention. In our culture it is not as common with the opposite, that women give clear attention to men. For this reason, I strongly believe that women are better equipped to handle these situations. Imagine a man, used to always having to take the first step to be noticed and then coming here to Thailand it is the other way around. The reason behind the interest might be another story but that is nothing I will focus on here and now. I have observed the men and I understand their excitement with suddenly feeling irresistible, wanted and needed. Working late, stopping by the bar and in the bar the most fabulous, young, fun, beautiful women come and talk to him. They smile and with no worries in the world make him laugh and forget about the tough day at work. Should he take one more drink or go home to his family? Knowing that his wife probably will be in a bad mood, probably most of the day having been at home. Perhaps upset that the maid has not cleaned your apartment as she was told to do, the water delivery not showing up or some other, in her world, very important topic. Working late at the bar might just seem like the best alternative for the evening? The negative spiral is getting deeper and deeper. This could have been the happiest time for the family and couple - living abroad in a lovely country as Thailand. Instead, now the wife is feeling miserable and the husband buries himself in work. I know that many companies have a preparation program before moving abroad, but I don’t think that this area is an area that is covered. It should be included, how to prepare for the marriage to be healthy and satisfying for both parties.
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So, take the victim jacket off, we all make choices every day. We can choose to be a victim or a fighter, to see the glass half full or half empty.
When you are deep in the negative spiral it is common to see what your partner is doing and not doing, “if only she/he had done this and that…”.
Stop playing the blame game!
When I am asked for advice in these situations, I usually suggest to start taking ownership over yourself and what you can change. You know that you can never change anyone else. Taking ownership and responsibility for your actions is a crucial part of healthy relationships. Doing so is an empowering reminder that you have control over the role you play in your relationship. Can we see our time here differently? Is it possible to turn our mindset? Instead of feeling and thinking that being the housewife is the toughest you have ever done, can we see the situation in a different perspective? I quit my job in Stockholm, Sweden to follow my husband for a job that he got in Bangkok. I was excited and happy about the move but at the same time it was one of the scariest things I have ever done. I realised quickly that quitting my job was also leaving my identity. It was the first time in my life that I became dependent on my husband’s salary and I didn’t like it at all. I felt lost and started to wonder about what I liked to do, what was my passion? Take a simple example like how I introduce myself to new people. Coming from Stockholm, Sweden, your job title and where you live are the subjects that often are the first things you talk about when meeting new people. 54 ScandAsia • April 2020
I now embarrassingly heard myself introduce myself and what I had been working with in sweden and I didn’t like that at all. I thought that I cannot live in the past and I am not my previous job title, in fact I did not even want to be that. My journey star ted, I wanted to figure out who Anna really was, her core values and find her passion that was lost since so many years back. Even scarier was the question: what will I do when I grow up? For the first time in my life I was given the chance to do just that. Focus only on me and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Yes, I was dependent on my husband, but we had a financially stable life even with me not earning wages and I even got a maid to help us with the household. Still insecure and feeling out of place, how could that be, I should be happy, or?
Why do I share my story with you?
We are many that have gone through this same story, you are not alone. But you choose what to do with the rest of the story, you write the end of the story. You have a once in a lifetime opportunity. When will you again have the chance to have all this time for yourself not having to work? When will you again be able to really evaluate your life and perhaps end up taking the chance to change the course? So, first step. Being aware of you, have the courage to look at the whole, being true to your-self. Look at all the beautiful parts within you that are your strengths, bring out the power-house in you, look back at times when you were the person that you liked to be. How did it feel to be her? Is that someone you like to bring back again? Be true to yourself when you look at the par ts within you that you might be not so proud of. We all have those parts. What parts within you do you want to get most of your time? And how can you give the good parts more time. Your good thoughts about yourself and others. So, take the victim jacket off, we all make choices every day. We can choose to be a victim or a fighter, to see the glass half full or half empty, to stay at the bar or go to the bar with your spouse, to find activities, voluntary jobs or paid jobs or to feel sorry for yourself. I haven’t said it is easy, but all changes start with you, what you choose to do with your time. And every step outside your comfort zone will build your confidence and power. Attitude, after all, is everything.
10 tips to help you begin to see yourself in a more positive light!
Most people don’t feel 100% every day. Even the most beautiful and successful people have off days, but if you’re feeling bad about yourself more than you feel good, you might read this tip. The feeling of being more attractive and desirable has little to do with your outward appearance. It is more
about the inside of you and there is much you can work with yourself. • Affirmations It’s always nice when someone close to you notices or points out a good quality, but you don’t have to wait around for that extra boost. Start already today, repeating positive affirmations to yourself in the mirror or saying things that you like about yourself will help you validate those traits and value them in yourself. • Smile It’s no secret that smiling makes you seem kind and inviting to other people, which can help how they see you. But it turns out you may even get the same benefits by looking in a mirror and smiling at yourself. • Show appreciation A simple act of showing appreciation for your partner, friend, co-worker goes a long way in making them feel important and attractive. After all, everyone wants to be noticed, whether they’re in a relationship, a friend or at work. • Exercise You might dread exercise, but it can play a big role in helping yourself feel more attractive. It is not only the exercise’s effect on your body physically — exercise is a great way to take some time to get out your aggression, have some time for yourself, and release endorphins, a chemical that can improve your mood. • See others Let those close to you know how great they are. Focusing on the great parts instead is helping your mindset to think happy thoughts. The brain can only think one thought at a time, which makes less room for thinking thoughts. • Don’t self-sabotage Identify what habits are getting in your way. If you find yourself making negative statements about yourself, you need to pay close attention to why. Identify what is causing you to make these statements and eliminate the cause if you can. What is triggering the self-sabotaging? Is it in specific situations, persons or in a particular environment? When you have identified the triggers of negative self-talk, you have a better chance of turning the negative self-talk into positive ones and even preventing them. • Assess your relationships Cut out the toxic people in your life. The weight of a toxic person in your life may be preventing you from feeling your best. • Fake it until you make it The easiest way to make yourself feel confident is to act like you already are. Challenge yourself to feel good about yourself, use your self-talk, your affirmations to make it easier. Make your body language, smile and eye contact work for you. When you enter a room make sure that you are doing it with confidence.
• Rock some red Having a wardrobe that makes you feel confident is a huge step in driving up how you see yourself but feeling better about your appearance may be as simple as wearing a different colour. • Stand tall Having good posture can make you look good, but it can also make you feel good.
About the author:
Anna Frummerin is a Swedish coach based in Bangkok with extensive experience in coaching and training individuals, teams and organisations by supporting their development and learning to enact change. Specialist within areas including leadership, sales and marketing. She is dedicated to creating leaders and empowering staff through training and ongoing professional development and passionate about taking a business, brand, team, or individual and leading it to greatness through implementation of personal management style and experiences. Anna Frummerin is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF, www.coachfederation. org) as an Associate Certified Coach and certified by WIAL (World Institute for Action Learning) as an Action Learning Team Coach.
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Aron Pettersson:
Swedish AI specialist co-founder of Singaporebased start-up The birth of Musiio is the story of how an AI (articifial intelligence)-based start-up came about thanks to a ‘talent investor’ facilitator, and where a Swedish tech-talent individual found his match.
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By Joakim Persson echnical lead and CTO Aron Pettersson and CEO Hazel Savage found each other over a cup of coffee via Entrepreneur First, an unconventional company that interestingly invests in matching talented and ambitious individuals to find a co-founder and develop ideas and businesses. Also over a cup of coffee, in Singapore’s vibrant downtown CBD, Aron tells the story of the music-tech company Musiio so far - which went from two employees to fifteen within a period of 12 months. Impressively this start-up also acquired in total 15 deals within 2019, having started off the year with zero customers. To come up with the idea and ways for Musiio to make money Aron’s knowledge about AI was paired with Hazel’s marketing and business skills and music industry knowhow. “I joined an incubator programme called ‘Entrepreneur First’. My wife lives in Singapore so I had moved here. Then I met with Hazel and we found that we could be a very good combination. She knows all about the business side of the music industry, has great contacts and knows how to market products, while I know how to build what is needed.” “It is completely thanks to the programme that I met with Hazel. We have very different backgrounds so it would have been very unlikely we had met otherwise,” he adds.
Entrepreneur First selects the best talents and ambitious individuals with an interest in starting companies to join a half-year programme. “They take you in before you have an idea, based on scholarships, and take a small share of the company, if one goes through. Half the way they evaluate and decide if they think one has a good business idea or not and decides which ones can continue.” After the programme one continues developing the start-up more on one’s own, explains Aron, who has a background studying molecular biology and neuroscience at Stockholm University, followed by Physics at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) “I’ve always been involved with things relating to IT, including a game I built together with three other friends, and working for a number of other game companies. I have also done some data science and machine learning.” “As for AI it has been a big interest for me all the way back since I was studying neuroscience when I started to experiment with it on my own. It was exciting to work with, and then things have evolved fast with AI, especially in the last few years.”
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usiio is based on what problems within the music industry that could be solved with the latest technology, using AI and machine learning. Today, the world is being absolutely flooded with new music, and actually most of it will go unnoticed by the majority of consumers; music sold via Bandcamp or streamed via Spotify and Soundcloud for instance – where algorithms are doing their best to match one’s taste with the music in databases. And the more music the more difficult it gets to find the type of music that you favour. The B2B side of the industry are facing similar problems. Groups and businesses that are looking for music are for example disc jockeys, Ar tists and Reper toire (A&R) persons and production music companies. The gap between the user and the music they are looking for will continue to get wider as a catalogue grows or as more and more new music, including new styles, is published via a variety of channels. “Imagine you have a catalogue with 40 million songs in it. Then you want to find something, say some electronic music with 120 beats per minute that has a positive vibe and matches the image you have for your scene. How do you do that based only on the human capacity? It is nearly impossible; you cannot remember what is there. 58 ScandAsia • April 2020
You can only hope that you might have heard something before that could fit.” That is where Musiio comes in with solutions for search, categorising and tagging – tedious work that a machine can perform much more effectively than humans, and on large scale. Their AI technology can find tracks that fit a certain sonic profile. Instead of finding exactly the track you search, it returns tracks that sound similar. Any large catalogue with music needs to be managed with some type of meta data with information what kind of music it is, including for instance information about the tempo and style. “For advertising, for instance, you want to match the music to what happens in the script and you then need a lot of parameters to search on.” “Musiio’s technology can scan a catalogue of music of any size, listen to the sound files and describe them. It takes 15-20 seconds per file but you can do unlimited files simultaneously. It keeps on ticking. And that’s the beauty with this technology; that it can cope with any volume of music. We have customers going through 20 000 files per day.” Music labels and production libraries can now dive deeper than ever before into both their own catalogues and new material.
A It is completely thanks to the programme that I met with Hazel. We have very different backgrounds so it would have been very unlikely we had met otherwise
ron and Hazel have clearly struck the right note, given how fast they have grown as a start-up. “Getting our first customer took quite a while and interestingly three customers signed up the same week.” “It’s very difficult to anticipate what will happen as a start-up but looking at things with a longer perspective things have progressed well in line with our long-term plans.” Having the right team members is Aron’s pick as the most important thing in order to succeed with a start-up. “And it is required to be at least two persons who have the skills in different areas. None of us would have been able to accomplish this company on our own. So we basically have no overlap when it comes to our skills.” VC-funded from day one Musiio has closed a seed funding round of USD 1 million so far. Product development and improvements continue. “But we have reached the level where we have many base elements that one can use together and combine in various ways and customise pretty much to what a customer needs. The longer time that passes the more components we have and the more technology we have developed. And that becomes exponentially more powerful,” says Aaron. Their new off-the-shelf Genre Classifier now includes 84 genres. And just in, they have launched something suitable for, among others, disc jockeys as well; App. Musiio, a self-service that let’s anyone use AI to tag and search their own catalogue of music. With customers worldwide and increasing types of users this start-up’s success is bound to continue.
More precisely it can work like this: an A&R person teaches the AI what sort of music they would sign. Then it analyses and returns a sensible playlist of tracks from newly released music online. Audio Network in the U.K, a production music company, is one of the customers helped by Musiio so far. “They have hundreds of thousands of songs, so we have delivered the tools for them to be able scan that catalogue. They had a good system also previously. Their problem was the search work. And if you get specific requests to find something with a similar flavour to something else, or they have an example how it should sound, it’s very difficult to remember which those songs are. For that we are using one of our products that enable us to search based on similarities in sound.” “It’s not absolutely perfect but it is usually around 90 – 95 per cent accuracy. So I’d say it’s quite good after all!” Musiio have various ways to provide their cloud technology, including via API and with choices of interfaces on top for those less tech-savvy. Machine learning-wise, Aron says that they have used TensorFlow (open source) as basis. “It has been very useful as a base to develop from. Then we have built our own layer on top of that, specifically to solve sound-based problems.” April 2020 • ScandAsia 59