This April, six exchange students went to a town in Denmark called Rungsted, about a 30-minute drive from Copenhagen. This solidifies a newfound alliance with the Danish high school Rungsted Gymnasium as Convent and Stuart Hall students hosted their exchange students last fall and supported them in their March class trip. Unfortunately, all six Convent and Stuart Hall high school students have now left their host families in Denmark marking the end of a successful exchange where students got to be immersed in a different culture. 

During the exchange, the American students got to see the city of Copenhagen, visit famous landmarks, attend soccer and hockey games, and spend time with Danish people. It was incredible for students to be immersed in Danish culture and see what they did similarly to kids in the U.S. and what they did differently. “The school is very nice and the kids seem to enjoy it more than in the U.S.” said Junior Cabot Dick.

Additionally, it was interesting for students to go to a Danish high school and see what classes were like and how it compared to Convent and Stuart Hall. Although the Danish students work hard, it was widely agreed by the American students that the Danish students got a lot more opportunities to enjoy their life, spend time with their friends, and partake in hobbies, whereas the American students felt they had to spend egregious hours on their schoolwork. Students also got to experience European sports culture by attending a FC Copenhagen game, where students were amazed by the exhilarating and electrifying atmosphere. Some of the Danish students who had attended NFL and NBA games said that they seemed more like a show than an actual sports game. Additionally, the students were taken to the local team’s Hockey game where they were playing in the Danish semi-finals. To some of the American students’ surprise, ice hockey is a fairly large sport in Denmark. The Danish students had fun activities for their visitors, and students would spend time with the other exchanges, but would also get to spend time with their host families and do activities with just their host student. 

In addition to partaking in fun activities, the Convent and Stuart Hall students got to meet a multitude of Danish students at the Gymnasium and talk to them about an array of things, such as sports, politics, social trends, and more. The three Stuart Hall students played sports such as soccer and basketball with the Danish kids and even dominated in a three-versus-three against some Danish students. It was quite intriguing to the Stuart Hall students how the Danish kids played so many sports during their lunch breaks. This made the students view the school in a much more positive light, and it seemed to make the Danish students very happy.

Furthermore, it was fun for students to see what the high school was like and what classes were like. Although some classes were in Danish, it was fun for the American students to hear the language and learn some of it. The classes in English seemed similar to the classes at Convent and Stuart Hall, just with bigger class sizes. However, students were most surprised by how nice the school was. Incredibly nice classrooms, a very high-quality cafeteria, and great equipment made students ecstatic and elated to attend school every day. The Stuart Hall students also got the opportunity to give the first-year Danish students a presentation about life in America. 

The Rungsted-Convent and Stuart Hall exchange has been completed and gave students from both countries an incredible opportunity to be immersed in a different culture, try new things, and have a joyous time. The Convent and Stuart Hall students who visited Denmark in April thoroughly enjoyed their time in Denmark and will miss it as well as their host families.